pawpawcamper
Newbie RV’er
2017 Durango 2500 - 2017 F450 Ford - Sailun Tires
Posts: 22 
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Post by pawpawcamper on Dec 6, 2017 0:04:06 GMT -5
First time winterizing this unit. I have drained water out on lines and blew out lines and drained water heater. Now to add antifreeze to lines. What I have read is to suck straight from the antifreeze container using the water pump. I take it does not fill the water heater using this method. Any help with advise would be appreciated.
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Post by Chuck on Dec 6, 2017 1:28:30 GMT -5
pawpawcamper That is correct, set your switch's to winterize, then get a short hose (I cut one about a foot an half long), stick the hose in the gallon jug, turn on the water pump (black switch on the water control panel). It will suck the antifreeze out of the jug every time you turn on a fosset's thought out your unit. Added note: In some Durango Golds the switch for the water pump on the top left hand is Red not black I started in the bathroom with both sinks, then the shower an toilet, used up one gallon on them, then put on a new jug an did the kitchen sink an ran the dish washer till I saw antifreeze, another gallon. I then poured antifreeze in all the drains, then opened up all the drains under the trailer an drained the fresh water tanks an the water heater, doing such I saw no antifreeze in the water heater. Took me maybe a half hour an 2 an 1/2 gallons to accomplish the job with little effort, way faster than I did with my old 5th wheel were I had to close valves an suck antifreeze from a jug under the kitchen sink an thought the water pump in it. One last thing is after draining the water heater I pulled the anode rod out, was amazed on how eat up it was already at the rod closest to the front of the rod were it screwed into the water heater, will replace this next year when we start to camp again in March  Safe travels  Chuck |
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Post by lynnmor on Dec 6, 2017 1:59:43 GMT -5
The water heater should have a bypass valve(s), otherwise you will be putting the anti-freeze in it.
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Post by johnr on Dec 6, 2017 13:10:37 GMT -5
Hi. On my 2500, there's a bypass valve that needs turned to bypass the hot water heater. Without being able to see mine, I can't remember if there is 1 valve or 2. My head wants to say there is 1 to stop cold water from going into the water heater, and there's a backflow preventer on the hot water outlet.
Could you post a picture of the back of your water heater so we can see what you're looking at?
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Post by Chuck on Dec 6, 2017 15:29:56 GMT -5
I believe it should look like this Picture 1, if you have this setup, then when you turn all you switch's to winterize it will bypass the water heater. As I posted in above, you connect a foot an a half hose to the fresh water input an the other end into the antifreeze jug, then turn on the black switch on the upper left had corner an it will suck the antifreeze out of the jug. Added note: In some Durango Golds the switch for the water pump on the top left hand is Red not blackRemember to go around to every fosset an turn it on till you see antifreeze coming out, also if you have a dish washer turn it on an let it run till you see antifreeze coming out. Once you have seen antifreeze coming out of all fossets, pour antifreeze in ever dain, it took me about 30 minutes an a little less that 3 gallons  or if not then this Picture 2. I believe this is what johnr has but not sure, I dod not know how you winterize a system off the panel   Click on the picture to expand Safe Travels Chuck |
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Post by johnr on Dec 7, 2017 8:13:50 GMT -5
Chuck, does the Winterize selection in picture 1 actually bypass the how water heater?
I do have something similar to picture 2 in my 2500. You set the 2 valves to the Winterize position. Then I slide the compartment door open to access the water pump and the hot water tank. On the water pump there's a siphon hose with a shut-off valve. Turn that to open. Then on the back of the hot water tank there's either 1 or 2 valves to bypass that. Put the siphon hose in the antifreeze container and turn the pump on.
I wish I had a picture of it to post here.
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Post by Chuck on Dec 7, 2017 14:04:51 GMT -5
Johnr Yes it bypasses the water heater, I checked this by leaving the bottom plug out in the water heater, no antifreeze came out, I also made sure by reading manual an checking with kz Tech before doing so Again I gues the disclaimer would be this is on my G384FLT with a water panel number 1 listed in my other post Safe Travels Chuck |
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pawpawcamper
Newbie RV’er
2017 Durango 2500 - 2017 F450 Ford - Sailun Tires
Posts: 22
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Post by pawpawcamper on Dec 12, 2017 0:33:02 GMT -5
Chuck,
thanks for the confirmation. perfect instructions and easiest one I have ever done.
Thanks
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Post by Chuck on Dec 12, 2017 14:42:26 GMT -5
pawpawcamper You are welcome I will say I had our 384RLT re-winterized at the dealer do to the fact I had a water leak I thought, I was also unsure about how to winterize the dish washer. I have to say that I did everything correctly a few weeks before taking the trailer into the dealer to have it inspected an re-winterized. Yes this cost me some extra bucks but now I know exactly how to winterize the dishwasher which I was unsure about. thus I did it right when I winterized it myself . So from now on I will winterize the unit myself an save the bucks, since I know the manual at least for my unit is correct I will say that this trailer is one of a heck better to winterizing than my old 5th wheel were I had to take out a backing board under the sink, make sure the 1 gallon jug wouldn't tip over with the hose in it, crawl out from under the sink, turn off the valve's to the hot water heater an outside fossets, then turn on the water pump from a panel on the wall  to suck the antifreeze into the water pump to do the same thing I could do standing outside the trailer turning a few levelers, life is good LOL  As they always say, it's better to be safe than sorry an the dishwasher was a 1st for me even thought I had read in the manual how to do such I still was unsure I had gotten it righ, now I am almost an expert, ya right, maybe in my dreams LOL  Safe Travels Chuck |
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