Community Forums

60sumtin · 10-17-2018, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeVB

It is my understanding that the short pipe and valve is to allow filling the water tank via the city water connection in the wet bay. That is the only time the valve is open. Otherwise, you are correct, a "closed loop" would be created.

I can't think of a time that I would use it. But, it's there if I want it.

I never thought of it that way but it makes sense.

ByeTheWay · 10-17-2018, 09:21 PM

I still use the pink stuff. I blew the lines out one year and broke a line from freezing. They are never the easy lines to get to. I don't put any directly in the tanks. There is some overflow into the black and grey.

youngf · 10-21-2018, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cannon21rj

Hello all:

First post. Sounds like a dumb question, but if the fresh water tank is empty, the grey water and black water tanks are empty, hot water heater is empty, why do I have to put anti freeze in in the fresh water tank? (That's where it goes, right?)

I am not an experienced travel trailer enthusiast, so this is a legit question. If someone has a reasonable explanation as to why, I would be glad to hear it.

Thanks in advance

youngf · 10-21-2018, 03:11 PM

Even though your tanks are all empty you have to get the water OUT OF ALL THE WATER LINES AND THE WATER PUMP AND YOUR ICE CUBE MAKER IF YOU HAVE ONE. Probable it would be best if you have an experienced person show you exactly how to winterize the water system on YOUR trailer the first time. This would easily be worth the money rather than have something freeze up over winter and then you would have leak problems right away when using the water system for the first time next year. If you are not experienced in anything, there is no substitute for having someone with experience show you how to do it the first time.

Pianotuna · 10-21-2018, 03:26 PM

I empty all tanks.
Bypass water heater

Then blow the lines with compressed air
Then install pink antifreeze, so that all outlets are colored
Then I blow the lines again with the exception of the toilet and save as much of the antifreeze as I can for next year.
Finally I treat the traps with pink antifreeze.

TallPaul · 10-21-2018, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cannon21rj

Hello all:

First post. Sounds like a dumb question, but if the fresh water tank is empty, the grey water and black water tanks are empty, hot water heater is empty, why do I have to put anti freeze in in the fresh water tank? (That's where it goes, right?)

I am not an experienced travel trailer enthusiast, so this is a legit question. If someone has a reasonable explanation as to why, I would be glad to hear it.

Thanks in advance

I never put antifreeze in fresh water tank. I spliced in a valve and line just after the fresh tank, and put a plastic hose in it that can extend out of the compartment into a jug of antifreeze. That way the antifreeze sucks directly into the pump and lines. Otherwise it gets diluted from residual water in the tank that is below the drain valve. Done this for 9 years with zero problems. Makes winterizing a breeze.

I never blow the lines either. I drain the lines first, of course, but then I just run the pump and open each faucet until the pink comes out. It may be needed to blow the lines if they run longer distances and sag to hold water, but even then I would expect the water to push out ahead of the antifreeze. Sure there will be some mixing but you will see when it is coming out pink.

Mine is pretty easy, longest water line is probably 8 feet to the shower. I can winterize in 20 minutes and usually 2 gallons of antifreeze will do it.

JWills · 10-21-2018, 04:00 PM

and just about everyone has mentioned to bypass the heater. Couple of reasons of course, #1, you don't have to pay for 10-12 gallons of antifreeze but if you forget....have you ever smelled RV antifreeze when it's been heated up in your HW heater the next spring? You sure won't forget it if you did....forget to do it.

grampachet · 10-21-2018, 04:06 PM

FYI the little 12 volt compressors won’t have sufficient volume to remove all the water from all the water lines..

For the past 50 years I have used compressors to blow out my fresh water lines.
I use 99 cent winter windshield washer fluid in my DRAINS.
Never had a problem here in the great NW.

bitubo · 10-21-2018, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soppy

The antifreeze is the best way . Make sure you dump some down each drain and into the black tank. Whatever you do , DO NOT put the antifreeze in the fresh water tank. You will be flushing it out forever to get it all out. Leave the drain valve open and leave the line to the pump disconnected.

I make sure there is plenty of the pink stuff in both grey and black as well, so there is no freezing at the dump valves.

AMink · 10-21-2018, 04:45 PM

Don't forget to take the water filter out of the housing if you have an inline water filtration system.

maxbland · 10-21-2018, 05:06 PM

The filter in my frig actually filtered the pink out of the RV antifreeze. It took me a while to realize that the clear liquid was the antifreeze with the pink filtered out. The water dispenser would not dispense water with the filter removed.

Sudsy · 10-21-2018, 05:24 PM

I took one of my Travel Trailers to have it winterized a few years ago and I saw how they winterized the system. I had already drained and bypassed the water heater and opened the low points (I replaced the caps) when we had a freeze scare. They had a big cart with a large drum of antifreeze and a battery and 12 volt pump. After the hot water heater is drained and bypassed they hook up the pump hose from the cart to the "City Water" inlet just like hooking up to a campsite. They turn on the pump and starting from the faucet that is furthest from the water inlet run the faucets until you get pink out of both the hot and cold sides. flush the toilet until it runs pink and the rest of the water things (outside shower).

So I made this "Winterizer Bucket" out of a cat food bucket and a spare pump I had on hand. Some clear hose and brass fittings and the "clunk" to keep the pickup tube on the bottom. I put a 25 ft. cord with a cigarette lighter plug on it with a on/off switch. I put about two gallons in the bucket and hook up. Turn on the switch and the pump will run until it picks up fluid and then the pressure switch cuts it off just like the camper pump. I add more antifreeze if I need it.

If the pump runs and keep pumping antifreeze turn it off and go inside and see what faucet or what ever is letting water run.

Everyone of my camping buddy's have me bring it over. It just makes things easy.

Also to be noted. My Class A does not have a gravity fill for the fresh water tank. It has a switching valve on the water inlet and I have to select "Fill Tank" or "Normal Operation". When I got the coach a couple years ago I noticed that when I filled the tank I had a dripping leak in a compartment where I can actually see the end of the tank and a water filter cartridge is mounted. After thinking about it when the original owner winterized he used the "kit" hose that used the onboard pump. This could not flush/fill the tubes that are used to fill the fresh water tank. the selector valve was never really protected either.

Anyway that's my story and I'm stickin with it!

Sudsy