Drained antifreeze after winterizing; ok or not okay?

[Best_Coast_Camp]

First post. I have a somewhat vintage Fleetwood Prowler fifth wheel.

Everything works like it was brand new. I have always had someone blow out the water lines with air but last year they used too much pressure and started a leak that I thankfully found.

This year, I followed the original 1989 owners manual. I have no hot water heater bypass or siphon. So I just dumped 12 gallons in the fresh water tank, which, by the way, is what the owners manual said to do.

I ran the antifreeze to everything until all faucets toilets shower etc were all running pink.

I put sufficient antifreeze in all of the tanks and traps. After talking to my neighbors, I decided then to drain the entire supply system through the low water drain except for the black and grey tanks, which I left closed.

My question is this. Does it matter if the pipes are charged with antifreeze or not as long as what is left IS pure antifreeze and not water? If I drain the pipes and the only residue that is left is antifreeze, then it should not matter? Correct?

Is it important to have the pipes charged with antifreeze for some reason? My pipes are all grey PVC.

Thanks.

[Best_Coast_Camp]

My house has glorious asbestos tile throughout. Best to keep it dry, covered and undisturbed!

[CavemanCharlie]

Best Coast Camper wrote:
Yes carpet is overrated. Its not like theres a vestibule or mud room.

Carpet is over rated in a house too. I pulled mine out a few years ago and found hard wood flooring underneath. I had that resurfaced and it's a lot better then the old dirt holding , stinky, ugly carpet that was here before. I was afraid the wood floor would be cold in the winter and I found out there is not a bit of difference. No more carpet for me.

[Best_Coast_Camp]

Yes carpet is overrated. Its not like theres a vestibule or mud room.

[TheWB]

Nice rig! reminds me of my 89 Tioga, down to the household fridge in the wall... and that carpetting... hoo boy. My carpet ran throughout entire coach. That's what made me determined that my new rig would be fully laminate floors. Keep on keepin on!

[Best_Coast_Camp]

2oldman wrote:

dennislanier wrote:
But I don't understand why you would put antifreeze into the system and then immediately drain it out.

I think it's the belt and suspenders and another belt approach.

The purpose of the antifreeze is to purge any water that may exist after previously draining the system. It is meant as a replacement for water. It is not running like a motor vehicle so it does not need antifreeze in the system permanently. Once the system had no water in it, there was no need to leave the antifreeze in it. As other folks have said it would be nice, but it may leave a residual taste in the spring, and I did it knowing and feeling secure that what is now left in the lines, if anything, is pure antifreeze. In other words, the purpose of the antifreeze is to push through the previous liquid which is undesirable. Once it has achieved that goal, it is okay to drain it.

[wbwood]

If you followed your owners manual, then you did correctly. As far as draining the fresh water tank, then yes there is no issue with that. That is how CW does. They will run antifreeze through lines and open low point drain. They say to leave it open.

[Best_Coast_Camp]

🙂 and thanks for your post!

[CavemanCharlie]

2oldman wrote:
Things have changed a lot since 1989. I think your owner's manual is nuts. What did your neighbors say to make you drain it?

Nobody does things the way you describe.

I do.

I haven't yet read all 5 pages of this thread.

I have the same problem on my 1993 TT. There is no water heater by-pass. I first drain the water heater. I have a drain. (I see where you have no drain but, you have a anode rod to pull out. You should have pulled that and drained the water heater first.) Then I add 8 gallons of anti-freeze to my fresh water tank. I run the pump until I get pink though the whole system. This takes a few minutes because I have to re-fill the now empty water heater. Then after everything is full of antifreeze I pull all my low point drains and empty them. This helps me not have as bad of smell and foaming in the spring when I DE-winterize.

Because I have 6 gallons of antifreeze in my water heater I catch and save that antifreeze, mark that it is used once, and use it the next year to winterize my boat. After winterizing the boat I pull all the plugs on it's system to drain it just in case the used antifreeze is not pure.

I've been doing this for years in temps to below 0 F with no problem.

My only concern with what you did was that you did not drain the fresh water from the water heater first. Your pink antifreeze might be to diluted by the fresh water left you had left in there. I would not feel safe that way. I'm not sure your concentration of antifreeze is good enough.


OK, I read all 5 pages now. What you did was fine and it's what I do except I save the anti-freeze and use it in my boat the next year.

Nice 5th Wheel. !!!! I like those big windows. Thanks for the pictures.

[Best_Coast_Camp]

[Best_Coast_Camp]

[Best_Coast_Camp]

[Best_Coast_Camp]

[Best_Coast_Camp]

[2oldman]

dennislanier wrote:
But I don't understand why you would put antifreeze into the system and then immediately drain it out.

I think it's the belt and suspenders and another belt approach.