Winterize fail!

[The Logans]

OK, just took my first try at winterizing... what a mess!

Drained everything with all faucets open and removed the filter from the canister and replaced the canister (then re-opened the filter bypass valves).

Attached the fill hose to the fresh water fill inlet, and set the valves to 2 & 4 (Winterize) and put the other end of the short winterize hose in the antifreeze jug. Took a while for the pump to prime, but then it sucked the jug dry.

Problem is, my wife was watching the open kitchen sink faucet, and nothing ever came out (hot or cold). She also tried the bathroom sink, and the inside and outside shower... no pink stuff anywhere. So I set up the second gallon jug... same result, sucked it dry, but we have NO IDEA where 2 gallons of the pink stuff went.

No visible leaks, and there is no water heater by-pass. I called Jayco and they said that when the valves are set to 2 & 4, that it automatically by-passes the water heater.

So, 2 gallons of the pink stuff went SOMEWHERE, but obviously not where it should have, and it's supposed to be 19 degrees here tonight.

Crap!

[penguin149]

My bet is the water heater....

[thecampingcat]

X2 water heater if you don't have the thankless kind. I think you can recapture the pink by draining hot water heater and starting over

[Greyhawk]

X3 on the water heater if it's not a tankless, your closest rv store should have a hot water heater bypass kit if you rv doesn't already have one on it. Pretty simple to install, that will save you headaches later.

Don't nesseceraly trust the girls at Jayco, as they told me that I needed to completely take out the water inlet screen before running the rv antifreeze through it.........but after about three hours of trying to figure out why the pump wasn't sucking up the antifreeze, bedroom torn apart to get to the pump, testing the pump and finding that it was working just fine, I found that there is a pressure valve nipple inside the water inlet. I put the inlet screen back in but the opposite direction and PRESTO.....it sucked the bottles dry.

[WVDusty]

Yep^^^ what they said. When you try again be sure to find the hot water heater bypass valve first.

[busguy]

This from the Redhawk Manual :

Water heater bypass (If So Equipped)
Your motor home may be equipped with a water heater bypass. This three-valve system is located at either the water heater, or on the system panel depending on your model. The water heater bypass valves must be in the NORMAL position (open the hot and cold valves, close the mixer – or middle – valve) to use the water heater (and when sanitizing). If winterizing the motor home plumbing system, position the three valves to the BYPASS position (close the hot and cold valves, open the mixer - or middle - valve).

[The Logans]

Thanks all, but I'm at a complete loss. I've set the valves as Jayco says, and I can't find any way to bypass the water heater. There are no valves in the heater compartment, and I can't get behind it to see if there are any there. I don't know where else to turn. I sure don't want to put six gallons of pink stuff in the heater.


Does anyone out there have a 2014 or 2015 Redhawk, that might have run into this issue?


Thanks!!

[Tpratt83687]

I have a 2014 Redhawk 29XK (KX or XK; can't remember right now). The bypass valves for my water heater are directly BEHIND the water heater. In the kitchen, I pull it the middle drawer near the right hand side of the sink and the three valves are visible. Almost have to lay on the floor to get to them.

[walkingeagle]

how about doing it the way the rv dealers do it, open everything up, drain everything, get a 5.00 air adapter from an rv dealer connect to fresh water inlet, hook air compressor chock to adapter run at low psi for 20 minute or until you feel air blowing out of faucets , and other fixtures , this should do it

[walkingeagle]

just a quick note leave all drains in open position, this includes black and gray, this helps with an expansion and also helps dry lines completely out

[namusmc65]

How much is RV antifreeze, $3 a gallon? Buy and extra 6 gallons for the water heater and fill it up this time. Much better than repairing a $1,000 worth of freeze damage! You can find or install the water heater bypass later!

[Grumpy]

Can you post a picture of your utility compartment and he valves?

[walkingeagle]

many of the jaycos have a bypass they are somewhere near the back of the water heater usually3 valves hot, cold, and mix, their camping trailers are the same, they just forgot to tell you, check with your dealer service department they will know, i agree 18.00 is a cheap investment to protect a 100,000 investment

[The Logans]

OK! Found the by-pass valves. They are behind a screwed in access panel, under the refrigerator, and behind the heater ducting, Who would have thunk it?


All three valves were open, so I closed the water heater inlet and outlet valves, and left the third one open. None are labeled, so I don't know exactly what it does, but since it was open, I left it that way.


No I'm going to try again.


Will it hurt anything to leave the two gallons of pink stuff in the water heater? I got two more gallons, rather than try to save what's already in the heater. It's a mess to drain the thing, until I can make up a drain tube and valve arraignment to get the water drain cleanly out from the heater, and not run all over the water heater compartment.


Thanks!

[norty1]

Great. Glad you found it and rest assured you will never wonder where it is again.

[Tpratt83687]

My only concern it that there is not enough antifreeze mixed with the water in the water heater to properly protect it from freezing. Our winter temps get down to about -4 degrees some nights and mid 20's most days. That amount of antifreeze would not keep the water heater from freezing here in Idaho. Not sure what your winter temps are like, but I would drain the water heater and KNOW that it is protected. We moved up here from Southern California 10 years ago and I had no idea about "winterizing". The first winter I did nothing to our 5th wheel we had at the time. The consequences were every pvc pipe broke and the water heater literally exploded!! I did all the work myself so the cost to repair was about $500 ($350 for a new water heater and $150 for PEX tubing, crimps, crimping tool, new water heater door and assorted other parts.

[walkingeagle]

usually 1 line is red for hot, 1 line blue for cold, the third valve is the mix valve, close hot and cold usually and open the other which is the mix valve this should bypass heater, leave it that way until you use system again, once using system again close mix valve and open hot and cold this is the usual procedure, don't leave mix valve open otherwise hot and cold mix and the water heater will never shut off, it might be different on jayco check with your dealer, wouldn't it be nice if they had a separate water tank fill, my 29xl is due to be delivered any day- happy days ahead

[walkingeagle]

simplest way to protect water heater is leave it open, never leave the pink stuff in it will smell always from the propylene glycol, good luck,

[Paintinfool3]

x2 on that go outside and pull the drain plug on the water heater and to help facilitate draining it open the popoff valve on the top to let air in

[walkingeagle]

good idea, i always release the pop off valve, the 1 time i didn't i got soaked, you live and learn