De-winterizing water system/using hot water heater

[AirCanuck]

Hello and welcome to another episode of "help AirCanuck be less nooby"

I'm wondering the best method to flush out the antifreeze in a winterized water system, and how to use the hot water heater so I can use the shower. Currently the military will allow me to camp but not use public facilities due to covid.

Thank you as always for all the help lately everyone!

[Lake Huron]

Start off by keeping the valve configuration in winterize mode. Living on the US/Canada border all my life youd think I'd be smart enough to speak in metrics, but I'm not. So, I'll let you do the conversion. Lol!
1/4 cup of disinfecting bleach for every 10gal of water that your fresh water tank holds. Turn on the pump and flush it thru all your plumbing, but not the hot water heater. Let sit for 12-24 hours. Drain the tank, refill with fresh water, drain it again if you'd like and flush the rest of your plumbing with fresh water.
Once everything is flushed, set your valves for normal use, open the brass blow off valve at the top of your hot water heater to let the air out and fill the hot water tank with fresh water either from the water pump or the city water connection. Once it's full, turn on the propane tanks and turn the blue knob on the top of your old school gas valve to pilot and press the red button down. Gas should start flowing and from your picture it looks like it has an auto ignitor. Once its lit hold the red button down for a few more seconds and let it up. Turn the blue valve to on and it should take off. Give it about 10 minutes, make sure you have running water to your plumbing and send it! Lol!

[AirCanuck]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

Start off by keeping the valve configuration in winterize mode. Living on the US/Canada border all my life youd think I'd be smart enough to speak in metrics, but I'm not. So, I'll let you do the conversion. Lol!
1/4 cup of disinfecting bleach for every 10gal of water that your fresh water tank holds. Turn on the pump and flush it thru all your plumbing, but not the hot water heater. Let sit for 12-24 hours. Drain the tank, refill with fresh water, drain it again if you'd like and flush the rest of your plumbing with fresh water.
Once everything is flushed, set your valves for normal use, open the brass blow off valve at the top of your hot water heater to let the air out and fill the hot water tank with fresh water either from the water pump or the city water connection. Once it's full, turn on the propane tanks and turn the blue knob on the top of your old school gas valve to pilot and press the red button down. Gas should start flowing and from your picture it looks like it has an auto ignitor. Once its lit hold the red button down for a few more seconds and let it up. Turn the blue valve to on and it should take off. Give it about 10 minutes, make sure you have running water to your plumbing and send it! Lol!

Very detailed, thank you! A few questions

Is disinfecting bleach different from normal bleach? How do I introduce it into the system, mix it with water and add that to the holding tank, fill the holding tank right up with water?

My valves are configured as pictured below - is that proper for winterization? And what do I change when I want to use it? Furthermore, does valve configuration change based on if I am using hot water or not, or do I set it for the camping season and then change it for the winter?

"turn the pump on and flush it through the system" I don't exactly understand how to do this. I see the pump switch - what do I need to do to get the system to circulate?

To drain the tank - would that be via the manual drain I see on the bottom of the tank? Looks like a little valve?

To open the pressure relief valve - I see it, not sure how to operate it. Just stand up the metal tab?

Once I have hot water, do I leave the hot water heater on at all times, or only for the 10 minutes before I take a shower etc?

Thank you so much! Sorry for all the questions. Always worried I'll screw something up in this thing!

[Lake Huron]

Theres 2 types of bleach, the thick stuff that is used to keep your clothes white and the thin stuff that is used to sanitize, and for laundry. Itll say right on the jug if its can be used to sterilize. Normally I'll mix it with say a gallon of water and pour that into the tank and fill it with water. Adding straight bleach is kind of harsh to things.


From your pic it appears your valves are configured for normal use. When the valve handle is in line with the pipe, it is open. When its turned 90* it is closed. To winterize you would close the bottom and top valves, and open the valve in the middle. The bottom is the inlet to the heater and the top is the outlet. Cold water in the bottom and hot water comes out the top.

When you have water in the tank, turn the pump on and it should pump water pressure into the lines ready to use. As you use water it will automatically turn on to keep water pressure and turn of when you turn off the faucet.

Yes, your drain in on the bottom on the outside of the heater.

The pressure relief valve opens by just pulling up on the metal tab.

Once you have hot water, the heater will automatically turn off. Keep the gas on and as you use hot water it will automatically turn on and off as needed to heat the water. Once you are done with your trip and headed home and/or storing it between trips shut the gas off. No need in using gas to make hot water if it's in storage. I keep water in my heater all season and don't drain it out until I'm done for the year. Just make sure there is water in it at the start of the season before you put the heat to it, otherwise you'll burn it up.

More questions, just ask. That's what we are all here for.

[AirCanuck]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

Theres 2 types of bleach, the thick stuff that is used to keep your clothes white and the thin stuff that is used to sanitize, and for laundry. Itll say right on the jug if its can be used to sterilize. Normally I'll mix it with say a gallon of water and pour that into the tank and fill it with water. Adding straight bleach is kind of harsh to things.


From your pic it appears your valves are configured for normal use. When the valve handle is in line with the pipe, it is open. When its turned 90* it is closed. To winterize you would close the bottom and top valves, and open the valve in the middle. The bottom is the inlet to the heater and the top is the outlet. Cold water in the bottom and hot water comes out the top.

When you have water in the tank, turn the pump on and it should pump water pressure into the lines ready to use. As you use water it will automatically turn on to keep water pressure and turn of when you turn off the faucet.

Yes, your drain in on the bottom on the outside of the heater.

The pressure relief valve opens by just pulling up on the metal tab.

Once you have hot water, the heater will automatically turn off. Keep the gas on and as you use hot water it will automatically turn on and off as needed to heat the water. Once you are done with your trip and headed home and/or storing it between trips shut the gas off. No need in using gas to make hot water if it's in storage. I keep water in my heater all season and don't drain it out until I'm done for the year. Just make sure there is water in it at the start of the season before you put the heat to it, otherwise you'll burn it up.

More questions, just ask. That's what we are all here for.

Thank you! That makes a lot of sense! So with keeping the heater on, I assume it has a pilot light that just runs the whole time? Will it keep cycling on to keep the water hot? I only really plan to use it for the shower once a day. How much propane does that cook through? (Ours is currently set up w a single propane tank which we also use to cook)

If I am unsure if the last owner put antifreeze in the hot tank too, should I run bleach through it as well?

[Lake Huron]

Well, they say assumption is the mother of all foul ups, so... lol!
I'm not real familiar with that style of heater, but looking at the valve it looks like it's an old school one that has a pilot that would stay on all the time once its lit. As far as the amount of gas that pilot would burn thru, I wouldn't imagine it would be much.
As far as running the sanitizing bleach water thru the heater, I do with mine but I know some people don't because the worry of it damaging the unit. Because you got it from someone else and who knows where it's been, what kind of water they run thru it, and like you said if they run antifreeze they it which you're not supposed to do, what kind of heebie jeebies they had and all this COVID nonsense infecting the world, I'd do it. But that's me.

[AirCanuck]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

Well, they say assumption is the mother of all foul ups, so... lol!
I'm not real familiar with that style of heater, but looking at the valve it looks like it's an old school one that has a pilot that would stay on all the time once its lit. As far as the amount of gas that pilot would burn thru, I wouldn't imagine it would be much.
As far as running the sanitizing bleach water thru the heater, I do with mine but I know some people don't because the worry of it damaging the unit. Because you got it from someone else and who knows where it's been, what kind of water they run thru it, and like you said if they run antifreeze they it which you're not supposed to do, what kind of heebie jeebies they had and all this COVID nonsense infecting the world, I'd do it. But that's me.

I think I will too, this time. My manual says to do it. After I got your advice I wondered if it detailed the process and it does, and talks about sanitizing the hw tank too.