New Owner De-Wintertizing Questions

[silverta16]

I have a 2007 165 Sport. First camper I've owned with a hot water heater and bathroom. I've read I need to fill the water heater before lighting it. Do I just fill the fresh water tank, and turn the pump on, or hook it up to a hose? Do you use teflon tape on the threads on the plug in the water heater? Any other steps I need to know so I don't mess up the water heater? Any valves that are closed that I should open? I've read on here to bleed the propane system by lighting the stove and furnace I can handle that. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Cosmik Debris]

Just, when you go out camping, make certain to turn on the pump and that will fill the water heater, THEN turn on the heater switch. I always vent the hot water side of a faucet to make sure there's water in the heater tank. Having it empty and turning it on will ruin something and maybe even cause a fire.
The drain plug may be plastic, and I've got tape on mine.
When winterizing a water system you would close some water heater bypass valves, blocking any of the antifreeze mix from getting in it. The tank can just stay drained for the winter. Open the valves to allow the thing to fill. It would be advisable to sterilize the system before using, each season. That's done with a bleach and fresh water mix. I don't have access to that ratio right now but someone can provide that. After fill with this and letting it set a few hours, drain and refill with plain water and drain again. I also always refill and use a few gallons of vinegar in my 95 gallon tank, letting that sit a couple of days, then drain and flush that.
You got it with the propane. When the gas lines get air in them you new to bleed that out and lighting the stove for a few seconds is the easiest way.

[mcfarmall]

You can hook a hose up to the city water inlet connection to fill the water heater WAY faster than your rattle pump will.

I think the ratio for sanitizing is 1/2 cup bleach to every 20 gallons of water. If it was me, I'd dump in a cup and fill the tank to refusal, pump it through the system (minus the water heater) let it sit for a few hours then flush with fresh water.

[silverta16]

Ok I hooked up the hose water started coming out the low point drain. I found those and closed them. I get zero water out of my faucets anywhere. I filled the holding tank and used the pump and everything works great once it spot the air out. Do you think I just had air trapped? With the hose no spitting hissing air or anything from any faucets. The water heater is rear mounted and did fill I pulled the plug to check.

[vboyd]

So if you have a bypass. Does that mean the there is no antifreeze in the hot water tank?

Also. When sanitizing, do you sanitize the hot water tank?

[silverta16]

New owner here just bought it. The bypass wasn't turned off, but he water heater was drained and the plug out. Trying to light it now any pointers there?

[Jmooney]

Originally Posted by vboyd

So if you have a bypass. Does that mean the there is no antifreeze in the hot water tank?

Also. When sanitizing, do you sanitize the hot water tank?

That's the idea of the bypass, so if it were bypassed, no, no antifreeze in HW tank.

I never sanitized the HW tank. I left it bypassed until after I was done with sanitize steps.

[silverta16]

Pretty sure there was no antifreeze anywhere that I've saw all the lines were clear and completely dry. Water heater fired up its warming up now. So far only one small leak on the inside of the fresh water tank fitting, the clamp. If it has a vent it's not hooked up, as it was burping and spitting air out as I tried to fill it on half a hose worth of pressure.

[silverta16]

Also the water heater wasnt bypassed, had they ran antifreeze through it, it would have been full. When I turned the water on it filled automatically I didn't flip any valves.

[Jmooney]

Could be that they use a compressor to blow water out of the lines and left them dry. Some folks do that, some pump antifreeze, some do both.

[Jmooney]

Sounds like you are in shape. Have a great summer camping.