Freezeguard

[gregdan24]

Getting ready to winterize the plumbing. Searched and read manuals and can't find instructions on how to winterize with RV antifreeze using this connection. They explained during the PDI, but guess I forgot that part. Can anyone shed any light on this?

Also, the water heater bypass is in the basement panel - seems a long way from the water heater which is in back. Does winterizing with this bypass on leave lines to and from the water heater without antifreeze in them?

Also, instructions I've read say it takes 6 gallons of antifreeze. I can't imagine that as I do my mobile home (deer camp) with 2 or 3 gallons. What's it really take for most?

Thanks for any advice. -Greg

[jim n deb]

Do like we are going to do and just go where it is warm enought that you don't have to winterize it. jim

[Joeagrant]

Drain the grey and black water tanks, and leave the valves open so the antifreeze and water will run out of all the tank lines. Connect a hose to the fitting marked as winterize, and put the other end in a bottle of antifreeze. Turn on the water pump. Switch the lever to bypass the water heater, then go inside and run each fixture until the antifreeze runs out. I connect the outdoor shower to the black tank flush and run that through to make sure the anti backflow valve in the flusher has antifeeeze in it. (I learned this the hard way) This will take care of both the shower line, and the flush line. After all the inside fixtures are running anti freeeze, open the two low drain valves and let the antifreeze run through them also. Open the drain valve for the fresh water tank and let it drain completely. Remove the anode rod from the water heater and let all of the water drain out of it. It will take three or four gallons of antifreeze. I usually do this at the end of my last camping trip, so I can let the water and antifreeze run into the campground sewer connection.

[hookman]

You will have to buy or make up a hose to draw the antifreeze out of the bottle. I can't say about the amount of antifreeze.

[KTManiac]

If you have a large air compressor, you can blow the water out of the lines and not bother with the anti-freeze stuff. Just remember to regulate the air pressure down to the 40-60 psi range.

Some prefer this method to avoid the anti-freeze taste when you recommission the rig next Spring. We don't drink or cook with the fresh tank water supply anyway, but some do.

[gregdan24]

quote:Originally posted by jim n deb

Do like we are going to do and just go where it is warm enought that you don't have to winterize it. jim

Hey Jim - that's the plan but I can't retire and leave until January!

[gregdan24]

quote:Originally posted by Joeagrant

Drain the grey and black water tanks, and leave the valves open so the antifreeze and water will run out of all the tank lines. Connect a hose to the fitting marked as winterize, and put the other end in a bottle of antifreeze. Turn on the water pump. Switch the lever to bypass the water heater, then go inside and run each fixture until the antifreeze runs out. I connect the outdoor shower to the black tank flush and run that through to make sure the anti backflow valve in the flusher has antifeeeze in it. (I learned this the hard way) This will take care of both the shower line, and the flush line. After all the inside fixtures are running anti freeeze, open the two low drain valves and let the antifreeze run through them also. Open the drain valve for the fresh water tank and let it drain completely. Remove the anode rod from the water heater and let all of the water drain out of it. It will take three or four gallons of antifreeze. I usually do this at the end of my last camping trip, so I can let the water and antifreeze run into the campground sewer connection.

Thanks Joe - will that get the lines to and from the water heater too?

[c214dick]

Before you get ready to blow out the lines take out the hot water heater plug and open the pressure release valve. That will allow the water heater to drain. Whe you blow the lines the excess water will blow out of the heater as well.

I usually blow out the lines when I think we are done for the season but there is always the chance for one more time. Before the first hard freeze I do use the RV anti freeze as well. It's cheap enough and only takes a little over a gallon. I figure I have to sanitize the system before going out again in the Spring so it's no extra work.

The best advise is to go where it's warm so we will be going to Florida but not until December.

[bncinwv]

Pure Genius!!! I absolutely am amazed at the ideas that one can learn from this forum. The use of the outside shower to put the pink stuff in the black tank sprayer is now an official part of my winterizing process. Thanks Joeagrant!!! I had been using air, but this takes all of the worry out of winterizing since I am a strong proponent of the pink stuff rather than air!! By the way, on our 3400, it usually takes about 3 and 1/2 gallons and at the most 4 gallons to cover everything including winterizing our Splendide washer, water in all the traps, etc.
Bingo

[KTManiac]

I do the same as c214dick near the end of camping season, when there may be an occasional, unexpected freeze. I use air when it is likely that we may get in some more camping, then use antifreeze when we are sure that we are done 'til Spring, usually some time in December. The only thing I might add, is that I also blow out the P-traps in the kitchen and bathroom sinks and pour in some antifreeze to keep the tanks from venting foul air back into the trailer through the sink drains. The shower does not have a P-trap, it has a rubber flapper valve device to prevent backflow that does not hold water.

I find that I use about half an much of the pink stuff if I open all of the faucets and use the low-point drains to gravity-drain the pipes first. The only down side is that you get the dreaded faucet sputtering when the system is getting the air out of the pipes.

The plus side? You know for certain that the pink stuff is at full concentration everywhere in the system(including the P-traps and holding tanks), and not as diluted(reduced protection) as it "might possibly" be by any water previously in the pipes.

[azleflyer]

I use the air compressor to blow out the supply lines after opening the low point drains and remove the anode from the water heater, then I open up all the faucets, including the shower head. I still put the "pink stuff" in all of the p-traps [enough to pass through the P-trap and into the tank. I also pour some in the black tank through the toilet. It has worked well for me, however knowing that your climate is a lot different than here in Texas it may not work for you.

[gregdan24]

Got the winterizing done. Every line has antifreeze in it except the one I was concerned about - the hot water line from the water heater to the front. My water heater is in the back and the bypass valve is up front in the basement convenience center. Took panels off behind the convenience center and the water heater so I could see what was going on. It's a real spaghetti factory behind the convenience center!

I blew everything out with air first so will hope nothing bad happens with that line.

I got it done with 2 1/2 gallons of RV antifreeze. One thing I did when done was open the plumbing drains and faucets and caught the antifreeze that ran out. Used that in the drains.

[gregdan24]

Bumping - still am curious about how the line from the WH to the front of the 5er gets antifreeze if anyone knows the answer.

To recap, ours has a rear WH and a front convenience center that contains the WH bypass valve.

Thanks,

[bncinwv]

I guess one could leave the hot water bypass turned off and see if pink stuff comes out from where the anode rod was removed for draining when the pump is turned off and all faucets closed. I have never really thought about it before.
Bingo

[gregdan24]

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

I guess one could leave the hot water bypass turned off and see if pink stuff comes out from where the anode rod was removed for draining when the pump is turned off and all faucets closed. I have never really thought about it before.
Bingo

Thanks for the reply. I did do that and yes, pink came out the anode hole, so the line "to" the WH got winterized. But I didn't see any sign that the line "from" the WH got anything in it. I don't believe there's any way for that to happen using the Freezeguard connection.

I'm about to go to the old standby way I do my mobile home "deer camp". That is to use a pressurized tank or some other way to force antifreeze through a faucet or the washer hookups backwards through the system. Either that or install another bypass right at the WH and do it the old fashioned way.

Thanks again,

Greg

[KathyandDave]

Somewhere, I've missed out on why we use the hot water bypass. Is it to keep the pink out of the WH?
I used compressed air for the first time last year. It worked very well. The Monty was parked outside in temperatures that broke the Corian countertop, but no problems with the water pipes. With compressed air, you can blow the WH feed line with the anode removed to make sure the water is drained from the WH, then put the anode back in the hole and blow the return line through the drain lines. I would blow through the bypass, too. Don't forget the washer rough-in lines!
I put pink in all of the p-traps and on into the black and grey tanks.

[grampachet]

I use air and blow out the waterlines, then use winterized windshield fluid in the pee traps.

[KathyandDave]

Grampchet, how do you adapt the compressed air line to the city water inlet (if that's how you connect it)? xnavydiver helped me last year - he had a rubber tip for the compressed air hand unit and stuck it right into the city water inlet.
At the Goshen rally this year, I saw that some people have put valves into the washer lines in the basement or convenience centre because the taps can't be accessed once the washer/dryer is installed. This might complicate or simplify the winterizing - not sure which...And, don't forget the cross-feed line to the fresh water tank.

[oldelmer1]

quote:Originally posted by KathyandDave

how do you adapt the compressed air line to the city water inlet

I use one of these:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...-out-plug/4410

Then I just connect my little old Sears tire inflator onto the end.

[KathyandDave]

...tire inflator...
Aha! I have the adapter, but couldn't figure out how to connect to it. Ya gotta love the MOC!