Winterizing question

[KillerIsMe]

Hello all.

This is my first time winterizing our Eagle HT 27.5 RLTS. Everything was pretty straightforward with our previous Jay Feather but this one is a little (a lot) different.

Access to the water pump is behind a removable panel in the basement. I see the water pump and the antifreeze hose. The pump has two valves on its lines - I just reversed them so I figure that's correct. I haven't sucked up the antifreeze yet because the battery is dead (trailer is way out the driveway so I'll be using the battery to run the pump) and I have it on the charger right now but I'm sure I'll be fine there. I drained the water heater and opened up one of the low point drains.

Now my questions:

1. To save my life I can't find the water heater bypass valves. It's tight in that basement and the access panel is small so Jayco did me no favors there. Any ideas?

2. The basement door, driver's side, has the "Low Point Drain" label but I'll be danged if I can find a drain. Again, any ideas?

Any help would be appreciated. I'm trying to avoid calling "customer service", such as it is.

Hope you're all having a great Fall (season, not a literal fall).

Tom

[DNelson]

On our HT 28.5 only the valve come into the pump has to be changed to draw antifreeze from a container. On ours if you change the discharge side the antifreeze will go to the fresh water tank not the water lines you want to protect. Ask me how I know that....

The HT 28.5 drains are directly below the outside water connections. They are against the outside wall on our trailer. Not sure on yours.

The water heater bypass on ours is under the pantry closet but I don't know if you have a pantry closet in the 27.5.

Good luck!

[ALJO]

They valves are always on the back of the water heater except those RV's who have the large valve panel.
If you see the drain pipes sticking out below, the valves are right above those lines possible in the basement behind the panel.

[hankb11]

The water heater is under the kitchen sink. There is a panel to the left you have to remove. The low point drains are in the removable panel with the water pump. There are two T fitting near the outside wall.

[KillerIsMe]

Originally Posted by hankb11

The water heater is under the kitchen sink. There is a panel to the left you have to remove. The low point drains are in the removable panel with the water pump. There are two T fitting near the outside wall.

Thanks for the reply Hannk.


I see those two t-fittings along the outside wall. They don't pull up or push down and they turn freely. Is that what is supposed to happen? I turn them but no water comes out of the lines underneath. I opened the low point drain in the back under the rear bumper and water came out of there. Makes me feel like I'm missing something with the t-fittings.

Tom

[2nOZ]

The T fittings should pull straight up. Sometimes they are a bit stiff.

[KillerIsMe]

Originally Posted by 2nOZ

The T fittings should pull straight up. Sometimes they are a bit stiff.

I'll give that a go. Thanks to the folks on this thread I was able to get the winterizing done today. I didn't open the t-fittings or blow out the black tank flush but will get those tomorrow. One thing that was mystifying though was that there is only one bypass on the water heater. My previous unit had two. Must be the way it is - I only used a gallon of antifreeze.

Tom

[Burchie70]

There should be two valves to turn for the bypass for the hot water tank. Also the low point drains do pull up hard. The first time I did mine I used a pair of pliers to pull them up. If you don’t see the other valve for the bypass let me know and I’ll take a picture of mine and post it tomorrow.

[KillerIsMe]

Originally Posted by Burchie70

There should be two valves to turn for the bypass for the hot water tank. Also the low point drains do pull up hard. The first time I did mine I used a pair of pliers to pull them up. If you don’t see the other valve for the bypass let me know and I’ll take a picture of mine and post it tomorrow.

I went back in but I can not see two valve shut-offs at the water heater. There is one right behind the panel that's obvious, if a little hard to reach, but I do not see another one. If the second one is in a spot I can't see it's also a spot I won't be able to reach. If it's not too much trouble a picture would sure be appreciated. Thank you my friend.

Tom

[DonaandDon]

Did you get any pink antifreeze out of the water heater when you drained it? In either case I would give it a good flush from that drain port.

Not sure on your pump, but most have a cup strainer and it should be unscrewed and poured out after everything is completed. One spring I found water all over the cargo area when de-winterizing. Yea, cracked over the winter.

Most will say to open the low point drains but I never have. Guess I'm lucky with that one.

[Burchie70]

Give me an hour and when I get home I’ll take a picture and post it

[Burchie70]

This is what my 2017 27.5 looks like. There’s a white valve on top(hot water out) and a black valve on the bottom(cold water in) on the backside of the line which is hard to see. The two valves face each other when bypassed.

[Stoverwis]

Have same jayco I think mines a 5 th wheel. Best to go to jayco and with the ser # down load your manual. On the pump you only turn the 1/4 valve that’s on the plastic hose. If you turn the other valve you will fill the fresh water tank only. Leave that one in normal position that way you will pump antifreeze thru the plumbing system. I recommend that you download the manual and study it before you try winterizing. Also the hot water by pass valves are under the kitchen counter behind a large panel that s puzzle to get out you have to remove on left under sink. Still a bear to reach but that’s where mine is.

[Nodaker]

Some water heaters only have one bypass valve. The other line incudes a one-way or back-flow preventer that keeps anti-freeze from flowing back into the tank.