Anti-freeze in fresh water tank

[roadrat57]

My manual says to add 5 gallons of non-toxic antifreeze to fresh water tank. I have not seen or heard of this. I thought draining tank would be sufficient for winterization. My current knowledge is to never but anything in fresh water tank other than fresh water or fresh water and chlorine to sanitize/

[maillemaker]

I pour antifreeze into the drains, but I never put any in the fresh water system.

I pull all 4 drain valves after every trip, and the system completely drains by gravity alone. I once tried to blow out the system with compressed air and nothing happened except air came out. It's a well-designed drain setup.

[steveh27]

I've winterized my 20 year old Class B following the manual. I drain all water, close the water heater bypass, put 2 1/2 gallons rv antifreeze in the FW tank, run that through each faucet & shower until the pink comes out. Then put some of the last 1/2 gallon into each trap and the toilet.

In the spring I drain it, flush it and then sanitize it with bleach as directed, drain that and flush again, then fill. I've never had any distaste or problem.

My Xplorer 230 does not have any other way of doing it.

[Bumpyroad]

noteven wrote:

CarnationSailor wrote:
I see no problem putting RV antifreeze in the fresh water tank. The spring fill with water and bleach plus another fill to rins is sufficient to flush out the antifreeze.

It's a hoot watching guests trying to be polite about the taste of your water / coffee / scotch n water 2 months after you still haven't got the last molecules of rv pink out of the supply side 🙂

anybody that fussy should bring their own bottled water.
bumpy :s

[noteven]

CarnationSailor wrote:
I see no problem putting RV antifreeze in the fresh water tank. The spring fill with water and bleach plus another fill to rins is sufficient to flush out the antifreeze.

It's a hoot watching guests trying to be polite about the taste of your water / coffee / scotch n water 2 months after you still haven't got the last molecules of rv pink out of the supply side 🙂

[valhalla360]

DutchmenSport wrote:
If you have access to your on-board water pump (from anywhere), you can always unscrew the in-take like and attach a hose there.

Our new rig doesn't have a pre-plumbed line so that's what we did. Took an old hose, cut off a 4' section and put a matching fitting on the end. Takes 2 minutes to attach to the pump.

In terms of the main tank, probably more of a CYA on the manufacturer's end. If you leave too much water in the tank, it could freeze and damage the tank but if you put 5 gal in, it likely won't freeze. Assuming it's just an inch or less of fresh water in the bottom, it's unlikely to do any damage.

[SoundGuy]

roadrat57 wrote:
My manual says to add 5 gallons of non-toxic antifreeze to fresh water tank.

Nonsense - and a waste of good antifreeze. :R Just gravity drain the tank and any water remaining will have plenty of room to expand when it freezes. If your water pump isn't already equipped with a winterizing siphon kit just add one yourself OR disconnect the hose from the FW tank to the pump and temporarily connect a short length of hose to the pump input that you'd then stick into a jug of antifreeze. Simple.

[pulsar]

roadrat57 wrote:
Thanks to all of you. My rig does have plumbing for pumping anti-freeze into all the lines as well as a bi-pass for the hot h2o tank. I don't understand why the manual would recommend dumping anti-freeze into FW tank???

I took your original post to question why the owner's manual says put 5 gallons of antifreeze in the fresh water tank.

In the winterizing instructions in the Fiesta owner's manual I have, one is directed to introduce the the antifreeze into the water lines using the water pump to pump the antifreeze out of the fresh water tank. No where does it discuss a winterizing kit (valve).

(See instructions 15 through 18.)



What does your owner's manual say to do with the antifreeze you've put in the fresh water tank?

Since you have a winterizing kit, use it and don't worry about the fresh water tank, after you have drained it.

Tom

[Bumpyroad]

DutchmenSport wrote:


My third trailer, I added a T valve with a separate hose for winterizing myself.
.

yep, the third time is the charm. spend the $12.
bumpy

[DutchmenSport]

If you have access to your on-board water pump (from anywhere), you can always unscrew the in-take like and attach a hose there.

My first travel trailer, I had to do this to winterize. I got a hose and attached the female connection that fit on the male in-put side of the pump. Stick the hose in a gallon jug of the pink antifreeze and then flip on the water pump and ran it through each line, hot and cold.

If you can access the pump from anywhere, you should be able to do this.

My second trailer had a bayonette type attachment. I got the counter part hose with the same bayonette end, and simply removed the main in-line and replaced it with the hose.

My third trailer, I added a T valve with a separate hose for winterizing myself.

Here again, if you can access the pump, you can always remove the in-put line and attach a hose there.

[RAS43]

time2roll wrote:

roadrat57 wrote:
My current knowledge is to never but anything in fresh water tank other than fresh water or fresh water and chlorine to sanitize/

I agree.

X2 And I have always followed that statement. And I also bypass the water heater when adding antifreeze. One gallon has done the job for me each year for decades without issues.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

With anti-freeze are there any guarantees of not having three-eyed seven toed grandchildren?

[1492]

[roadrat57]

I thought maybe a low spot in the FW tank might require anti-freeze but a small amount of water, that does not drain completely, should not be a problem.

[roadrat57]

Thanks to all of you. My rig does have plumbing for pumping anti-freeze into all the lines as well as a bi-pass for the hot h2o tank. I don't understand why the manual would recommend dumping anti-freeze into FW tank???