De-winterize

1bentbike

We bought a used 2018 320s that was winterized but do not know how it was done. We presume with anti freeze as there were some in the sink but do not know if the alde was winterized with anti freeze. How would we check to see if the alde has anti freeze in it?
 Do you need to be at a dump station to de-winterize? Can it be done in a drive way?
 

Sharon_is_SAM

The yellow flip up valve under the driver side bench is the Alde Safety/Relief valve.  If you open the valve by flipping up the yellow tab, the Alde will drain.  In case it has antifreeze in it, just put a bucket under the TaB directly below the valve.  I will see if I can find the picture.

Although the pink RV antifreeze is non-toxic, it should not go down a storm drain or left to drain into your yard where it may end up in a stream.  You could make multiple trips to empty your gray tank into a toilet or, if you know your garage drain for sure empties into the sanitary sewer, you can drain it there.  They make RV sewer end caps where you can attach a hose rather than the large RV sewer hose.  Just be careful as it drains very slowly and you don’t want the gray tank backing up in your shower.  If you have a lot of AF throughout your system and it will require a lot of flushing,  I think it is easiest to go somewhere with a full hookup.  

Here is a link with a PDF that shows all the drain outlets (thank @MuttonChops).  ‘D” is the outlet for the Alde.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/7713/alde-compartment-stuff

1bentbike

Thanks Sharon, if there is AF in the alde dos that mean the glycol was removed and has to be replace or was it just the hot water tank? Could some one drain the glycol and replace with AF, not saying this was done but people have done odd things

Sharon_is_SAM

If there is pink antifreeze in the Alde hot water tank, that means they were winterizing the plumbing.  You need to check the glycol overflow tank to check the status of your glycol.  Do you know where your overflow tank is located?  

With the redesign of the rear shelf, beginning with the 2016 model year, the tank in the non-clamshell models is located at the end of the driver’s side rear shelf, behind the triangle-shaped, wood panel.  Again, remove the square headed screws and slide the panel towards the front of the trailer to uncover the tank.

pthomas745

@1bentbike You might want to find the winterizing instructions in the files to see that process.  That will show you where you might find antifreeze in your trailer. 

Denny16

The short answer is to drain all your tanks, flush them out with fresh water, once for the gray and black tanks, several times for the fresh water tank.  The Alde should be in the winter Bi-Pass mode, large red handle near the Alde system under the bench, where the low point drains are also located.  Opening these drains will drain out the water lines, the flush the lines with a duty water hookup and drain the, several times.  

The heating glycol is separate from the water tanks.  If it is more than two,years old, you might consider having a dealer flush and replace the heating Glycol system.  We bout a two year old previously owned TaB and had this done.

Their is an UnOffical Users Manual PDF here with nice instructions for winterizing and de-winterizing a TaB, whilst aimed at rhe 400, the basic procedure is the same.
cheers 

Sharon_is_SAM

@1bentbike - if you do find pink antifreeze in the Alde water tank, you must close the bypass before you flush as that allows water to flow to the Alde water tank and rinse it out.  @Denny16 reminder about the bypass only applies if they remembered to actually bypass the Alde when they winterized.

1bentbike

Thanks all my daughter will hopefully find a camp site this weekend with full hookups and we will flush everything.
l have the same trailer and we do the blow out technique. I will show her that way. I just replaced the sink drains with the hepvo drain. I normally put AF in the s trap..do people put AF in the hepvo drain

Denny16

No, the Hepvo drain doesn’t not retain water in it, it has a one-way flow valve that drains water right out, and closes to prevent gases from coming back up.  It does not retain water (required for a seal in traditional traps), so no antifreeze is needed, it will not stay anyway.
cheers

Tundra57

To make sure you vent the air out of the system, i had more luck using a water mains line and 50 psi regulator than using the pump.