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viewfinder · 11-15-2018, 09:02 PM

Winterized old motor home many times. In 2014 we ordered our 36LA. Have been winterizing by going south. This year, med issues require us to stay north, which means use the pink stuff. OK, bottom drains open, HW heater drained, water heater bypass changed over. Air blow out. Now for the pink stuff. Drains closed etc. and add pink stuff. Took 15 gallons! Ten gallon water heater filled some how.

Why ?

Bad check valve, bypass not plumbed right, wrong sequence when bleeding ?
Made pink ice and wonder about washer/dryer. Any ideas?

jim

nothermark · 11-15-2018, 09:16 PM

Even filling the HW tank 15 sounds high. I use two in a smaller MH but the plumbing is more or less the same unless you have two bathrooms. That would have me looking for where else the antifreeze ended up.

Do you have a 3 valve or 1 valve bypass? If it's 3 you close two and open one. If it's a 1 valve there is a check valve that might be acting up.

powderman · 11-15-2018, 09:24 PM

I have a 32' fiver and it takes a tad under one gallon. If your water heater only has one bypass valve it most likely has a check valve that is bad. Easiest fix is to install a second shutoff valve.

l1v3fr33ord1 · 11-16-2018, 03:35 AM

Jim-

Fifteen gallons is not out of the question if 10 gallons of that went into the WH tank. Our coach, which has a washer/dryer, takes between 4 and 6 gallons, depending on how well I do the job.

For next time, figure out how your WH bypass is plumbed. If it does not have three discrete valves, it would be worth your while to change it to that style- no relying on potentially-faulty check valves that way.

You mention a washer/dryer. If you have one, you must winterize it to protect the piping to it and inside it. The W/D manufacturer will specify the process in the manual or other documents.

The other loop people often forget to winterize is the one to the refrigerator ice maker. Depending on the pathway and access to same, it can be a pain to repair if it should freeze. Again, consult the coach owner's manual and the refrigerator manufacturer's manual for procedures on how to winterize the ice maker.

alv3769 · 11-16-2018, 06:27 AM

after you blowout unit you should put the hot water heater on bypass not fill with antifreeze.

allegro1x · 11-16-2018, 07:02 AM

Sounds like you need to drain hot water heater and call rv tech to check this out. my bypass didn't work one time, unfortunately the rv tech wouldn't tell how he got it to work. my 32ca only takes at most 3 gallons of the rv/marine antifreeze. Dave
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**Lt Dan** · 11-16-2018, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viewfinder

Winterized old motor home many times. In 2014 we ordered our 36LA. Have been winterizing by going south. This year, med issues require us to stay north, which means use the pink stuff. OK, bottom drains open, HW heater drained, water heater bypass changed over. Air blow out. Now for the pink stuff. Drains closed etc. and add pink stuff. Took 15 gallons! Ten gallon water heater filled some how.
Why ?
Bad check valve, bypass not plumbed right, wrong sequence when bleeding ?
Made pink ice and wonder about washer/dryer. Any ideas?
jim

I think you are on the right track with the check valve. As for the washer/dryer there are instructions in the manual about how to run it through a partial cycle to get antifreeze in the washer. Quantity wise, that's about right with the water heater full. Our RED took about 5 gallons with the washer, bath and a half and the refrigerator icemaker.

Solask · 11-16-2018, 08:42 AM

You have the one valve on the panel in the wet bay. How bout a pic of what position it’s currently in?

Monacoach · 11-16-2018, 02:27 PM

Did you bipassing the fresh water tank?

bgholson · 11-16-2018, 04:11 PM

Mine uses 11 gallons and by passes the hot water heater.

BEC · 11-17-2018, 10:24 AM

My 2012 Allegro Tga34 came from factory with bypass handle label wrong. Or some time valve handle got loose and tighten in wrong position. Next year drain heater. Then put in bypass and add water back into system then drain heater again. If you get water... handle is wrong. Maybe not your issue but we mine. 3 or 4 gal antifreeze gone because by myself the bottle was empty by the time I went in and turned on facets and didn’t get antifreeze.

viewfinder · 11-18-2018, 09:12 PM

Lets see if I can fill in some blanks.. 36LA is a bath and a half. Water Heater bypass is one valve system which I will have to check out in the spring along with the check valve. Will look into adding valve(s). Washer/dryer was done first. Now seems like it should be the last thing to do. Hot and cold side take about 1/2 gal each. No pink stuff in the fresh water tank. Installed converter in pump suction line and pulled from a bucket. Thanks

jim