UNFORTUNATELY I NEVER DID FIND FIND THE BYPASS VALVES NOTED IN STEP 3. NOW I KNOW THEY ARE UNDER THE BED. PROBLEM: I HAVE FILLED THE WATER TANK, I TURNED ON THE PUMP BUT WHILE I HEAR PUMP RUNNING I CANNOT GET WATER TO THE KITCHEN SINK.
RPod Winterization Modified
Forum using compressed air; Anti-freeze only in drains
1).
Open both low-point drains underneath the camper. These hang down along the
left edge under the floor behind the wheel. You will need two crescent
wrenches, one to hold the upper "nut", one to twist off the lower nut
(you can do the lower plug by hand.).
2)
Open the hot and cold valves on the kitchen sink, and then open the outside
panel for the hot water heater; remove the anode rod plug on the hot water
heater. Water will gush out - but it will not be under pressure. Inspect and
replace the anode if necessary (about every two years; in 2015 it was not
necessary but I bought a spare). The water heater must be stored dry, do not
try to fill it with antifreeze. Wait for the water to stop running out of the
drains and plug hole. Using a garden hose, flush any debris from inside the
water heater tank. You can pull open the pressure relief valve at the top of
the water heater to speed up the draining process. Insert the anode rod, using
a layer of Teflon tape on the threads.
3) I
DID NOT DO THIS STEP AS I THINK OUR UNIT IS DIFFERENT. Turn all 3 bypass valves
on the hot water heater. The valves are inside the trailer on the back of the
water heater - look on the outside of the camper to see where the water heater
is located. The valves on the cold and hot water lines will now be
perpendicular to the water lines (closed), and the valve between the hot and
cold lines will now be parallel (open).
4)
Attach a "blow-out plug" to the city water connection; be sure to use
Teflon tape so it is a tight seal. MARK HAS ONE WITH HIS AIR COMPRESSOR. Apply
LOW pressure air (ABOUT 25 psi) until the low-point drains stop sputtering. Do
the same for the toilet and shower. Close the low-point drains
finger-tight.
5) Open each valve inside the camper, one at a time, until it sputters and then
close it; open the low-point drains again and then close when drained. Remove
the blow-out plug. If your camper has the black tank rinse connection, apply
air to this connection for several seconds using the blow-out plug I DID NOT DO
THIS BUT I DID RUN FRESH WATER THROUGH IT.
6)
Inside the trailer, remove the access panel for the water pump (on the 177 it’s
BELOW THE SINK MUST REMOVE WOOD PANEL near the water heater). On the intake
line for the water pump, you'll notice a valve and about 2 1/2' of tubing
that's loose on one end. I DID NOT USE THIS HOSE AS IT IS TO DRAW IN ANTI
FREEZE
7)
Outside and underneath the trailer, open your freshwater tank drain valve and
allow it to empty.
8).Pour
some RV antifreeze into the shower and sink drains to fill the water traps
9).
Open the black water and gray water dump valves make sure the black and gray
waste water tanks are empty. The last dumps of the season fill both tanks full
of water before dumping. Repeat at least once
10) Set the fridge's door latch so it stays open - look at the assembly on the
wall of the fridge, you can slide it out some so when the door is latched it
stays open enough to prevent mold from growing.
11) Remove the 9 volt batteries from the smoke and CO detectors, and make sure
the lead-acid battery is disconnected.