? Winterizing Question

dcmac214 wrote:
How easy/hard is it for a 12-thumbed DIYer to do?

RV mechanic recommends putting in a valve kit at the water pump to bypass the freshwater tanks and pick up antifreeze direct out of the jug. Mech says with the two big fresh tanks we have we'll be putting 20-25 gallons antifreeze in there in order to get enough into the trailer pipes to do the job.

Underside of entire trailer covered with those "insulation" panels so related question is is it better to take the whole (about 8x12 foot) insulation panel off every year or jinn up some kind of smaller removable panel under the water pump?

I think that the mechanic did not explain everything clearly.

If you drained your fresh water tank, and then add anti-freeze, sure it might take 10 gallons to winterize that way, but that is not how it's done, and they probably explained that installing a valve allows you to only winterize with 2 gallons of antifreeze!

If you can see the pump, then you can put in the fittings without removing any covers. You would buy the valve kit, and remove the inlet water line. Then the valve kit is installed on the pump inlet. In the "normal" position, then water comes in from the tank. In the "winterize" position, then water goes in the flexible line from the portable tank.

To winterize, first empty the fresh water tank, and remove the plug from the water heater. Run some anti-freeze into the fresh water lines until a few drops come out of the water heater (to fill the line from pump to water heater.) Then using a water heater by-pass kit, switch that to bypass, and fill the rest of the water lines with the fresh water tank on, and drawing anti-freeze from the flex hose. Let some water out of each faucet, until a little antifreeze comes out. Be sure to also winterize the outside shower and never forget the toilet.

Another alternative way that I use, because I live in a are that only gets 'cold' and not really freezing, is that I fill all the water lines with air. I have a air fitting next to the pump output, and presurize that with 40 PSI air. Then open each valve to let out all the water and some air. I also drain the water heater before starting, so that it will be empty. I get out a little more water from the WH each time, because of water between the pump and WH in the cold line. I don't need a water heater bypass kit, or antifreeze fill valve in this case.

Fred.

Bobbo wrote:
Don't take off the underlining. Your RV mechanic knows what he is talking about. He means if you just pour the antifreeze into the fresh water tank, it will take about 25 gallons. With the valve he mentions, 2 gallons should do it. The valve the RV mechanic is talking about goes in line just before the water pump. It is highly advised.

Winterizer Kit

Install it once. When you want to winterize, turn the valve and put the hose in the bottle of antifreeze. It sucks the antifreeze right out of the bottle. When done, turn the valve back and you are ready for water in the tank next season.

I'm not saying don't buy the kit. I'm saying with a quick in my head calculation you would need about 2500 ft of 1/2 inch pipe to hold 25 gal of fluid. Are you saying calulations are wrong? I doubt any RV on the road today has 2500 ft of pipe installed in it.

You are going to get 2 different answers to this question.

Some of us ADD antifreeze to lines.
Some of us BLOW OUT the lines.

And BOTH of us believe our way is the best!:B

Here is what "I" do and have been for several years parking it in cold cold Wisconsin.....and of course I think it is the best way!

I add about 6 gallons of antifreeze to the fresh water tank.
I drain the hot water tank and put the plug back in.

I then turn the water on using the fresh water pump and turn on all the faucets/shower both hot AND cold and let them run until dark pink comes out and shut off. Then flush the toilet until pink comes thru that line also.

Take another bottle of antifreeze and add to toilet bowl, and then to sinks and shower to fill the p-traps. DONE

"I" think this is the best way because no matter how you blow the lines out there are low points that never get completely blown out AND blowing the lines out does not remove the water out of the water pump. Just come back here next year and see how many posts of, gee I blew the lines out but I've got broke lines, pump broke, etc.

And NO there is no anti freeze after taste in the lines. All you do is fill fresh tank and flush it out twice.

10 years below zero temps and no water leaks from frozen anything.
A mere 20 bucks worth of antifreeze is IMHO a small price to pay for piece of mind that you pipes will NOT freeze.

Bobbo wrote:
Don't take off the underlining. Your RV mechanic knows what he is talking about. He means if you just pour the antifreeze into the fresh water tank, it will take about 25 gallons. With the valve he mentions, 2 gallons should do it. The valve the RV mechanic is talking about goes in line just before the water pump. It is highly advised.

Winterizer Kit

Install it once. When you want to winterize, turn the valve and put the hose in the bottle of antifreeze. It sucks the antifreeze right out of the bottle. When done, turn the valve back and you are ready for water in the tank next season.

yep, that is the right way to do it. I think my kit cost about $15. my problem was that I couldn't easily mount it on the intake side of the pump so I put it on output side and pump AF in with a boat bilge pump.
bumpy

I tried using the standard "kit" you can buy at Wallmart and other RV places. For some reason it didn't work. I just bought a long hose with the fitting the same as the water pump fitting. Disconnect the fitting at the pump going to the fresh water tank and connect this one. Put it into the jug ( better if you dump about 3 or 4 gallons into a 5 gallon pail and put the hose in that. That way you don't have to keep changing 1 gallon jugs when empty). Make sure you drain all the water from the low point drains first. Turn the bypass to the water heater into the correct position. Start the pump and turn the faucets on one by one & shower( hot & cold) until the red stuff runs out. Do the toilet too. If you have a washer you need to run it through that, and if you have a ice maker you need to read on how to get the red stuff through that. We don't use our ice maker so I have ours disconnected. I still bleed the red pop through that at the shut off connection.

Don't take off the underlining. Your RV mechanic knows what he is talking about. He means if you just pour the antifreeze into the fresh water tank, it will take about 25 gallons. With the valve he mentions, 2 gallons should do it. The valve the RV mechanic is talking about goes in line just before the water pump. It is highly advised.

Winterizer Kit

Install it once. When you want to winterize, turn the valve and put the hose in the bottle of antifreeze. It sucks the antifreeze right out of the bottle. When done, turn the valve back and you are ready for water in the tank next season.

Doubt very much no matter how many water tanks is in your RV that your connection pipes would hold 25 gals of RV antifreeze. Also doubt your RV mechanic knows anthing about RVs. Haven't done the calculations but just a guess, no more that a gallon or two. Was there supposed to be a decimal point between 2 & 5?

I blow out my lines and use RV antifreeze for traps only. I'm in NW WY. Gets pretty cold here.