Community Forums

jjs2 · 11-09-2014, 06:44 PM

I have an 02 endeavor. It has a dedicated winterization port. I cannot get the water pump to pick up the rv antifreeze. I have read the instruction in the manual, adjusted all the valves correctly, in my view. The water pump does run when switched on. Any suggestions, what am I missing.

Mike Canter · 11-09-2014, 07:14 PM

You probably need prime the pump. Hold the pickup hose higher than the pump and pour antifreeze down it then put it back in the antifreeze bottle while still up high and turn the pump on.

ShapeShifter · 11-10-2014, 01:42 PM

I can usually get mine to prime just by putting the hose in the bucket/bottle, and then lifting the bucket/bottle higher than the pump. After a few seconds, it finally get the liquid to the pump, and at that point I can put the bottle/bucket back down on the ground. Basically, just minimize how high the pump needs to suck the liquid until it gets its prime,

robertj1979 · 11-12-2014, 04:55 PM

Make sure that the valve from the fresh water holding tank is turned to the off position. I missed that on mine and could not get it to prime. The valve to the fresh water tank was hidden and very hard to find on my Monaco Knight.

rbr · 11-13-2014, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertj1979

Make sure that the valve from the fresh water holding tank is turned to the off position. I missed that on mine and could not get it to prime. The valve to the fresh water tank was hidden and very hard to find on my Monaco Knight.

Ditto - very hard to see that valve from fresh tank to water pump on mine as well - missed it the first time I did this coach a couple of years ago and with the fresh tank empty it just pulled air.

Also, make sure you have a good seal where the pickup line is connected to the coach and at any joints in the line. Mine goes from the water hose fitting that screws into the coach thru clear tygon tubing to a small plastic hard pipe about 1-ft. long that I put down in a 5-gal bucket full of pink - I can see bubbles being introduced into the stream where the tubing is clamped onto the pipe - if worse than it is such a leak could cause pickup problems.

Letsgoagain · 11-13-2014, 05:20 PM

jjs2,
I had the same problem as you are having. No matter what I did I couldn't get the winterization hookup to pull the antifreeze out of the jug. I finally gave up and made up a fitting that fits the threads on the intake of the water pump with a attached 3 ft. hose that goes in the jug. Simple plastic fitting and hose are available at Lowe's Home Depot, etc. It takes me a minute maybe to remove the water line and put on the fitting I made. It immediately starts pulling the antifreeze when I turn the pump on and open a faucet.
Never could figure out why that darn winterization fitting wouldn't work. Has to be sucking air someplace. About the only thing I didn't try was replacing the fitting itself.
Good Luck with yours and if you figure it out then post back.

Letsgoagain

Bondad · 11-13-2014, 05:35 PM

It's possible you are doing what I did. Make sure you take the cap OFF the winterizing hose.

Boy did I feel stupid when I figured it out 15 minutes later...

jjs2 · 12-04-2014, 08:03 AM

Solution was a 5 gallon bucket with a spigot in the bottom. Set it on a ladder higher than the winterization port. Bingo the pump primed! Thanks to all of you for your advice

bpickens · 12-12-2014, 09:44 PM

I have read about winterization where compressed air followed by antifreeze is the preferred method. My question if you are going to fill the water lines with antifreeze why go to the trouble and risk of blowing out the lines with compressed air?

ShapeShifter · 12-13-2014, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpickens

My question if you are going to fill the water lines with antifreeze why go to the trouble and risk of blowing out the lines with compressed air?

I do it because it's less water already in the lines to dilute the antifreeze, so it uses less antifreeze. (When pumping the antifreeze, you can stop as soon as you see some pink come out, there is no need to wait for it to fade from clear to pink as the concentration builds, and no worries about whether you flushed out enough water.) In addition, after blowing out the water, you can drain the holding tanks, and not have to worry if enough antifreeze made it into the tank to combine with the water you are displacing from the lines as you're pumping the pink stuff.

Mostly, I do it because it's easy. And because it's a kind of belt-and-suspenders thing and I know all of the bases are fully covered. If you don't want to do both, then don't. Either method (blow out or antifreeze) works for most people most of the time. Some people even just open the low point drains and that's it. Lots of different ways to do it: what level makes you comfortable?

distaff · 12-13-2014, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpickens

I have read about winterization where compressed air followed by antifreeze is the preferred method. My question if you are going to fill the water lines with antifreeze why go to the trouble and risk of blowing out the lines with compressed air?

I use air to winterize in the fall when I will be using the coach again before hard freeze. It means I don't freak out if the temperature drops below freezing. When it comes time to really winterize, I use antifreeze without air, I find that by the time antifreeze shows up at the tap it goes from water to pure antifreeze in a blink.

I use air to push the antifreeze out of the lines when I de-winterize. Using air to push out the antifreeze means I can re-capture it and I have pretty much pure product to re-use.