I have what I think is an unusual question. Search didn't help. I live in west TX, and we have mild winters. Might go down into the teens for a few nights, but nothing real crazy or long. I have several friends here that use the air adapters to blow out water lines, and they have never had a problem. We are intending on using the camper some even throughout the winter, so I really don't want to pump everything with antifreeze between every trip. All winter trips will be to campgrounds with hookups, no dry camping. I'm getting ready to winterize the rig this weekend and have a question.Can I pump antifreeze through the water pump to fill it, then still use the camper on city water? I know after the initial fill I will have to flush out the antifreeze that got past the check valve, but once that is done shouldn't I be able to safely use the rest of the water system on city water while the pump stays full of AF?I am trying to make it so that after every trip its a quick process of blow out lines, drain water heater, and antifreeze in the drain traps.

The "pink stuff" RV antifreeze gets pumped through every line, hot and cold, in your camper. If you hook up city water, the city water will flush out all the "pink stuff". You'll have to "pump the pink" again to winterize again. Your pump (itself) may not need to be winterized again, but the rest of your lines will. You are winterizing much more than just your water pump.Attach a hose to the in-take side of your water pump. Put the end of the hose in a gallon of "pink stuff". Turn on your water pump at the switch and turn on each faucet one at a time till "pink" comes out of each faucet ... hot and cold. Bypass your water heater, otherwise you'll be pumping 6 gallons into the water heater. By-pass, you'll put nothing in the water heater. Drain the water heater completely and just leave it.

If I was in your situation, I would drain the water heater and blow out the lines after each trip, and do it again after each winter trip. I wouldn't worry about the pink stuff

korbe wrote:If I was in your situation, I would drain the water heater and blow out the lines after each trip, and do it again after each winter trip. I wouldn't worry about the pink stuffThis is what I recommend also. I unhook the outlet to my water pump and run it for 30 seconds to get residual water out of it after blowing out the lines. Gets well below zero in Syracuse and I've had no problems. We went to Myrtle beach in March last year and I blew it out again afterwards.

My water pumps have had a little filter built into them. After running the pump and getting nothing out of the tap, I remove that filter cap and dump out the water as well.But your question brings up an interesting thought. Certainly the water pump is something you do not want to freeze, and what if you cut the output line and put in a T-valve with one input and two outputs. One output could be to the fresh water system, and the other to a short hose and a tap. Run the antifreeze into the water pump, and out the short hose, none will get into your water system. You can easily blow out the water system then, and not worry about the pump.

I drain my fresh tank and then put my air nozzle in the fill opening for the fresh tank and pump air into the tank, only using 30 psi and then run my pump to help bleed out the water from it. I have never had a pump issue. This is only if you have a manual water fill like I have.

Antifreeze in water pump | Good Sam Community

greende
Explorer II
Nov 18, 2015
korbe wrote:
If I was in your situation, I would drain the water heater and blow out the lines after each trip, and do it again after each winter trip. I wouldn't worry about the pink stuff

This is what I recommend also. I unhook the outlet to my water pump and run it for 30 seconds to get residual water out of it after blowing out the lines. Gets well below zero in Syracuse and I've had no problems. We went to Myrtle beach in March last year and I blew it out again afterwards.
korbe
Explorer
Nov 18, 2015
If I was in your situation, I would drain the water heater and blow out the lines after each trip, and do it again after each winter trip. I wouldn't worry about the pink stuff
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Nov 18, 2015
The "pink stuff" RV antifreeze gets pumped through every line, hot and cold, in your camper. If you hook up city water, the city water will flush out all the "pink stuff". You'll have to "pump the pink" again to winterize again. Your pump (itself) may not need to be winterized again, but the rest of your lines will. You are winterizing much more than just your water pump.

Attach a hose to the in-take side of your water pump. Put the end of the hose in a gallon of "pink stuff". Turn on your water pump at the switch and turn on each faucet one at a time till "pink" comes out of each faucet ... hot and cold. Bypass your water heater, otherwise you'll be pumping 6 gallons into the water heater. By-pass, you'll put nothing in the water heater. Drain the water heater completely and just leave it.

Forum Discussion

Antifreeze in water pump

About Fifth Wheel Group

Related Content

Cummins Water Pump

Antifreeze recommendations

Antifreeze

Water pump

No pumping water