De-winterizing?
Printed From: r-pod Nation
Category: Forest River r-pod
Forum Name: Maintenance Issues, Tips and Tricks
Forum Description: Have you ever wondered how something works? Found a good way to do something? Discovered the hard way what NOT to do? Share them here.
URL: http://www.rpodNation.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1171
Printed Date: 19 Apr 2024 at 6:01pm
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Topic: De-winterizing?
Posted By: GoTak
Subject: De-winterizing?
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2010 at 12:38pm
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Spring is coming in Canada. I need to do De-winterizing my pod. Could you tell me how I can do it.
What I know. 1) Put water in to the fresh water tank. 2) Open all faucets to get rid of all PINK anti-freeze 3) Put some bleach into to the fresh water tank and drain all waters. 4) Rinse water lines with fresh water 5) Close bypass and open hot and cold valves. Are these enough? Thanks ------------- 2010 r-pod172 |
Replies:
Posted By: PodPatrol
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2010 at 2:07pm
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I found a really good article about this. Now, let's deal with the plumbing! If you don't have fresh water available where your rig is stored, then you need to move it. We need to flush out the plumbing system, especially if RV antifreeze was used. One possibility is to take the rig to a local RV Park or campground and use their water and sewer hookups. Hook up your water hose and fill your fresh water tank. Run your water pump and open each faucet in the rig one at a time and allow water to flow for a minute or so. If you used antifreeze, let the water flow until all color and odor is gone. Don't forget the toilet and the shower! Remember to open your gray water dump valve before you get too carried away! Turn off the water pump and hook up your hose to the city water inlet. Run some more water through the system to get that last bit of antifreeze out, then unhook the hose again. Be sure not to un-bypass the water heater until you've flushed all the lines. To put your bypassed water heater back in service, reset the valves for normal operation and make sure that the drain plug is in or that the drain valve is closed. Now run the water pump and open a hot water faucet. Once the water heater tank is full, shut all faucets and wait until the pump turns off. Listen for a few minutes to make sure that the pump does not cycle again. If the pump cycles on and off repeatedly, it may indicate a leak somewhere in your fresh water plumbing. If a leak is suspected, take a flashlight and visually inspect all the plumbing under your sinks and see if you can spot any leaks. Look carefully in compartments and inside of cupboards and storage areas until you find the drip. Fix any leaks before continuing. Now, let's sterilize your fresh water tank and plumbing. Mix about a cup of plain household bleach in a gallon of water. Pour this mixture into your fresh water tank and top it off with the hose. Turn on the water pump and run each faucet until you can plainly smell the chlorine. Top off the fresh water tank again and let the system set for at least a few hours, longer is better. Then, drain the fresh water tank and refill with clean water. Flush the system out by running the clean water through each faucet again. Use lots of water, until the chlorine smell is gone. This procedure will usually result in clean, odor free water in your RV. If you have problems with lingering antifreeze taste or chlorine odor, you can re-flush the system using I cup of baking soda dissolved into 1 gallon of water and follow the same procedure as above. This article appears at: http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/skp/dewinterize.htm Hope this helps .... We don't do our own because of no where to dump our gray/black tanks after flushing out the RV anti-freeze. |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2010 at 2:22pm
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You really should sanitize your fresh water system (tank, lines and fixtures) while you're dewinterizing.
NB: Don't turn the bypass valves for your water heater until after you've sanitized
To get rid of the bleach smell in your water system:
------------- Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray |
Posted By: GoTak
Date Posted: 10 May 2010 at 12:12pm
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I'm sorry for late reply. I thought I replied already. Since it is warm enough to de-winterize in Canada now. I will try these. Thanks. ------------- 2010 r-pod172 |
Posted By: tabkld93
Date Posted: 12 May 2010 at 11:17am
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I followed the instructions from Outbound this weekend with fantastic results. The water tastes good.
It was time consuming (waiting around) but it was easy and really worked great. ------------- Todd, Karen & Leah '13 Surveyor 240 '12 Ford F150 EcoBoost Former owner of 2010 R-Pod 172 |
Posted By: PodPatrol
Date Posted: 12 May 2010 at 11:35am
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Outbound (Craig) is indeed a wealth of information, and we are very lucky to have him as a member.
His suggestions and step-by-step procedures are vital to those of us who other-wise may be clue-less. (me for instance). As mentioned, we are lucky to be the recipiants of any available time he may have to post/answer/contribute to this forum. I know it's been said many times & many ways, " Thanks Outbound" !!! |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 12 May 2010 at 3:40pm
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Aww, shucks... happy to help  ------------- Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray |
Posted By: joe&carol
Date Posted: 12 May 2010 at 7:42pm
| Just to mention that we dewinterized a couple days ago and headed out for a couple nights of camping - - - - Wouldn't you know it, snow came in and is hitting the northern Front Range in Colorado fairly hard. The gist of it is that we came home early and winterized again today. Next week should warm up again so we'll dewinterize again then. All that is no big deal and the whole process doesn't seem to take that long. The important thing is to note that PodPatrol's and Outbound"s instructions tell me I did it the "right" way. Thank you. Joe |
Posted By: gepaine
Date Posted: 12 May 2010 at 9:43pm
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Outbound,
Regarding your advice not to turn the bypass valves for your water heater until after you've sanitized, what will be the affect on my 175 when I dewinterize with the valves still open from last season? (It is virtually impossible to reach the water heater bypass valves on a 175 without removing the bed and cutting an opening in the plywood bed base. I didn't want to do that, so I winterized by blowing out all water from the system with compressed air instead of adding anti-freeze to the supply lines.)
Thanks ------------- Gene & Linda - 2007 Escalade - 24-Foot Keystone Cougar TT- Life is not just about gas mileage! |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 13 May 2010 at 2:04pm
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Gene, No mechanical issues. I'd just be concerned that the bleach taste would stay with the water heater. Of course, most of use don't drink hot water from the tap, so its likely not a problem anyway. You'll also be using six gallons of water to fill your water heater, which will significantly drop the water level in your fresh tank. After you've filled the water heater, make sure to top off your fresh tank again to make sure that the top portion of your fresh tank is also sanitized in the process. ------------- Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray |
Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 19 May 2010 at 2:04pm
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A related question............ does anyone know what size socket I'd need for the hot water heater drain plug bolt? It's appears to be larger than 1" and I can seem to find any sockets close to that size at Lowes or Home Depot. If I knew the size, I'd be able to search online.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |
Posted By: GoTak
Date Posted: 19 May 2010 at 2:27pm
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I used 1" 1/16. It worked fine for all other bolts under R-pod. ------------- 2010 r-pod172 |
Posted By: R&T's Pod
Date Posted: 19 May 2010 at 2:30pm
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Yup, it is a 17/16ths socket. (1 and 1/16ths) Mine came from Sears, but you can get them from some autoparts stores, such as NAPA, Advance, etc. (may have to order it). Rob ------------- 2010 R-Pod 175 2007 F-150 Super Cab http://www.rtspod.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow - R&T's Podding Blog 
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Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 19 May 2010 at 2:32pm
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Thanks guys. Appreciate the reply.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |