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marksmith's avatar
marksmith
Explorer
Mar 07, 2015

Help with dewinterizing my 2015 Sunseeker

HELP...I am a new RV guy...just bought my 3170 Sunseeker 2015 model. I bought it winterized. Cap is out of hot water heater and I have not touched any water valves....anti freeze is in the system

Can someone help me with atep by atep instructions? I know I hook up city water and systematically run the sinks, toilets etc....

Problem is, I plugged the hot water heater drain, hooked up city water....turned on the sink and nothing happened....I am assuming the water is turned off OR I created a vacuum that should not be there...HELP AND THNAKS in advance
  • There is a bypass valve system behind the water heater that removes it from the water system for winterizing.
    You need to find that valve (or valves) and return them to the Summer position.
    If you look behind the WH perhaps you can tell us if you have one, two or three valves in close proximity down there?
    I hope you have not turned the water heater on yet (gas or electricity)!
  • When dewinterinzing with anti-freeze, the process is to drain hot water heater, and THERE IS BY-PASS VALUES TO SHUT WATER OFF TO WATER HEATER, so you don't have to use lots of anti-freeze in the water heater, just anti-freezemain lines.

    The by-pass values are turned off, if you are getting no hot water, (do not turn hot water heater on, with no water).

    On my Sunseeker, NOT YOUR MODEL, they are actually accessed from under the bed, lines leading to the water heater.

    A good resource is the Sunseeker forum:
    FROG - Forest River Owners Group

    Markiemark:C
  • First off do not do anything with the water heater until you drain the lines of antifreeze. Once the lines are cleaned out, then open the bypass to fill the tank. Make sure the tank is full by getting water out of the pressure valve before turning it on.

    With that said, are you sure you will be above freezing.

    When you connect your hose and turn it on, you should get water to your sinks and toilets to flush out the lines and then you can sanitize the system as well.

    Good luck.
  • Make sure the tank is full by getting water out of the pressure valve before turning it on.


    While I agree with most of your statement....The part I quote IS NOT a good idea. DO NOT completely eliminate the air pocket at the top of the Hot Water heater. The pressure release valve is not for burping out the last bit of air. It is more likely to blow open if there is no air to absorb the expansion of the water as it is heated. Better to leave some air in there to allow compression when the water expands as it is heated.

    Air compresses, water does not.

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