Winterizing Questions

[gypsmjim]

New 2015 Jay Flight 195. I've been RVing for 27 years but the new rig has a few more bells and whistles which I'm not familiar with.

The manual covers the procedure, so I'm good to go. It just left out a few steps...

Questions:

1. OK, I've flushed pink stuff thru all the lines, but what about the line from the fresh water tank to the pump. Doesn't that still have water in it?

2. Leaving a little water in the fresh tank bothers me as well. Won't that freeze since it doesn't completely drain?

3. When you are all done, shouldn't you return the water heater bypass valves and the anti freeze pickup valves back to their running position?

4. When finished, why not drain the low point drains again to let out the anti freeze?

[UPCamper]

This is what I do in those situations.

1. Don't worry about the water in this line. It should empty itself via gravity.

2. I open my fresh water dump valve. Anything left in the tank may freeze but it won't hurt anything. Remember its the freezing and expansion that causes problems. Therefore a puddle freezing on the bottom of an empty tank won't "expand" anything. Just do what you can.

3. Doesn't matter where the valves are as long as they are in the correct position when unwinterizing. If you open them you may get a little antifreeze in the heater so just make sure you rinse it before you use it.

4. I always drain the low points at the end. I actually leave all drains open and the sewer drains just slightly cracked. Probably dont have to though but I figure its one last opportunity to get any water out. You don't need antifreeze in the lines, you just need it to push the water out. Many people just blow out their lines but I'm not willing to risk it for $20 worth of antifreeze.

I'm not an expert but its worked for me in MI.

[BNear]

Hey Gypsmjim

1) When you ran the RV waterline antifreeze through your system, I assume you used your pump and if so, the line from your fresh water tank will have been bypassed when you switched the supply from the fresh water tank to the the siphon hose at the pump. Any water that was in the hose from the tank to your water lines would (should) have simply dropped back into the fresh water tank and will not be an issue. If you used any other method for applying the AF (antifreeze) to your system then I'm afraid I am of little to no help as I only use the pump with its siphon to draw the AF into my lines.

2) Leaving a little water in your fresh water tank is likely not going to cause harm providing that by a "little" we are referring to less than a quarter tank but, and again I am referring to my particular setup, your fresh water tank should have a drain spigot that will allow you to completely empty the tank, look under the trailer right where your filler inlet is for the fresh water tank, you should find a spigot similar to that of a mobile water dispenser (remember those old heavy blue plastic things??) just turn that until the water starts to drain. If there's no spigot and you are concerned about leaving water in there, I suggest simply switching your pump to supply from the tank (again, assuming this is the same as my setup) and simply open all available faucets until the flow stops then reapply the AF to the system - the AF is cheap and it's better to be safe than sorry trust me!! This will also relieve your concern from Q1. Regarding water staying in the tank and freezing, water does expand when frozen and in my experience, close to half its liquid form, as long as it has room for this expansion you need not be concerned but, draining it completely is still the smartest solution.

3) You can if you wish, if you don't, you'll remember in the spring.... you won't get hot water from the hot water heater or cold water from the tank or city supply as you'll simply be sucking air if the pump is running and nothing if the city supply is connected. It causes no harm to leave them as they are and on the other side of it, reduces the risk of accidentally supply water to the system in certain case where hoses are left connected to the unit year round.

4) Condensation forms in the lines with temperature increases then turns to water and ultimately ice as it cools again. Because we don't control the temperature, we can insure the AF will control whether or not the condensation will form in the first place. If the lines are full of AF, there's no place for condensation to form thus your line, when full of AF, are protected from temperature fluctuations. Fill the system in the fall with AF and leave until the last frost of the spring, then you can drain and flush for use all summer long!!

Sorry this has been long winded but I have one more item to add to your list;

Not to make you feel like a not know or anything but because it happened to me I ask the following,

5) Hot Water Tank - Did you pull the drain plug and open the relief valve to make sure you emptied the hot water tank? Trust me again on this, it's a basic thing to forget and more than would care to admit have forgotten to empty their hot water tanks, it cost me $450 to replace a 6 gallon tank not to mention the damage to the trailer floor from water leaking inside when it ruptured the back of the tank inside the trailer. That sucked!

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by BNear

Hey Gypsmjim

1) When you ran the RV waterline antifreeze through your system, I assume you used your pump and if so, the line from your fresh water tank will have been bypassed when you switched the supply from the fresh water tank to the the siphon hose at the pump. Any water that was in the hose from the tank to your water lines would (should) have simply dropped back into the fresh water tank and will not be an issue. If you used any other method for applying the AF (antifreeze) to your system then I'm afraid I am of little to no help as I only use the pump with its siphon to draw the AF into my lines.

2) Leaving a little water in your fresh water tank is likely not going to cause harm providing that by a "little" we are referring to less than a quarter tank but, and again I am referring to my particular setup, your fresh water tank should have a drain spigot that will allow you to completely empty the tank, look under the trailer right where your filler inlet is for the fresh water tank, you should find a spigot similar to that of a mobile water dispenser (remember those old heavy blue plastic things??) just turn that until the water starts to drain. If there's no spigot and you are concerned about leaving water in there, I suggest simply switching your pump to supply from the tank (again, assuming this is the same as my setup) and simply open all available faucets until the flow stops then reapply the AF to the system - the AF is cheap and it's better to be safe than sorry trust me!! This will also relieve your concern from Q1. Regarding water staying in the tank and freezing, water does expand when frozen and in my experience, close to half its liquid form, as long as it has room for this expansion you need not be concerned but, draining it completely is still the smartest solution.

3) You can if you wish, if you don't, you'll remember in the spring.... you won't get hot water from the hot water heater or cold water from the tank or city supply as you'll simply be sucking air if the pump is running and nothing if the city supply is connected. It causes no harm to leave them as they are and on the other side of it, reduces the risk of accidentally supply water to the system in certain case where hoses are left connected to the unit year round.

4) Condensation forms in the lines with temperature increases then turns to water and ultimately ice as it cools again. Because we don't control the temperature, we can insure the AF will control whether or not the condensation will form in the first place. If the lines are full of AF, there's no place for condensation to form thus your line, when full of AF, are protected from temperature fluctuations. Fill the system in the fall with AF and leave until the last frost of the spring, then you can drain and flush for use all summer long!!

Sorry this has been long winded but I have one more item to add to your list;

Not to make you feel like a not know or anything but because it happened to me I ask the following,

5) Hot Water Tank - Did you pull the drain plug and open the relief valve to make sure you emptied the hot water tank? Trust me again on this, it's a basic thing to forget and more than would care to admit have forgotten to empty their hot water tanks, it cost me $450 to replace a 6 gallon tank not to mention the damage to the trailer floor from water leaking inside when it ruptured the back of the tank inside the trailer. That sucked!

No, I didn't forget the HW tank. It was in the manual.

The reason I was concerned about the FW tank was because I have heard that they don't drain all the way. I guess I'll have to pull up the bed and inspect it first hand.

Thanks to all for the help...

[BNear]

Yeah, sorry for the HW thing, I'm just a stickler on that since it happened to me and I certainly don't want it to happen to anybody else. If you've already drained the FW tank as per the manual, I'd rest easy on it, I'm sure it's all good.

[clutch]

You can raise or lower the front of your trailer if you are worried about the water from the tank to the pump. Just let the line slope toward the tank and it will return to the tank in time.

[Cunning193]

I was winterizing my 31FS and Camper World recommended that I blow out the AF. They said that the AF will degrade the pipes and fittings over time. Also, don't forget your sink sprayer and outside shower if you have them.