Winterizing Glitch

[PapaD]

If I may, let me add something and see what response I receive. I have a HR Vacationer 2005. I drained the water and hot water heater and put antifreeze in all the traps. Unfortunitly, when I tested it yesterday I had both toilets leaking at the valves (sealand) which I have replaced at the tune of 100.00 for both. Also, the hot water line at the litchen sink was broken completly into at the fitting to the faucet.
Why did the valves not empty and the hot water line break? To my knowledge there are no other issues.

Thanks,

PapaD

[PapaD]

Not sure why but the waterpump does not stop. I will add more water to the tank and try again. I have had it hooked to city water for quite some time now. I would think if there was a leak water would be seen somewhere, i.e. in the floor or running on the ground. I have checked under all sinks and they are dry.

Any ideas?

[PlayItForwrd]

if you only drain your water lines but don't pump antifreeze into them, it's a good idea to blow the lines out with an air hose. RV waterlines are anything but straight or flat, so it's too easy for water to say in the lines at places, and that's where the lines will break. Toilet valves seem to be particularly vulnerable.

As for the water pump, there was probably a little water left in the pump head, and it probably tore/cracked the diaphragm--a pump will still pump with a bad diaphragm, but it won't make, or hold, enough pressure to activate the pressure switch...

["007"]

Playitforwrd has pretty much covered what you have missed before winter set in.
This thread should have been what info you needed to save you the problems now.
I would only turn on city water very low pressure until you can find all your leaks than once you have fixed them, we hope, turn up the pressure but be prepared to turn off quickly. Leaks will dry you can use a dry vac also.

[nbounder]

Camco has a kit that allows you to pump RVAF thru the lines at the flick of a handle. That's the only 'winterizing' method that's bulletproff.. Blowing out the lines only gets the lower 1/4" of water out - the rest lays in the horizontal sections of pipe, waiting to freeze up. Draining may work in some rigs, but the low point isn't always true. If you pump RVAF thru every plumbing fixture, you will not get cracked water valves, busted pumps, or split pipes. That's pretty much a guarantee. The other methods are hit & miss, as you and a thousand others have found out.. Now, we wait for the resonses starting with "It always worked for meeee".

[PapaD]

Hey, thanks for the replies. I take it the diaphram in the pump is replaceable and will pursue doing so. This is a really cool site. Ask and you shall receive.

Thanks again,

PapaD

[wa8yxm]

Water pump does not stop due to leaks.. The broken line under the sink may be nothing more than a fitting that came loose.. that happened to me.. I re-attached the pipe and re-tightened the fitting and it worked just fine. Page 2.

The toilet valves.. When you cleared the lines of water either by blowing air into them or by pumping pink into them.. did you remember to flush to toilets to clear the valves as well?

Page 3:
There is such a thing as coincidence.. but it's not all that common

[PapaD]

Everyone,

Thanks for the help and tips. I have been draining and blowing my lines out but obviously I did not get ALL the water out. Here in Alabama we don't typically get enough freezing weather to worry about doing much more. However, this past winter we had 4 days of below 32 degrees and I was concerned. Turns out, rightfully so.

None the less, all is well, the leaks are repaired. I read online that air in the line could cause the pump to continue to run so I made sure there was plenty of water in the tank flushed all the air out of the lines and the pump shut off.

Thanks again for the friendly help.

PapaD