Winterizing help

[ccarey6387]

I just purchased a 04 3670 RL and have a couple questions about winterizing. I pumped rv antifreeze in through the fresh water intake. I bypassed the hot water tank and got pink out of kitchen sink, bathroom sink,shower/sprayer,outside shower and toilet. I unscrewed caps off of the two low hoses under camper and drained. Thought I was done and then look at the hoses in the belly and still see water in one of them.What have I done wrong ?

I also pulled the lever on the black and grey water tanks. What is the third lever under where the fresh water intake is ? I assumed that this was for the freshwater holding tank. Is that correct ? Thanks for your input. Chip

[BB_TX]

Does yours not have a winterizing connection in the convenience center?

Possibilities for the unwinterized pipes are black tank flush or water lines to a clothes washer. Even if you don't have a washer, you may have washer prep meaning the water lines are in place.

The third pull handle is likely the galley (kitchen) grey tank drain. My fresh water drain just has a capped pipe hanging down near the rear.

[ccarey6387]

Thanks for your reply BB TX....It does have a place for a washer and I did not do anything there and that very well could be it. Is the black flush tank the same thing as the black water tank that has a pull handle beside the one labeled grey water or are you talking about something else I haven't found? Thanks for helping this newbe.

[BB_TX]

I have a 2005 model. Don't know what differences there may be. My convenience center has three water hose type connections; fresh water input, winterizing input, and black tank flush input.

For winterizing you can connect one end of a short hose to that connection and the other end dropped into a jug of antifreeze and the on board pump will pump antifreeze thru your pipes. Sounds like you may not have that.

The black tank flush connection allows you to connect a water hose from it to a park water faucet and it sprays water into the black tank helping flush out additional material that may not have gone out in a normal drain. Sounds as though you may not have that either.

[ccarey6387]

Thanks, I will check everything again tomorrow. Hopefully figure it out, if not will take more pics. Appreciate your help.

[CORattler]

Be sure to put pink antifreeze down your washer drain even if you don't have a washer installed. Also open the hot/cold water supply lines until pink antifreeze comes out there. If you don't, you'll be chasing leaks in the Spring.

[Former StClairSailor]

If you hook up a hose to flush the black tank, make sure you have a pressure regulator on the line. Too much pressure and you will blow your anti-siphon valve. If you blow it, it will leak. (First hand experience). It is usually located under a cabinet in the bathroom or island. You will see two white hoses with the black plastic device up near the sink. That's the anti-siphon valve. It prevents the water from your black tank flush line from backing up into your water hose.

[scattershot]

Regarding the washer hookup lines, I installed shutoff valves on mine. Otherwise, the water in those lines grows bacteria and will emit an odor after a while. It's terrible, and usually in the bathroom sink area. If you start getting an odor there, that's what it is.

[BB_TX]

I just noticed a typo in my earlier post. I actually have a 2007 model year.

[ccarey6387]

Thanks for all the input. I traced the line from the picture with the liquid in it and it comes out under the bathroom sink.There are 4 lines under there. The line with the water in it is capped off as seen in pic. What is this and how do I get antifreeze in it ?

I have also included a pic of my water intakes, do you put antifreeze in the intake with the screen shown labeled sewer flusher ?

I did do the washing machine hookups and drain thanks for telling me that reminder. Really glad it is still not freezing temps here WV so I can get this all worked out.

[BB_TX]

Those lines are the black tank flush. The white "cap" is actually an antisiphon/backflow preventor valve to prevent any possible siphoning of water from the black tank. You should pump some antifreeze thru the flush lines also.

[ccarey6387]

Will do that, thanks Bill. Should I have the blank water tank lever open or closed when I do that ?

[BB_TX]

There is just a little water followed by some pink stuff that goes into the black tank when you fill those lines, so it really doesn't matter. I winterize while in storage so mine is always closed.

[BB_TX]

Being a new member, you probably have not yet read about problems with those anti siphon valves. It is a not uncommon problem for those valves to leak. And some, including mine, have failed in such a way as to flood the floor before the flush could be turned off. In my case one of the pipe fitting nipples completely broke off. And some of us have simply eliminated the valve by replacing it with s piece of pipe and use an external anti siphon valve. Keep an eye on yours when you use the flush to make sure it doesn't leak.

[ccarey6387]

This is sure more complicated to winterize than other campers I have owned. Will try this in the next couple of days. Again thanks for your input Bill, it has been really helpful. Chip

[beeje]

Get rid of that valve under the sink for the black tank flush before it floods your camper. Take the panel off behind the convenience center and find the 2 pipes that go into the sink cabinet. Cut them off in the basement in such a way you can connect them together with a sharkbite type fitting. If you are worried about back flow you can put a sharkbite checkvalve in to connect the 2 pipes together.

[Former StClairSailor]

The only time I've seen the anti-siphon valve fail is when high water pressure was used. I've talked to several folks whose valve failed and in each case they did not have a pressure regulator on the hose when flushing the black tank. Not to say it couldn't happen (never say never lol) but when mine failed, I had neglected to put on the regulator while using a separate hose and put over 75 psi through the flush lines. Fortunately, the DW was in the bathroom at the time and we prevented much water from leaking into the bathroom cabinet.

[BB_TX]

Here is a picture of mine after eliminating the valve. And a picture of the failed valve. If you look closely you can see small stress cracks in the body of the valve. I ordered a new valve from the same company that made that one. And the new one I received had the same stress cracks thru out the body of the valve. I sent it back and did not put a new valve in.

[beeje]

BB TX you did not have to go through all that. Simply cut the lines in the basement and leave the dead pipes in the wall and connect the cut pipes toghter.

[BB_TX]

Yeah, but At the time (years ago) I had intended to replace the valve. Until the new one I received also had visible cracks and I started reading other postings about failures. Plus my water lines are behind a panel in the basement in the same area as the furnace. Not easy to get to.