2021 Keystone Cougar 22RBS Winterize

[Campitupcouger]

I have a 2021 Keystone Cougar 22RBS and would like to Winterize it. When I purchased it this spring, it came winterized. I’m not sure how they did it as there is no valve from what I can see to put the antifreeze in off the waterpump. Does anyone have any ideas as to the type of valve or best method to get antifreeze into the system? I have seen many a video but nothing specific for my trailer. Appreciate any help.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Campitupcouger

I have a 2021 Keystone Cougar 22RBS and would like to Winterize it. When I purchased it this spring, it came winterized. I’m not sure how they did it as there is no valve from what I can see to put the antifreeze in off the waterpump. Does anyone have any ideas as to the type of valve or best method to get antifreeze into the system? I have seen many a video but nothing specific for my trailer. Appreciate any help.

Answers to your questions will have more context if you go to the UserCP at top/left of each page and under is the Signature; make a signature with year, make and model of your camper as well as tow vehicle.


Winterizing in one location can take a different strategy than another. I live in South Texas so I put an air chuck adapter on my fresh water inlet and blow out the lines and dump RV antifreeze into P traps. I also drain my water heater and then shut the bypass to ensure no water gets in until I take the trailer out of winterization mode.


The process for winterizing WITH antifreeze is a bit different so watch this youtube video and it will explain things fairly well. You will most likely have low point drains WITH valves under the trailer but the rest pretty much applies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZKiCjzvxSs

[Campitupcouger]

Appreciate the feedback on the signature and the video as well. All I need to do now is get a valve, install it and run through the motions. This will be my first time but I know my camper pretty well now and it should be pretty straight forward. Have a great fall!

[flybouy]

Can you post z picture of your water pump? On mine the line to put in the antifreeze jug is shoved into the hole jn the floor where the other lines go thru.

[Campitupcouger]

I’ll be camping this weekend and will grab a few photos. Do you blow out your water lines with compressed air when winterizing? I have heard of some that do and some that don’t.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Campitupcouger

I’ll be camping this weekend and will grab a few photos. Do you blow out your water lines with compressed air when winterizing? I have heard of some that do and some that don’t.

If you're asking me yes. I use an air compressor then follow it up with RV antifreeze.

[Falcon67]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Or similar

[JRTJH]

Here's the one I use. https://www.amazon.com/Winterize-Mot...17CM0134&psc=1 When I bought mine it was about $3.

If attached to the city water inlet, it puts a strain on the plastic fitting on the trailer, so I use my 90 degree adapter (the same one I use when I connect the city water hose to the trailer). That way the compressor hose "hangs straight down" from the trailer city water fitting.

I only use about 40 PSI to blow out the plumbing lines. More pressure may work faster, but all those plastic fittings on the PEX lines will thank you for not damaging them with higher pressure than needed.....

[linux3]

Wait, wait. You live in MN meaning Minnesota?
I don't think blowing out the lines is good for your weather.
There are lots of good reviews around here for winterizing but you have to consider the climate of the poster.

My suggestion and I do skip parts because there are some really good reviews here.
My main point is getting the adapter to pump the antifreeze and sources.
Find your water pump. Easy way to do this is to run it and listen for the noise. Usually you have to remove a panel to see it.
OK, what fitting do you have on the supply side of the pump? It's the hose that comes from the fresh water tank.
Look at the brand of pump. I have a FlowJet and I bought this adapter. I went to Home Deport and bought 3 feet of clear hose that fits the adapter.
Buy 3 gallons of the pink stuff. In my area Walmart is the cheapest.
Open all faucets and drain everything including the water heater tank.
Set the bypass on the water heater to bypass. Close all the faucets and drains.
Install adapter, stick the hose in a gallon of pink stuff and yada, yada.
https://www.amazon.com/Flojet-Port-D...56952058&psc=1

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by linux3

Wait, wait. You live in MN meaning Minnesota?
I don't think blowing out the lines is good for your weather.
There are lots of good reviews around here for winterizing but you have to consider the climate of the poster.

My suggestion and I do skip parts because there are some really good reviews here.
My main point is getting the adapter to pump the antifreeze and sources.
Find your water pump. Easy way to do this is to run it and listen for the noise. Usually you have to remove a panel to see it.
OK, what fitting do you have on the supply side of the pump? It's the hose that comes from the fresh water tank.
Look at the brand of pump. I have a FlowJet and I bought this adapter. I went to Home Deport and bought 3 feet of clear hose that fits the adapter.
Buy 3 gallons of the pink stuff. In my area Walmart is the cheapest.
Open all faucets and drain everything including the water heater tank.
Set the bypass on the water heater to bypass. Close all the faucets and drains.
Install adapter, stick the hose in a gallon of pink stuff and yada, yada.
https://www.amazon.com/Flojet-Port-D...56952058&psc=1

I do the same as you, but IMO, if there is any water in the plumbing lines, that water will dilute the antifreeze, raising its "freeze point". On the "good to 50 below" antifreeze I use, a 50/50 dilution is only good to 10F. That's 60 degrees "less protection".... How much water is in the plumbing? How long should you let it run to push that water out of the lines? Are you sure all/most of the water is gone or if diluted, how much ????

All those questions, at least for me, are "answered by removing as much water as possible before filling the lines with antifreeze".....

So, in the "not so frigid temperatures of -30F," I do as much "positive protection" as I can, by keeping the antifreeze as undiluted as I can.

In south Louisiana, I sometimes used compressed air, most times just opened the low point drains but a gallon of antifreeze would last me 2 or 3 years... Up here, not so much.... YMMV

[linux3]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I do the same as you, but IMO, if there is any water in the plumbing lines, that water will dilute the antifreeze, raising its "freeze point". On the "good to 50 below" antifreeze I use, a 50/50 dilution is only good to 10F. That's 60 degrees "less protection".... How much water is in the plumbing? How long should you let it run to push that water out of the lines? Are you sure all/most of the water is gone or if diluted, how much ????

I run the faucets until I get pure pink and no sputtering.
I don't dump extra in the traps because I run it long enough to fill them. Maybe it's a waste but we get some winters when a weeks high will be 0. Not often but it happens.

[Cimriver]

I also have a 2021 Cougar 22RBS. On the drivers side of the bed you will notice an additional carpet covered compartment that is not on the passengers side. Inside this compartment is the water pump. The carpeted lid will pull up and expose the pump and associated plumbing. The manufacturer does not install a winterizing kit, but they are available online. Bought mine on Amazon.

You will also need to rotate the hot water bypass valve to prevent the rv antifreeze from getting into the hot water heater. Remove the panel which is on the left side of the door next to the power center. Should be two screws. Behind the panel you will see the hot water heater and on the back side of it towards the top you will find the bypass valve. As long as you are a contortionist you should be able rotate the valve a quarter turn bypassing the hot water heater.

Don't forget to drain the hot water heater.

[Cimriver]

Here is the winterizing kit I installed on my 22RBS.

Camco 36543 Pump Converter Winterizing Kit (for RV and Trailer Winterization) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I4SMW28...ing=UTF8&psc=1

[linux3]

Originally Posted by Cimriver

Here is the winterizing kit I installed on my 22RBS.

Camco 36543 Pump Converter Winterizing Kit (for RV and Trailer Winterization) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I4SMW28...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Oh, OK so you go through the city water inlet rather than the pump.
Interesting.

[Cimriver]

Basically it connects to the input side of the pump. The valve then switches between the input from the fresh water tank and the hose sucking antifreeze from the bottle.

[Todd Burton]

You can buy those winterizing kits at Menards also, I use the outside shower hookup and connect that to the city water, works good.

[Mr Mojo]

Originally Posted by Cimriver

Here is the winterizing kit I installed on my 22RBS.

Camco 36543 Pump Converter Winterizing Kit (for RV and Trailer Winterization) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I4SMW28...ing=UTF8&psc=1

This is what I use

[Todd Burton]

Not a bad price at Menards or other local stores

[JRTJH]

If you have a FloJet water pump with the "blue locking tabs" the CAMCO winterizing kit will not connect to your pump without changing out the fittings.

All you need to buy to adapt your FloJet pump is this fitting https://www.isopurewater.com/product...20group%20%231 and a 3' section of clear vinyl hose (from any hardware store, Lowe's or Home Depot).

You can use the "savings" from not buying the CAMCO kit to buy a FloJet strainer to protect your pump from debris/trash in the fresh water tank. https://www.amazon.com/Flojet-017403...s%2C155&sr=8-6 It's one of the "best $7.71 you could invest in your fresh water system.

Now, if you have a ShurFlo pump or another brand pump with threaded connections, the above FloJet fittings will not work for your water pump.