Fresh Water Tank Winterize - R-pod Owners Forum

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hogone

Senior Member

Joined: 09 Apr 2013
Location: St. Louis
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Posts: 1043

Topic: Fresh Water Tank Winterize
Posted: 20 Oct 2014 at 6:42am

the only thing i do differently than toolmanjohn is i do run the bleach mix through the hot water heater when dewinterizing (which maybe i should'nt) and i don't use that much bleach (which maybe i should). hogone

Jon & Pam
2013 RP177
2010 F150
2017 HD Streetglide
2009 HD Lowrider
CHEESEHEAD

ToolmanJohn View Drop Down

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Joined: 23 Apr 2014
Location: Connecticut
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Posts: 451

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 at 6:30am

Personally I don't allow any anti-freeze into the hot water heater. I was told that the anti-freeze can attack the electric element and anode rod. That was what the bypass valves are for , to keep the anti freeze from entering the hot water heater.

I just drain the fresh tank and hot and cold lines then close the low point drains, bypass the water heater, use almost 2 gallons sucked into the winterization pickup hose for the hot and cold lines (open both valves on the kitchen sink and bathroom sink and run the toilet until pink flows out) and also pour into P-Traps. Done.

In the Spring, I drain the anti-freeze from the low point drains, I fill the fresh tank with about 3-4 cups of chlorine bleach, fill with city water, the run out the hot and cold lines until clear of anti-freeeze. Let sit for a day. Then drain the entire thing again. Fill with fresh and drain again. The very last thing I do is open the hot water heater bypass valves. I don't want chlorine in the hot water tank, that is bad for the anode rod and heat element.

It takes a while but this is exactly how it was relayed to me by the owner of the RV dealership I bought my first TT from (not an R-Pod), and he was my high school buddy. He took over the dealership from his uncle. He said just blowing out the lines is OK, but in rare cases, the way a trailer is made can affect how much water remains in certain lines/areas/low spots. There may be some small amount of water left over, just how much is not known, so it's safest to use anti-freeze so thinks can't crack.

2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD)
2013 VW Touareg TDI

marwayne

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Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Location: Edmonton AB Can
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Posts: 1002

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 at 12:44am

I do siphon the last bit of water out of the HWT. My anode after 4 years has about 75% of wear left. I don't want to brag, but we do have one of the best drinking water in all of North America.

If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 at 8:29pm

Don't worry about the water left in the WH.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

wildfire305 View Drop Down

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Joined: 22 Jul 2014
Location: Erlanger, KY
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Posts: 85

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 at 7:59pm

As a plumber and after inspecting everything while winterizing, I ended up putting a gallon of antifreeze in the water tank because I didn't want to take any chances. There is a loop on my intake hose and that will hold water. That flexible hose (not pex) probably wouldn't break even if it did freeze.
Do I need to get all the water out of the heater? I noticed with the anode removed it still held about 3/8" in the bottom. I could try to suck it out with a bit of hose if I need to.

Speaking of anodes, my anode already looked bad after being in service three months. Stayed in it a total of 20 nights during that time and I drain between uses. Must be the water I guess. Anyone else from greater Cincinnati experience that?

2005 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8
OLD Tow Vehicle 2004 Honda Odyssey
2015 RP179 "73b"
OLD 2005 Viking Saga 2480ST popup

Podster

Senior Member

Joined: 16 Sep 2014
Location: San Antonio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1108

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 at 6:53am

"The water heater bypass on the 2015 178 is DEFINITELY under the bed..."

Well, I do have a panel just within the street side rear bay storage that my service tech pointed out as access to the water heater bypass. I just pulled the panel off and the water heater is there, but there is no access to the valves here. I'm not really sure what the access if for, it looks worthless to me. It appears you are 100% correct Sir, the access for the water heater bypass on the 2015 178 like the 171 is going to be from under the bed. Thanks for posting this. You saved me the aggravation of trying to figure this all out when my time comes to winterize...much appreciated.

Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)

kandk920

Newbie

Joined: 11 Sep 2014
Location: Omro, WI
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 at 8:51pm

The water heater bypass on the 2015 178 is DEFINITELY under the bed on the left(slide-out) side of the camper. The panel with the 4 screws is located under the sink and are to get to the intake bypass to draw antifreeze into the system directly from the bottle.

2015 R-Pod 178
2008 Town & Country
Fox Valley, WI

wildfire305 View Drop Down

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Joined: 22 Jul 2014
Location: Erlanger, KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 85

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 at 12:56am

I have the 179 and I am an average sized person (6' 200 pounds). It is difficult to get to that access panel under the bed. A bigger person would have to remove the mattress and plywood to do it. When the furnace is running, you can't put anything under there in the storage area at all, way too hot.

2005 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8
OLD Tow Vehicle 2004 Honda Odyssey
2015 RP179 "73b"
OLD 2005 Viking Saga 2480ST popup

Podster

Senior Member

Joined: 16 Sep 2014
Location: San Antonio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1108

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 at 4:16pm

"I found the valves under the bed."

Ok, well I have a R-178 as well and although I have not winterized as of yet, I do recall the service tech, during my walk around check out, pointing out an access panel within the rear storage compartment, heater side (curb side). Should be just 4 screws to pull the panel and the valves should be right there.

I think it's the R-179 that requires you go in under the mattress.

Anyway, enjoy your R-178 and HAPPY RETIREMENT! Thumbs Up

heyfly

Newbie

Joined: 18 Jul 2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 at 2:58pm

We have a 2015 R-178 and loving it. I found the valves under the bed. The only valve under the sink was the one for pumping the antifreeze. I moved the mattress to the dinette side and will leave it there until spring.

This forum and youtube makes us all experts (in our own minds!)

2015 R-178 TV Chevy 1500 Silverado. Wife and I Retired Jan 2014

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hogone Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Apr 2013 Location: St. Louis Online Status: Offline Posts: 1043	Topic: Fresh Water Tank Winterize Posted: 20 Oct 2014 at 6:42am
	the only thing i do differently than toolmanjohn is i do run the bleach mix through the hot water heater when dewinterizing (which maybe i should'nt) and i don't use that much bleach (which maybe i should). hogone
	Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD

ToolmanJohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2014 Location: Connecticut Online Status: Offline Posts: 451	Posted: 20 Oct 2014 at 6:30am
	Personally I don't allow any anti-freeze into the hot water heater. I was told that the anti-freeze can attack the electric element and anode rod. That was what the bypass valves are for , to keep the anti freeze from entering the hot water heater. I just drain the fresh tank and hot and cold lines then close the low point drains, bypass the water heater, use almost 2 gallons sucked into the winterization pickup hose for the hot and cold lines (open both valves on the kitchen sink and bathroom sink and run the toilet until pink flows out) and also pour into P-Traps. Done. In the Spring, I drain the anti-freeze from the low point drains, I fill the fresh tank with about 3-4 cups of chlorine bleach, fill with city water, the run out the hot and cold lines until clear of anti-freeeze. Let sit for a day. Then drain the entire thing again. Fill with fresh and drain again. The very last thing I do is open the hot water heater bypass valves. I don't want chlorine in the hot water tank, that is bad for the anode rod and heat element. It takes a while but this is exactly how it was relayed to me by the owner of the RV dealership I bought my first TT from (not an R-Pod), and he was my high school buddy. He took over the dealership from his uncle. He said just blowing out the lines is OK, but in rare cases, the way a trailer is made can affect how much water remains in certain lines/areas/low spots. There may be some small amount of water left over, just how much is not known, so it's safest to use anti-freeze so thinks can't crack.
	2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI

marwayne Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 Oct 2011 Location: Edmonton AB Can Online Status: Offline Posts: 1002	Posted: 20 Oct 2014 at 12:44am
	I do siphon the last bit of water out of the HWT. My anode after 4 years has about 75% of wear left. I don't want to brag, but we do have one of the best drinking water in all of North America.
	If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 19 Oct 2014 at 8:29pm
	Don't worry about the water left in the WH.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

wildfire305 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 22 Jul 2014 Location: Erlanger, KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 85	Posted: 19 Oct 2014 at 7:59pm
	As a plumber and after inspecting everything while winterizing, I ended up putting a gallon of antifreeze in the water tank because I didn't want to take any chances. There is a loop on my intake hose and that will hold water. That flexible hose (not pex) probably wouldn't break even if it did freeze. Do I need to get all the water out of the heater? I noticed with the anode removed it still held about 3/8" in the bottom. I could try to suck it out with a bit of hose if I need to. Speaking of anodes, my anode already looked bad after being in service three months. Stayed in it a total of 20 nights during that time and I drain between uses. Must be the water I guess. Anyone else from greater Cincinnati experience that?
	2005 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 OLD Tow Vehicle 2004 Honda Odyssey 2015 RP179 "73b" OLD 2005 Viking Saga 2480ST popup

Podster Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Sep 2014 Location: San Antonio Online Status: Offline Posts: 1108	Posted: 13 Oct 2014 at 6:53am
	"The water heater bypass on the 2015 178 is DEFINITELY under the bed..." Well, I do have a panel just within the street side rear bay storage that my service tech pointed out as access to the water heater bypass. I just pulled the panel off and the water heater is there, but there is no access to the valves here. I'm not really sure what the access if for, it looks worthless to me. It appears you are 100% correct Sir, the access for the water heater bypass on the 2015 178 like the 171 is going to be from under the bed. Thanks for posting this. You saved me the aggravation of trying to figure this all out when my time comes to winterize...much appreciated.
	Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)

kandk920 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 11 Sep 2014 Location: Omro, WI Online Status: Offline Posts: 12	Posted: 12 Oct 2014 at 8:51pm
	The water heater bypass on the 2015 178 is DEFINITELY under the bed on the left(slide-out) side of the camper. The panel with the 4 screws is located under the sink and are to get to the intake bypass to draw antifreeze into the system directly from the bottle.
	2015 R-Pod 178 2008 Town & Country Fox Valley, WI

wildfire305 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 22 Jul 2014 Location: Erlanger, KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 85	Posted: 10 Oct 2014 at 12:56am
	I have the 179 and I am an average sized person (6' 200 pounds). It is difficult to get to that access panel under the bed. A bigger person would have to remove the mattress and plywood to do it. When the furnace is running, you can't put anything under there in the storage area at all, way too hot.
	2005 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 OLD Tow Vehicle 2004 Honda Odyssey 2015 RP179 "73b" OLD 2005 Viking Saga 2480ST popup

Podster Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Sep 2014 Location: San Antonio Online Status: Offline Posts: 1108	Posted: 09 Oct 2014 at 4:16pm
	"I found the valves under the bed." Ok, well I have a R-178 as well and although I have not winterized as of yet, I do recall the service tech, during my walk around check out, pointing out an access panel within the rear storage compartment, heater side (curb side). Should be just 4 screws to pull the panel and the valves should be right there. I think it's the R-179 that requires you go in under the mattress. Anyway, enjoy your R-178 and HAPPY RETIREMENT!

heyfly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 18 Jul 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 09 Oct 2014 at 2:58pm
	We have a 2015 R-178 and loving it. I found the valves under the bed. The only valve under the sink was the one for pumping the antifreeze. I moved the mattress to the dinette side and will leave it there until spring. This forum and youtube makes us all experts (in our own minds!)
	2015 R-178 TV Chevy 1500 Silverado. Wife and I Retired Jan 2014