Winterizing question

[Glen41]

OK, bummer. I have to winterize my 5th wheel with the pink stuff. This is the first time I have done this to this rig. It is a Travel supreme with a built in antifreeze sucker. The directions just say stick the tube in a bottle of pink stuff and turn on the pump.
The problem is, there is a valve that is off when feeding from city water and open when drawing from the fresh water tank. My question is should that valve be open or closed while pumping pink stuff to all the faucets??
I do not want to get that pink yuck in my fresh water tank. The owners guide is pretty useless and doesn't contain a plumbing diagram. The drain for that tank is left open but drains pretty slow.

[Glen41]

OK, bummer. I have to winterize my 5th wheel with the pink stuff. This is the first time I have done this to this rig. It is a Travel supreme with a built in antifreeze sucker. The directions just say stick the tube in a bottle of pink stuff and turn on the pump.
The problem is, there is a valve that is off when feeding from city water and open when drawing from the fresh water tank. My question is should that valve be open or closed while pumping pink stuff to all the faucets??
I do not want to get that pink yuck in my fresh water tank. The owners guide is pretty useless and doesn't contain a plumbing diagram. The drain for that tank is left open but drains pretty slow.

[RustyJC]

If the valve is between the fresh water tank and the antifreeze syphon tube, it should be closed. If the valve is between the antifreeze syphon tube and the water pump suction, it should be open. Remember to drain and bypass the water heater tank (supply and discharge valves closed, bypass valve open).

Rusty

[Glen41]

Thanks Rusty. Yeah I already did the water heater drain and bypass. The location of the valve as you mentioned is the crux of the problem. I don't know where the siphon hose is tapped into the water system. There is no diagram and the underbelly is enclosed so I cannot just poke a flashlight in there. I think I can do some testing by closing various valve combinations and runnung the pump so I can figure it out. But the fresh water tank takes forever to drain if you get any water in it. Just when you think it is over and go inside, it starts dribbling again. I guess I could leave the tank drain valve open, but I don't want some kind of nastys crawling in there. Winterizing is both a PITB and sadly depressing at the same time.
Glen

[RustyJC]

Glen,

On the supply side, you always have the alternate method available of blowing out the water lines with compressed air. Come to think of it, you could use compressed air to tell whether the valve in question should be open or closed. If you apply compressed air to the antifreeze syphon line with the antifreeze syphon valve open and the faucets closed, the system should pressure up. If it doesn't, the air pressure must be blowing back into the fresh water tank which would indicate the questionable valve should be closed and then the test repeated.

Rusty

[Glen41]

Rusty, you are absolutely correct.
Now all I need is a working air compressor. I toasted mine trying to coax it to air a tire up to 80 psi. What the heck the gauge goes all the way to 120 so the compressor should be able to go there too? Wrong... It (Sears model) got to 45 and belched up.
That's OK, I did essentially the same test using a gallon jug of water at the antifreeze siphon with the freshwater tank drain open. The pump never got up to pressure and the freshwater tank started draining. I shut the freshwater tank valve and the pump got pressure and quit. All I had to do was open all valves and the lowpoint drains. After all the water drained, I used the pink stuff and the job is done.
Just in time too. 80 today, 41 tomorrow, freezing rain Tuesday.

[RustyJC]

Glen,

Be sure to pour some antifreeze in the p-traps in the drains. Glad everything worked out.

Rusty

[RKamperRV]

Don't forget your outside shower or faucets if you have any. Also, if you have a flush faucet at your sewer outlet. And...lastly...don't forget to pump some into the toilet so the toiler flush is protected.