Looking for help with low point drains

etex211 · 11-12-2016, 12:09 PM

My camper is a 2013 Eagle Premier 351RLTS. We bought it in September of 2013. Until now, I've never done a complete winterization of this unit. All I've really done until now is make sure all three holding tanks are empty and leave an electric space heater on inside throughout the winter.

I live in East Texas, so my camper isn't at risk nearly as much as others may be, but I do consider myself to be a little lucky to this point. I am trying to be a little more proactive this time around. I've emptied the holding tanks and I've also drained the water heater for the very first time.

I am puzzled by the low point drains. There are two labels on the outside of the camper pointing to low point drains. Both are on the right hand side, one just forward of the basement, and the other just behind the basement. Underneath the camper, I see 5 total tubes sticking out under the belly. 2 of them are forward of the basement, and 3 of them are just behind the basement.

I found two valves inside the basement that appear to correspond to the two tubes forward of the basement. I assume these are the hot and cold low point drains for the bathroom. What puzzles me is that these two valves appear to be in the open position, and they've been that way since the day I bought the camper. I've never seen any water come from these tubes.

I can find no valves that correspond to the three tubes behind the basement. Could they be somewhere above the belly cover? Surely they didn't make it that much work just to open these valves.

I've looked under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, and see no valves in either location.

Somebody please tell me what I'm missing.

Thanks.

abarkl · 11-12-2016, 12:42 PM

Our Jayco has 3 tubes that are connected to the top of the fresh water tank.
Many owners have put valves on them to prevent fresh water from siphoning out while driving.

etex211 · 11-12-2016, 01:54 PM

I found the valves for the three tubes behind the basement. They are behind an access panel on the rear wall of the basement. I opened those valves and they released some water. I will leave them open all winter.

I still can't figure out the two "low point drain" tubes forward of the basement. The valves at the roof of the basement appear to lead to those tubes. They've been open since the day I bought the camper, but I've never seen a drop of water come from those tubes.

abarkl · 11-12-2016, 02:14 PM

Our guess is those two valves may be in the closed position. Typically there will be the two, one for the cold and one for the hot water lines.

etex211 · 11-12-2016, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abarkl

Our guess is those two valves may be in the closed position. Typically there will be the two, one for the cold and one for the hot water lines.

They are just simple quarter turn valves. The levers are parallel to the water lines. I turned them perpendicular to the water lines (which appears to me to be the closed position), and nothing happened there, either.

abarkl · 11-12-2016, 02:34 PM

Our earlier model Jayco has valves that sound like the ones yours has and work the same.
Not sure exactly what they may be connected to on yours and why they were open.

In our motorhome we can see almost all plumbing including all three tanks with just a little effort and tracing the end of a line is fairly easy.

Perhaps someone with your Jayco model will be along soon and can give exact answers and more insight.

P.S. You may want to check your owners manual for any specific information.

Hoppy220 · 11-12-2016, 03:48 PM

Complete assumptions on my part, but the 5 drains should/could be

2 together hot water and cold water low point drains
3 together should be fresh water drain, 1 to drain the tank, 1 tank over flow while pressure filling, 1 tank over flow right out of tank.

Least that's the way mine seems to be set up.

etex211 · 11-12-2016, 04:31 PM

After doing some more research, I believe the two valves in the ceiling of the basement are washing machine supply lines. Our camper doesn't have a washing machine, but I believe it is supposed to have washer and dryer prep. I just closed those valves, and they will remain that way.

I assume those two low point drain lines between the basement and the battery box have something to do with the washing machine, but I'm not sure exactly what.

etex211 · 11-12-2016, 04:32 PM

BTW, my fresh water tank overflow tube empties by the rear axle on the right hand side. I don't believe the three low point drain lines just behind the basement have anything to do with that.

ArnoldJ · 11-12-2016, 05:15 PM

Is your shower in line with one of the Low Point Drain labels? If so there is probably a panel on the side of your shower at the bottom that slides up. Inside there will be 2 valves of some description for the drains.

**norty1** · 11-12-2016, 07:06 PM

I have the same rig and what you describe sounds like the washer hot/cold lines. On mine there are some inline valves in the overhead of the storage compartment and also 2 low point valves behind a removable panel on the right of the storage door.

I don't know why so many valves. I don't have a washer so mine are never used.

I shut the supply off using the overhead valves, but always make sure the low points are opened if I winterize just for good measure.

etex211 · 11-13-2016, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norty1

I have the same rig and what you describe sounds like the washer hot/cold lines. On mine there are some inline valves in the overhead of the storage compartment and also 2 low point valves behind a removable panel on the right of the storage door.

I don't know why so many valves. I don't have a washer so mine are never used.

I shut the supply off using the overhead valves, but always make sure the low points are opened if I winterize just for good measure.

Thanks. I moved some stuff and found an access panel (about 8"x8") in the front wall of the basement. I removed that one (2 screws) and found two more valves. I opened those valves and the two valves in the ceiling of the basement. That released some water from all 5 low point drain tubes. I'll leave all 7 valves open for the winter.

I poured some anti-freeze into both sinks, the shower, and the toilet.

I don't see any need to bother with pumping any anti-freeze into my fresh water lines. It doesn't get that cold here, and at this point, there should be very little, if any, water in those lines.

I think I'm good to go for the winter.

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