Community Forums

vetplus40 · 12-13-2018, 06:22 AM

Greetings. I posted a couple of weeks back asking for comments regarding advice on winterizing techniques that experienced co-workers (I am a travelling contractor and RV novice) had given me and got some great input. Thanks to all that responded to my inquiry and others. You folks are very much appreciated.

I have never used my pressuring water system. I have been on city water since purchasing my 5'er back in March of this year. I am curious what advantages exist by adding AF via the pressurized system as compared to simply draining the lines via the low point drains and then just pouring some AF down the drain lines for the sinks and shower and the black tank.

I have an external water filter that will need drained, and my water heater does not have an isolation valve at the tank itself, it has a check valve installed on the outlet line. There is an isolation valve as part of a manifold in what I call my "water bay". The entire manifold has a complex array of valves and water lines running every direction. I realize that this array is likely less complex than it looks to me, but I am just trying to keep the winterizing process simple while also trying to avoid a mistake.

Thanks for any advice.

**hamm2018** · 12-13-2018, 06:45 AM

As you know the RV water lines are not like those in a house. These go up and down round and are not level. So this being said there will be low spots which will not drain just by low point drains. I always add anti freeze using the system. This does allow the antifreeze to go thru the low spots in the line.

As far as the isolation valve it should be somewhere between the inlet and the water heater. On our last camper (2006 Laredo) there was just a in line valve to turn and I had to take down the basement wall to get to it and the water pump winterizing line. With the new camper (2018 Road Warrior 427) there is a valve on the basement wall to turn to winterize and the Anderson valve has a position to winterize as well.

To winterize the Road Warrior (45 ft with 1 1/2 baths) it take about 30 minutes total for the 2 of us and I use 6 gallons. I use the anti freeze because I can not make sure I can get all of the water out just by low point drains after I took the basement wall down and seen the water line runs.

TonyMac · 12-13-2018, 07:10 AM

The process i rather simple, but the low points won't get it done enough to let you sleep well when it's -20 outside. I use 3 gallons of RV Anti-Freeze and a bunch of compressed air. First, dump your tanks, gray, black and fresh. I drain and bypass the water heater. Then I remove the under sink filter and install its bypass. Next, I disconnect the water line at the ice maker solenoid, remove the solenoid and bring it in the house, and close the ice maker shutoff. Now, add air, lots of air 'cause it's free here in Utah. I blow out the lines to everything; the washer, the ice maker, all the faucets hot and cold, the toilet and its sprayer, the outside shower and the outside faucet, and finally, the low points. I let this water run out of the holding tanks and into a bucket for disposal into my home toilet. Then I pour 3 gallons of AF into the fresh water tank. I use the pump to run it out of every outlet in system starting with the washer and ending with the low points, which I catch in an empty AF bottle. I also catch the AF coming out of the ice maker line. Then, I blow the AF out of the lines, catching the effluent from the ice maker and the low points, the rest goes down its respective drain and into the P-traps. With the second hand AF now in the bottle, I dump it in the washer and run a drain cycle to fill the washer sump and p-trap with pink.

gvette85 · 12-13-2018, 07:28 AM

It does not get in the teens much down here in Ms.,maybe a couple of times in Jan. or Feb, so I just drain the WH and blow down the lines.If it looks like it might, I leave a small heater in the coach and a 100w light in the wet bay.I'm going to run a de humidifier this year too.No problems so far.

cavie · 12-13-2018, 07:53 AM

Do not put Antifreeze in your FW tank. It's too hard to remove. Put a winterize kit on your Water pump if you don't have one. Pump 2 gals of antifreeze into you lines only. Pour some in your p-traps and toilet bowl.

capecodbob · 12-13-2018, 09:03 AM

For peace of mind nov ice, just have an rv shop do it for you. They should get it all. Icemaker, w/d , on board pump, drains.

TonyMac · 12-13-2018, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavie

Do not put Antifreeze in your FW tank. It's too hard to remove. Put a winterize kit on your Water pump if you don't have one. Pump 2 gals of antifreeze into you lines only. Pour some in your p-traps and toilet bowl.

Many of us have been putting AF in the fresh tank for decades. If you don't want to, that's ok.

vetplus40 · 12-14-2018, 07:49 AM

Thanks for the replies. They are very much appreciated. This unit will be left at a camping spot, and I have no way to use compressed air, so that is out of the question. I also have to do this over this coming weekend and may not be able to find a winterizing attachment for my pump, so i may have to put AF in the fresh water tank. Also, I have no towing vehicle, so taking it to the shop is not an option. That said, I do have a couple of additional questions:

1. My unit is only 31 feet, and I cant remember how big the fresh water tank is. I am trying to figure out how many gallons of AF would be needed before the pump can "pick-up" the water. I need to have the AF "on hand" when I get to the campground.

2. When using the pump to pressurize, do the low point drains need to be open?

3. With my water heater isolation valve a few feet away from the actual heater, is there not a risk that fresh water wont be flushed from the section of line between the isolation valve and the water heater?

**hamm2018** · 12-14-2018, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vetplus40

Thanks for the replies. They are very much appreciated. This unit will be left at a camping spot, and I have no way to use compressed air, so that is out of the question. I also have to do this over this coming weekend and may not be able to find a winterizing attachment for my pump, so i may have to put AF in the fresh water tank. Also, I have no towing vehicle, so taking it to the shop is not an option. That said, I do have a couple of additional questions:

1. My unit is only 31 feet, and I cant remember how big the fresh water tank is. I am trying to figure out how many gallons of AF would be needed before the pump can "pick-up" the water. I need to have the AF "on hand" when I get to the campground.

2. When using the pump to pressurize, do the low point drains need to be open?

3. With my water heater isolation valve a few feet away from the actual heater, is there not a risk that fresh water wont be flushed from the section of line between the isolation valve and the water heater?

1) I do not put antifreeze in our fresh water tank, just never have and I just don't. So can't help on that. But do not forget you will need extra to dump down the drains to get it into the P-traps. also you will need some more to dump into the toilet and leave it in the bowl. I flush about a gal. down the tank then leave 1/2 gal. in the bowl. Flush some down to protect the drain valves, since it is cheap per gal. I just use about 6 gallons for our camper and wife thinks I go overboard on how much I put in the drains & toilet
2) close the low point before because you will just run the AF out of the system
3) You will also remove the drain plug on the water heater and open the relief valve to drain faster and to get it out. Hint stand back because the water will come out fast.
If you are concerned with the small amount raise the lines to get them to drain. But I have never had an issue with the small amount of water left over. I don't close the isolation valve until after all the draining is done but before adding the AF to the system.

vetplus40 · 12-17-2018, 07:16 AM

Thanks for the replies. I was actually surprised how little water came out of the low point drains. Sadly, I also found out that I bought a unit with no fresh water tank. I got it winterized properly anyway, but, I am a bit "ticked" that the dealership failed to tell me about it.

60sumtin · 12-17-2018, 08:04 AM

No fresh water tank? Thats a new one. Where does it normally sit? Before buying anything used always make sure its all there. When you told them about it what did they say?

sdpc2 · 12-17-2018, 05:22 PM

Buy a 5 gallon water jug from a camping store. They come with a valve you open/close. It’s not a lot of water, but it’s easy to use and sufficient for most of what you need

NRR · 12-17-2018, 06:12 PM

vetplus40
You are BSing us. Your unit has a 40gallon fresh water tank. Per the mfg.
Tell us more.

vetplus40 · 12-18-2018, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 60sumtin

No fresh water tank? Thats a new one. Where does it normally sit? Before buying anything used always make sure its all there. When you told them about it what did they say?

I was a first time buyer when I bought this unit and was trying to "absorb" a lot of information when I was looking at this unit. The unit also went through (or was supposed to) a two day "burn in" to assure that everything worked. Shortly after it was delivered, I found several small water leaks and when the weather warmed up, found that there was a small leak in the AC freon line.

While trying to figure out how to add AF to winterize, I crawled under the unit and removed a section of the black corrugated stuff under the belly of the unit, I found three compartments, One has the black water tank, one has the grey tank and one bay is empty. You can tell that something went there because it has removable braces. In addition, there are disconnected hoses and wires.

The dealership was non responsive to several issues after I purchased this unit. And I mean NO response from them whatsoever.