Winterizing the washer/dryer

OtterMN

Member
I found a great video that stepped me through winterizing my Cyclone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUnSZfgVjRE) But 3/4 of the way through the guy says if you have a built-in washer/dryer (or ice maker) you should take it to a dealer to winterize. What is considered a built-in washer/dryer? Is it really that tough to winterize a washer/dryer? Can anybody step me through it? Thanks!
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
If you have the combo unit, do not use the shortcut method of pouring some AF into the drum and running a short spin cycle. Have the water pump running AF into the lines and run the longer washer winterizing process. Taking the shorter route is probably why I have to replace the plastic water distribution assembly in mine. A $78 lesson.
 

brianharrison

Well-known member
If you use the antifreeze pump through lines/fill and drain, be aware that there are two different procedures for the Ariston different models. The AWXL129 (stacked) has a bit of a different procedure than mentioned in the guide referred by Dan.

The ARXL129 requires the unit to be set at selector 3, temp selector on warm, and filled until the drum turns. This cycles both cold inlet solenoids, and the hot solenoid inlet water valves. Here is a quick link for the ARXL129.

This is why I had to replace the inlet hot water solenoid valve this summer. It does not cycle with the fill selector set to a "rinse" fill.

Brian
 

NWILSON

Kentucky Chapter Leaders - retired
I just winterized the Cyclone today. I had run Antifreeze through everything but the washer and it took most of 2 gallons. That included enough to fill the drain traps. The washer took about 3 more qts including the water lines leading to it (the washer lives in the front bedroom closet)
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Just think of all the money you could save if you moved to South Texas by not buying antifreeze!!! We don't know how to winterize here,, no need to... :) We can camp all year... have nice beaches,,, nice shopping,, good places to eat.. ComeONDown!!!
 

OtterMN

Member

OK, this is probably a dumb question... in the winterizing video that I watched, the guy shows you now to remove a panel and turn the three valves to bypass the hot water heater; which I did. Then I remembered the "winterize/"normal lever and the hose in the docking center... this makes removing the panel and flipping the three valves unnecessary eh?
 

danemayer

Well-known member

OK, this is probably a dumb question... in the winterizing video that I watched, the guy shows you now to remove a panel and turn the three valves to bypass the hot water heater; which I did. Then I remembered the "winterize/"normal lever and the hose in the docking center... this makes removing the panel and flipping the three valves unnecessary eh?
Some trailers have the 3 valve bypass. Some have a lever in the docking center for the bypass. Some also have a lever in the docking center for adding antifreeze.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Dan, I have both a 3 valve bypass, and the lever in the docking station.. so I guess i can use either one?

The 3 valve system behind the water heater is to bypass the water heater. The lever in the docking station would be to allow the water pump to suction antifreeze into the rest of the water system after you've bypassed the water heater (you don't want to add antifreeze to the water heater). It's not likely that both would be to bypass the water heater unless a previous owner modified the trailer to add redundant controls.

If you look at the Water Systems Guide, the diagram on page 6 and pictures and explanations on page 24 may be helpful. And again, the Winterizing Guide should make a lot of this clear.
 

OtterMN

Member
Ok, it just seems odd that they would conveniently locate the winterize valve and antifreeze intake hose in the UDC when you still have to remove four screws and a panel in the storage compartment to winterize… I was thinking maybe they added the "winterize" feature in the UDC, but the three valves were a remnant of the "old" design… but I guess not, thanks!
 

Westwind

Well-known member
Just did the Bighorn today, I have the hot water tank bypass and winterize bypass and I turned them to the proper setting. Water heater was drained. We have the Splendide Combo Washer/Dryer so what I do is feed the pink stuff in using the hose and turn the WD on and turn the hot/cold selection on as it's filling so both the pipes and hot and cold valves get the pink stuff, full the washer and then pump it out so that the pump gets filled with the antifreeze.
I turn on every faucet and flush the toilet so the pink stuff gets into the toilet valve and traps. Last of all I blow out the black tank flush, you can hear the water run out the pipe and valve into the tank.
It's done - just in time temps to go into the low 30's tonight.
 

brianharrison

Well-known member
We have the Splendide Combo Washer/Dryer so what I do is feed the pink stuff in using the hose and turn the WD on and turn the hot/cold selection on as it's filling so both the pipes and hot and cold valves get the pink stuff,

For others with the Splendide, depending on your model and if you used the rinse cycle for winterizing (Selector A, I think) you may have not cycled the hot water solenoid by switching the temp selector to hot. My Splendide washer unit ARXL129, requires I use Perma Press Selector (Number 3, I think) and run it with winterizing fluid through the inlet lines until the drum turns. This cycles all 3 solenoids (2 cold, one for rinse fill, one for cold water fill for wash, and 1 hot water fill for wash).

Mine is a stackable unit, this may not apply to the Combo unit.

You should be able to look behind the washer and see if water has been displaced by pink antifreeze in the clear elbows in the hoses before they attach to your machine (if you have similar hoses to my OEM installed W/D). Here is what mine looked like with just the cold displaced and the hot not displaced. Both should be pink.
 

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mayflower

Member
Can anyone tell me if there is a way to bypass the w/d connections when winterizing? We have the connections but do not have a w/d in our unit. We have a 2014 Bighorn 3010re.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Can anyone tell me if there is a way to bypass the w/d connections when winterizing? We have the connections but do not have a w/d in our unit. We have a 2014 Bighorn 3010re.
There's no way to bypass the w/d connections unless you install cutoff valves. But if you're asking whether there's a way to avoid the use of antifreeze in those lines, the alternative is to use compressed air to evacuate water from the lines.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
You could add cut-offs but you would need to make sure they are as close to the last branch to a working faucet as possible, to avoid water sitting in the lines up to the cutoff.




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