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Old 10-15-2016, 09:24 AM   #1
mikedesj
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Winterizing with the convenience station

I have a question. Is the winterizing port that you hook the hose to to place in the antifreeze battle supposed to have a heck valve in it. Mine does and the water pump would not overcome it to suck up the antifreeze. I ended up using in one of the cone shaped screen filters backwards so that it would push in on the check valve. Then everything worked fine. I am wondering if Keystone used a city water fill fitting that does have a check valve by error. Also, I did find that screen filter sitting in the bottom of my convenience station. Maybe it was supposed to have been in that port. My unit is a 2016 3711FL, not the 2005 3400RL shown in my pic. I need to update my pic.

 
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Old 10-15-2016, 11:10 AM   #2
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Sorry about the typo's. It should be "bottle" and "check valve"
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Old 10-15-2016, 03:36 PM   #3
Charli
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When we tried to suck the RV antifreeze in during winterizing I found it wasn't drawing very well. I put in a second rubber washer and problem solved. Sucked right in. There was too much air being drawn in at the hose connection and the second Washer made for a tight seal.
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Old 10-15-2016, 04:35 PM   #4
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Could very well have been the thickness of the washer. Some have had to add a second washer. I had to go the opposite. The standard washer was to thick preventing me from being able to tighten the hose connection enough to fully seal. Hose would pop out of the connection. Would not pull the antifreeze. The tiniest air leak will prevent the pump from sucking up the antifreeze. I sanded a washer to a thinner dimension so it would properly tighten and then it worked fine.
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Old 10-17-2016, 01:16 PM   #5
c214dick
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Same problem with my 2016. I feel stupid not being able to suck up the anti freeze. Is there an accurate step by step procedure for doing this fairly simple task. Thx
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Old 10-18-2016, 02:27 AM   #6
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Dick ... Open your low point drains and inside faucets and let water run out ... close low point drains and faucets. Drain hot water heater. Water heater bypass on / winterize on / power fill / normal. Place a second rubber washer in the winterizing port and hook up a short hose that can be placed in your antifreeze jug / turn on pump. Open fauct farthest from pump first until pink comes out then close ... work your way back to the closest one. Others will have to chime in on clothes washer and fridge ice maker how to's.
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Old 10-18-2016, 02:32 AM   #7
c214dick
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Thx. I have done all of those except the extra washer. Will
Try that today.
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Old 10-18-2016, 04:55 AM   #8
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Extra washer did the trick. Thx for the info. You would think that something this simple would be addressed by Keystone.
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Old 10-18-2016, 11:47 AM   #9
mikedesj
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The sad part is the winterizing system is not even mentioned in the useless owners manual. It tells you to pour the antifreeze into the fresh water tank and then pump it from the tank. My biggest complaint about my Montana is the documentation provided. It is lacking. Thanks for the suggestion on the washer. I still question why there is a check valve in line as it is not necessary. (just turn the valve back to normal and it will retain the antifreeze. There is no check valve in the older systems, just the valve.
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Old 10-18-2016, 02:03 PM   #10
jameswbarton
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You will be flushing forever if you pour antifreeze in the fresh tank, Or you could pretend it is Pink Lemonade.
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Old 10-20-2016, 07:11 AM   #11
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After you use the pink to winterize when you want to restart the system in the spring I have found that getting the taste of the pink out of the fresh water system is pretty easy. I do exactly the same procedure that I did to install the pink with this difference. I take an empty gallon bottle or two and add 1 cup of white vinegar to each gallon and then fill with fresh water. I then drain the system using the low point drains with all the faucets open. I then run the pump and use the winterize port with the stub hose in a gallon jug of vinegar water. I run the vinegar water through all the faucets then drain everything again. After this I just hook up the city water connection or fill and use the FW tank and do a short flush using city water. This will neutralize the taste of the pink and will freshen the system. The vinegar method also works after sanitizing the system with bleach.
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Old 10-20-2016, 10:59 AM   #12
c214dick
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That's a great idea for de-winterizing. Going to Fl in Jan so I'll be able to try it.
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Old 12-06-2016, 11:28 PM   #13
MAwolcott
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mikedesj...THANKS for the info on the check valve!! I tried the second washer and that didn't work for me. I installed the screen to open up the check valve and the pink stuff started flowing! Feel a lot better knowing the rig is winterized now. Supposed to have some cold weather this weekend.
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Old 09-15-2017, 10:45 AM   #14
camperdon
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Would not pump antifreeze

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikedesj View Post
I have a question. Is the winterizing port that you hook the hose to to place in the antifreeze battle supposed to have a heck valve in it. Mine does and the water pump would not overcome it to suck up the antifreeze. I ended up using in one of the cone shaped screen filters backwards so that it would push in on the check valve. Then everything worked fine. I am wondering if Keystone used a city water fill fitting that does have a check valve by error. Also, I did find that screen filter sitting in the bottom of my convenience station. Maybe it was supposed to have been in that port. My unit is a 2016 3711FL, not the 2005 3400RL shown in my pic. I need to update my pic.
I had the same problem as Mikedesj. I tried the additional washer and it did not work. Finally took out the screen from the fresh water inlet port, reversed it and put it in the winterizing port. BINGO, it pumped just fine! Thanks for the tip.
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