Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > MOC Technical Forums > Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-23-2017, 07:56 AM   #1
RKassl
Montana Master
 
RKassl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fall Creek
Posts: 1,328
M.O.C. #3699
One More Winterizing Question

What is the difference between using the Winterizing connection and the fresh water inlet to get antifreeze into the water system of the Montana?

Thanks
 
__________________
Bob and Nancy Kassl Fall Creek, Wisconsin
2015 Montana 3440RL Legacy Edition, G614's, Pressure Pro TPMS, Dish Tailgaters
2016 GMC Sierra Denali 3500 CC SRW, Iridium Metallic, Duramax Allison Transmission
RKassl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2017, 08:21 AM   #2
BB_TX
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,133
M.O.C. #6433
Unless I am mistaken, the water pump does not suck water in thru the fresh water inlet, only thru the winterizing inlet. You can use the fresh water inlet if you have an external pump to pump the antifreeze with. They do sell kits to do just that for RVs that do not have the winterizing function built in.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-36003-H...nterizing+pump
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
BB_TX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2017, 08:47 AM   #3
RKassl
Montana Master
 
RKassl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fall Creek
Posts: 1,328
M.O.C. #3699
Thanks, you are right
RKassl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2017, 11:51 AM   #4
billybeesley
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Webster
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #20745
Quote:
Originally Posted by BB_TX View Post
Unless I am mistaken, the water pump does not suck water in thru the fresh water inlet, only thru the winterizing inlet. You can use the fresh water inlet if you have an external pump to pump the antifreeze with. They do sell kits to do just that for RVs that do not have the winterizing function built in.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-36003-H...nterizing+pump
I am trying to put antifreeze into my winterizing connection. I hook up the garden hose to the connection, put the hose into the antifreeze jug and turn on the pump. But the hose does not draw the antifreeze from the gallon jug. Any suggestions?
billybeesley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2017, 11:53 AM   #5
billybeesley
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Webster
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #20745
Quote:
Originally Posted by RKassl View Post
Thanks, you are right
Did you get the antifreeze into your "winterizing connection"? I have not been able to. Any tricks you can pass along?
billybeesley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2017, 12:39 PM   #6
Theunz
Montana Master
 
Theunz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Catoosa
Posts: 772
M.O.C. #18384
Try putting an extra washer in your hose. Sometimes the hose fitting bottoms out before the washer seats. If there is not an airtight seal it will just suck air. You can also try moving the hose rapidly up and down in the jug in order to force a little antifreeze to the pump. Seem that it never goes just right!
Theunz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2017, 02:28 PM   #7
BB_TX
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,133
M.O.C. #6433
As noted, make sure you have a good tight seal on the hose connection. Then try first opening one of your low point drains to get initial flow started.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
BB_TX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2017, 03:49 PM   #8
billybeesley
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Webster
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #20745
Quote:
Originally Posted by Theunz View Post
Try putting an extra washer in your hose. Sometimes the hose fitting bottoms out before the washer seats. If there is not an airtight seal it will just suck air. You can also try moving the hose rapidly up and down in the jug in order to force a little antifreeze to the pump. Seem that it never goes just right!

Thanks for your suggestions. I put an extra washer in, and then sealed it even better with duck tape. Should be airtight. I also tried moving the hose up and down to simulate a flow.....but still, the pump doesn't seem to want to suck in the antifreeze. Frustrating.

I wonder why Keystone makes this so difficult?
billybeesley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2017, 06:01 PM   #9
Mudchief
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Paola
Posts: 5,739
M.O.C. #4961
You have to have a faucet open to get the pump to draw. The last thing I do is connect the outdoor shower to the main water inlet and pump some thru there.
__________________
Dennis & Linda Ward
Paola, Kansas
Montana 3735MK Legacy Edition
1200 watts of Solar
Mudchief is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2017, 06:39 PM   #10
BB_TX
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,133
M.O.C. #6433
You did turn your switch to the winterize position?
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
BB_TX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2017, 06:52 PM   #11
Md.FireFighter 3791RD
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: WESTMINSTER
Posts: 159
M.O.C. #20081
Send a message via AIM to Md.FireFighter 3791RD Send a message via MSN to Md.FireFighter 3791RD Send a message via Yahoo to Md.FireFighter 3791RD
I just went through this last week. I blew out line first then attached a two foot hose to the winterizing hook up and nothing but a few spurts and a gargling sounds. Call the service dept.at the dealer and the guy told me he knew the problem i was having by the voice mail i left him about what all i did to this point. He told me to turn around the cone screen were hose hooks up to backwards to push in the valve inside there. While on the phone with him said just do the shower in that compartment first ,so i did worked perfect. Also when your done put screen back the way it was but and push in the valve to let anti-freeze out and also the valve were your campground water hooks up to winterize that also. He said the pump has a hard time sucking the valve open to draw the pink stuff in. Hope this helps.
Md.FireFighter 3791RD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2017, 06:39 PM   #12
billybeesley
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Webster
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #20745
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudchief View Post
You have to have a faucet open to get the pump to draw. The last thing I do is connect the outdoor shower to the main water inlet and pump some thru there.
I had the bathroom faucet open. Just didn't want to draw the antifreeze in. I will try again. Thanks.
billybeesley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2017, 06:40 PM   #13
billybeesley
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Webster
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #20745
Quote:
Originally Posted by BB_TX View Post
You did turn your switch to the winterize position?

Yes....turned the switch to the winterize position. By-passed the water heater. Still struggling with this problem. But you guys are encouraging me. Thanks.
billybeesley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2017, 08:43 PM   #14
CORattler
Montana Master
 
CORattler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 3,335
M.O.C. #10496
I never did like the idea of putting antifreeze in my plumbing. I use compressed air only and never had an issue in all the time I've had RVs.
Good luck with your winterizing.
__________________
2010 3150RL
LevelUp, Dual 6 volt batteries, Progressive Industries EMS HW50C, Honda EU2000i Generator, Bridgestone Duravis R250 tires, Torklift Glowstep Revolution Stairs, LED Tail lights
2015 RAM 3500 Laramie SRW LB CC Cummins 6.7L Aisin Trans B&W RVK3600
CORattler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2017, 09:27 AM   #15
JABURKHOLDER
Montana Master
 
JABURKHOLDER's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Cuyahoga Falls
Posts: 699
M.O.C. #18572
The first time I tried the "winterizing connection" I had the same problem. Turns out the connection behind the convenience center was loose.
__________________
ATC/NAC Jerry A. Burkholder, USN (RET.)

Rule #1. The Chief is always right.
Rule #2. When in doubt, refer to rule #1.
JABURKHOLDER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2017, 11:27 AM   #16
billybeesley
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Webster
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #20745
Quote:
Originally Posted by JABURKHOLDER View Post
The first time I tried the "winterizing connection" I had the same problem. Turns out the connection behind the convenience center was loose.
That does make sense. I think I might have the same issue. When I put on the hose, it tightens well....but the connection behind the center might be sucking air.

Ok...I'm not giving up....will keep on trying. Thanks so much for your messages.

Billy
billybeesley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2017, 02:09 PM   #17
billybeesley
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Webster
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #20745
I have partially succeeded. I warmed up the hose and attached to the Winterizing connection. Then I borrowed some modeling clay from my school's art department and covered the connection with clay. The connection sealed and it began to slowly draw the antifreeze into the camper. I ran it through all the lines until the pink stuff came out. Took a while, and I had to squeeze the clay a couple of times. But I think I got 2.5 gallons in.

When I was done, I did check my "emptied" hot water heater and found that even though the hot water bypass was turned on; there was a little antifreeze in the heater. So I've drained that again too.

Hopefully, I am ready for winter.

Next question: I have four six vote batteries in the camper....should those be pulled and stored for the winter? In a previous camper, I had one twelve volt battery and always stored that inside.

Billy
billybeesley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2017, 02:58 PM   #18
gmstrom
Site Team
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Flint
Posts: 478
M.O.C. #11318
Hi Billy,
You might want to start a new thread on your battery question. You'll get more responses that way.
Thanks,
Glenn
gmstrom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2017, 06:55 PM   #19
beeje
Montana Master
 
beeje's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: westminster md
Posts: 2,318
M.O.C. #17894
It still baffles me why a lot of you put yourself through the winterizing BS. RV anti freeze is completely non toxic and can be completely flushed out of the system with a few fills and drains of the fresh water tank and lines.

Simply put 3-4 gallons of anti freeze in the tank and pump it through with the pump through every fixture until you see pink. Don't forget the outside shower/washer hook up/low point drains etc. I can do it in 15 min
beeje is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2017, 08:00 AM   #20
BB_TX
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,133
M.O.C. #6433
I guess I am missing something as I fail to see the BS. Using the built in winterizing feature is simple and straightforward. And no more effort than using the fresh water tank. A few of us had the initial problem used for the first time of getting a good seal. But once that was figured out, it works great. And then spending time to flush the antifreeze out of the fresh water tank is not even something to have to consider. And some people are simply very sensitive to any unusual taste in their water. My DW for one. To each their own.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
BB_TX is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:44 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.