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Old 10-20-2013, 07:48 AM   #1
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ParkLiner winterization?

Is the water system drained just by removing the anode tube from the hot water heater? I can't find any other spigots!

How about those mud dauber guards? Where can I get them, like a link if possible.

Thanks for any help you ParkLiner folks!

Frank
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Old 10-20-2013, 08:05 AM   #2
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I do not have a Parkliner but on my Casita water heater the hole for the anode rod is at
the low point of the heater and is how I was told by the factory to drain my heater . I leave the anode out over winter . Camco makes an anode rod with a brass petcock valve at the end so you can drain the heater without removing the anode which is handy in the summer for draining the heater but I do not know if it would work well in a Wisconsin Winter and I was told to change out my anode yearly
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Old 10-20-2013, 08:17 AM   #3
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Frank, I ran the faucet and shower dry, removed the annode and let it drip for awhile. Then added a few gallons of anti freeze(rv type) and opened each faucet cold then hot till it ran out pink. same with the shower. Poured some down the shower drain and sink drain.

This year Im thinking about buying an air compressor and there is a brass piece that you can attach to the city water line and blow the water out and dont need anti freeze (cept maybe for the drains.) Im hoping to winter camp a few weekends at my friends place in the Pine Barrens. This way it can be re-winterized in a few minutes. Im sure someone can provide a link for the how to do it.

Best of Luck on your new babey!
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Old 10-20-2013, 08:51 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
I do not have a Parkliner but on my Casita water heater the hole for the anode rod is at
the low point of the heater and is how I was told by the factory to drain my heater . I leave the anode out over winter . Camco makes an anode rod with a brass petcock valve at the end so you can drain the heater without removing the anode which is handy in the summer for draining the heater but I do not know if it would work well in a Wisconsin Winter and I was told to change out my anode yearly
Thanks Steve! I pulled the anode tube, and yes, they should be changed every year. I always keep one and the tools (including teflon tape) to swap it out in the trailer.

Frank
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Old 10-20-2013, 08:57 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by deryk View Post
Frank, I ran the faucet and shower dry, removed the annode and let it drip for awhile. Then added a few gallons of anti freeze(rv type) and opened each faucet cold then hot till it ran out pink. same with the shower. Poured some down the shower drain and sink drain.

This year Im thinking about buying an air compressor and there is a brass piece that you can attach to the city water line and blow the water out and dont need anti freeze (cept maybe for the drains.) Im hoping to winter camp a few weekends at my friends place in the Pine Barrens. This way it can be re-winterized in a few minutes. Im sure someone can provide a link for the how to do it.

Best of Luck on your new babey!
Deryk, we don't have any water coming out when we open the faucets, not even a drop. The water heater appeared to be full though when I pulled the anode tube. I don't think Alex & Marta ever used this stuff. So just pour some RV antifreeze down each drain ya think?

Keep me posted on that air compressor thing, that is an excellent idea!

Frank
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Old 10-20-2013, 09:32 AM   #6
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Dont forget to turn on any water pumps you may have- shower pan or main water tank? to get the anti freeze to run through them as well. I friends pump suffered some damage last winter due to forgetting to do that. Also dump out all your holding tanks once again after you have finished with adding anti freeze - that way you know that whats in them is only anti freeze and not a mixture of fresh water (drained out of the pipes when you added the anti freeze ) and anti freeze which will reduce the effectiveness of the anti freeze.
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Old 10-20-2013, 10:07 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
Dont forget to turn on any water pumps you may have- shower pan or main water tank? to get the anti freeze to run through them as well. I friends pump suffered some damage last winter due to forgetting to do that. Also dump out all your holding tanks once again after you have finished with adding anti freeze - that way you know that whats in them is only anti freeze and not a mixture of fresh water (drained out of the pipes when you added the anti freeze ) and anti freeze which will reduce the effectiveness of the anti freeze.
I leave the valves to my holding tanks open all winter . In the past I've drained my tanks and closed the valves only to find out later that water had collected behind the valve , frozen, and cracked the valve housing I put a coarse brass scouring pad in the drain opening to keep mice and chipmunks out .
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Old 10-20-2013, 10:27 AM   #8
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I leave the valves to my holding tanks open all winter . .
I do as well. When I purchased my trailer the PO had just installed a new hot water tank. He told me he had drained the old one the winter prior but somehow it had been damaged over the winter due to its design prevents it from totally draining. Suggested I leave the plug out of it during the winter to avoid the problem again .... decided that was good advise for all the tanks.
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Old 10-20-2013, 10:56 AM   #9
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Well, I just hooked up power and tried the faucets. I hear gurgling in the kitchen sink, that's it, and nothing in the toilet. Dump antifreeze in to protect the traps?

It's been a crazy week, and I have to run to a St. Andrews Society function, back later. Thanks all!

Frank
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Old 10-20-2013, 11:19 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
I do as well. When I purchased my trailer the PO had just installed a new hot water tank. He told me he had drained the old one the winter prior but somehow it had been damaged over the winter due to its design prevents it from totally draining. Suggested I leave the plug out of it during the winter to avoid the problem again .... decided that was good advise for all the tanks.
I pulled the anode on my water heater and drained the tank over a week ago .(Left anode out of tank) Today I went out with my shop vac with a 1/2' hose attached to the vacuum hose and was able to remove over a 1/2 gallon of water from the water heater SO MUCH FOR THE ANODE OPENING BEING THE LOW SPOT IN THE WATER HEATER TANK!!
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Old 10-20-2013, 11:49 AM   #11
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When you removed the anode, did you open the taps in the trailer? Did you open the pressure relief valve for the water heater?
If you didn't, it's like holding your finger over one end of a straw full of water.
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Old 10-20-2013, 11:55 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
SO MUCH FOR THE ANODE OPENING BEING THE LOW SPOT IN THE WATER HEATER TANK!!
Well it is the lowest spot they provide an opening for draining

What you discovered in regards to water still in the tank after having drained it is also why the tanks sometimes rust out sooner than they should as its not just water left in the tank but sediment build up. Thats why I suggest people use a Heater tank Rinser at least once a year on their tanks to help with getting it all out.
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Old 10-20-2013, 03:32 PM   #13
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.....I pulled the anode tube, and yes, they should be changed every year.....
This is a maintenance issue. And it depends on a number of factors. It doesn't necessarily need to be replaced every year. However, they're cheap enough if replacing it yearly gives you peace of mind.
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Old 10-20-2013, 04:01 PM   #14
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When you removed the anode, did you open the taps in the trailer? Did you open the pressure relief valve for the water heater?
If you didn't, it's like holding your finger over one end of a straw full of water.
Yes. Yes.

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Old 10-20-2013, 04:08 PM   #15
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This is a maintenance issue. And it depends on a number of factors. It doesn't necessarily need to be replaced every year. However, they're cheap enough if replacing it yearly gives you peace of mind.
What I have been taught is if it looks really skinny like as one site suggests a "skinny clothes hanger wire" or as another suggested has lost 75% of its weight its time to replace it. Anti Freeze and water with high mineral content will eat away at it.
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Old 10-20-2013, 04:26 PM   #16
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QUOTE=frank_a;426183]Is the water system drained just by removing the anode tube from the hot water heater? I can't find any other spigots!

How about those mud dauber guards? Where can I get them, like a link if possible.

Thanks for any help you ParkLiner folks!

Frank[/QUOTE]

A search on Amazon for "RV mud dauber screen" will get you lots of options.

Re: Drain spigots, the early ParkLiners didn't have any except possibly for the fresh H20 holding tank. If you have one you will see about 1" of pex tubing sticking out of the bottom of the trailer on the street side toward the rear. The handle for the valve is hidden under the plywood board that the water pump is mounted on. You can't see it, you have to reach underneath and open it by feel. Later models, #34 included have a bypass installed for the water heater and drain lines for the water heater and cold water plumbing installed on the curb side. You can see the valve for the water heater installed in the red pex tubing but again, the cold has to be done by feel. My procedure is as follows:
1. Open all drain valves and kitchen faucet and shower valve (hot and cold) to allow air into the system and drain as much water as possible.
2. Close valves and connect brass blow out plug to city water inlet and pressurize system to ~60-80 psi with compressor connected.
3. Hold shower head over toilet or kitchen sink and open valves until no more water vapor comes out. Close shower valve.
4. Hold toilet fill valve until no water vapor comes out.
5. Open kitchen faucet valves until no water vapor comes out.
6. Disconnect compressor and remove blow out plug from city water connection. Using funnel, pour 2-3 gals of RV anti-freeze into holding tank.
7. Close water heater bypass valve (you don't want to pump 6 gals of anti-freeze into water heater) and turn on water pump.
8.Open kitchen faucet valves until air is purged and pink anti-freeze runs out. Close valves
9. Repeat with shower valve.
10. Flush toilet until air is purged and anti-freeze runs into bowl.
11. Open hot kitchen faucet, close push button shut-off valve on shower head and open both hot and cold shower valves. This will force anti-freeze from the cold side of the shower valve through the hot side and out the hot faucet valve in the kitchen sink. Turn off pump.
12. Turn on shower bilge pump and pour 1-2 cups of anti-freeze in shower drain. Turn off pump.
13. Pull anode rod from water heater and allow any excess water/anti-freeze to drain. Connect a 3/4" diameter tube to the hose on a wet/dry shop vac and suck out any remaining water and sediment from water heater. (I got about a half gallon) Fill anode rod hole with steel wool or better- copper wool or a copper scrubbie and order a new anode rod to install in the spring.
14. Drain and dispose of anti-freeze from gray water tank. leave valve open and cover opening with screening or pack with copper wool.

That was fun, wasn't it. If you don't have all the drain valves, it is a little more complicated but necessary. If you are at all handy, working with pex tubing is pretty simple and you can install your own drains and water heater bypass. Definitely worth having. The procedure sounds a little complicated, but start to finish took me about an hour. Hope I haven't confused
anyone, but this is what worked for me.
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