Winterizing

[ashlandcpa]

Can anybody explain how the winterizng inlet valve works. I have a 2007 3000RK. What I was told to do so that it would be somewhat easy didn't work so went about it in a manual way.

Dave

[rldriver]

Hi Dave, good question.
Before you do any thing you need make sure that the hot water tank is off, both propane and electrical, drain the tank and then turn the hot water tank bypass valve to bypass the hot water tank. This will isolate the tank from the water system.

Find the hose and valve for the winterizing system, put the hose into a gallon of "RV antifreeze" and only RV antifreeze, turn the valve to open the line, go inside and turn on your water pump. Open each faucet until the pink stuff comes out. It will take about 3 gallons. Take what you have left over and put some in each P-trap. Should be good to go. I also drain my system first using the low-point drains.

[ashlandcpa]

Thanks Dick:

They didn't tell me about turning the pump on to pull from the pink bottle. Was worried about running the pump dry between bottles so opted to put pink in the tank manually and then ran pump and opened faucets etc. New to this and was terrified about screwing something up. Should be good. Manual told me about bypass etc but it could stand some serious detailing on specifics as to how things work for us newbies. Wasn't sure about how much pink so used plenty everywhere. Cheaper than repairing water damage. Love the Montana. Hate the manual. Thanks for the reply.

Dave

[sreigle]

Be sure the toilet has a little of the pink in it to keep the seal from drying out. It won't evaporate like water will.

These pumps can run a long time dry with no damage, unlike those of just a few years ago. I read about that. And not long ago we left ours running for most of a day while we were on the road. Not on purpose, just screwed up and didn't turn it off after a potty stop. It was no worse for wear. Fortunately.

Two gallons, maybe three, should be enough for the entire system. Don't forget the outside shower.

[Connorsmom]

Speaking of winterizing....they included this coiled up blue hose with my Monty. The walk thru guy said it was for putting into the antifreeze bottle. Well, let me tell ya, that thing is about worthless. I ended up just cutting an old hose to use instead. I don't really see any use for that blue hose, nothing that I can think of will fit on the end of it. Hmmmm...what am I missing???

Jan

[sreigle]

The coiled blue hose is for the outside shower at the top of the convenience center. It is not for winterizing.

[DONnANNIE]

ashlandcpa - All of the above suggestions are correct. The only other thing I would add is to keep the RV Anti-freeze container full of anti-freeze so that you don't loose your "prime" for the pump. Not a big deal, just an inconvenience if you loose "prime".

Don't forget the W/D plumbing even if you don't have a W/D. Most of the Montys come with plumbing for W/D. I haven't done it yet but I want to disconnect / cap off the supply lines to the W/D - then I won't need to winterize those lines. I don't have a W/D and probably won't have one.

[ashlandcpa]

I was told the blue hose could be used for winterizing along as the outside shower feature. Be careful with the blue hose. Had another Keystone camper before my Montana and the blue hose developed multiple cracks in it within 5 months. Maybe just a bad one. Realized I had forgot to winterize the washer lines last night after reading older postings. 2 good things came from that late bad realization. 1. What a benefit MOC is to us newbies if you take the time to read more than just current topics. 2. I have had weather in the teens for several nights since I winterized and when I pulled the access plates for the washer lines this morning, they had water in the last 2 feet leading to the valves but were not frozen so insulation must have worked. Took care of them. Thanks for all the great info. This will be an evolving education for me.

Dave

[Cat320]

quote:Originally posted by ashlandcpa

I was told the blue hose could be used for winterizing along as the outside shower feature. Be careful with the blue hose. Had another Keystone camper before my Montana and the blue hose developed multiple cracks in it within 5 months. Maybe just a bad one. Realized I had forgot to winterize the washer lines last night after reading older postings. 2 good things came from that late bad realization. 1. What a benefit MOC is to us newbies if you take the time to read more than just current topics. 2. I have had weather in the teens for several nights since I winterized and when I pulled the access plates for the washer lines this morning, they had water in the last 2 feet leading to the valves but were not frozen so insulation must have worked. Took care of them. Thanks for all the great info. This will be an evolving education for me.

Dave

I use mine for winterizing, just take it off the shower and connect it to the female winterization value and turn the pump on.