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Summerizing the Rpod

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rabuol View Drop Down
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    Posted: 01 Apr 2010 at 11:18am
Hie all,
 
A few months ago we were all winterizing our Rpod....but now it's time to summerize.
 
Any one has a list of things to do to summerize the Rpod....valves to turn....etc....
 
I would appreciate such a list.
 
Rabuol
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PodPatrol Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2010 at 11:57am
I believe that the first step would be purging the RV antifreeze out of all the water lines.
You can use the water pump and water from your fresh water tank, or, hook up to city water.
After removing all antifreeze from lines (when water shows no sign of "pink", and you've purged
sink faucets, shower faucets, and toliet) then open water heater lines (turn off bypass). Be sure to
flush the lines extensively ! (do not return hot water heater to use until it is full of clean water).
You can fill the water heater by hooking up city water, or by running a slow stream of water from your hose
into the City water opening. I saw them do this at the dealer. Or, with city water or tank water open "hot" water
faucets till a steady stream of water is coming out and all air is purged from water heater.
To remove "air" from lines & Wtr Htr open cold and hot water faucets at sink, shower.
The toliet only uses cold water, so you might want to do a few flushes.

I hope this helps ya. Wait until u get a few more posts from other Podders incase I've
missed something, or have given you incorrect information.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tink Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2010 at 3:19pm
Thanks, I forgot about the shower AND I didn't turn on the hot water handle. It's easy to forget.

Tink'rPod 174 Knoxville,TN,
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Outbound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2010 at 5:14pm
summerizing... LOL.

While you're dewinterizing, its a great time to sanitize your water system.
  • Using an RV drinking water hose, fill your fresh tank 1/3 full.  Add a mix of 3/4 cup bleach and 2 quarts of water (i.e. don't add straight bleach, dilute it first).  Complete filling your fresh tank.  The sloshing around as the water goes in will thoroughly mix the bleach solution.
  • Turn on your water pump.  One at a time, turn on your taps on the sink, the taps on your shower, and flush the toilet.  Run each until clear water flows.  Turn off your water pump.
  • Go outside and open your low-point drains and let pink stuff drain out.  Screw the caps back on the drains when its done.  Go back inside, flip the switch for your water pump and let it re-pressurize your system.  Turn on both taps on the sink to 'burp' out any air that may have entered through the low-point drains.  Turn off the taps.  Then, turn off the pump again.
  • Top off your fresh tank with more water.
  • Wait for four hours and let the bleach do its work.
  • Drain your fresh water tank (there's a plug on the bottom)
  • Using an RV drinking water hose, fill your fresh tank 1/3 full.  Add a large jug (about a gallon) of white vinegar to the tank (no need to dilute it this time).  Complete filling your fresh tank.
  • Turn on your water pump.  One at a time, turn on your taps on the sink, the taps on your shower and flush the toilet.  Run each one for 15-20 seconds (until you're sure that the vinegar-water mix is coming out).  Turn off your water pump.
  • Go outside and open your low-point drains and let bleach-water drain out.  Screw the caps back on the drains when its done.  Go back inside, flip the switch for your water pump and let it re-pressurize your system.  Turn on both taps on the sink to 'burp' out any air that may have entered through the low-point drains.  Turn off the taps.  Then, turn off the pump again.
  • Top-off your fresh tank with water.
  • Wait 12 hours (overnight).
  • Drain your fresh tank.
  • Using an RV drinking water hose, completely fill your fresh tank.
  • Turn on your fresh water pump.  One at a time, turn on your taps on the sink, the taps on your shower and flush the toilet.  Run each one for 15-20 seconds (until you're sure that the vinegar-water mix has been flushed out).
  • Turn the bypass valves for your water heater.  Start with the one in the middle.  The other two valves can be done in any order.  NB: your water pump will start pumping.
  • Turn on the hot water tap on your sink.  Let it run for 3-4 minutes as your water heater fills.  It'll spit air and make quite a racket.
Thats it!  You're done!  Dewinterized and sanitized!

Please note: DO NOT use the pressure-relief valve on your water heater to 'fill' your tank.  There is supposed to be a pocket of air at the top of the tank to accommodate expansion of the water while its heating.
Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PodPatrol Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2010 at 7:50pm
I think that summerized it very well Outbound ... well, you know what I mean... Thanks for posting the procedure again !
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Outbound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2010 at 10:44pm

Wink
Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rabuol Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Apr 2010 at 8:34pm
Thanks guys .... boy do I like this forum....expert answers by people who know their stuff.
 
Rabuol
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tedbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2010 at 8:04pm

I had my dealer winterize my 171 last November, and he told me just to hook a hose up to it and rinse out the lines come spring.  Where I live, the well water is heavy with iron, so I shagged a few five-gallon cans of water from indoors (where the water is conditioned), filled the tank about half full, kicked on the pump and flushed out the lines that way.

With that done, I got under the bed and opened that valve in the "H" between the lines that attach to the water heater, as instructed by my dealer - not sure what that's all about.  Anyone?
 
Anyway, for those of us who don't want to go through the ritual described in previous posts, there is a simpler way.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Outbound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2010 at 8:29pm
Quote Anyway, for those of us who don't want to go through the ritual described in previous posts, there is a simpler way.
I would argue that sanitizing your plumbing system on a regular basis is and necessity, not an option.
Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote photog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2010 at 11:08pm
Originally posted by tedbear tedbear wrote:

I had my dealer winterize my 171 last November, and he told me just to hook a hose up to it and rinse out the lines come spring.  Where I live, the well water is heavy with iron, so I shagged a few five-gallon cans of water from indoors (where the water is conditioned), filled the tank about half full, kicked on the pump and flushed out the lines that way.

With that done, I got under the bed and opened that valve in the "H" between the lines that attach to the water heater, as instructed by my dealer - not sure what that's all about.  Anyone?
 
Anyway, for those of us who don't want to go through the ritual described in previous posts, there is a simpler way.
 
tedbear,
 
We have RV'd for about 40 years now and I can guarantee you that unless you do sanitize your water system on a regular basis sooner or later you will have a problem. It happened to us (me)once and it toke almost a year to get rid of that bug. It was a matter of postponing it for just one more trip, well that was one trip too many and I suffered for it.
 
Now, if you never drink the water from your tank or brush your teeth with it you can ignore the above.
 
Take care,
Heinrich and Elly

2010 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab
Prime Time Tracer 205 M
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