Community Forums

jbesdale · 05-24-2015, 12:48 PM

We winterized our Beaver using the red rv anti freeze from Wally World. After de winterizing about a month ago we still have the odor from the antifreeze in both our hot and cold water when we open the taps. This occurs both when we use the pump or the city water. Is there a way to get rid of this odor??

Thanks

redtail · 05-24-2015, 03:06 PM

i used the red stuff one time had the same problem now i use air compressor and leave the system dry no problems in 6 years . As for the odor i just ran water through the system for a couple days from city hook up ran kit on cold bath sink and shower on hot (water heater off) left the gray water valve open worst part was the grass grew like mad for a mounth . fill and empty the fresh tank 3 or 4 times you just have to dilute the odor Mike

tikitom · 05-24-2015, 04:04 PM

Fill your fresh tank with water adding a quarter cup of bleach for every 25 gallons of water. Run water until you smell bleach. Let it sit for a couple days then drain. Next fill up tank again, this time add water sanitizer treatment (found at Walmart). Run it thru the lines. Let it sit a couple days. Worked for us. I know that sounds like a pain but that is the price we pay for winterizing.

tikitom · 05-24-2015, 04:09 PM

Don't put your water filters back in until you can stand the taste of the water!

brobox · 05-24-2015, 04:16 PM

I use to use the bleach, then freshen with baking soda method tikitom recommended. Got tired of that and moved the FL

His method does wok, but I used baking soda instead of a commercial product.

Most winters I just used air and never had a problem with less sophisticated MH.

mel s · 05-24-2015, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbesdale

We winterized our Beaver using the red rv anti freeze from Wally World. After de winterizing about a month ago we still have the odor from the antifreeze in both our hot and cold water when we open the taps. This occurs both when we use the pump or the city water. Is there a way to get rid of this odor??
Thanks

jbesdale
I don't know how to get rid of the odor but I know that if you never put RV antifreeze in your fresh water system you will not have that problem.
I have winterized my fresh water system at least 25 times in 15 years, (to prep for COLD Wisconsin weather), by simply GRAVITY DRAINING EVERYTHING in my fresh water system, (NO "blowing out", No RV antifreeze...except in the P-traps and Splendide drain pump).
BTW that is not a recommendation....just what I do
Mel
'96 Safari, 140k miles, 113k mine

khocke · 05-24-2015, 04:48 PM

Don't forget to purge the low drains too.

tikitom · 05-24-2015, 05:28 PM

Don't want to take any chances with our aqua hot. Cost too much to replace. Brobox, we like your method! Wish we could move to FL, too. That would take care of that issue for sure.

jbesdale · 05-25-2015, 08:43 AM

Thanks fellows I will give the bleach and baking soda method a try. Wish the was an un-scented anti freeze on the market.

distaff · 05-25-2015, 09:48 AM

I notice that your profile says you live in Peterborough (many years ago I lived at Fowler's Corner on Lake Chemong). Freezing is a serious risk. I know people blow out with air and leave it at that. I have an aquahot and am not willing to risk it, so I blow out with air, then fill with antifreeze, and when I want to use the coach, I blow out the antifreeze (and re-use it), then flush with water.

Do you have built in filters in your coach? If not, ignore this.

I used to have the smell hang around for a long time until I realized that it was not the filters themselves, but the filter housings. The filter will hold the smell if you don't remove them, but I realized when I was taking them off that you have two reservoirs (one per filter) that each holds a considerable amount of antifreeze or water, and it doesn't get pushed out cleanly. What happens is what ever you are starting with is diluted.

When winterizing you have a lot of mixed water and antifreeze before you get antifreeze, and when flushing the smell hangs around for a long time. I removed the filter housings and now use them outside the coach (when filling or running on city water).

I used to need two large jugs to winterize, now I need less than one. I also have water that doesn't smell in a couple of minutes.