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Old 04-19-2014, 04:55 AM   #1
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De-winterizing Problem

Spent yesterday de-winterizing (or at least trying to de-winterize) the new Eagle for the first time ever - to prep it for my maiden outing today. Bought a freshwater sanitation kit that contained a bottle of detergent concentrate, and a bottle of sanitizer concentrate. Drained out the pink stuff and closed the low point drains, dumped in the detergent and filled the fresh water tank. Next, I put in the WH drain plug and turned the three valves on the WH bypass to allow the solution into the water heater. Finally, I turned on the water pump to flush the lines. It ran for 4 hours and would not prime itself. I could hear air coming out of the faucets when I opened each one, but less than 1/2 cup of water from the cold side before it would dribble to nothing. Got nothing from the hot water side. Opened the WH pressure relief valve to "burp" the system; even tried rocking the trailer, but no water. Double-checked the by-pass and could "feel" the valves turn, but still nothing. Hooked the hose up to the "city water" connection, and everything worked fine. Water came out of both the hot & cold sides of each faucet and I was able to successfully flush the lines.

Disconnected the "city water" hose, turned the pump back on, and it drained the residual water from the lines, but still wouldn't pump new water from the tank. Drained the detergent water from the FW tank, put it the sanitizing solution, refilled the tank, turned the pump back on, and still nothing . . . for another 3 hours. Finally got too late, so I just opened the low-point drains and called it a night. I'll go back out to rinse the system and try to pressurize it again today, but I'm getting concerned about not having water for my week-long outing.

Have I missed a valve somewhere, or is there something about Jayco's system that is substantially different from my previous trailer? Can't take it to the dealer, since they're closed for Easter Weekend. Any advise would certainly be appreciated! Thanks, in advance.
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Old 04-19-2014, 05:04 AM   #2
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First question, did you turn on the valve from the FW tank to the pump, and turn off the valve that goes in the jug when winterizing?
The valves should appear as in the image below.

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Old 04-19-2014, 06:24 AM   #3
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This is a BASIC DIAGRAM for the water flow in the Rv trailers... The newer trailers has all kinds of values and things but this is the basic setup. The only time we use our WATER PUMP is when we have water in the fresh water tank. The CITY WATER pressurizes the water system. The water pump in our setup is only required when you are using water from the fresh water tank. Our water pump will not start pumping water unless we have water in the FRESH WATER TANK which in our 2008 model we have to manually fill it.



In my setup I don't let any of the pink stuff get into the hot water heater when winterizing - I just drain the water out of it. I use the three values on my unit to bypass the hot water heater if I was pumping the pink stuff thru the lines.


I used the pumping pink stuff through my water lines the first year but after that I went with using compressed air from my tankless 12VDC air compressor feeding air into the system from the city water inlet going thru the lines, draining the tanks, and then just adding pink stuff to the P-traps... This was a better method for winterizing or us

Also we don't use our fresh water for our consumption of water or cooking. Just use it for showers and washing dishes. We bring our own bottled water with us for drinking and cooking. Just the habit we got into doing...

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Old 04-19-2014, 06:37 AM   #4
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Look at the hose that connects to the inlet side of your pump. You should see two valves, one on a hose that is about 5 foot long and not connected to anything, then another valve going to your fresh water tank. You want to ensure the valve to the fresh water tank is open and the valve to the 5 foot hose is closed.

The 5 foot hose is what is used to place in the antifreeze bottle when winterizing in the fall.

Be careful to not run the pump very long without any water in it.
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Old 04-19-2014, 07:22 AM   #5
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And if that's not the issue, try pumping water into your system from that same winterizing hose to see if the pump will prime. That will tell you if the air is coming from the pull hose that goes from the pump to the fresh water tank, or the pump itself
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Old 04-19-2014, 07:23 AM   #6
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Another easter miracle!

Turned out to be the pump inlet & outlet valves. Switched them over, and now all is well. I didn't even know it had those valves, as my old trailer didn't have them. Had to track down the water pump by sound. Took a few minutes, buy finally found it under a screw-off panel under one of the dinette seats. Jayco doesn't really make it easy, do they? Thanks, guys, for your helpful advice! I'll be staying at a Michigan State Park for a week while turkey hunting. They have electrical, but no water or sewer hook-ups, so I have to haul in my own water. Quick question: will I have to switch these valves back over if I go onto "city" water, or only when I want to use the pump to winterize?

Again, thanks to everyone for their help. This truly is the best camping forum on the web!
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Old 04-19-2014, 07:25 AM   #7
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No. They can stay in that normal run position until you winterize in the fall
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Old 04-19-2014, 07:29 AM   #8
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good!

No, you'll be good. There is a check valve inline so pressurized city water can't go backwards through pump into fresh tank.
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Old 04-19-2014, 08:12 AM   #9
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snip..... Next, I put in the WH drain plug and turned the three valves on the WH bypass to allow the solution into the water heater......snip
I assume that the center WH valve is closed, as referenced RoyBraddy's "normal use" diagram. Sometimes folks will have all three valves opened and this will effect hot water temp at the faucets.

Bob
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Old 04-19-2014, 02:26 PM   #10
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When you go to winterize turn off the valve from the FW tank, turn on the valve to the clear hose and put the hose in the jug of antifreeze. The pump will now draw from the jug. Also make sure the water heater is bypassed. Your other trailer must not have had the "winterizing kit" which includes the two valves at the pump and the hose which is why this setup seems different.
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Old 04-21-2014, 02:27 PM   #11
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First question, did you turn on the valve from the FW tank to the pump, and turn off the valve that goes in the jug when winterizing?
The valves should appear as in the image below.
My first time dewinterizing the trailer was last month. I made that very same mistake and it took me an hour to figure out what I did wrong. Now I know for next Spring but will probably forget by then.
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Old 05-31-2014, 04:27 PM   #12
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Can we go a little farther? The pump on my 2010 Super lIte will not draw from the holding tank. It seems to draw from a container through the winter line though. The connections seem to be ok and the valves are in the 12v water pump position. Anything else I can try. Its been a bad day. Froze/ruptured the hot water tank. $$$$$
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Old 05-31-2014, 04:28 PM   #13
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I just bought this trailer last fall so I was not familiar with it. I doubt the 12v system has been used before. The hot water tank is removed. The tank valves are closed with the by-pass open.
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Old 05-31-2014, 06:29 PM   #14
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Is there water in the fresh tank and no leaks?
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Old 05-31-2014, 07:15 PM   #15
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Got it for now I think.

Just got back in after round 4. Yes I had water in the tank and no visible leaks. Maybe it wasnt enough. I went back out and kept filling the tank while the pump ran with a tap open. Eventually the pump primed and now seems ok. I dont know. I had the same problem with our old vanguard. Always had a devil of a time getting it to prime. Maybe the pump is weak or defective. But as I said this trailer was always on site in a trailer park on municipal water. Maybe I just dont have the touch. They tell me a new hot water tank will be $950. Ouch. I followed the instructions on 'Winterizing the Plumbing System' in the owners manual. No mention of draining the tank in that section. Figured this new high tech system would drain itself. Missed reading the 'Draining and Winterization' in a different section.
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Old 05-31-2014, 07:25 PM   #16
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Drained out the pink stuff and closed the low point drains, dumped in the detergent and filled the fresh water tank. Next, I put in the WH drain plug and turned the three valves on the WH bypass to allow the solution into the water heater.
Since you don't drink the hot water and because it will be heated to 140 or higher before you use it, there is no need to sanitize water heater. When you winterized the water heater you drained all the water out of the water heater. So little if any water remained by spring.

Filling the water heater with detergent or pink stuff will take for ever to get out of the water heater since it will be mixed with and diluted by the incoming water but not cleanly flushed out.
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