Winterizing

[Janes Hobbs]

Hello,
This is my first DP, and add in an Aquahot system, now I need some advice. First I live in Western Washington state, just outside of Seattle. We rarely freeze here, but it can happen sometimes. My class C, I would use my air compressor with about 45lbs of pressure and blow out the system. I put some RV antifreeze in the traps and tanks, and I never had any issues.

My manual says I can do that with my 04 Patriot Thunder, but it doesn't say if that clears the Aquahot system. I don't seem to have a full manual on my Aquahot, just a "quick" style guide. It doesn't tell me anything about winter prep.

Can one of you guru's out there please give me a little helpful advice?
Thank you!

[Fred Brooks]

   James, what model Aqua-Hot do you have? Is it a AHE-600 or 675?, Fred

[Fred Brooks]

    James, To find the manuals that are on file for members only do the following:
  1- log back into the forum
  2- scroll down towards the bottom and click on "members only"
  3- click on link to "coach assist technical library"
  4- at top of page, click on technical
  5- click on coach assist and scroll down to "heat and a/c systems
  6- find your model Aqua-hot

Hope this helps, Fred

[Janes Hobbs]

Thank you Fred!

[Joel Ashley]

To augment Fred's comments, you should know that although blowing out lines may be adequate for other rigs, coaches with hydronics should have antifreeze added.  Water that may not be completely removed can coalesce in a unit’s coil and still freeze, resulting in enormously expensive damage.  The risk is generally held here to not be worth it. 

I too, James, came here from a furnace and hot water heater, gasoline propelled format.  I continued my blowout routine for awhile, but morphed to the security of antifreeze after reading enough experienced commentary.  Prevention is a whole lot cheaper than the cure when it comes to AquaHots.

Also, if you have a clothes washer, add antifreeze to its tub and run a spin cycle.  If you have a fridge with an ice maker, consider manually cycling it while under air pressure to get water out of the solenoid in back of the fridge.  Further info about winterizing these two accessories can be found online, or we can further advise as needed.

Joel

[Keith Moffett]

James
We are in western Wa. as well and there is a freeze alert for this Sunday.  Check your weather ap.
An option to the antifreeze for us has been a heater in the basement .  We use the Aqua Hot electric to warm the basement but it isnt enough for freezing at evening and all night too.  The heater is set low so it comes on if the basement cools.
I dont like using the antifreeze but this year is supposed to be a bad one so I likely will  because without it if the power goes out over night I am in trouble.
We are in Port Angeles.  Good luck

[Bob Reeves]

As I live in Northern Colo. winterization is a must.  I have used the Air Pressure blow out but have become nervous after talking to Aqua Hot about that procedure. Amazing what you can learn by reading the manual.  My 07 Patriot Thunder has a plumbing arrangement so that you can use the water pump to suck RV anti-freeze throughout the system.  pretty easy to do.  Special attention does need to be made to washers and refrigerator Ice machines.  Last winter I did not get all of the water out of the Refrigerator Ice maker Solenoid.  Froze & split.  new one cost $95. was Using Air.  This year am using RV Anti freeze.

[Fred Cook]

If it rarely freezes then you probably don’t need to winterize. I never winterize and it gets into the teens here regularly and sometimes zero. I watch the weather and turn on the aqua hot to about 45 degrees when it dips below freezing. I also use an infrared heater inside to help cut down on using diesel. Why do I not winterize??? Because we travel a lot during the winter months and don’t want to go through that process multiple times.