De Winterize with "tankless" water heater

[johnjonibogg]

I have a 2024 Grand Design Imagine XLS 25DBS with a tankless water heater. It was winterized at the dealer while it was getting some warranty work done to it so i didn't get a chance to watch the "winterizing" process. I can't find any info in the manual or on-line about getting it ready for my trip the end of March. It is still covered but I don't want to put water through it yet because we still have below zero nights in NH but I want to get it ready 2 days before we leave for Washington DC.

Any procedures or suggestions would be great .... thanks John

 

[SACS30]

I have always de-winterized the same way I winterize. Remove both the brass plug and black plastic filter plug from the tankless water heater and using an air compressor (35-40psi max) blow out the antifreeze in the water heater. Then open the low point drains and blow out the water lines. Then open each plumbing fixture, including the outdoor shower, toilet, indoor shower, kitchen sink, bathroom sink, washer dryer washer hook up if you have it, and blow them out too. This will probably get more than 95% of the antifreeze out of your system and ready to use. Note you can do this step anytime you want because technically you’re still winterized with no freezing risk right up until you put fresh water back in your unit.

 

[txloser]

I’ve de winterized mine a couple times now. I’ve never used compressed air on this end of the winter process. Maybe I’ll try that someday.

I open the low points at home or storage and let the pink stuff fall out.

Leave them open for the drive to wherever I’m headed. Also leave all the faucets open for the drive so as to avoid the finger over the straw effect.

Once at a campsite with all faucets off, I hook up the city water and turn it on with the low points still open. Flush out what’s left. Usually very little.

Close those and with the drain plug and brass plug removed from the water heater, I run the city water again.

Once the pink is cleared out I reinstall the drain/brass plug, turn the water on again and with the water heater still powered down, I run water through all the cold and hot points till I don’t see pink.

Once everything is cleared, I head back outside to turn on power to the water heater and Done.

Hasn’t killed us or the water heater yet.

 

[reubenray]

I’ve de winterized mine a couple times now. I’ve never used compressed air on this end of the winter process. Maybe I’ll try that someday.

I open the low points at home or storage and let the pink stuff fall out.

Leave them open for the drive to wherever I’m headed. Also leave all the faucets open for the drive so as to avoid the finger over the straw effect.

Once at a campsite with all faucets off, I hook up the city water and turn it on with the low points still open. Flush out what’s left. Usually very little.

Close those and with the drain plug and brass plug removed from the water heater, I run the city water again.

Once the pink is cleared out I reinstall the drain/brass plug, turn the water on again and with the water heater still powered down, I run water through all the cold and hot points till I don’t see pink.

Once everything is cleared, I head back outside to turn on power to the water heater and Done.

Hasn’t killed us or the water heater yet.

Do you sanitize the water lines? I will be doing all of this in a few weeks, so I need to refresh my memory.

 

[txloser]

Some people do. It’s probably best practice. I never have. Here in Texas I camp year round and have to winterize in between trips, so I’ve been too lazy to consider that. I may winterize the trailer as much as three times during the cold months.

Also, we don’t drink the water on board for the most part. Aside from making coffee with it.

 

[retired_engineer]

Do you sanitize the water lines? I will be doing all of this in a few weeks, so I need to refresh my memory.

I sanitize the fresh water tank and lines when I dewinterize since it has been sitting for a month or two. On my model sanitizing also lets me flush the antifreeze from the pump and its connection to the trailer plumbing.

 

[johnjonibogg]

thank you all for your replies .... they are appreciated since we are new to the RV game. One other question: since we are heading for a 8 hr drive from NH to Washington DC with the TT in tow ... what is the best GPS app you all use to drive around based on your RV size .... a bonus would be one that allows RV convenient gas stations since I will be getting around 8 mpg with my truck hauling my GD.

 

[txloser]

There’s one app through RvLife that provides some info, but it’s all crowd sourced stuff so it’s got some holes in it.

My typical routine is to use google maps. If it’s a route I’m unfamiliar with I look over the route from start to stop on a laptop or desktop looking for low bridges, potential fuel etc. I won’t remember it all, but I’ll go into it with some familiarity. Kind of tedious, but it’s saved me a couple times…except one 30 miles of dirt road mistake. On the East Coast bridges would be what I’d be looking at. Also, gas stations may be tight out there too, so I’d look for large truck stops. Maybe less of a factor with a TT, but something to consider.

While enroute watch out for the app wanting to reroute you for traffic and construction. Sometimes it’s better to be patient with those things than to go off the beaten path to save 2 minutes.

 

[coastn]

My process is simple. I live in the CO mountains and take an annual trip to AZ & CA for the month of Feb. My first stop is Albuquerque where I de-winterize. I first put enough water in the fresh tank for the pump to push water through but not fill it so I don't have to tow the weight. I turn on the pump and open each faucet including shower one by one on the cold and hot sides till the pink antifreeze is flushed out. Toilet also. Want to get antifreeze out of the pump. Being as my water heater is a Furrion with no bypass it is flushed out when you open the hot side of the faucets. The antifreeze is flushed into the holding tanks but it's not a big deal. I then switch to city water and I'm done. Easy peasy.

 

[MtnGuy]

A trick so you don’t have to blow the lines each spring to evacuate the system, is to blow the antifreeze out of the lines when winterizing. I blow the water out of the lines, add antifreeze, then blow that out every fall. Should be ready to go in spring with just adding water and a small flush through each faucet.