Winterizing with RV antifreeze

[Vector2]

While pumping antifreeze throughout the water lines, there was to much air and not much antifreeze. The antifreeze that came through the lines had alot of air in it, and I never got any antifreeze pumped through to the shower. Any suggestions? The type and size of my motorhome is in my profile if that is nessecary

[Vector2]

While pumping antifreeze throughout the water lines, there was to much air and not much antifreeze. The antifreeze that came through the lines had alot of air in it, and I never got any antifreeze pumped through to the shower. Any suggestions? The type and size of my motorhome is in my profile if that is nessecary

["007"]

Vector2 welcome to irv2
How many gallons of RVantifreeze did you use?
Did you close your bypass valve for your hot water heater so you didn't fill it, open all your low point drains to drain lines than close. On my coach I have a line off water pump that I place in a 5 gal bucket full of anti, than I go to each faucet let flow into small container till pink for both hot an cold. Start at furthest faucet. Make sure you have anti flow into toilet bowls also. Washing mach should be drained an piping filled with anti. Inside an outside showers need anti pumped thru them also. All sink an shower traps an washer drain trap filled with anti also. Place anti in toilet bowl for seal protection. I have a bath an 1/2 in my coach an 5 gals will take care of all piping an traps. If you have ice-maker just drain pipe to maker and leave disconnected from water main tap and refer water valve. Use paper towels to remove water from ice maker water well.
When you are filling piping with anti make sure all faucets are closed or you will be sucking in air and pumping anti into pipe system before you can shut faucets.
If you type in your sig-profile your coach info, it will make it easier for everyone and you won't have to type it every time you post. "007"

[ajbjrvers]

To, Vector 2

In addition to what "007" suggested, I first blow all water out of lines with a 12 volt compressor first. Doing this gets rid of 90% of water in lines and tanks.

I use 10 gallons of anti-freeze, cheap stuff considering what it protects, After blowing lines I re-connect ice maker line and run refrige until I get real pink in the ice- maker allowing it to spill over into basket. I used to have standard water heater and drained and blew that out ,ran anti-freeze until it started to to come out plug hole and then closed by-pass valve so more anti-freeze wouldn't go in it. I have a Hyro-Hot system now, so don't have a hot water holding tank, but still must blow out lines and get anti-freeze into them.

Correct WINTERIZING is probably the most important part of RV care and my systems have never had freezing breaks, on my 5th rv.

Not saying my way is the only one or best one, but it has kept out of some problems that some of my acquaintances have had just because they wanted to SAVE,a little money and time.

Hope this info helps in addition to other postings.

Thanks====== AJBJRVERS

[Vector2]

I have tried all of the things that the book advises, and what you guys are saying. The book says to put about 3 gallons in the system, which I have, and there still seems to be air in there. There is a bypass already set up in the motorhome that I have as well.

I turned the switch from "Normal Operation" to "Winterize", set the hot water heater to bypass, and put the siphon tube into the antifreeze container, then turned the pump on. I also started turning on the lines one by one, starting with the one farthest away from it. The shower never got anything out of it at all, and the sinks seem bubbly with air in it. And no, I didnt let the thing keep running after the container was empty, I had someone watch it.

In past years I just blew out the lines, but its getting a bit colder this year and I thought I would be safe and put antifreeze in. If anyone else has any other ideas, I would appreciate it.

["007"]

You can't always believe the book add a couple more gals than you will no your safe. "007"

[Reno-NY]

I've never used more t han 2 gallons of t he pink stuff to winterize our MH. (38' DP with a washing machine). The pink stuff in its pure form is rated to -50 F. So even if theres a little water left in the lines mixed with the pink stuff you're still protected to -25F or there abouts. I do drain all the lines first as previously mentioned. I turn the bi pass valve on the hot water heater and take the d rain plug out and let all the water run out of t he heater and then put the drain plug back in (Mainly so I won't forget to put it back in in the spring) The clothes washer i pump antifreeze into it til I see the pink stuff, then shut the water linesto the washer off and let them drain. Never have had any problems with freezing up. It has got as low as -30 here a couple of years ago.

[ajbjrvers]

To Vector 2;

I guess you have gotten most of the different ways to Winterize with the pink anti-freeze.

I would suggest that you over-do the process, that is more than you " may" have to.

Remember, there is nothing better than good preventative maintanance, it will save you $$$ and more important, the Time it takes to trace and repair broken water-lines and other.
Once we spend a minute, it's gone, never to be available again, DON'T WASTE THEM NEEDLESSLY!!

Thanks again=====AJBJRVERS

[Gary RVRoamer]

Air in the antifreeze isn't a problem anyway, so a bit of frothing is not a concern.

Some rigs seem very good at trapping air in the lines - mine bubbles for a long time whenever I drain the lines and refill, e.g. when sanitizing. I've seen rigs where you have to run the taps for 20-30 minutes to get all the air out.

[Canuck]

Vector2,
This may or may not apply to your particular situation as I have a different brand of moho than you.

I too was having a similar problem and kept pumping gallon after gallon after gallon of antifreeze hoping to get enough through all of the plumbing to protect it. Eventually I decided to stop and try to find where the stuff was going. It turned out that it was all going into my fresh water tank. On my rig I have a number of "valves" including the usual winterize/bypass valves, but I also have one that allows me to determine where the pickup hose pumps its contents to so that it can pickup antifreeze in the fall and then bleach solution in the spring, which is sent to, you guessed it, the fresh water tank. I had neglected to change the position of this valve.

You can quickly check to see if you have run into the same problem as me by opening the drain valve on your fresh water tank. If it drains pink then.... Oh yes, if your better half is observing you the proper statement to utter is " Well, I just finished step one, winterizing the fresh water tank. Now on to step two, the rest of the plumbing system."
Good luck.
Sam

[gordon23]

Canuck....I like your thinking. Have to remember tht one.

I too had a bypass problem until taking the time to read the instructions that came with my Triple E.

I've also learned to ask directions when I'm lost.Ve get too soon oldt and too late smart..

[Dsouthw524]

By the way, when you say that the shower never got any pink, Did any come out the tub faucet? Did you remeber to use the sower position after it finally got to the tub faucet?