Dodgemahal
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Joined 6 years ago
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Re: 31 below zero, RV antifreeze failed?
I think trying to push water uphill or through the piping system with air pressure will cause air to bubble past the water in the pipe to a point while pushing it out. It will tend to move the water but remove the air pressure and the residual water will collect to a low point and freeze to form a plug. Maybe a better method would be to empty the water, run antifreeze in to each faucet till you see pink fluid (including the outdoor shower unless you know for sure it is empty). Then apply the air pressure to evacuate most of the antifreeze. Drain your waste tanks and fill your P traps. Do the soak and flush in the spring a few times to try and remove any traces of antifreeze smell. This will be my plan for next year. I really don't like that stuff in my pipes, but it beats broken stuff and very difficult to reach repairs. The high quality water filter at my sink helps with toxic stuff staying out of your body. No point in working your filtering organs to the hilt. I can also cook with that water knowing it is relatively clean.616Views1like0CommentsRe: 31 below zero, RV antifreeze failed?
I have only used RV antifreeze. I flush it out, fill the system and let it soak. Then run it to flush the leaching out. And repeat that at least two or three times before heading out camping with a fresh tank of water. I also have a very high quality 3M water filter under my sink with a dedicated touch flow faucet. As a back up only as I don't really drink out if it because I always bring a LOT of fresh well water from home in SS jugs. I used to work at Intel in Oregon in water purification (wafer fab water seeks what it lacks and becomes a solvent) and acid waste neutralization. I can say with accuracy that I am a water snob. I avoid tap water in cities unless it is filtered. I have full knowledge what they do to it to give it back to the population. I also don't want to ever ingest left over residual propylene glycol from RV antifreeze because despite saying it is safe, that is a bunch of hooey. I am very conscious of clean real food and clean water. And if there was a quick way to winterize my camper without the antifreeze, I would do it. But there is not and the extensive repeated flushing in the spring I think helps get rid of it. I can't smell much anymore thanks to covid x3 and I really want to make sure I am bathing in clean water. Honestly that is about all I use it for. I am sure ready for summer and sitting by a river. Or a nice camp fire. That would sure do right about now. Thank you for your post. It was interesting and informative. I did not know they made -100 stuff.. wow , Thank you Marty, Cheers, Al1.8KViews0likes0CommentsRe: 31 below zero, RV antifreeze failed?
Well I beat you to the suggestion. I left this water bottle in the truck overnight. I guess I won't be using that one anymore. LOL Yes well aware of the power of ice. I have repaired many PVC pipes shattered from a solid freeze. The good thing is the Bigfoot looks like it has pex in it. That stuff handles freezing pretty well usually. It is has Rv antifreeze in it. It was always fine at each spring thaw. I had never looked till this years 31 below. Have a look at the picture... Oops.1.8KViews1like0CommentsRe: 31 below zero, RV antifreeze failed?
I had considered building the air purge system the last two years. Life got in the way as you can see from my signature and I did not do it. But trust me it will get done for next year and every year after that for as long as I own the Bigfoot. I have more of a solid than slush. I never looked before. It was do the antifreeze flush and cover the thing and find the plow truck. I never liked the residual smell from the antifreeze anyway. Besides, I really like building things to make something better. And this is a perfect opportunity. Thank you and thank you to everyone who helped settle my worries.1.9KViews0likes0CommentsRe: 31 below zero, RV antifreeze failed?
Well I guess I got caught off guard with it being a solid. No the frozen jug is not bulging. I had never looked in past years and it was always fine in the spring. I am going to build a small air flush out of an old small compressed air tank. I will put a regulator and ball valve on it for a low pressure push. I had thought about this before because I don't like how long it takes to get the left over smell out. I have a detailed winterization process. Draining the fresh into a tub to toss outside, filling P traps, faucets open etc. It is a great camper in like new condition. I just want to keep it that way. I appreciate the responses. You never stop learning.2.1KViews2likes2Comments31 below zero, RV antifreeze failed?
I see the forum format has changed since I have posted last. I have a 2005 Bigfoot 9.6 truck camper. The camper is covered and is under a carport with an open front. I winterize it every year with RV antifreeze. I live in the Northern Idaho panhandle. This cold snap many people are seeing has hit me also. Last night it got down to -31 degrees below zero. 15 below is not unusual here. While making rounds to the shops and camper this morning I found that the 3 remaining unopened gallons of Camco RV and marine antifreeze rated to -50 below that I had on the shelf were frozen. At the time of finding this it was -9 below. I had intended to dump some down the toilet into the tank just in case. Looking in the camper the lines were also frozen. The toilet valve was also stuck and frozen. Naturally I got a little upset. I put a heater in the camper and it is still running now. Has anyone seen this happen to their antifreeze in extreme cold weather? I spoke to a friend about it, he talked with an acquaintance who winterizes dozens of boats in the Seattle area with the same stuff. His friend said it can freeze but it is designed to not expand and break things. I looked and nothing looks broken. But I will know more later when temps rise. From now on I am pushing the antifreeze out with 10 PSI of air to vacate the lines in my fall procedure. I just wonder if anyone has any known experience with this problem or knows something I don't. It still bothers me that it was supposed to be rated to -50. Please see the picture of the new jug on it's side and nothing is fluid. It is solid. Thank you.2.6KViews2likes18CommentsRe: Happijac new vs old?
I bought a replacement motor from Etrailer. To rebuild and replace one at a time as I found the time. And have an extra just in case. They were back ordered for about three months. It finally showed up. I had canceled another order after waiting for months the year before from another company. I don't have a very high opinion of Lippert so far. You may be stuck ordering and waiting. It seems just about everything is out of stock now. Or grossly overpriced. I guess welcome to 2022.:(1.9KViews0likes0CommentsRe: New polar cub Mach 8 AC and the Honda eu2000i question
stevenal wrote: Dodgemahal wrote: The round run / off dial selector when turned to the off position shuts off the fuel supply. How? The device is described as a switch. To cut off fuel, one needs a valve. Is it both? The round run/off dial when turned to off, shuts off the fuel supply and shorts out the spark plug lead. So adding the remote kill switch allows it to run out of fuel. You don't even need to use the switch. Just let it run out of fuel. Approx 2-3 minutes. On a side note. I am reading some posts from many years ago that state that there is some fuel left in the carb bowl after running the gen to stall. I may have a look on mine.634Views0likes0CommentsRe: New polar cub Mach 8 AC and the Honda eu2000i question
stevenal wrote: I'm confused. How can an electrical switch cut off the fuel? Is there an existing solenoid valve in the fuel line? Thanks. On edit: Is the OEM fuel pump electric? The fuel pump is mechanical. Like many small engines, It has a line connected to the crank case that uses the vacuum/pressure impulses created from the piston running up and down to activate the fuel pump. The round run / off dial selector when turned to the off position shuts off the fuel supply. It also kills the engine at that same time. That leaves the carb full of fuel. So by adding the remote kill switch for the engine, (which you don't use unless you need to stop the generator right now), it allows the engine to run out of fuel by itself instead of being shut off when the dial is turned to the off position. The Hutch Mountain add on only changes how the engine is shut off. By running out of fuel. Again the kill switch they include is not used unless you need an immediate engine off shut down for what ever reason. Honestly for twenty something bucks, it is a fantastic mod. My eu2000i took about two minutes to run out. Sitting three days and demonstrating for a neighbor, it started in 4 pulls. As for the hard to start problem the gent from NY mentioned. I would check the impulse rubber lines that make the fuel pump work and make sure they are intact, no leaks, cracks, poor connections ect. Then I would just for the heck of it remove and clean the carb with carb cleaner and compressed air. Not just a rinse, but take out the brass jet rod. Really clean it out. I suspect it is a fuel delivery problem and not a run ability issue that a carb would cause. Cleaning the carb will only help things. You could remove the fuel line to the carb, hose barb it to a little bit longer hose that goes into a cup. And pull the cord to see if you are getting fuel when trying to start it. It should pulse fuel into the cup. You might have a weak or bad fuel pump. It starts easy after running because there is fuel in the carb bowel already. It sounds like a fuel delivery problem. You are to far away to stop by and help. :)633Views0likes0CommentsRe: New polar cub Mach 8 AC and the Honda eu2000i question
I have had to take my eu2000i carb off once to clean it out. Owned about 10 years now. Not putting a fuel shut off is a bad choice by any generator maker. They by nature will sit until needed. The Hutch mountain fuel shut off is the best thing. Actually not a fuel shut off, but putting in a remote kill switch and letting the gen run out of fuel on it's own. The new switch it comes with is to kill it right now if needed. I wrote this for future readers maybe wanting to do this mod. It is a great solution to a great generator with a small flaw. I get what the gentleman said above. Who wants to have to fix something when all you want to do is use it. My used like new eu2200i companion is in transit. I hope UPS is kind to it. Just today I received a new companion connecting cable set and an adapter for the round 30 amp companion plug to my Bigfoot RV plug. It came with it. Also from Hutch Mountain. I also just talked with my neighbor today about helping me lift the AC unit up on top on my Bigfoot this spring. I would like to do it now but it is in a carport and it's 20 degrees out. I also sewed up a generator cover for my eu2000i made out of modern convertible top material. Now I need to make another one. Is it summer yet? EDIT: By the way, I use PRI-G fuel stabilizer. G for gas, PRI-D for diesel. The stuff is way better than stabil. It will even bring back old gas. I have used it for years and I living in the middle of nowhere with 21 power outages last year, store fuel for my home generators. It is a good product.434Views0likes0Comments
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