181 winterization

MMH

Member
Has anyone found a way to get to the bypass valve on the water heater, to avoid having to fill up the hot water tank with antifreeze? Our hot water heater has the furnace on one side and a panel without screws, in a storage space, on the other side.
 

kb0zke

Well-known member
Same question is being discussed on the ATF page. Get the mattress out of the way, then remove two screws on the street-side piece of plywood. Raise that up and you have access to the valves. Turn all three the opposite way and you are good for the winter. Then next spring you do it again.
 

kb0zke

Well-known member
Bob, you do understand that switching the valves' position from summer to winter isn't all there is to winterizing. All you have done for the work to get to those valves is to allow yourself to drain the hot water tank, so that when you put in the antifreeze you won't get any in the hot water heater itself. You will still have to drain that (use the pressure relief valve, then remove the element), and drain the rest of the water system and put antifreeze in it.

Since our 181 is nearly out of warranty, I'm going to take it to the dealer for the final warranty work and at the same time I'm going to have them winterize it, grease the axles, and do all the rest of the stuff that needs to be done annually. I'm also going to have them check everything over just as if it was just dropped off from the transporter, and fix anything that needs fixing. Yes, I'm going to pay some for the work, but having those service records will be important in a few years when we want to sell it for our FT coach.
 
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