Water pump Issue with Winterizing - Montana Owners Club

glendodom · 11-09-2018, 06:58 PM

I have a 3-month-old Montana 3721RL and was trying to use the water pump to winterize but got issues. When I followed directions of draining the hot water heater, closing the water heater by-pass valve and moving the value to winterize with a hose connected to the Freeze Guard hose bib and into a gallon of antifreeze, I turned the pump on.

Initially the pump comes on and no antifreeze being sucked up. Finally after doing a couple on and offs, lifting the antifreeze to a higher level, it seemed to begin pulling some in. After about a gallon it stopped sucking. Now when I turn it on, the pump simply runs and isn't pulling up any antifreeze.

CW tech said that there was probably a valve behind the HW that was in an open position? Since I have it in by-pass mode, I didn't see where that would matter at this point but I pulled the panel and they aren't any valves behind the HW? The only value looking device I could ever find outside of he central control box was a valve up in under the BR cabinet. It looks like the main city water line comes in from the central control box and goes underbelly then back up to this cabinet to this value configuration and then back out and down into the belly. Attached is a picture of the value, even though it isn't an on/off type valve. Not sure what it is? Has anyone figured this one out?

I took the lines off the in and outlet at the pump and there was antifreeze there, plus I got antifreeze through all my faucets but the pump never pumped the lines up to pressure to cut off. Ultimately I never got antifreeze to the ice-maker which was my main intent.

Any suggestions, other than dragging it back to the dealer?

**DQDick** · 11-09-2018, 07:17 PM

The "valve" in the picture is the backflow preventer on the black tank flush that frequently causes issues, but not with winterizing.

browens62 · 11-09-2018, 07:19 PM

first year with our rv. Same problem. Not a 100% for sure, but i believe that it becomes air locked. i opened and closed the low point drain and it worked.

next year, i will be making a 5 gal water jug into a winterizing tanks.

ice box: just push the reset button until the water turns pink

**scottz** · 11-09-2018, 11:12 PM

I had the same issue with mine; found it difficult to get the water pump to draw through through the winterizing port. Make sure you have a good seal at the hose attached to the winterizing port, keep the intake hose as short as possible and elevate the container of anti-freeze. Finally worked for me.

Mudchief · 11-10-2018, 07:03 AM

Open the cold water low point valve until it starts to pump and then turn it off.

Md.FireFighter 3791RD · 11-10-2018, 08:44 AM

In your winterizing intake were you suck antifreeze out of the gallon jug,there is a one way valve, take out the cone looking screen and flip it around and install it that way it pushes the valve open manually instead of the pump trying to suck it open, then hook hose to the inlet and should suck it up now faster. Had the same problem last year doing mine the first time winterizing camper . I talked to a service guy who winterizes and he said there are some valves that are to hard to suck open with the

pump. After your done flip the cone screen around for next season or the city water will shoot out of winterizing intake next time hooked to city water/campgroung water. Good luck.

glendodom · 11-10-2018, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Md.FireFighter 3791RD

In your winterizing intake were you suck antifreeze out of the gallon jug,there is a one way valve, take out the cone looking screen and flip it around and install it that way it pushes the valve open manually instead of the pump trying to suck it open, then hook hose to the inlet and should suck it up now faster. Had the same problem last year doing mine the first time winterizing camper . I talked to a service guy who winterizes and he said there are some valves that are to hard to suck open with the

pump. After your done flip the cone screen around for next season or the city water will shoot out of winterizing intake next time hooked to city water/campgroung water. Good luck.

Thanks, I tried that and initially thought it resolved my problem. It started sucking but at a certain point seemed to lose its prime. I could crack the low port drain valve and let a combination of air/antifreeze out and it would again start pumping but soon after closing the drain port it would again seem to lose prime. After doing this numerous times all I was doing was recirculating antifreeze.

I have antifreeze at all faucets. My main issue is not being able to get the pump to stabilize with pressure and cut off whereas in time the icemaker would cycle and finally get anti-freeze through the icemaker. This is the way I understand the process should work?

It seems like the pump itself isn't sealing off with pressure to ultimately cut off? I guess I will end up taking it to the dealer.

browens62 · 11-10-2018, 10:53 AM

glendodom

same issue, but was able to work thru it and the ice maker is winterized

**scottz** · 11-10-2018, 10:56 AM

The winterizing valve is what keeps the city water pressure from the winterizing port. I completely removed the check valve from my winterizing port; no issues.

I think my main problem getting the pump to prime from the winterizing port was a poor seal between the port and the hose going to the anti freeze jug. I need to work on this some more; I've had problems every time. I may install a winterizing kit like my last trailer had (no winterizing port); it has permanent connections to an intake line; never had a problem with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Permane...e+rv+kit&psc=1

Attached is a drawing of my convenience center plumbing; your plumbing may not be the same.

vacationer · 11-12-2018, 11:35 AM

Ya same issue so next time going to lift it up higher. I used my own pump and forced it in

glendodom · 11-18-2018, 02:03 PM

Finally took it back into CW and they are now replacing the faulty water pump under warranty. It was the pressure switch but they are replacing the total water pump. I had finally got antifreeze pumped into all outlets to include the ice-maker but the pump simply keep running and would not pressure up and cut off.

kozzy · 11-18-2018, 02:36 PM

i have the same issue, I took the one way valve out, and it worked fine. Next year ill try the backwards screen trick...

vipermanden · 11-18-2018, 06:47 PM

Sheesh, I wish I would have read this thread yesterday when we got home from our 9 week RV trip, and came back home to Tahoe where it was going to be in the 20's, so I hooked up two different hose setups to the winterizing intake only to have them leaking all over the place. Panicking, I thought now what can I do, and the wife DW comes over and says you have a sump pump in the garage, just put the antifreeze in a bucket, and push the antifreeze into the fill of the fresh tank, and use the water pump to winterize everything. Worked really well, but i had to use a few more gallons than normal doing it this way. The DW's are good for something every now and then.

belldog · 11-18-2018, 08:06 PM

I think there is a valve in winterize intake. I used a smaller hose inside of normal freshwater hose. The smaller hose presses on valve and allows antifreeze to be sucked into rv.

Texan · 11-18-2018, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glendodom

Finally took it back into CW and they are now replacing the faulty water pump under warranty. It was the pressure switch but they are replacing the total water pump. I had finally got antifreeze pumped into all outlets to include the ice-maker but the pump simply keep running and would not pressure up and cut off.

This would be a good time to change from the Flo-jet to the Shurflo water pump. Shurflo is much more quite and installs the same as the factory pump. You might want to inquire with CW about swapping pumps. Good luck.

**scottz** · 11-18-2018, 11:52 PM

My OEM (Flowjet) water pump failed after 9 months because Keystone does not install strainers on the input and all the dirt/sawdust in the system destroyed the pump.

I replaced it with a Sureflow and strainer; I'm very happy with it; much quieter. Flojet also sent me a replacement under warranty, but I couldn't wait on it.

Renegade1LI · 11-19-2018, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vipermanden

Sheesh, I wish I would have read this thread yesterday when we got home from our 9 week RV trip, and came back home to Tahoe where it was going to be in the 20's, so I hooked up two different hose setups to the winterizing intake only to have them leaking all over the place. Panicking, I thought now what can I do, and the wife DW comes over and says you have a sump pump in the garage, just put the antifreeze in a bucket, and push the antifreeze into the fill of the fresh tank, and use the water pump to winterize everything. Worked really well, but i had to use a few more gallons than normal doing it this way. The DW's are good for something every now and then.

I basically do it that way all the time, I put a few gals into a 5 gal bucket & pump through the winterize port. Using a small submersible that put out about 20 psi feeds the pump & overcomes the check valve & I get antifreeze to everything. I've been doing it this way for years & never an issue. A couple campers I put a hose adapter on the bypass & then toggle the valve to back feed into the tank. One camper had a gravity fill so I just pour a few gals into the tank & use the pump. It also works out running antifreeze through the pool cover pump.

jetskier · 11-19-2018, 10:03 AM

I had a similar issues with priming. I simply doubled up the hose rubber washer at the winterizing port and that solved the problem.

harris71 · 11-30-2018, 04:27 PM

We winterized our 3100RL last week. We experienced the same issue with the pump not drawing antifreeze from the jug. We found that if you open one of the faucets (bath, kitchen, doesn't matter) it started sucking the antifreeze in. It seems the pump won't pull from the winterize port until there is demand for fluid. Just my 2 cents.

Md.FireFighter 3791RD · 11-30-2018, 04:41 PM

Well you were lucky then. My 3791rd has the hand shower in that compartment and would not work and its 2 feet away from pump. But glad it worked for you that way.

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