5th Wheel Owners..Help..

[WIMUSKY]

Thanks guys. What I did today was drain the heater tank. Then I opened up all the faucets. A bunch more water drained out the hot water hole. I had unscrewed the anode..... Fresh water tank is empty. So I think I'm good for tonite. Good idea about the outside faucet, forgot about it. I left all the faucets open.

​Down to 34 as we speak....... There'll be frost on the pumpkin!

 

[MTboatguy]

My HW heater is in the front, so I have to lower it as much as possible to get all of the water out, and then I have an inspection scope, so I take a quick look around to make sure there is no rot going on inside the tank, this new tank I have is porcelain lined so I am not to worried about it, next year, I am going to replace with a electric start one, this is manual and I am getting lazy, I just want to push a button and have it light! I am going to replace the fridge for the same reason, the push button start on it went out this summer, so I am going to put a new fridge in.

The one thing to remember with RV's, if there ain't no water, then there ain't nothing to freeze.

 

[64osby]

There'll be frost on the pumpkin!

There is only one? :blue:

 

[MTboatguy]

Wim, that darn outside faucet will get you every single time, when it comes to freeze repairs in the northern tier that is the number one thing that get replaced every single year. Normally what I do when I winterize one, I will put two valves in, one on each water line, then I blow them out and have the wife close the valves, that way I know they are empty, small amount of cost for an expensive repair in the future.

 

[WIMUSKY]

My HW heater is in the front, so I have to lower it as much as possible to get all of the water out, and then I have an inspection scope, so I take a quick look around to make sure there is no rot going on inside the tank, this new tank I have is porcelain lined so I am not to worried about it, next year, I am going to replace with a electric start one, this is manual and I am getting lazy, I just want to push a button and have it light! I am going to replace the fridge for the same reason, the push button start on it went out this summer, so I am going to put a new fridge in.

The one thing to remember with RV's, if there ain't no water, then there ain't nothing to freeze.

My heater is more in the low end center of the trailer. So it's at it lowest pointg when level. That's why I think more water came out after opening the faucets.

Yep, flip a switch and the HW heater starts. The only thing manual "anywhere" on the trailer is lighting the cooking stove. Then you just need a match or such... I like buttons too......... Lazy? I call it working smarter not harder.......

Yep, it was 26 last nite. That pumpkin got frosted....

 

[rbh]

Not to get off track to much, no electric start piezoelectric?? or lift the lid on the stove and see if there are any little pipes running between the burners.

These could/would be for the pilot lights and there would be an on off screw to shut off the flow of propane when your traveling or winterized, mine anyways.

 

[aspeck]

Musky, the easiest way to winterize it is to build a heated garage to store it in complete with cable and full hook-ups. Then when the wife gets made, you have a comfy place to go. It will beat sleeping outside with the dog on those chilly nights ... just sayin' ...

 

[WIMUSKY]

Not to get off track to much, no electric start piezoelectric?? or lift the lid on the stove and see if there are any little pipes running between the burners.

These could/would be for the pilot lights and there would be an on off screw to shut off the flow of propane when your traveling or winterized, mine anyways.

No electric. Possibly a pilot lite. Haven't looked too deep into it. "I believe" the oven has a pilot. Haven't used it yet.

Musky, the easiest way to winterize it is to build a heated garage to store it in complete with cable and full hook-ups. Then when the wife gets made, you have a comfy place to go. It will beat sleeping outside with the dog on those chilly nights ... just sayin' ...

That would be my man cave and I would probably stay out there even on the rare occasion when I wasn't in trouble! lol

Heck, the dog would probably get my side of the bed...

 

[GA_Boater]

Whadda ya mean probably? The pooch will steal the blanket, too. LOL

 

[WIMUSKY]

Blew out the lines today. Worked great. Dumped RV ati-freeze in the traps, all set except for the pump.

Game plan was to disconnect and drain until I found out I can't access the actual pump. Just the contraption above the pump. Is the top black, 2nd pic, a vent? It had the cover on it in the first pick. How can I get the water out? Or, antifreeze in? Nice cutting out the hole. Thankfully there is a big plastic cover to coverup that mess.....Thanks!

 

[MTboatguy]

I don't see a pump in either one of those pictures? If you want to blow it out, just pick up an adapter that screws into the water outlet on the outside of the trailer, then apply air pressure from your compressor with the facets open, that will blow the water out of the pump head as well as the faucet valves.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I guess that was my point. The pump is behind the wall below the lines I exposed. I did buy the connector for the city water connection and blew out the lines. Although, I had the lever by the connection to bypass the freshwater tank. It's my understanding that would bypass the pump too? Should I move the lever to open up the fresh waterline and would the air then go thru the pump?

 

[MTboatguy]

That pump has to be accessible somehow, it is the code that is followed in the new RV's, call the dealer and have him show or tell you how to get to it. When blowing it out, you want to leave it in the position that would draw water from the fresh water tank, as if you were dry camping, that way you blow out the pump head, that is where the problems can happen in the winter is the small amount that is left in the pump head.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Ok, that's what I was wondering. I'l have to do it again with the valve to the fresh water tank open. They said the pump is located in different areas depending on the trailer. They said it was behind a panel with 4 screws. So the pic I showed is it. Except it's just the plumbing for the pump. The pump is below that panel in the wall... The only way I can see how I "may" access the pump is to take out the corregated bellypan which isn't going to happen. It runs the whole length of the trailer.....

The panel is located in the bathroom next to the head. About 4' off the floor....