"I'm satisfied that the water system designed by FWC is fairly easy to make 'frost proof' by following the instructions provided by FWC. "
Yes I am right with you here and I am not necessarily complaining but rather pointing out that the manual provides the following instructions;
Step 1: Drain the 20 Gallon Freshwater Tank and Drain Line
The 20 Gallon Freshwater Reservoir is usually located under the camper's front seat area (near the front wall of the
camper), and the exterior drain valve is located on the rear / exterior wall of the camper (outside), usually near the
camper entry door. To drain the 20 gallon fresh water tank, make sure your truck is parked level, or better yet parked
on a slight incline. Parking the truck on a slight incline will help to ensure gravity to completely drain the water out the
fresh water tank. Next, open the hot and cold water valves on the sink faucet and leave them open. Next, open (twist)
the exterior drain valve on the rear wall of the camper and leave it open until the 20 gallon fresh water tank is drained
and water stops coming out. If your 20 gallon water tank is full, the draining process might take quite a while. After
the main water tank is empty, leave the small tank drain cock on the outside of the camper “OPEN”.
Step 2: Open the Low Water Valve.
Open the low point water value inside your kitchen cabinets (if your camper is equipped with it). Leave it open.
Drain Cock
Open
Open
Four Wheel Campers, LLC.
52
Step 3: Drain the Hot Water Tank
Be sure to first release any built up pressure in the hot water heater before draining it. This can be accomplished by
opening the hot water faucet at the kitchen sink to release any built up pressure (Note: The hot & cold faucets should
already be open if you have been following Step 1 & 2 from above). Drain the Hot Water Heater (6 Gallon Hot Water
Tank) by opening the hot water valve at the kitchen sink (should be open already) and then opening the low point
water drain valve inside your kitchen cabinets (step 2 above). The water in the hot water tank should slowly drain
down & out into your 20 gallon fresh water tank, as long as the fresh water tank is already empty. As the hot water
heater tank starts to drain, you will probably also notice water start to drain out of the 20 gallon main water tank drain
cock located on the rear / outside of the camper.
Step 4: Drain the Shower Head and Hose
Turn off your electric water pump. Make sure the low point water drain value inside the camper is “open”. Then open
the access door to the exterior & interior hot water shower compartments (if equipped). Insert & connect the shower
wand & hose. Extend the shower hose until it is straight. With the hose straightened, position the shower head so
that it is lower than where the hose is attached to the shower compartment. This will allow gravity to drain the water
out for you. Next, open both the cold and hot water valves to allow any trapped water to exit. Leave the hot & cold
water valves “OPEN”, but disconnect the shower wand & hose, shake the shower wand & hose to release any
possible trapped water from it, and put it way for storage.
Step 5: Drain the Water Pump
Run the electric Water Pump for approximately 15 to 20 seconds, or as long as water is flowing out from the sink
faucet, with both the hot & cold water at the kitchen sink valves opened. This should help to remove as much
remaining water from the system as possible. Turn the electric water pump “OFF”, and leave both the hot & cold
faucets on the sink “OPEN” position so that any excess water that could potentially freeze will have room for
expansion (instead of cracking a water line or fittings).
Four Wheel Campers, LLC.
53
Step 6: Add Non-Toxic Antifreeze (optional)
If you are going to add Non-toxic RV Antifreeze to your camper water system for possible freezing waiter
temperatures, you will need to add the correct amount of properly prepared “non-toxic” RV Antifreeze and water
solution to back into your 20 gallon fresh water tank by pouring it into the fresh water filler port located on the outside
of the camper. See antifreeze manufacturer's Water / Antifreeze mixture recommendations. Once you have a few
gallons of properly mixed water/anti-freeze in the fresh water holding tank, turn on your electric water pump. Open
the cold water valve at your sink faucet and run until you can see some of the antifreeze/water mixture flow from the
sink faucets. Close the sink faucets. Next, operating just one shower fixture at a time, hook up both the inside shower
wand & outside shower wand (if equipped) and turn on the electric water pump. Open the cold water valve, and run
for a few moments until you can see some of the anti-freeze mixture come out. Close both shower water valves and
disconnect the shower wand. Once disconnected, drain the shower wand & shower hose before storing it away.
Drain the kitchen sink (if needed) and replace the cap on the sink's gray water spout (exterior of camper).
Once you have drained the hot water heater, drained the 20 gallon fresh water tank, introduced
the non-toxic RV antifreeze, then go back through and open your sink faucets are open, open
the shower valves, open the hot water tank valve inside the cabinets. Open the low water valve
inside the cabinets, and open the plastic drain cock on the rear wall of the camper. This will
allow any possible trapped water a place to move freely (instead of expanding outward and
possibly cracking a water line) if it were to freeze
Which I believe could be reduced to a set of procedures listed in simple visual language on one small simple page.
Remember the early Mac commercials showing the user manual for IBM PC's that was thick like an old phonebook? then they would drop the tiny pamphlet with a mac. I guess I'm just thinking that would be a good direction and probably even broaden their sales.
