Yahoo Message Number: 92174 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92174)
We bought a 1999 Affinity, in August, from the original owners. This is our first (and will be our last) motorhome, and we are rookies at this. We absolutely love the coach and want to take the best care of it that we can. I'm sure we will find this group invaluable to us. We have much to learn beginning with how to winterize it. We live in Washington state. The coach has Webasto and hydronic heat, but we are thinking that we should put antifreeze in it. Any winterizing tips would be appreciated. Any tips regarding covering (or not) would also be welcome. Thanks!
Denny and Judy 1999 Affinity #5709
Yahoo Message Number: 92175 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92175)
So, we're do you live in Washington? We just bought a 2003 Magna and it is our first coach also, we have not brought it home from Eugene Or. yet but I'm sure we will be looking to this group for help from time to time.
We live in Vancouver and are in the process of looking for an acceptable covered storage.
Larry & Linda
Yahoo Message Number: 92177 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92177)
We live near La Conner, which is 10 or so miles west of Burlington. I did receive a very helpful PDF file just minutes ago from another CC owner in this group that explains winterizing and lots of other technical topics. I am so glad to have that as Denny and I are such novices at this point. Covered storage would be so nice, but I don't think we will be doing that for a while. There is a NW Country Coachers group that has rallies several times a year - www.nwccers.org. The members of this group are mostly from Oregon and Washington. We went to their rally in Gig Harbor just over a week ago and that's where I found out about this Yahoo group.
Yahoo Message Number: 92179 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92179)
Yahoo Message Number: 92180 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92180)
Put a snow blower on the roof or in the bed of your toad and drive in a southerly direction till some one asks "What is that?" Find a nice place and spend the winter there....
ROFL
MIkee
Yahoo Message Number: 92181 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92181)
Yahoo Message Number: 92182 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92182)
Denny & Judy,
As a coach/rv repair shop owner in Washington state, I will say that if you can't store under cover - then the sealant on the coach is extremely important, roof & sides. We've re-sealed hundreds of coaches and RV's over the years, and the quality of the sealant is critical around here - as water is the #1 cause of damage to RV's in the NW.
Now on the winterizing, you stated your coach has a Webasto hydronic system, either leave the water heater on electric (if available) or drain it and either blow out the fresh lines, hot & cold or by-pass the hot water tank & fill with RV antifreeze. Check the level of the coolant in the system loop and condition, being a '99 it's possible the coolant has never been changed, and depending on where the coach came from, possible never checked for freeze point. If the coolant is good and you know the freeze point of the coolant which should be -30 or so, you're good go (or store)
Jim Lewis
Infinity Coach
From:jdness@... (jdness@...)
Sent: Sunday, November 03, 2013 10:19 PM To:Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com (Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com) Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] RE: We are new members to CC owners group
We live near La Conner, which is 10 or so miles west of Burlington. I did receive a very helpful PDF file just minutes ago from another CC owner in this group that explains winterizing and lots of other technical topics. I am so glad to have that as Denny and I are such novices at this point. Covered storage would be so nice, but I don't think we will be doing that for a while. There is a NW Country Coachers group that has rallies several times a year - www.nwccers.org. The members of this group are mostly from Oregon and Washington. We went to their rally in Gig Harbor just over a week ago and that's where I found out about this Yahoo group.
---In country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
So, we're do you live in Washington? We just bought a 2003 Magna and it is our first coach also, we have not brought it home from Eugene Or. yet but I'm sure we will be looking to this group for help from time to time.
We live in Vancouver and are in the process of looking for an acceptable covered storage.
Larry & Linda
Yahoo Message Number: 92183 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92183)
Mikee,
LOL! Wish we could just do that!
Judy 1999 Affinity 5709
Yahoo Message Number: 92184 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92184)
Jim Lewis,
Where in WA is your shop? Our HWH is electric or propane. We purchased the coach locally from the original owner, but they always had a beautiful 45 foot garage to store it in so I don't think they had to do too much winterizing. We are not so fortunate. We did purchase a cover for it but are now wondering if that is even a good idea. We were leaning toward the air pressure blow-out, but can we avoid all that by keeping the Webasto on, or do we still have to blow out some of the lines? We are new to all this, and the learning curve is steep! Thanks!
Judy
Yahoo Message Number: 92187 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92187)
Yahoo Message Number: 92188 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92188)
Judy,
Our shop is in Sumner, Wa.
When you say HWH it typically means HWH Corp which is a company that makes hydraulic slide room mechanisms along with leveler's & many other systems. So I'm thinking you mean the hydronic heater.... Interesting that you said it's propane, not many LP units out there, we see them, but not as often as diesel...
Any rv that has been stored inside majority of it's life, and now has a new home outside, sealant, sealant, sealant. Almost guaranteed to leak. Walk around the coach, look over the sealant, if you see cracks, gaps, Yes a cover will help protect it, but re-seal complete and know it's protected is my thought....
Jim
From:jdness@... (jdness@...) Sent: Monday, November 04, 2013 10:45 AM To:Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com (Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com) Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] RE: We are new members to CC owners group
Jim Lewis,
Where in WA is your shop? Our HWH is electric or propane. We purchased the coach locally from the original owner, but they always had a beautiful 45 foot garage to store it in so I don't think they had to do too much winterizing. We are not so fortunate. We did purchase a cover for it but are now wondering if that is even a good idea. We were leaning toward the air pressure blow-out, but can we avoid all that by keeping the Webasto on, or do we still have to blow out some of the lines? We are new to all this, and the learning curve is steep! Thanks!
Judy
---In country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
Denny & Judy,
As a coach/rv repair shop owner in Washington state, I will say that if you can't store under cover - then the sealant on the coach is extremely important, roof & sides. We've re-sealed hundreds of coaches and RV's over the years, and the quality of the sealant is critical around here - as water is the #1 cause of damage to RV's in the NW.
Now on the winterizing, you stated your coach has a Webasto hydronic system, either leave the water heater on electric (if available) or drain it and either blow out the fresh lines, hot & cold or by-pass the hot water tank & fill with RV antifreeze. Check the level of the coolant in the system loop and condition, being a '99 it's possible the coolant has never been changed, and depending on where the coach came from, possible never checked for freeze point. If the coolant is good and you know the freeze point of the coolant which should be -30 or so, you're good go (or store)
Jim Lewis
Infinity Coach
From:jdness@... (jdness@...)
Sent: Sunday, November 03, 2013 10:19 PM To:Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com (Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com) Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] RE: We are new members to CC owners group
We live near La Conner, which is 10 or so miles west of Burlington. I did receive a very helpful PDF file just minutes ago from another CC owner in this group that explains winterizing and lots of other technical topics. I am so glad to have that as Denny and I are such novices at this point. Covered storage would be so nice, but I don't think we will be doing that for a while. There is a NW Country Coachers group that has rallies several times a year - www.nwccers.org. The members of this group are mostly from Oregon and Washington. We went to their rally in Gig Harbor just over a week ago and that's where I found out about this Yahoo group.
---In country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
So, we're do you live in Washington? We just bought a 2003 Magna and it is our first coach also, we have not brought it home from Eugene Or. yet but I'm sure we will be looking to this group for help from time to time.
We live in Vancouver and are in the process of looking for an acceptable covered storage.
Larry & Linda
Yahoo Message Number: 92195 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92195)
Welcome to the fold. Lots of great folks here and millions of miles of experience too. As for your heater, the heat transfer fluid should already be anti-freeze. The heat exchanger within will need its water purged with RV grade anti-freeze. That is one step in many you'll need to take to properly winterize your plumbing. We live in our bus full time and have never needed to winterize it. I'll defer to folks here for the details of winterizing. Best to listen to those who have actually gone through the experience. Safe travels and enjoy.
Best - Scott
2006 Allure 430 40' #31349
(Bus-Stead Lemon) My Allure Page http://www.muniac.com/Allure%20Page.html (http://www.muniac.com/Allure%20Page.html)
Yahoo Message Number: 92197 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/92197)
Jim,
I didn't realize HWH usually meant that company. I probably will have many "duh"? moments before I get up to speed. I was only referring to our hot water heater and thought that was what people were referring to in other posts that I was not following. If I had actually been reading those posts, I might have understood what the HWH stood for. So our hot water heater is electric and propane and the hydronic heater is diesel.
What sealant do you recommend? What would you typically charge to do this if we were to bring our coach down there? Another CC Yahoo group member gave a nice recommendation for you.
Judy
From:Jim Lewis (jim@...) Sent: Monday, November 04, 2013 12:00 PM To:Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com (Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com) Subject: Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] RE: We are new members to CC owners group
Judy,
Our shop is in Sumner, Wa.
When you say HWH it typically means HWH Corp which is a company that makes hydraulic slide room mechanisms along with leveler's & many other systems. So I'm thinking you mean the hydronic heater.... Interesting that you said it's propane, not many LP units out there, we see them, but not as often as diesel...
Any rv that has been stored inside majority of it's life, and now has a new home outside, sealant, sealant, sealant. Almost guaranteed to leak. Walk around the coach, look over the sealant, if you see cracks, gaps, Yes a cover will help protect it, but re-seal complete and know it's protected is my thought....
Jim
From:jdness@... (jdness@...) Sent: Monday, November 04, 2013 10:45 AM To:Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com (Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com) Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] RE: We are new members to CC owners group
Jim Lewis,
Where in WA is your shop? Our HWH is electric or propane. We purchased the coach locally from the original owner, but they always had a beautiful 45 foot garage to store it in so I don't think they had to do too much winterizing. We are not so fortunate. We did purchase a cover for it but are now wondering if that is even a good idea. We were leaning toward the air pressure blow-out, but can we avoid all that by keeping the Webasto on, or do we still have to blow out some of the lines? We are new to all this, and the learning curve is steep! Thanks!
Judy
---In country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
Denny & Judy,
As a coach/rv repair shop owner in Washington state, I will say that if you can't store under cover - then the sealant on the coach is extremely important, roof & sides. We've re-sealed hundreds of coaches and RV's over the years, and the quality of the sealant is critical around here - as water is the #1 cause of damage to RV's in the NW.
Now on the winterizing, you stated your coach has a Webasto hydronic system, either leave the water heater on electric (if available) or drain it and either blow out the fresh lines, hot & cold or by-pass the hot water tank & fill with RV antifreeze. Check the level of the coolant in the system loop and condition, being a '99 it's possible the coolant has never been changed, and depending on where the coach came from, possible never checked for freeze point. If the coolant is good and you know the freeze point of the coolant which should be -30 or so, you're good go (or store)
Jim Lewis
Infinity Coach
From:jdness@... (jdness@...) Sent: Sunday, November 03, 2013 10:19 PM To:Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com (Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com) Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] RE: We are new members to CC owners group
We live near La Conner, which is 10 or so miles west of Burlington. I did receive a very helpful PDF file just minutes ago from another CC owner in this group that explains winterizing and lots of other technical topics. I am so glad to have that as Denny and I are such novices at this point. Covered storage would be so nice, but I don't think we will be doing that for a while. There is a NW Country Coachers group that has rallies several times a year - www.nwccers.org. The members of this group are mostly from Oregon and Washington. We went to their rally in Gig Harbor just over a week ago and that's where I found out about this Yahoo group.
---In country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
So, we're do you live in Washington? We just bought a 2003 Magna and it is our first coach also, we have not brought it home from Eugene Or. yet but I'm sure we will be looking to this group for help from time to time.
We live in Vancouver and are in the process of looking for an acceptable covered storage.
Larry & Linda