Winterizing question - Greyhawk

MichaelD · 11-06-2011, 06:05 PM

I decided to winterize my 2011 31ss today. Didn't accomplish very much. Couldn't get the water pump to take up the antifreeze.

I drained the holding tanks - fresh, grey, and black. Opened and drained three low point drains (fresh water tank, and the 2 under the water heater located in the storage bay). Drained, then bypassed the water heater.

Connected a 30 psi air source to the water inlet and cleared all water from the lines. So far, so good.

Then I connected the tube that came with the rv to the water inlet that is used to flush the black tank, and inserted the tube in the jug of antifreeze, set the valves to 2-4 (sanitize / winterize lines). NO ANTIFREEZE was sucked up when the water pump was turned on. What did I miss?

I've winterized 3 travel trailers in the past that had a valve or two near the water pump to allow the pump to take the antifreeze. Do not see any valves near the water pump on the Greyhawk.

Any / all help will be appreciated.

**Crabman** · 11-06-2011, 06:17 PM

I`m kinda wondering why there is no winterizing kit on your water pump. With mine you turn the valve to the water supply off and turn on the one that is on the drawtube that goes in the antifreeze bottle. See picture. Does your pump not have these valves? If not, it sounds like your pump is drawing air in from the water tank or water inlet and not drawing from the bottle. Of course my setup is from a travel trailer, MH could be somewhat different.

JaycoJoe · 11-06-2011, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelD

Then I connected the tube that came with the rv to the water inlet that is used to flush the black tank, and inserted the tube in the jug of antifreeze, set the valves to 2-4 (sanitize / winterize lines). NO ANTIFREEZE was sucked up when the water pump was turned on. What did I miss?

Mike,

You should have connected to the city water inlet... just did my Greyhawk...

Joe

MichaelD · 11-06-2011, 09:32 PM

JaycoJoe,

That was it!!!!!! Boy do I fell DUMB! I just went outside and tried it.

I thought I had tried both water inlets. Guess not.

When I was trying earlier, I had the fresh water tank empty. I put water back in the tank when my winterizing efforts failed. Maybe it was drawing air from the empty tank, like Crabman suggested. Or maybe I'm just dumb.

Anyway, thanks to you both. I'm a happy camper again.

Tom Copeland · 11-06-2011, 11:18 PM

This is correct. Worked with my Melbourne on city water connection.

JaycoJoe · 11-07-2011, 06:52 AM

My pleasure Mike!... Don't forget to run some pink stuff thru the outside shower if you have one...Only thing I don't like about winterizing is not camping.... once a month we take it out for a ride and run the generator with a Vornado heater for a load...

Joe

daviddudek · 11-08-2011, 08:01 AM

I found with our 2010 31 SS the hose fitting to the water inlet must be tight. Any small air leak will not allow the pump to draw the red pop. Also to help the process keep the red pop container at a raised position until the flow starts. Takes a little patience.

cutrell01 · 11-08-2011, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Copeland

This is correct. Worked with my Melbourne on city water connection.

Just tried to winterize our Melbourne 29d following the procedures in the book (valve in 2-4 position,etc.) but 12v pump would not pull in the antifreeze. Tried multiple things with no luck. Taking to RV dealer tomorrow!

MichaelD · 11-08-2011, 07:30 PM

cutrello1,

I am only able to get antifreeze through the 12v pump if there is water in the fresh water tank. May be your problem, if your fresh water has been drained.

I think with the Jaco coaches, with no shut off valves on the water pump, like the trailers have, the pump draws air from the fresh tank, instead of sucking up the antifreeze. (See Crabman's post/pic earlier in this thread).

Be sure to pull the antifreeze with the city water inlet, not the inlet used to flush the black tank.

cutrell01 · 11-09-2011, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelD

cutrello1,

I am only able to get antifreeze through the 12v pump if there is water in the fresh water tank. May be your problem, if your fresh water has been drained.

I think with the Jaco coaches, with no shut off valves on the water pump, like the trailers have, the pump draws air from the fresh tank, instead of sucking up the antifreeze. (See Crabman's post/pic earlier in this thread).

Be sure to pull the antifreeze with the city water inlet, not the inlet used to flush the black tank.

Took my Melbourne to the dealer today and together we got it winterized. They were not sure what the problem was either. Well anyway it is set till we go to Florida for 3 months then I will worry about it later when I try to winterize again. Did not try putting fresh water in the tank first.

**Crabman** · 11-10-2011, 08:23 PM

I would think putting water in the tank would only cause water to be drawn into the system instead of air, diluting the antifreeze if indeed the air was coming from the water tank. The best way to eliminate the tank is to bypass it with a valve as shown in the picture.

MichaelD · 11-11-2011, 08:43 AM

After reading Crabman's post above, I went out and tried adding antifreeze. The pump pulls with the fresh tank empty. I must have not had a good, tight hose connection when I previously tried with empty tank.

Sorry,
Mike

**Crabman** · 11-11-2011, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelD

After reading Crabman's post above, I went out and tried adding antifreeze. The pump pulls with the fresh tank empty. I must have not had a good, tight hose connection when I previously tried with empty tank.

Sorry,
Mike

Looks like you`re a pro at this now Mike! Trial and error and asking questions is how we all learned this stuff.

classact · 02-05-2012, 04:22 PM

I had similar issues on my Melbourne not sucking up the antifreeze. I bought a small winterizing hand pump from Camping World for less then $10 and it works like a charm. Once all the lines are blown out, just pump the coolaid through the lines. Helps to have a 2nd person to assist. In truth, if all the water is blown out of the lines, using antifreeze is really just an extra precaution. But I'm generally exta-cautious, so there you go.

Tom Copeland · 02-11-2012, 03:21 PM

Have done our 29D twice since winter. Had an issue first time but found I did not have the line to the fitting tight at the fresh water inlet.
On the first try also forgot to close the by-pass vales on the hot water heater tank.
A learning process.

NoRegrets · 03-26-2012, 07:47 PM

I am a new owner of a Greyhawk (2010 31FK), and from reading the comments on this thread, there are NO other valves that need to be controlled except for those on the utility panel...is that correct??? That is everything (winterizing, sanitizing, fill, normal) is done from these two three-position valves.

I posted a question in the general chat area about not being able to get water to pump from the tank. Everything works OK in city fixture mode, but when I go to normal I have no luck. Most of the advice so far has been to find another valve like TTs have. But I haven't been able to find one. If there is one, it seems to be behind a panel under the bathroom vanity.

Ran out of time tonight. I am going to try and experiment tomorrow with a jug of water outside and the panel set for winterize lines. From the schematic of the hoses and valves I do see, that should be water to the faucets via the pump.

Any advice is appreciated from other Greyhawk owners. God knows the dealer hasn't been able to provide any. They told me you need to open/close the valves and the manual should tell me what to do.

MichaelD · 03-26-2012, 08:51 PM

NoRegrets,

On mine. Once I have water in the fresh water tank using "City Fill (1&6)", I set the valves to "Normal (3&5)", turn water pump on, open a water faucet, the pump starts and water flows in a few seconds.

NoRegrets · 03-28-2012, 09:15 PM

Thanks Mike for the confirmation. With that information, and from everything I have read in the manual and looked over (and double looked over) in the MH, it sounds like there are no additional valves to control.

I tried my experiment of putting the panel in sanitize/winterize lines (2&4) with a jug of water outside to suck from with no luck. It looks like my pump might be bad. It runs, but never generates any suction.

Any experiences on how the pumps usually fail? I assumed it would be in the motor, and not the pump part...but mine is indicating otherwise.

Albertaguy · 03-29-2012, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classact

I had similar issues on my Melbourne not sucking up the antifreeze. I bought a small winterizing hand pump from Camping World for less then $10 and it works like a charm. Once all the lines are blown out, just pump the coolaid through the lines. Helps to have a 2nd person to assist. In truth, if all the water is blown out of the lines, using antifreeze is really just an extra precaution. But I'm generally exta-cautious, so there you go.

I would be very careful in blowing out my lines only. I have seen too many units with frozen lines by using this method (myself included). It takes approx. 1 1/2 jugs of juice to winterize and less than an hour to complete. Why take the chance?

cyclops · 09-30-2012, 08:44 PM

Mike, did you get this problem resolved? I have a 2012 31FK, tried to winterized today, and appears to have the same problem, pump runs but does not suck up the antifreezes my pump does work in Normal position, and with some coaxing I can get it to pull water into the tank in the country fill position, just doesn't like the winterizing setup. Thanks!

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