© Erwin Hymer Group North America, Inc.
HOWTO: Water System Winterizing
Do You Really Need to Winterize?
If your Aktiv is going to remain heated to comfortable temperatures and the temperatures during the day are well above freezing (above 40 deg. F or above
4 deg. C) (and the forecast is for temperatures just below freezing for a few hours at night with calm winds) then you do not need to winterize. The heat in your
Aktiv is enough to keep the lines from freezing.
If the forecast is for extended cold periods, with daytime temperatur
es at or below freezing, if you’
re not heating your Aktiv, or if you expect sustained
winds and the roads and ground is already frozen, you need to winterize.
If you are not comfortable with leaving water in your lines when it gets cold, go ahead and winterize.
Winterize Using Anti-Freeze
This procedure can be done in less an hour with only 2-3 gallons of RV antifreeze.
DO NOT use automotive antifreeze. It is toxic. RV antifreeze is non-toxic and safe for potable water lines.
Have more than one container of RV antifreeze on hand. More than one may be needed for this process.
1.
Dump and rinse the gray tank and toilet cassette if they are not already empty.
2.
Turn off the water pump and open your single lever galley and shower faucets, putting the handle in the middle halfway between the hot and cold
settings.
3.
Make sure the hot water heater is turned off.
4.
Open the hot water heater drain valve, located underneath the podium floor, by accessing it through the hatch located immediately under the table.
5.
Drain the exterior fresh water tank located underneath the vehicle at the rear of coach. Open the brass ball valve on the tank, positioned on the
driver’s side of the tank. Leave the valve open until the tank
is completely drained.
6.
Close the tank drain valve and hot water heater drain valve once the tank and heater have drained.
7.
Access the water heater bypass valves (in the cabinet under the rear seats) by first removing the seat cushions. Remove the access panels and place
aside. Set the valves to the by-pass position. Turn each handle 90 degrees, into the bypass position.
8.
Check that the fresh water tank drain valve and plumbing valve are both closed. Move the galley and shower faucets all the way to the cold side, and
leave them open.
9.
Remove the lid from non-toxic RV approved antifreeze and insert open end of pipe, attached to 3-way winterizing valve. Turn lever on the
winterizing valve to the winterizing position.
