Need DeWinterizing Step by Step

[51coke]

This is my first time to dewinterize my Airstream. Anybody know where I can find a step by step checklist?
Also a checklist for all things I need to check and clean?
Thanks

[overlander63]

Step 1: Connect city water supply to city water inlet.
Step 2: Turn on the water.
Step 3: Open hot and cold faucets, and let the water run until it is clear (no link).
Step 4: Turn yellow bypass valve on water heater inlet so water enters water heater.
Step 5: Run hot water until air clears, and water comes out.
Step 6: Enjoy another camping season.

[TG Twinkie]

If you are sure there will not be a hard freeze.
Fill the fresh water tank, after making sure you have closed the tank drain valve.
Open the galley sink faucets and start the water pump.
You should see the pink antifreeze running out of the faucet. Hot water side and cold water side should be opened one at a time.
Leave the pump running until clear water is running.
Close the galley sink faucets.
Open the vanity faucets, wait for clear water to run.
Close the faucets.
Open the shower faucets, wait for clear water.
Flush the toilet until you get clear water.
Turn the pump off.
Connect a hose to the city water connection. Turn on the city water. Then repeat the steps.
At this point the water heater should be in the "bypass" mode. You need to take it out of that bypass mode. The manual in your coach should have instructions on how this is done.
When you take the water heater out of "bypass" with the city water still on. You should hear water running into the water heater tank. Open the hot water faucet on the shower, galley and vanity sinks one at a time. Allow the water to run until there is no air coming out of the faucets.
DO NOT START THE WATER HEATER IN EITHER THE GAS OR ELECTRIC MODE UNTIL YOU ARE SURE THE WATER HEATER IS FULL OF WATER.
Whomever winterized the coach may have opened the low point drain valves. If you are unsuccessful with the above steps. Look under the coach for water running out. If water is running out. You must locate the low point drain valves and close them.
If the pump continues to run when all sink and shower valves are closed. A low point drain valve(s) may be open or you have a leak somewhere. Start looking.
If you run into problems get back to us.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by 51coke

This is my first time to dewinterize my Airstream. Anybody know where I can find a step by step checklist?
Also a checklist for all things I need to check and clean?
Thanks

Welcome to the forum, 51coke!

Crucial first steps not clearly stated already:

-- reassemble items left loose for winter
. . . [toilet sprayers, exterior shower heads, hoses/filter at pump, etc.]
-- close all faucets, shower valves, low-point drains, etc..
-- recommend using fresh water tank and pump for intitial "summerization" as it can be turned off quickly if there are any leaks. When all seems fine connect city water and check out system again.

Good luck!

Peter

PS -- Your owners manual is always a good place to start. Also the list of threads in this sub-forum contains previous theads on-topic:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f458/

Like this one:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f458...ng-146176.html

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Step 1: Connect city water supply to city water inlet.
Step 2: Turn on the water.
Step 3: Open hot and cold faucets, and let the water run until it is clear (no link).
Step 4: Turn yellow bypass valve on water heater inlet so water enters water heater.
Step 5: Run hot water until air clears, and water comes out.
Step 6: Enjoy another camping season.

What about flushing out the water pump which was how the antifreeze was put in? Does just hooking up to city water clear the pump too?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by pcskier

What about flushing out the water pump which was how the antifreeze was put in? Does just hooking up to city water clear the pump too?

No, that is one reason why I earlier recommended a few early steps, which should include using the fresh water tank and the pump. Then city water . . .

BTW it is possible to winterize one's trailer without using antifreeze at all.

Peter

[51coke]

Doing my dewinterization
I can get water out of all my faucets except the bathroom, barely a trickle
What should I Check?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by 51coke

Doing my dewinterization
I can get water out of all my faucets except the bathroom, barely a trickle
What should I Check?

Both hot and cold acting this way? Are you on tank/pump or city water? Do you see any leaks inside, including under the bath sink counter, or outside (under) the trailer?

[wlanford]

Check the strainer in the faucet. That can cause low water flow.

[greghoro]

Note, all your responses have addressed the fresh water dewinterization. There could be more to it to fully dewinterize.

Things that come to mind.

Did you put the RV batteries in storage mode?
Did you remove the RV batteries altogether?
Did you remove batteries from the smoke detector and/or CO detector?
Did you disconnect the propane tanks from the regulators?
Tires need to be inflated to appropriate pressure, including the spare
Did you flip off all the AC breakers?
Did you do anything to control critters which needs to be undone?
Check the owners manual for any annual lubrication requirements.

Important to note all the things you did to the RV when you put it to bed for the winter so you can reverse them in the spring.

Grwg

[Protagonist]

Nobody mentioned sanitizing the freshwater system either. Any time a plumbing system has been opened up and allowed to drain, it should be sanitized before being placed back into use. That includes when you "summerize" and whenever you're done with plumbing repairs.

[TG Twinkie]

Not sure the sanitization is necessary if you use city water in both onboard and city water systems. The city water I have been exposed to is already saturated with chlorine and other chemicals.
After living where well water is the only thing available whenever I come across city water it smells like the public swimming pool. I can't drink the stuff.

[51coke]

I sanitized my FW tank. I also got the antifreeze out of the lines. I made sure my air conditioner, furnace, stove, and refrigerator all came on as well as my fantastic fans work.
I know I still need to do other maintenance.
Water pressure is fine everywhere but the bathroom faucet which barely trickles out, and it wasnt like that last year. It does it on city water and fresh water and both hot or cold. I will check the screen later. Any other ideas what to check for that while I'm checking.
Thanks to everyone for the replies.

[PKI]

Just a thought. You need to watch the level of the grey water tank and connect to sewer and drain as it fills. When at home with no sewer connection, we have caught the water in a bin and carried it inside to a toilet if it was black or antifreeze laden grey water and on the landscape if it was just rinse water.

51 - Don't know what your bathroom faucet problem is. The screen is a good guess. It seems logical that you don't have a frozen plug in the line. Hard to believe there is a bug, but some type of an obstruction sounds likely. Take the lines a section at a time and troubleshoot the problem. See if the problem is the faucet or the line to the faucet. Remove the line from the faucet and see if you have unrestricted flow there.

Good luck with your investigation. Pat

[OTRA15]

Cleaning the faucet screen should do the job. Those little holes in the plastic filter can get clogged easily if you were hooked up to city water which might have had some fine grit in it. We tend to think of city water as pure, but when they work on the supply lines (often miles away) SOME grit can travel down the line, if only stuff from inside the pipes which is freed by the pressure on -- pressure off -- process.

When you have the filter removed from the faucet, run the hot and cold lines on their own. As mentioned earlier, there may be an obstruction further upstream, but with the filter screen removed, the water pressure may be able to push the obstruction out. [thinking a bug perhaps . . . ]

Do you have a pre-filter for city water outside the trailer near the hose bib? We always had one for our old trailer, and I am going to rig one up soon. There are probably newer versions of what we used in the 90's, but I am thinking of the basic filter in a plastic cannister like is used for residential water, especially those supplied by a well and pump. These filters are good for removing mechanical things ilke grit, but obviously do not deal with chemical issues for drinking/cooking water, for which we rely on bottled spring water.

Good luck!

Peter

PS -- And ditto to Protagonist, the whole system including fresh water tank should be sanitized with bleach at the start of every season, even if one uses only city water. (IMO)

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by 51coke

I sanitized my FW tank. I also got the antifreeze out of the lines. I made sure my air conditioner, furnace, stove, and refrigerator all came on as well as my fantastic fans work.
I know I still need to do other maintenance.
Water pressure is fine everywhere but the bathroom faucet which barely trickles out, and it wasnt like that last year. It does it on city water and fresh water and both hot or cold. I will check the screen later. Any other ideas what to check for that while I'm checking.
Thanks to everyone for the replies.

Wondering if you got this sorted out, maybe by cleaning out the filter/screen on the bath vanity faucet spout?

Thanks,

Peter

[Jukeboxfun]

When does the new undersink filter go in?

[51coke]

I checked the screen, and just like you all said, there was a big hunk of something in there. Water flow is back to normal
Thanks again to all who gave advice.
I believe I've completed all my maintenance and dewinterizing.
Im headed out to Roaring River State Park in Missouri, but close to the Arkansas line, for 4 days. My first trip of the season!

[streaminwild]

Originally Posted by 51coke

I checked the screen, and just like you all said, there was a big hunk of something in there. Water flow is back to normal
Thanks again to all who gave advice.

Thanks 51coke for letting us know. It gives everyone that gave advice closure, as well as the solution to the problem. Safe travels 51coke

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the update! I am planning on turning the water on today, as we finally have a warm sunny day.

Have a great trip!

Peter