Winterizing/sanitizing process ( Bighorn 3010...2013)

[DonHelenL]

My manual talks about a syphon hose for this process...Can anyone direct me to this hose?

 

[Rrloren]

Should be connected to your water pump with an on/off valve. Gotta open the valve and turn on pump while hose is in a jug of anti-freeze. Then open each faucet in turn till the pink comes out. Don't forget to put your H/W heater in the bypass position first.

 

[Owenfamily]

The syphon hose may be behind your UDC. You may have to take a wooden wall down in order to get behind the UDC and look for the syphon hose. It will be a little white hose. It will come off of the water pump.

 

[boatto5er]

My manual talks about a syphon hose for this process...Can anyone direct me to this hose?

Location depends on the model trailer you have. On the bigger 5ers it is usually in the UDC. On smaller 5ers and pull trailers it may behind an access panel in a cargo bay.

 

[DonHelenL]

Thanks, as I suspected. The same as my last trailer,except there was an access port in it. Manual doesn't do a good job in giving locations.

 

[DonHelenL]

I did as suggested and removed the panel. Bummer...no hose around the pump with a shut off valve. I know that a fix could be done by installing one but for the price it should be there...Am I missing something?

 

[jnbhobe]

I think you have the Anderson 4 way valve. Check to see if is there in the bottom left corner of the UDC. If there is a winterize position follow the hoses on the back of the valve there should be an open one.

 

[danemayer]

I think a 2013 Bighorn will have a 4-way Anderson Valve in the UDC, with one position marked "Winterize/Santize". There should be a 1/2" hose coming from the water pump, through the UDC wall, terminating in a plastic fitting, but with nothing attached to the hose at the end in the UDC.

If you can't find it, could you post a close-up picture of the bottom half of your UDC.

 

[DonHelenL]

 

[DonHelenL]

Couldn't see how to add text after photos? The four valve selector settings in the UDC are; top:Normal...left :tank...bottom:city...and right:winterize sanitize. Am I correct in thinking that if the selector valve is set to the winterize/sanitize position I can attach a short piece of garden hose to the city water inlet , put the end of hose in a jug of solution, turn the pump on ,open up the taps and it will pump the solution through the lines(but not the fresh water tank)? Man this is a complicated valve.

 

[danemayer]

Just checked the Anderson manual.

UNIVERSAL DOCKING CENTER OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS

SELECTOR VALVE OPERATION:
Normal (Dry camping): Pumping from on-board tank with the on-board pump.

City: Diverting water pressure from a hose connected to the inlet backflow preventer to the fixtures in the RV.

Tank Fill: Diverting water pressure from a hose to the on-board fresh water holding tank

Sanitize/Winterize: drawing water, sanitizer, or RV grade winterizer from a container through a hose connected to the inlet backflow preventer using the on-board pump and diverting this flow to the fixtures

Looks like you'd attach a short hose to the water inlet and use it to suction antifreeze into the system.

 

[DonHelenL]

Looks like you are right. Very simple now that I know. Thanks

 

[simsfmly]

But....what if we want to sanitize the water tank. This looks OK for doing the lines, but what about sanitizing the fresh water tank with this setup?

 

[danemayer]

But....what if we want to sanitize the water tank. This looks OK for doing the lines, but what about sanitizing the fresh water tank with this setup?

Hi Bob,

There was a thread a while back discussing this and I think the best answer was:

1. Drain your water hose.
2. Connect the water hose to the city water connection.
3. Set the valve to fill the fresh tank.
4. Take the faucet end of the hose and use a funnel to add bleach into the hose.
5. Connect the hose to the faucet and use the water pressure from the faucet to push the bleach and water into the fresh tank.

 

[simsfmly]

Hi Bob,

There was a thread a while back discussing this....

Thought that's what I had read, but couldn't find it on a search of sanitize. Our manual says "pour it into the fresh water tank..." which is kind of a problem with that hose connection. We were going to pour the bleach into our filter holder (w/o filter in place) to push through hose and into tank.

Bypass hot water heater or no?

 

[danemayer]

Thought that's what I had read, but couldn't find it on a search of sanitize. Our manual says "pour it into the fresh water tank..." which is kind of a problem with that hose connection. We were going to pour the bleach into our filter holder (w/o filter in place) to push through hose and into tank.

Bypass hot water heater or no?

When set to TANK FILL, I don't think the incoming water goes straight to the fresh tank. It would only get into the water heater if you subsequently set the valve to NORMAL and turned on the pump.

After adding the bleach and water, you might want to take a ride for a few miles to slosh it around the tank. Then let it sit for a few hours. Then open the drain by the axles to drain the tank. Refill the tank with water and drain again.

There's a lot of additional information about the water systems in our Water Systems Guide.