Winterizing Your Forest River: Extra Light Camper Essentials

Winterizing your Forest River camper is an important process that will protect your vehicle from damage caused by frozen pipes and rodent infestations. The process involves preparing your RV for its annual wintersection sign to prevent water in your plumbing system from freezing and causing leaks or wood rot. You can either use RV antifreeze to displace and flush out the water or use an air compressor to blow it out.

Drain black and grey tanks

Draining the black and grey tanks is an important step in winterizing your Forest River camper. This process will help protect you from costly damage that can be caused by frozen pipes and valve assemblies. Here are some detailed instructions to guide you through the process:

First, disconnect yourself from the city water supply and turn off your RV's water pump. Locate and empty your black, grey, and freshwater tanks. The freshwater tank usually has a valve located near the tank, often on the underbelly of your RV. Refer to your owner's manual if you need help locating the valve.

Next, drain the water from your RV water pipes. Open all faucets, including the kitchen wand and toilet, to depressurize the system. Close each faucet once the water stops flowing. Locate the low-point drain, which is usually on the outside of your RV and is a valve at a low point in your water lines. Open this valve to drain any remaining water from the lines.

After draining the water lines, it's important to locate and drain the water heater. Refer to your owner's manual to find the water heater drain plug. Use a wrench to unscrew the drain plug and allow the water to empty from the heater. If you have an anode rod, it's a good idea to replace it during this process. Once the water heater is drained, replace the drain plug.

Bypassing the water heater is an important step to save antifreeze and time. Locate the valve to bypass the water heater, so the antifreeze flows around the tank and only into your pipes. If your RV doesn't have a bypass valve, you'll need to install one or waste antifreeze by filling the tank.

Finally, close all drains and faucets, and confirm that your water heater is bypassed. Connect a water pump converter to your RV's water pump to pull antifreeze from the container and into your water lines. Turn on the water pump to pressurize the system with antifreeze. Open each faucet, including the kitchen wand and toilet, one at a time, until you see antifreeze coming out. This ensures that antifreeze reaches all pipes, both hot and cold.

By following these steps, you'll effectively drain your black and grey tanks and winterize your Forest River camper, protecting it from potential damage caused by freezing temperatures.

Drain water heater and water lines

To drain the water heater and water lines of your Forest River Extra Light Camper, follow these steps:

Firstly, turn off your water heater for at least three to five hours before beginning the process. It is imperative that the water inside the heater is completely cool to avoid serious injury. Once the heater has cooled, open the external panel to locate the water heater drain plug. Using a wrench, unscrew the drain plug until it comes off, and allow the water to drain out. When the water has finished draining, use the wrench to replace the drain plug.

Next, bypass your water heater. This is important as antifreeze will fill up your water heater tank before your pipes if you don't. By bypassing the water heater, antifreeze will flow around the tank and only go into your pipes. Check your owner's manual to see if your camper has a water heater bypass. If it does, then bypassing your water heater is as simple as turning a valve. If not, you will need to have one installed or waste antifreeze by filling the tank.

Now, you can move on to draining the water lines. Start by disconnecting from the city water supply and turning off your water pump. Then, drain your black, grey, and freshwater tanks. To drain your freshwater tank, locate the valve, usually on the underbelly of your camper by the freshwater tank, and open it. Next, open all faucets in your camper to depressurize the system, then close them. Locate the low-point drain, which is usually on the outside of your camper and is a valve that, when opened, will cause water to drain from your lines. Open the valve and close it when the water stops draining.

Finally, to ensure that your drain pipes don't freeze and break, pour one to two cups of antifreeze down every drain, including sinks, shower, and toilet. For the toilet, first flush one to two cups of antifreeze into the black tank, then add another one to two cups into the bowl.

Bypass water heater

To bypass the water heater when winterizing your Forest River Extra Light camper, follow these steps:

First, locate your water heater. It is usually found on the outside of your camper and is likely behind a large cover with a screen on the upper right-hand side. Open the screen to access the anode, which should be removed when draining the tank for winterization.

Next, go inside your camper and find the heater. You may need to remove a cover to access it. Look for the water heater bypass valve, which is typically located at the bottom of the water heater tank. The tank will have a water line at the bottom for cold water intake and a hot water line at the top that feeds your pipes. If there is a middle pipe connecting these two lines, that is the bypass valve.

There are three types of bypass valves: three-valve, two-valve, and one-valve systems. For a three-valve system, ensure that the valves on the cold and hot water lines are turned perpendicular to the line, and turn the bypass valve parallel to the line. This will allow antifreeze to pass straight through the line, bypassing the tank. On a two-valve system, turn both valves parallel to the line to allow water to bypass the heater. For a one-valve system, simply turn the valve perpendicular to the line to bypass the hot water tank.

After locating and setting the correct valves, you can proceed with the rest of the winterization process. This typically involves draining the water system, including the water heater, and then running RV antifreeze through the lines to prevent freezing.

It is important to note that you should never drain the water heater tank when it is hot or under pressure. Always open a hot water faucet to relieve pressure and allow the water to cool before draining. Additionally, make sure to disconnect the city water supply and turn off the water pump before beginning any winterization procedures.

Add antifreeze to plumbing lines

To add antifreeze to your plumbing lines, you will need to follow these steps:

First, remove or bypass any inline water filters. Antifreeze will ruin water filters, so it is important to take them out or bypass them. Refer to your owner's manual to see if your RV has inline water filters and how to remove or bypass them.

Next, drain your water pipes and holding tanks. Disconnect from the city water supply and turn off your RV water pump. Drain your black, grey, and freshwater tanks. You can do this by locating the valve, usually on the underbelly of your RV by the freshwater tank. Then, open all faucets to depressurize the system and close them once finished. Locate the low-point drain, which is usually on the outside of your RV and is a valve that you can open to drain water from your lines. Open it and close it once the water has stopped draining.

After that, drain your water heater. Ensure that your water heater has been turned off for at least 3-5 hours before starting this step. Open the external panel of your water heater and use a wrench to unscrew the drain plug. Once the water has finished draining, replace the drain plug.

Now, bypass your RV water heater. The water heater holds 5-10 gallons of water, so by bypassing it, you ensure the antifreeze goes into your pipes instead. Check your owner's manual to see if your RV has a water heater bypass. If it does, then bypassing it will be as simple as turning a valve. If not, you will need to have one installed or waste antifreeze by filling the tank.

Connect a water pump converter to your RV's water pump. This will pull antifreeze from its container, through your water pump, and into your water lines. Follow the instructions that come with the converter. Essentially, you will screw a tube onto the end of your water pump that will go into the antifreeze container.

Finally, turn on your RV water pump to pressurize your water lines. Confirm that your low-point drain valves are closed and that your water heater has been bypassed. Once the pump stops running, open each faucet, including the kitchen wand and toilet, one at a time until you see antifreeze come out. Do this for both hot and cold settings to ensure antifreeze gets through both lines. Once finished, close all faucets and shut off your RV water pump.

Additionally, you should put 1-2 cups of antifreeze down every drain, including sinks, showers, and the toilet, to prevent your drain pipes from freezing and breaking. For the toilet, first flush 1-2 cups of antifreeze into the black tank, then add another 1-2 cups into the bowl.

By following these steps, you will effectively add antifreeze to your plumbing lines and protect your Forest River camper from potential damage during the winter.

Remove water filters

When winterizing your Forest River Extra Light camper, it is important to remove any inline water filter elements. This is because the pink antifreeze usually won't go through the filter element.

• Make sure there is no water pressure on the filter. Open a faucet to release the pressure and shut off the pump and outside tap.
• Place a towel under the filter to catch any spills.
• Use the white plastic wrench provided to loosen the filter. You may need to move a water line slightly to get the wrench on. The amount of pressure needed will become apparent once you try to loosen it.
• If the filter is difficult to move, try giving the wrench a gentle and then firmer "tap, tap, tap" with the palm of your hand.
• Turn the wrench in a leftward direction to loosen the filter. If you are facing the threads of the filter, remember that lefty loosey, righty tighty does not apply if you are operating the wrench from the opposite side.
• If you are looking at the filter canister from the top, you need to turn the wrench to the right to loosen it. If you are looking from the bottom up, turn it to the left.
• If you are on your back and looking at the canister from the side, turn the wrench clockwise to loosen it.
• Before removing the filter, open the low-point drains and, if your fresh water tank is empty, turn on your water pump. This will drain the clear canister, making it easier to remove without spilling.
• When reinstalling the canister, only hand-tighten it. Do not use the plastic wrench.
• Do not lose the thin black O-ring gasket when removing the filter.
• Test the filter after reinstalling it to ensure it is working properly.

Frequently asked questions