Winterizing Issues
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Printed Date: 03 May 2024 at 7:26am
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Topic: Winterizing Issues
Posted By: mabajian
Subject: Winterizing Issues
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2017 at 3:12pm
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I have encountered a weird issue while trying to winterize my model 172 R-Pod for the first time. I was using the compressed air method. After draining the drain plugs, hot water heater, and fresh water tank, I closed the drain plugs and replaced the anode rod. I hooked up the compressor, set the pressure to 35psi, and turned it on. I opened the kitchen faucets. After expelling a little water, they stopped expelling anything, including NO AIR coming out of either the cold or hot. Opening the hot and cold faucets at the indoor and outdoor showers, as well as the toilet, water is expelled, followed by a constant stream of air as expected. With all faucets closed, the compressor reaches pressure and turns off. Again, no air comes out of the sink when I open the faucets, but does come out at all the other faucets. Called the dealer and the factory. Everyone just as confused as I was. Anybody have any suggestions?
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Replies:
Posted By: JandL
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2017 at 4:17pm
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What air pressure were you using? You could have blown off a hose. When I blow out my lines I drop the pressure to 20-30 PSI, some say 10-20 PSI. Water does not compress like air so you must be careful when pressuring your plumbing with air. I hold my air hose up to the fitting and only let a little in and then pull it away then do it again. I also make sure the sinks have the hot and cold open so I don't build up to much pressure ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
Posted By: mabajian
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2017 at 4:36pm
| I am using 35 psi. I think if I had blown a hose off, the compress would never reach shut off, which it does, and stays off until I open one of the other faucets. |
Posted By: Jasp
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2017 at 6:22am
| Is it possible that something blew into your kitchen sink faucet and plugged it up?? Perhaps it plugged up just the small screen at the faucets end ? |
Posted By: riotkayak284
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2017 at 4:12pm
| Another reason I prefer to use the Antifreeze.... |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2017 at 8:34pm
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I think Jasp is onto a reasonable probable cause. I have used compressed air on my 177 for 5 years and the pressure is 60 psi, have never encountered any problems at this pressure and as I have stated in earlier posts, takes about 1 minute to go through both sinks, shower and water closet. I do always keep one line open so pressure does not build up too high. My brother got me started on this method as he has done it this way for over 10 years now, same pressure, no issues. I did go the antifreeze route the first year I owned our pod in 2011. After using about a dozen different formulas to get that nasty taste out of the lines, as we use it for drinking water as well, I said never again will I use antifreeze, and I haven't. This way is much quicker, more efficient, and a lot cheaper; I use about 1 pint of antifreeze each time I winterize the 3 traps (2 sinks and 1 shower). ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: mabajian
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 7:30am
| Am going to take a look at it again next weekend, and let you know what I find. Hard part will be finding the water pump. Will try to connect it to some antifreeze and see if that pumps through to the kitchen faucet. |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 7:39am
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Take off the aerator before you try anything else. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: mabajian
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 7:54am
| What and where is the aerator? |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 8:09am
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The aerator is the little filter thingy screwed on to the end of the faucet. It's what the water finally leaves the faucet from. It's got several screens in it to catch debris. It's not uncommon for it to totally clog. I leave mine off, so I don't get that soft stream of air-filled water, but I do get water. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: mabajian
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 8:11am
| Thanks! I hope that turns out to be the problem. |
Posted By: flat6s
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 9:34am
| Jato ... I have thought about not using anti freeze for years. I always blow my line out, just like you do. Same pressure, leave a valve open, etc. But, I always put anti freeze in line, just to be safe. Then, what a struggle to get the smell and taste out. Plus, horrible showers for quite awhile. I've always thought, "if I have blown all the water out, what is left to freeze." So, this year, no antifreeze except in drain traps. This represents a bold move for me. Thanks for the advise. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 2:55pm
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When I dewinterize, I sanitize with chlorine. Then I follow up after draining that with baking soda. I have ot had a taste issue.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 7:53pm
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Exactly correct flat6s ! No water in line, nothing to freeze. This is the 6th year I have done it with compressed air. Now to Stephen H . . .I must confess . . . that from the day we purchased our 177 and picked it up in March 2011 that I never had sanitized my fresh water tank until Furpod gave me heck for not doing so while at the ERU in Traverse City last summer (2016). We have only used well water in the tank, guess I never thought about getting sick from not sanitizing the tank. So, that being said, I guess what I will do in the future is take a water sample from the tank in the springtime and send it to the county for a total analysis to see if any krud or harmful guys are in the water. If it passes, I am good to go. If not, I will go the traditional chlorine route followed by baking soda and lemon juice to rid the tank of the chlorine taste.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2017 at 7:41am
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I use 1-2 cups of bleach in a full fresh water tank, run it through all water sources and then rinse. No issues very fast. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: flat6s
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2017 at 4:10pm
| So, when I just blow the lines out, how does the 12 volt pump and the small amoun of water lines coming off the water holding tanknd pump get blown out ? |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2017 at 5:56pm
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I was skeptical the first year I did this even though those who told me "no sweat" had done it for years. I literally took the pump apart; hmm, no water. The little filter that you unscrew on the output side of the pump I took off as well, and again, no water to be found. The pressure obviously clears pump and filter of any water and/or residue. There is probably enough flex in the plastic line from the water holding tank to the pump that allows for expansion or else gravity must pull it back into the tank. Our winters get quite cold and I have never had a frozen/burst line issue. One of the golf courses I maintain has an old Toro hydraulic system for its irrigation controllers. The 3/8" lines are only taken apart between controllers (31 of them) and then from the controllers to the sprinkler heads (about 400) there is a 1/4" hydraulic line that runs from the controller to the sprinkler head. Again, no freezing/burst line issues and these are only in the ground about 12-15 inches. There isn't enough water in the 1/4" to burst the plastic line, even though nothing is done as far as opening the lines to reduce pressure except to allow gravity to reduce inline pressure over the winter months. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: flat6s
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2017 at 6:09pm
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OK Jato.... that is what I will do ths year....I fully agree. Also must say, I love the area you are from...regularly visit the area, Petosky, Charlevoux, young state park.. just got back from 2 weeks in the UP.... Tehquamenon for one week...I am going to guess the picture in your profile is Whitefish Point light house ? Joe
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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2017 at 8:01pm
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Negatory unless the one who put all the icons for us to swipe on this forum took a pic of Whitefish Point, which indeed does look like it. Did you see any color in the U.P. when you were there or was it too early?
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: flat6s
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2017 at 7:45am
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Jato, just compared your icon to pictures I took and I can now confirm that it appears to be Whitefish Pointe lighthouse !!! We were barely too early for the color, but was just in time for some very chilly weather, which I actually enjoyed. Our small electric heater kept us comfortable enough. We lost our converter early on in this trip. Continued on by using a battery charger as a converter. Worked great. I have installed a new upgraded Progressive Dynamics converter which we will try out next week at McCormicks Creek state park, here in Indiana. We are wanting to find a spot in Michigan to seasonal rent for parking our pod when not traveling. Any suggestions? Joe. Karen. And of course Messy Bessie the bassett hound
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Posted By: DavMar
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2017 at 6:32pm
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Thinking very seriously about using the pressurized air method of winterizing our new pod. It will be the first time for me so I'd like to get it right! I'm assuming when you add pressurized air you by-pass the hot-water heater, which you drain by removing the anode rod. Correct? I understand adding rv antifreeze to your sinks and shower traps but wouldn't you also add a cup or two to your holding tanks, fresh, gray, and black? Just to make sure any residual water that maybe in your holding tanks won't freeze? Any confirmation and help on this would be much appreciated since I plan on making the air inlet connector this week in anticipation of winterizing.Thanks in advance!
------------- Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC |
Posted By: flat6s
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2017 at 7:11pm
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Well, this is just how I do it, for the last 20 years, or so....Some might disagree, and that's ok... everyone is entitled to their own thing. I pull the anode out of the hot water heater after every trip. Not all water drains. Nor does all debri flush. So, I duct tape a rubber hose to my shop vac and use it to vac the remaining water and all of the junk out. You will be amazed. That is also how I prepare hwh for winter. To blow out water system using pressure, you must by pass hwh. Now, I do not pressurize system. I open one faucet at a time then I hook a blow nozzle to my air compressor, wrap a little bit of rag or towel around it and insert mostly air tight into "city water" connection on outside of traler. Then shoot air into the system one quick shot at a time. Since a faucet is open, not much pressure builds up, but the water gets blowed out just fine. You will hear the water stop blowing out and just air coming out. Turn that faucet off and open another and repeat. Repeat until all faucets are blowed out. At this point, I would add 3 gallon of antifreeze into the fresh water holding tank and use the 12 volt pump to pump it thru every hot and cold faucet. Then drain the excess out of the fresh water holding tank. Make sure your grey and black tank are drained and you are winterized. Adding the anti freeze is the part I want to do away with. Thinking , if all of the water has been blown out, what is left to freeze.... nothing...right . This is what myself and jato is saying. ".blow the water out and you should be good to go. What I do not do is pressurize the system anymore than just shooting some air into it...no need to. Another point that causes discussion...I have been in the water works business for 45 years and I do not drink water from the fresh water holding tank...just my preference. I still sanitize the tank with HTH tablets, not bleach, for dishes and showers etc. Using unchlorinated well water in your holding tank is asking for problems, which I have seen. Hope this helps...let me know if I can help . Thanks. Joe. Karen. And of course messy Bessie, the bassett hound.
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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2017 at 7:41pm
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Yes, you need to pull the anode out to drain the hwh. You also need to turn all the bypass valves above your hwh to the opposite direction. On my 177 there are 3 valves to turn. Maybe my well water is special but that is all we have ever used in our fresh water holding tank for nearly 7 years now. It wasn't until last summer when I sanitized the tank for the first time since we owned it in 2011. Fortunate I guess as we both use it for drinking water. As I posted in another place next spring I will put some water in the holding tank and let it sit for a couple weeks and then take a sample and send it to the county extension agent to see if there are any harmful critters lurking about. Based on the results I will either sanitize or forego the process. You will always have some residual water in your 3 tanks but there is plenty of room for expansion, if say you have 3 gallons in a 30 gallon tank. We have never had any freezing issues in our tanks. For the first time this fall I made a concoction of 1/2 cup Borax, 1 cup Pine Sol and 3 tablespoons of ammonia. Add enough warm water to make 1/2 gallon of solution and shake to mix contents. Pour 1/2 into toilet and the other down the sink to go to the gray water tank. I then added another gallon of water to both so I probably have 2 gallons or more in each tank going into winter. I did this as my neighbor told me it will sweeten the smell of both tanks come springtime. Even after draining my fw tank I bet there are still at least 3 gallons or so in the bottom of the tank. As far a hooking up the air pressure gun I have a pigtail under the kitchen sink that comes out of a 3-way valve, turn it 1/4 turn to open the pigtail line to the water supply line, from there it goes to the water pump and then to the sinks, shower, toilet. After finishing remember to move the 3-way valve to the original position. If you forget you will get frustrated the following spring because your water pump will turn on but not pump water because of that line being open it will cavitate. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2017 at 8:40pm
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FYI, I just did a video on using the Pink RV antifreeze and basically followed techntrek's winterization list from the site. Here is the link if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=173ozyKAcqk&t=3s - RPod Winterization ~JM ------------- Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2017 at 9:49pm
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Pilot, Nice job on the video. It's very informative. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: DavMar
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2017 at 6:51pm
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Nice job on the video PilotPodder! Though unless I'm missing something, which is more then likely, it seems to me a bit of overkill to blow out all your water lines with compressed air and then fill them all again with RV antifreeze. To each their own and maybe someone here will tell me otherwise but this seems to be self defeating or maybe another way of saying it's a bit of overkill? If your going to drain all your holding tanks, by pass and drain your hot water heater, and then blow out all your water lines with compressed air why would you need to add RV antifreeze? To my thinking if you did all that and then if you really wanted double protection all you would need to do is add some RV antifreeze into your drain traps and you would be good to go in most of the country. Of course maybe if you live in the Great White North you might want to also add the antifreeze to all your water lines but to my thinking its complete overkill. If I'm wrong please someone either say so here or send me a PM and set me straight! I can't understand why something that should be so simple, blowing out your water lines with compressed air for the winter season, has so many different opinions on how it should be done??? ------------- Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2017 at 7:52pm
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If you can be certain that all of the water is out of all of the lines, you're right. Air doesn't freeze at temps survivable by humans. But if a little bit of water is left in the pump or in the toilet valve, it can freeze and burst the pump or valve. Ask me how I know. It only takes a tiny bit of water in the right place. However, if there is a bit of water and you pump antifreeze through the whole system, any water is going to be replaced with slightly diluted antifreeze, so -50° antifreeze might freeze and expand at -40°. The best thing might be to blow out the water, run antifreeze through ths system and then blow that out. Depends on how cautious (or paranoid) you want to be. If Jato and others have gotten by only blowing out the lines for years, it's pretty safe, but nothing is 100%. Antifreeze is the standard for winterizing, and it's cheap and easy. Depending on where you are in NC to some extent, you might be okay just blowing out the lines, but I'm basically in Nashville, and it's probably warmer here in winter than in a lot of NC. My toilet valve froze and broke a couple of years ago. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: DavMar
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2017 at 8:06pm
Valid point TT and very much appreciated! ------------- Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2017 at 8:33pm
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We know of quite a few campers with different name brand TT.'s who do pretty much as we do. Blow out the lines, that is it. Add rv antifreeze to traps and you are good to go. We are now on year 6 doing it this way, and no problems. Winter temps often times will hit -15F or more in our January freeze. A few winters ago we had sustained temps that were in the -24 to -28 F range. The pod was fine, but the peach trees all died.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2017 at 9:15pm
You might use more pressure than I did or I might have simply forgotten to run the air out through the toilet. I think it would be fairly easy to leave an ounce of water in the lines that might gravitate into the pump or the toilet valve if all you do is blow the lines out. Obviously, blowing the lines works for you and others. At this point that doesn't provide me with the comfort level I want, so I'm doing antifreeze. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2017 at 10:15pm
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+1 I have had my sink screens clog up with what I can only assume is the plastic drilling debris from when they drilled to attach fittings to the fresh water tank. Cleaned it out and all is good now. ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost 
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Posted By: pgoelz
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2017 at 6:07am
Something else to consider is mold. I blew out our pop-up lines for 15 years and only once had a freezing problem. But I DID have considerable visible mold (the line was clear and I could see the mold) growing inside the line to the sink faucet. We never used it for drinking water so I wasn't that bothered by it. My best guess is that when you blow out the lines and then store the camper for a long time, the residual moisture and air in the lines allows mold to grow where it would not if the line was completely filled with water. I doubt mold can grow in the presence of anti-freeze, so I figure anti-freeze is preferred for several reasons..... Paul
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2017 at 8:24am
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This is why I sanitize with the bleech solution. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: DavMar
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2017 at 9:19am
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Seems the consensus of this topic is to each their own! If after blowing out the lines you still feel uneasy then add some RV antifreeze. I have yet to use the water pump in our Pod since I've always been camping where there is a water connection so I don't have the concerns of water in the pump. Since I live in central Carolina we normally don't experience and long periods of sub-freezing weather. So with that in mind I think I should be okay with just blowing out the lines and adding antifreeze to the traps. As the saying goes "we shall see"!
------------- Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC |
Posted By: DavMar
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2017 at 9:30am
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[/QUOTE]
Something else to consider is mold. I blew out our pop-up lines for 15 years and only once had a freezing problem. But I DID have considerable visible mold (the line was clear and I could see the mold) growing inside the line to the sink faucet. We never used it for drinking water so I wasn't that bothered by it. My best guess is that when you blow out the lines and then store the camper for a long time, the residual moisture and air in the lines allows mold to grow where it would not if the line was completely filled with water. I doubt mold can grow in the presence of anti-freeze, so I figure anti-freeze is preferred for several reasons..... Paul [/QUOTE]Black mold, a problem here in the South, is usually only found in drain lines but I can see where it could happen in supply water lines that are drained but have condensation. I'm sure RV-antifreeze will prevent it if you have that problem. You can also try eliminate it by just adding a cup of distilled white vinegar and 1/2 cup of backing soda to a few gallons of fresh water in your holding tank and after it froths up and settles down run your pump and drain the solution and followed that by clean water. ------------- Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC |
Posted By: mabajian
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2017 at 3:00pm
| I am going to be working on the r-Pod this weekend and will let you all know what I find. Thanks to all who have offered solutions. |
Posted By: backin15
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2017 at 10:43pm
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Since I live in Minnesota, I always blow out the lines then follow with antifreeze. I usually get a slug of water out of the faucet before the antifreeze, so it would seem just blowing out the lines does not clear out all the water. If you use the fresh water tank, blowing out the lines will not clear the water in the line from the fresh water tank to the pump. For those of you in a more mild climate, blowing out with air is probably sufficient though. This was my first time winterizing a pod, I was pleased that it only took 2 1/2 gallons to do a thorough flush, and this included a generous amount in the traps. I did not enjoy removing the access panel for the water heater valves though, next time the bed decking comes off! ------------- 2015 179 2013 Xterra Pro 4X |
Posted By: pgoelz
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2017 at 5:50am
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Last year I blew the lines and followed up with antifreeze, but how do you protect the fresh water tank intake line? I don't think I have seen a specific method anywhere. Does it just naturally drain into the empty fresh water tank? Paul
------------- 2014 Rpod 171 2017 Toyota Highlander |
Posted By: mabajian
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2017 at 6:13am
| Finally had a chance to look at the filter and indeed it was plugged. Seems obvious now, but I am surprised it was so clogged that it wouldn't even allow air to get through. Thanks to all for your suggestions. |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2017 at 7:40am
it's just a flexible pipe heading down to the holding tank. It doesn't hold water. However, if you have not been doing it, the city water connection DOES need to be winterized if using anti freeze, and not air. (I know you said you did both, but this part is for later readers.. :) ) To do that, with the system pressurized by the pump pumping anti freeze, remove the debris screen at the connection on the side of the pod, and wiggle the little nub you see under it.. anti freeze will come out.. under pressure. ------------- |
Posted By: pgoelz
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2017 at 9:11am
I figured that was what it was, but..... during the summer if I turn on the water pump and open a faucet with water in the fresh water tank, I get water from the tap instantly.... no air bubbles. That says to me that the intake line remains full. Is it possibly somewhat above the bottom of the tank, so if the tank is truly empty water does drain back out into the tank? Its also a fairly long and (I assume) horizontal run from the pump to the fresh water tank in a 171. Before I blew out the system, I did drain the tank as best I could and then ran the water pump with a tap open until I got (mostly) air so the intake is at least not totally full of water. This was complicated by the fact that I was in the driveway which has about a 2 degree slope so the tank drain was not quite the low point on the tank. I'll add antifreeze soon (wasn't sure I was quite done with it for the season) but I still worry a bit about the fresh water intake line and any associated plumbing up to the water pump. I went through the same process last fall and it was OK in the spring, so maybe I'm just worrying about nothing. Paul ------------- 2014 Rpod 171 2017 Toyota Highlander |
Posted By: DavMar
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2017 at 9:49am
If you blew out the system the fresh water intake line won't have any water in it, especially after draining the fresh water tank. Besides its just a pipe running into your tank its not made to hold water, yes? I think what your concerned about is the line from the tank to the pump and the pump itself. If that's the case once you run RV antifreeze through the pump you will be go to go! If there should be any little bit of water in the line from the tank to the pump will drain back into the tank which remember you have now drained. ------------- Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC |
Posted By: pgoelz
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2017 at 11:02am
Yeah, I get it in theory. What I still worry about is the possibility of a reverse pitch somewhere between the pump and the tank that would prevent water from freely draining back to the tank even if the tank were truly empty. The pump is after all only a couple inches above the top of the tank and what.... 8" above the bottom? Mid span would not be TOO bad. But if it was right at the pump it could trap water at the pump or in the checkvalve. I guess on the positive side, any damage is fairly easily accessed and repaired. And it survived a winter without damage...... I'll have a closer look when I pump in the anitfreeze and see if I can see the line and its pitch... and whether there is water in it. Paul ------------- 2014 Rpod 171 2017 Toyota Highlander |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2017 at 6:21pm
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Backin15, did you do a video of contorting this way and that to get to the bypass valves via the access panel in the back? Should be pretty funny. Well, the first year I tried that (Nov. 2011 on my 177) I nearly got stuck, so I said nuts to that, I am going to cut a hole over the top of the hot water tank. I carefully measured and then cut a 2" hole with a hole saw to see if I was close or not. Glory be, I was right over the top so I then enlarged it to a 5" by 7" rectangle, large enough to get my hand on those 3 valves. Now it is easy, flip up the mattress, open the "door" over the 5" x 7" hole, turn the 3 valves and that part is done, easy peasy.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: ParPod
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2017 at 9:10am
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We just did our winterizing yesterday. I've read through all the procedures posted on the forum and had a check list we got from either the FB group or here. I just watched Pilot's demo and he was running the antifreeze out the low point drains. He is the only one that I know of who suggested this and I see that there was water coming out. I had to low point drains open for quite a while before the water stopped. So the question now is....how important is it to run the pink stuff out the low point drains? I used about 2 gallons worth to get the Pod to where it is now but if I should go back and do the low point drains I have no problem with that. The other question I have is the toilet. We had the dealership do the winterizing last year because the service dept went on and on about freezing it. We pulled the handle until we had nothing but antifreeze filling the bowl. Is there anything further i should do? Don't want to freeze the valve. ------------- Bob&Margaret 2017 179 2016 Toyota 4Runner 2 sets of Golf Clubs |
Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2017 at 9:29am
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Bob, I went pretty strictly by techntrek’s winterization list from this site for my video. Step 12: “12) Turn on the switch for the water pump for a few seconds, then turn it off. Your low-point drains should still be open, go outside and verify they are dripping pink. You may need to cycle the pump a few more seconds to be sure. Then close both low-point drains.” I probably use a gallon for this to work. If you still have water in the low point drains, I would think you will want to get it out. Maybe others have tips on the best way to do this seeing you have antifreeze in your lines already. ------------- Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos |
Posted By: DavMar
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2017 at 3:18pm
I tried to search out and find techntrek's winterization list and sadly had no luck finding it in the search options. Could you please point me and others to his post or duplicate his list for those of us that can't seem to find it. Thanks! ------------- Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC |
Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2017 at 4:24pm
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Here is the link to the winterization checklist that I modeled the video from: http://www.rpod-owners.com/printer_friendly_posts.asp?TID=846 - teckntrek winterization list ------------- Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos |
Posted By: DavMar
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2017 at 6:07pm
PilotPodder, Thanks! I guess I need to bone up on how to use the search function!  ------------- Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC |
Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2017 at 4:31pm
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In case anyone is doing winterization this weekend with the RV Antifreeze, I put an instructional video up to YouTube a week ago following techntrek's list on the site. Just click on the "My RPod Youtube Videos" link next to my signature below. Also, two posts above is the link to techntrek's list. ~PP ------------- Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos |