Landmark Augusta - Fridge Water Line in Cold Weather?

cjbearden

Visitor
A portion of the water line to our Elite Refrigerator (in a slide) is exposed and will need wrapping during below freezing temperatures (we fulltime). Should the water line in the slide come from the factory already covered to protect it from colder temps?

Would appreciate factory providing information on what we need to do to protect the fridge's water line in the event we do experience freezing weather. Thanks.

CJ
 

mountainlovers76

Mississippi Chapter Leaders
I would like to hear that answer myself. I have the same situation with my 09 3600RE. The water line going to the slide is completely exposed to the temps while the water line from the solenoid valve to the icemaker has the heater wire run with it. Seems useless to heat that line while the supply line is left unprotected. I am in the process of adding my own artic package to the underside of my Horn and the icemaker line is one item I am currently working on. Once I have that done, I will have a very warm and "almost" freeze proof coach.
 

Delaine and Lindy

Well-known member
I think the routing could have been improved. I was going to install a shut off valve on the inside behind the basement wall and just shut it off in the winter months if I was in a place it could freeze. GBY
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
The Dometic owners manual states they must be winterized. Basically, disconnect the supply line from the solenoid and drain the supply line. Disconnect the Plastic compression nut from the solenoid tubing that goes up the back of the fridge to the icemaker. Using 20psi at the solonoid supply inlet, cycle the icemaker untill air comes into the icemaker. The directions are in the manual and are a little more detailed. I would think that if the temps didn't get below 20 for any length of time and the coach was being occupied, you would be safe not winterizing it. We have never winterized ours and we've been in the high teens overnight and mid 30's during the day for several days in a row.
 

mountainlovers76

Mississippi Chapter Leaders
The Dometic owners manual states they must be winterized.

I camp in the winter as well as the summer. The icemaker is not much good if I can not use it when I need it. If I had know this I would have just left it off when I ordered my coach and purchased the portable one from Camping World. But since I do have it, I will find a way to insulate or heat the supply line so I can use it even in the winter. :cool: And the first time it freezes and bursts I will deny I ever said that. :D
 

cjbearden

Visitor
Hello Factory!!

Never did get a factory response to my original post. What do owners with ice maker refrigerators in a slide need to do to correct the issue of exposed water line in the slide? Is it something the owner can correct or do we have to tear down and let our coach sit at the repair shop all day while we kill time? Please, someone at the factory, give us some helpful information on how much the coach has to be torn into to ensure protection from freezing temperatures. Not whining, just need an honest answer and apparently other owners want to know also. Thanks for your understanding and assistance.
 

cjbearden

Visitor
Fix Found

Talked with a tech at Camper's Clinic in Rockport, TX today and learned that the fridge line fix is similar to what is done on Mobile Suites units. As soon as DH gets our fixed, pics will be posted and this thread can move to HOOT.

First step is to make sure holes in the frame rail, through which water line runs, has grommets to keep hose off the metal (try Radio Shack).

Second Step: Wrap hose in 1/2" or 1" pipe wrap (Wal-mart) and zip strip or tape the pipe wrap.

Third Step: Form a box to encase the wrapped hose out of hard foam sheets to run around the frame rail, bottom of trailer and extensions that run out to outer wall - triangular shaped (try Lowe's for hard foam). Use zip strips to just barely snug the hard foam in place or you may crush the foam and render it ineffective.

Fourth Step: Spray foam around the wrapped hose inside the box to keep hose from moving around.

Fifth Step: Use 80 degree F heat tape to wrap remaining hose from the 'box" down the frame rail through the spring guide out to end of slide and up into where the hose goes into floor of slide. Wrap in pipe wrap and zip tie to spring guide.

Hope this helps someone else. If you are near a Mobile Suites with ice maker fridge in a slide - go take a look. Pictures to follow when DH can finish the project.
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
There is a label on my icemaker line that says it is winterized to keep it from freezing. I have never used it so I don't worry about it. But I guess it must have something (I dont know what) on it or it wouldn't have that label.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
There is a label on my icemaker line that says it is winterized to keep it from freezing. I have never used it so I don't worry about it. But I guess it must have something (I dont know what) on it or it wouldn't have that label.

Jim,

I think that pertains to Dometic's piece, which would be from the output of the water solenoid, up the back of the refer and into the top of the unit. I believe there is a heater wire that runs the length of that line.

The problem is the supply line run to the refer by Heartland. Especially in the Augusta. My Pinehurst is not a problem as the refer water line is tapped in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. But on the Augusta, the kitchen sink is in an island with no decent way to route the line to the refer from there. As such, the refer supply line comes from the basement of the coach. It is this routing that is showing to be problematic in freezing temperatures. As this portion of the supply line is not heated or insulated as-installed at the plant - it is suggested that the ice maker line be winterized when temps will be freezing.

That all said, CJ, I think this mod you are going to try is very cool and like many others I am sure, I am eager to see pics and hear results. I hope it works. This will help many.

Thanks for sharing,

Jim
 

cjbearden

Visitor
Update of completed project

1. Use 1/2" I.D. foam pipe wrap and place around the white water line from where it comes down through the floor and back to the panel just in front of the tires (make sure that you put grommets where it goes through the 2 panels, or wrap them in heavy tape to protect from rubbing). See photo 1, 2 & 3.

2. Cut and install 1" foam (hard) against the frame rail (allow room at bottom for the lower panel to fit into, and the front and rear metal panels. Then place foam in area just behind the metal outer skin, allowing the same room at bottom to fit in the lower panel. Tape all the areas down with exterior silver waterproof tape (Available at Lowe's for about $12 a roll and has a silver backing with polybutal adhesive - once it is on, will NOT come off!!) See photo 4 & 5.

3. Before moving on to closing in the bottom, check and see if your marker light has a snap on cover or if it has to be removed from the inside. Ours was snapped on from the outside so could cover completely; but, if your unit has the other type, you will have to box this so you can access. See photo 6.

4. I did not box in the top as it goes into the basement area that is heated.

5. Started from the rear using the largest area that you can reach into, box the bottom (I used a scrap block to hold the line up so the foam could wrap around it). After each bottom is closed, use the spray foam to fill the area up at least 2" above the water line encased in foam pipe wrap. Tape together each block with the waterproof tape. See Photo 7 & 9.

6. About half way, reverse to the front and start the same as 5. The problem here is the propane lines, which are wrapped in the black wrap and should allow any gas leak to escape (Make SURE that the connections are tight before enclosing the area). See photo 8 & 10.

7. When you get to the last area between the 2 boxed areas, cut a 2x2 hole in center to allow foaming in the middle, block in and tape the edges, then foam in through the opening left (I used a complete can of foam just to make sure completely covered here. See photo 11, just to right of center.

8. As can be seen in photo 11, tape the edges at the back and from along with the sides to make sure water cannot seep in around the edges. All of the boxed areas are then sprayed with black automobile undercoating (rubberized type).

9. Remainder of project: (Photos 12-14 are prior to wrapping. While we were having other on-site repairs completed, the service tech finished this wrapping and did not take pictures)--For the area from the rear panel through the spring into the slide and up through the floor, try to find the soft rubber (NOT foam type) pipe wrap, Cut the zip strips and wrap the water line in the rubber pipe wrap. Install new zip ties to hold the wrapped water line to the spring making sure it is attached to the frame, following the propane line. (I was told this alone will keep the water line operating down to 20 degrees for 4 hours, but I am trying to find the heat tape that is set at 80 degrees, DO NOT USE THE REGULAR TAPE as this will actually go above 100 degrees and could melt the hose).
 

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