dewinterize

[pawntan]

I may have to dewinterize early due to the thanksgiving week end trip.
I used the pump to push the pink fluid into the pipes (by opening hot , cold faucets, bath tub etc. until I see the pink fluid came out).

To dewinterize, should I use pump again to push fresh water in, pushing out the pink fluid . After reversing all the valves of course.
Or can I just simply plug the shore water supply and push the pink fluid out using RV park shore water supply directly ?

[mike837go]

I prefer to flush (and fill the water heater) using city water.


Then sanitize using the freshwater tank.

[Jagiven]

I only dewinterize in the spring, so my technique might be a bit different that what is really needed. I usually flush a little through the antifreeze port, then pump a little water out of the tank, just to flush out the hoses around the pump. Then I connect to the city water port, and flush the lines for 10 minutes or more. Near the end I also open up the water heater (all valves in the open position), with the plug and pressure relief open to flush the WH. I will also open and close the WH plug just to fill the tank to rinse the side walls. Then I sanitize, over night.

Just for a weekend of use. I might just flush all the lines for a few minutes to ensure any antifreeze residue is gone, and there is no taste of antifreeze. RV antifreeze is not toxic.

[Scoutr2]

I use the pump, then purge the city water connection by pushing in the check valve at the city water inlet. If you use the city water connection, there will still be some anti-freeze left in the pump and the pump outlet hose - back to the pump outlet check valve (since you used the pump to winterize).

And BTW - I don't recommend putting anti-freeze in the HW heater. That's what the bypass valves are for. When I winterize, I drain the HW heater tank, then bypass the HW heater before pumping anti-freeze throughout the entire system. If you followed that regimen, use the pump to flush out all anti-freeze, then turn the bypass valves back to bring the HW heater back online.

This is the procedure recommended by three dealers - from my Coleman, my Outback TT and my new Jayco TT. It has worked well for me for 15 years without any problems - and I live in central Illinois where the winters get below zero for extended periods.

And when you bypass the HW heater, just leave the tank drain plug out all winter. I usually put the plug in the kitchen sink, so I don't lose it. But during the summer, I drain the HW heater and all the lines any time the trailer sits for more than 2 weeks, so the water doesn't get skunky. And I keep the drain plug behind the HW heater door. It isn't going anywhere.

[Iraqvet05]

x2 on Scoutr2's comments. I don't see the need to sanitize if the anti-freeze hasn't been in the lines that long.

[ctbailey]

Sanitizing is intended to kill organics, like algae and other micro organisms. The sanitizer has zero effect on any residual antifreeze, because it's not an organic.

RV antifreeze is not only nontoxic, it is also essentially sterile.

The "sanitizing" process usually involves two steps; 1) sanitize the system using a oxidizing agent (chlorine is a good choice.). And 2) "rinsing" the system. Dealers sell a twin product kit that includes a sanitizer and a "refreshing agent" that supposedly removes any unwanted taste.

[Flapper]

Actually, the antifreeze we use is a food additive! Sometimes for preservation, sometimes for adding "body", sometimes even for a hint of sweetness. Check the next cake mix or canned frosting (or beer, or whiskey, or a bazillion other things....) Anything with propylene glycol! Hence why it is FDA/USDA approved for RV's, swimming pools, and other water systems. On the other hand...never use automotive antifreeze - that is very toxic!

[Scoutr2]

I usually sanitize each spring, then again about mid-summer. But I drain my water system and HW heater if the camper is going to sit for tywo weeks or more.

I sanitize with bleach in the fresh tank - about 1/4 cup per 10 gallons. Then let it sit for a couple hours, drain, then rinse. Afterward I use about 1/2 cup of baking soda in a full tank, as a freshener - pump it through the lines, let it sit a coupple hours, then flush several times. sweetens everthing up and I can't smell or taste the chlorine.

Never hurts to check the screen on the pump inlet now and again, either. My sister's pump quit working once - the screwen was clogged with algea!