Winterizing a Greystone

I'm new to the 5th wheel community, having recently purchased a Greystone 32RL. Have any of you written out a checklist specific to a Greystone for all the steps you take to winterize your unit that you would be willing to share?

I bet if you ask for a general checklist and then refine it for your particular model you you will have a more replies. What makes the GS so different?

You need to winterize anything with water in it:

1. Sink/shower traps
2. All water lines to sinks, shower, toilet, UDC sprayer and washer
3. Water heater (empty via anode rod and leave open-no antifreeze here)
4. Refrigerator water/ice lines and dispenser
5. Black tank flush line
6. All freezable items from the cabinets and storage
7. Empty all holding and water tanks

John

Thanks for the list. Why I specified a GS specifically is to check to see if I've missed a valve or water line somewhere. Having read a number of threads, I've learned that there are a number of possible locations for things I haven't yet thought of. Earlier threads seem to confirm that there are a number of us uncertain to where HWH by pass valves and siphon lines are located. While I know about these, I'm not sure of what I don't yet know about my GS.

don't forget washer/prep if you have that too.

Something I add to my routine is to first flush the lines with 40 psi air pressure and then pump the antifreeze in. In the spring, I use air to flush it out and then clean water.

The basic instructions should be on the door of your basement, near the UDC.

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Wife and I just bought a Greystone 33QS. I have it up north. Does any one know what size the anode rod is so I make sure to bring the right tools to winterize.

The socket for the anode rod should be 1 1/16".

Thank you. I would have not thought about the black tank flush either.

Concerning the black tank flush system, does it really require anti-freeze? And how do you suggest pumping it in there since it's independent of the coach plumbing? OEM, it does not have a check valve (mine didn't) at the hose connection, just an open bore plastic fitting. Somewhere in the middle, raised high in the wall is the anti-siphon valve. At the tank, it's just the spray head. So, from valve to tank, it drains by gravity into the tank. And from the valve to the hose port, it drains back to the UDC.

I am positive your black tank flush has a check valve. It is inline somewhere between where you attach the hose and the black tank. You wouldn't need much antifreeze in this line as you are just ensuring there isn't a little water residing in the check valve or the line to in that would freeze and crack the valve.

newbie said:

I am positive your black tank flush has a check valve. It is inline somewhere between where you attach the hose and the black tank. You wouldn't need much antifreeze in this line as you are just ensuring there isn't a little water residing in the check valve or the line to in that would freeze and crack the valve.

Click to expand...

That's an anti-siphon valve, not to be confused with a check valve. But, since the tank flush is external to the water pump system, how do you propose to get antifreeze uphill, past it, and down to the tank sprayer? My flush system now has a check valve at the inlet because the original plastic hose connection broke off and I replaced it with a brass city water connection with a check valve. The B&B Molders thing behind the UDC was nothing more than a hollow, black plastic fitting.

An anti siphon valve is a check valve. The water can only flow in one direction.

newbie said:

An anti siphon valve is a check valve. The water can only flow in one direction.

Click to expand...

I believe it's more of a vacuum breaker than a piston check valve. Before the fitting in the UDC broke, if I disconnected the hose, water flowed out. That's why I had a garden hose shut-off valve on it. That was the water in the line on the "potable" side of the anti-siphon valve/vacuum breaker. What I'm referring to as a check valve is like the backflow preventer found in your hot water line from the water heater, or on your city water inlet.

My home sprinkler system has a vacuum breaker/anti-siphon valve on it hanging on the wall outside the house above the valves. When I shut off the water supply in the basement and open the spigot just after that supply valve, I drain the plumbing from there to the vacuum breaker by gravity. Same thing.

With the city water inlet that I replaced the black tank flush fitting with, all I need do is press in the little valve stem for the brass check valve until water stops flowing. The original fitting only had a hollow plastic tube behind it, with no backflow preventer.

Regardless of whether you call it an anti-siphon valve, vacuum breaker, or check valve, I again ask; "How do you propose to force antifreeze through the black tank flusher plumbing and past the (enter name here) valve into the tank?"

JohnDar said:

I believe it's more of a vacuum breaker than a piston check valve. Before the fitting in the UDC broke, if I disconnected the hose, water flowed out. That's why I had a garden hose shut-off valve on it. That was the water in the line on the "potable" side of the anti-siphon valve/vacuum breaker. What I'm referring to as a check valve is like the backflow preventer found in your hot water line from the water heater, or on your city water inlet.

My home sprinkler system has a vacuum breaker/anti-siphon valve on it hanging on the wall outside the house above the valves. When I shut off the water supply in the basement and open the spigot just after that supply valve, I drain the plumbing from there to the vacuum breaker by gravity. Same thing.

With the city water inlet that I replaced the black tank flush fitting with, all I need do is press in the little valve stem for the brass check valve until water stops flowing. The original fitting only had a hollow plastic tube behind it, with no backflow preventer.

Regardless of whether you call it an anti-siphon valve, vacuum breaker, or check valve, I again ask; "How do you propose to force antifreeze through the black tank flusher plumbing and past the (enter name here) valve into the tank?"

Click to expand...

I agree John... Its an open line with no check valve. and I like you have no idea how you would push antifreeze through the flush???

Something cheap and not too messy would be using those small pumps adaptable to a garden hose driven by a drill. Other than connecting off your fresh water pump which could be a pain. Here is another one, connect a hose up to the flush, dump anti freeze into the hose, attach the blow out adapter and pressurize. I know, I know but you asked. I know the last one would work.

I guess if you really wanted a field expedient method, you could just fill your mouth with antifreeze, put a lip-lock on the inlet in the UDC, and blow it in like playing a tuba. That's where you REALLY hope the anti-siphon thingy has been doing it's job! Mess it up and swallow and you'll be squeaky clean for your colonoscopy.

JohnDar said:

I again ask; "How do you propose to force antifreeze through the black tank flusher plumbing and past the (enter name here) valve into the tank?"

Click to expand...

I had a similar question regarding how to flush the black tank sprayer in my recent thread titled ”questions for winterizing the water connection inlets” in the Heartland General Forum. Willym responded with the following great idea: “I winterized the black tank flush in my unit using the spray connection in the UDC. I unscrewed the spray nozzle and screwed the hose directly into the flush connection, turned on the pump and flushed it for short time”

I also saw a YouTube video yesterday (that I believe was from a dealer) and he showed a syringe devise with hose fitting to do the job that I believe is commercially available. If not you could probably make one from a "super-soaker" water gun

Or you could just disconnect the tank flush line from the back of the UDC and drain it into a bucket by gravity. Anything on the tank side of the anti-siphon valve is going to the tank. There won't be enough water in the valve, itself, to cause a problem.

But, as I mentioned before. Unless HL has changed their ways, the OEM flush fitting at the UDC does NOT have a backflow preventer in it. Remove the hose after flushing, and water drains out. The black plastic housing is nothing more than a double male union. It may be a poor attempt at pressure reduction since the inside diameter is reduced, but it is still an open tube. I'll dig around in my junk parts box and see if I still have it.

I have a small pump utility pump with a gardern hose thread outlet (like the ones below). I simply attach the hose to the pump and add antifreeze to the black tank flush as well as the city water line to make sure there isn't any water in the check valves. I have also just used compressed air.

I don't want to argue but I am pretty sure the plumbing code for RV's would require a check valve from a water inlet line that is connected directly to your sewer tank from a domestic water supply source to have a check valve to prevent contamination to the domestic water supply. Check valves are required any time a water line is exposed to a possible source of ouside contamination (such as a black tank flusher)

John

No argument, John. It's just that my black tank flush inlet did not have a check valve in it. Just the hollow black plastic fitting that connected to the PEX line up to the anti-siphon valve hidden behind the bathroom wall. It now has a real check valve since I replaced the inlet with a city water one with a brass body.

I was out to the rig a little while ago to pick up something. Since I had not done it when I winterized it, I put a coffee can under the flusher inlet and pushed the little valve tab in. About 1/2 cup of water came shooting out and that was all. I also pressed the tab on the city water inlet check valve and instantly got antifreeze and it did not look diluted. I still don't think it's totally necessary to push antifreeze into the tank flush system, but you gotta do whatever works for you.