Winterizing 2013 Keystone Sprinter 316BIK

[ToddHarris]

Hey folks, brand new to camping, however we are loving it. I am looking for a how to guide to winterizing my 2013 Keystone Sprinter 316BIK. Step by step instructions of everything.
Thanks in advance

[Stangfire]

I'm interested as well. Will be my first time winterizing my 2013 Hideout.

[RagingRobert]

Goggle and u-tube are your camping help friends What I do in a nutshell is blow out the lines by using a compressor set to no more than 35 psi. Use the water pump to draw in RV antifreeze until you see pink out of each and every faucet/toilet one at a time. Pour some antifreeze down the sinks to fill the traps. Pour a couple inches into the toilet, don't flush it down, it helps keep the seals moist and working. That's it in a nutshell, again u-tube is great for more detailed how to do videos.

[RagingRobert]

I should say some trailers have a separate hose connection for winterizing...I have to disconnect the inlet hose from the water pump and connect a 3' clear hose with the proper fitting to insert into a jug of antifreeze. It sounds like a lot but it's not really

[Stangfire]

Originally Posted by RagingRobert

I should say some trailers have a separate hose connection for winterizing...I have to disconnect the inlet hose from the water pump and connect a 3' clear hose with the proper fitting to insert into a jug of antifreeze. It sounds like a lot but it's not really

I plan to do the same. Except I won't be able to use an air compressor. I will look at my pump and see what hose and fitting I need to suck up the antifreeze.

After you have antifreeze ran through all taps to do you leave them open after you shut the pump off?

[flybouy]

I didn't see anyone mentioning bypassing the water heater. You do not want antifreeze in the WH. Drain it, bypass it, and install a new anode if so equiped.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by ToddHarris

Hey folks, brand new to camping, however we are loving it. I am looking for a how to guide to winterizing my 2013 Keystone Sprinter 316BIK. Step by step instructions of everything.
Thanks in advance

Originally Posted by Stangfire

I'm interested as well. Will be my first time winterizing my 2013 Hideout.

The 2013 Hideout and Sprinter models did not have a "convenience center" but rather the "old style utilities connections and dump valve facilities". There is a old thread in the Maintenance and Repairs section on the forum. It's a "sticky thread" and is the first thread in the listing. Most, if not all your questions about winterizing are addressed in that thread. https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=20540

[Stangfire]

Originally Posted by flybouy

I didn't see anyone mentioning bypassing the water heater. You do not want antifreeze in the WH. Drain it, bypass it, and install a new anode if so equiped.

I'm aware of that. I have one valve on my WH and believe it's to shut off the supply inlet, and the outlet is blocked by a check valve. That's why I don't see 2 or 3 bypass valves like I would have thought.

So I believe the main things I need to do is drain everything, bypass hot water heater, suck up antifreeze using the pump.

What about the black tank flush? I do not have an air compressor to use.

[flybouy]

It "should" self drain, should being the keyword. You can buy a hand pump made for pumping antifreeze thru a garden hose fitting. Our unit has an outdoor sink that's close to the blank tank flush connection. I use a fitting that replaces a sink faucet aerator and adapts it to a male garden hose fitting. I attach a short hose to the tank flush from the sink and run the antifreeze thru it.,

That hose adapter comes in handy for washing the trailer while it's at the storage lot as well.

[Stangfire]

What’s stopping a person from pouring 3 gallons of antifreeze into the holding tank (after draining it) and pumping it that way though all the plumbing?

Maybe you use a little more antifreeze?

I don’t drink from my fresh water tank so not too concerned about that.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Stangfire

What’s stopping a person from pouring 3 gallons of antifreeze into the holding tank (after draining it) and pumping it that way though all the plumbing?

Maybe you use a little more antifreeze?

I don’t drink from my fresh water tank so not too concerned about that.

First off, it will take a lot more than 3 gallons depending on how level the trailer is setting. The antifreeze will leave a residual taste in the FW tank that can take a lot of flushing to remove. It's your camper, do what you want with it.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Stangfire

What’s stopping a person from pouring 3 gallons of antifreeze into the holding tank (after draining it) and pumping it that way though all the plumbing?

Maybe you use a little more antifreeze?

I don’t drink from my fresh water tank so not too concerned about that.

Several things to consider with pouring RV antifreeze into the fresh water tank:

1. The "aftertaste" next spring will "linger for weeks or months" making the water taste bad until the antifreeze is completely flushed out of the tank. Plus, the tank plastic can absorb some of the taste making it linger even longer.

2. There is no way to drain all the water from the fresh water tank, so you will be diluting the RV antifreeze that you pour into the tank. How much "dilution" depends on how much residual water. You may get a 80:20 mix or you may get a 20:80 mix. One would probably still protect your RV, the other, not so much.

3. Just as you can't drain all the water from the tank, next spring you can't drain all the antifreeze from the tank, so you're faced with multiple flushes (wasting fresh water) to clear the tank of the "red stuff", then starts the aftertaste removal.

4. You can winterize most RV's with 1.5 to 2 gallons of antifreeze is you draw it through the pump. If you can manage to completely empty all the water from your fresh water tank, you may need up to 6 gallons, just to get the fluid level above the pump "pickup fitting" so it will draw the antifreeze into the pump.

5. At $4 a gallon for antifreeze, using the "pump draw method" costs $8. Using the "tank method" can cost up to $24, just to get antifreeze to the pickup fitting in the tank.

[RagingRobert]

Blowing out the lines is not necessary but I like to make sure all water is gone with our cold winters up here and if you mix antifreeze with left over water it will weaken it. I'll blow out the HW tank, the tank flush and outdoor shower as well to make sure there's no water in the lines. And yes bypass HW tank when filling with antifreeze. I also flush some antifreeze into the empty black tank to keep any seals lubricated...some will enter the gray tank as well when you open faucets and pour some into traps. I think it's a good idea to open faucets when your done to relieve pressure but close them again. Sure you can put antifreeze into your holding tank and fill all the lines that way, you'll use more and it will take a while to get that smell out of the water when you use your holding tank water.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by ToddHarris

Hey folks, brand new to camping, however we are loving it. I am looking for a how to guide to winterizing my 2013 Keystone Sprinter 316BIK. Step by step instructions of everything.
Thanks in advance

You've been given advice on bypassing, using compressed air (or not) etc. Prior to this trailer I used a little kit I bought somewhere that looked like this link;

https://www.campingworld.com/pump-co...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Find the water pump, put this kit on the inlet side and leave it there for year to year use. Bypass the water heater, turn the little directional valve on the fitting in the kit to feed from the antifreeze bottle and open each faucet starting at the furthest away, flush the toilet (and don't forget the outside shower) then pour some antifreeze in the p traps and leave the faucets open (when done running water and pump is off for the winter).

[Stangfire]

Thanks everyone. This is my pump. So I just need a connector like this and a few feet of hose? My pump is easy to reach.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Stangfire

Thanks everyone. This is my pump. So I just need a connector like this and a few feet of hose? My pump is easy to reach.

Yep, that's all you need. EVERY RV Parts Department will have the fitting (be sure to put some silicone lubricant on the O-rings so they don't dry up over the winter/summer before you need to winterize next year) and Lowe's sells the vinyl tubing in the plumbing department. Take the fitting with you to be sure, but most Flo-Jeet fittings are 1/2" inside diameter. Total cost should be around $4.95 for the fitting and $3 for the tubing.

[RagingRobert]

My pump has an angled wingnut type fitting...I have to unscrew it then screw on my hose inside this tiny box beside the bed I'm defiantly going to try and install one of those kits, thanks.

[Stangfire]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Yep, that's all you need. EVERY RV Parts Department will have the fitting (be sure to put some silicone lubricant on the O-rings so they don't dry up over the winter/summer before you need to winterize next year) and Lowe's sells the vinyl tubing in the plumbing department. Take the fitting with you to be sure, but most Flo-Jeet fittings are 1/2" inside diameter. Total cost should be around $4.95 for the fitting and $3 for the tubing.

Thanks.

I'll also pick up a hand pump for the Black tank flush and city water connection as I have no way to use an air compressor.

Then I think I'm good.

[Max23]

Remove the fresh water supply hose from the inlet side of the water pump and install the antifreeze suction hose. Insert the suction hose into a gallon of antifreeze. Turn on pump switch. You will notice anti-freeze being drawn from the container and into the pump.


That is a snipit from the original "how to winterize" in the maintenance post. Do you not have a simple unscrew spot right after your city water inlet just before the pump so you don't have to purchase and install anything new? Just asking as obviously I don't know your setup. Just saying because mine does.

[Stangfire]

Originally Posted by Max23

Remove the fresh water supply hose from the inlet side of the water pump and install the antifreeze suction hose. Insert the suction hose into a gallon of antifreeze. Turn on pump switch. You will notice anti-freeze being drawn from the container and into the pump.


That is a snipit from the original "how to winterize" in the maintenance post. Do you not have a simple unscrew spot right after your city water inlet just before the pump so you don't have to purchase and install anything new? Just asking as obviously I don't know your setup. Just saying because mine does.

Not sure. I'll have to look. i've never used the city water inlet. I just know I need to winterize the city water inlet and the black tank flush differently then just running the pump with antifreeze.