Winterizing Question

[Pyrate]

I have been a Jayco owner since 2009, and have done my own winterizing on my previous camper (26BH) and have not had any issues (knock on wood). I began winterizing my 2018 Jay Feather X23E yesterday, and decided to check the manual to make sure there was nothing I missed.

The manual has a section about winterizing the "macerator." Please forgive my ignorance, but is the "black tank flush" considered a macerator? I thought a macerator was a rotating, bladed contraption that helped make solid waste smaller. As far as I can tell, my camper does not have a macerator, but does have a black tank flush.

Do I need to add RV/Marine antifreeze to the black tank flush? Figuring I'll have to sacrifice a hose if I do. Thought I check with the forum beforehand.

Thanks in advance for assistance and advice.

[jbagnall]

After I emptied both the grey and black, I put some antifreeze down there through the sinks / toilet. You could just dump some down the toilet to get it into the black tank.

Not really sure if you need to or not, but anti-freeze is cheap enough!

[rkymntsno]

Originally Posted by Pyrate

I have been a Jayco owner since 2009, and have done my own winterizing on my previous camper (26BH) and have not had any issues (knock on wood). I began winterizing my 2018 Jay Feather X23E yesterday, and decided to check the manual to make sure there was nothing I missed.

The manual has a section about winterizing the "macerator." Please forgive my ignorance, but is the "black tank flush" considered a macerator? I thought a macerator was a rotating, bladed contraption that helped make solid waste smaller. As far as I can tell, my camper does not have a macerator, but does have a black tank flush.

Do I need to add RV/Marine antifreeze to the black tank flush? Figuring I'll have to sacrifice a hose if I do. Thought I check with the forum beforehand.

Thanks in advance for assistance and advice.

The macerator is the Sanicon system on a Jayco if it is so equipped. It is not the black tank flush which should be blown out with an air compressor when winterizing. Do you have the Sanicon system on your trailer?

[GL243]

my 2018 SLX 267BHSW has the black tank flush, no macerator. The black tank flush is not connected to your fresh water system or plumbing at all, it only operates when you attach an exterior fresh water hose to the outside connection for it. It has a back flow preventer valve, and, depending on how the piping for it is hung/installed, it may or may not have some water retained in the piping after use. So, the safest thing to do is to blow it out with compressed air as suggested already, or you can pump some antifreeze into it with one of these:

https://www.campingworld.com/plastic...oaAjG1EALw_wcB

You just screw the hose connecter into your black tank flush connection, put the other draw hose into the bottle of antifreeze, give it a few pumps so you can see pink stuff going in, and you're good.

[Pyrate]

Originally Posted by rkymntsno

The macerator is the Sanicon system on a Jayco if it is so equipped. It is not the black tank flush which should be blown out with an air compressor when winterizing. Do you have the Sanicon system on your trailer?

Thank you for the reply. I do not have the Sanicon system, so I'm guessing no macerator. Thank you for the help.

[Pyrate]

Originally Posted by GL243

my 2018 SLX 267BHSW has the black tank flush, no macerator. The black tank flush is not connected to your fresh water system or plumbing at all, it only operates when you attach an exterior fresh water hose to the outside connection for it. It has a back flow preventer valve, and, depending on how the piping for it is hung/installed, it may or may not have some water retained in the piping after use. So, the safest thing to do is to blow it out with compressed air as suggested already, or you can pump some antifreeze into it with one of these:

https://www.campingworld.com/plastic...oaAjG1EALw_wcB

You just screw the hose connecter into your black tank flush connection, put the other draw hose into the bottle of antifreeze, give it a few pumps so you can see pink stuff going in, and you're good.

Thank you for the reply.

I think I will give that hand pump a try.

Thank you for the help.

[MontanaRick]

Jayco writes their manuals to cover multiple models and versions of models, with no indication of what applies to which models. This makes the manuals often less than useful and often confusing. In this day and age of word processing, it really wouldn't take much effort to make useful, model specific manuals.

[Pyrate]

Originally Posted by MontanaRick

Jayco writes their manuals to cover multiple models and versions of models, with no indication of what applies to which models. This makes the manuals often less than useful and often confusing. In this day and age of word processing, it really wouldn't take much effort to make useful, model specific manuals.

I agree. The manual for my 2008 Jayflight 26BH was pretty spot-on. The manual for the new camper, not so much.

[GL243]

" . . . if so equipped . ."

[JohnWedell]

This is the procedure from Thetford to winterize the SaniCon system

[DocBrown]

Non of the Jayco hybrids have macerators so no need to worry.

I only allow enough antifreeze into the gray and black tanks that's from opening the faucets and toilet.

Make sure to open everything, even the heater bypass valves, when pumping in antifreeze. Even a small amount of residual water can be enough to crack a valve at the seams in a freeze. I've had it happen.

And don't forget the low point drains or the outside shower. I had to replace my outside shower after the first winter. Never had one before that and we never use it!

[JFlightRisk]

I found another article on winterizing, that may help with some questions you all may have.

https://familyrvingmag.com/2017/11/0...november-2017/

[adamdsgn]

We don't get super cold in TN, but the temps do drop to the teens and mid 20s regularly during the winter months. I have never had issues with simply using my compressor with attachment to blow out the lines, making sure the water heater is drained, gray tank is empty and then dumping anti-freeze into the p-traps and black tank.

[muckinfuss]

The black tank flush system is a $450 item if the check valve freeze cracks and needs replacement. Best to put anti-freeze into it.

[Pyrate]

Thank you all for the advice. I ordered the pump GL243 attached, and it worked great. My camper is all winterized and put away until the spring.

[jimp]

Originally Posted by muckinfuss

The black tank flush system is a $450 item if the check valve freeze cracks and needs replacement. Best to put anti-freeze into it.

How does one put AF into the black tank flush system??

[Pyrate]

Originally Posted by jimp

How does one put AF into the black tank flush system??

I used this hand pump recommended by GL243. Worked perfectly.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Pyrate

I used this hand pump recommended by GL243. Worked perfectly.

What did you do to winterize the water line going from the external hook-up to the water tank, and the return line from the water tank to the pump?

[Pyrate]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

What did you do to winterize the water line going from the external hook-up to the water tank, and the return line from the water tank to the pump?

I’m not sure I’m understanding your question. When I began winterizing my camper, I drained all the water out of the fresh water tank, then ran the pump for a short bit to get the rest of the water out of the line. I did this with my previous camper and had no issues.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Pyrate

I’m not sure I’m understanding your question. When I began winterizing my camper, I drained all the water out of the fresh water tank, then ran the pump for a short bit to get the rest of the water out of the line. I did this with my previous camper and had no issues.

In some cases (like in my rig), the external water connection is at the left rear, but the water tank is right behind the driver's seat. Then the water pump is in the far rear of the rig, and it pulls water from the front tank.

So, I could have 15 feet (or more) of water lines between those two points. How do you keep that line from freezing? Push AF to the water tank and have the pump suck it back?