Discovered while Winterizing

[mpawilliams]

This weekend I traveled to another state to winterize my 2006 28' Safari with s/o and discovered something that I completely missed when I did my pre-purchase inspection last Spring. I dumped four gallons of antifreeze into the fresh water tank, turned on the water pump and was able to get a stream of pink from both the kitchen faucet and the bathroom faucet. Nothing came from the shower fixture (even with the head removed), and the sound of the pump seemed to change. I went outside to inspect, and found that at least two gallons of antifreeze had leaked onto the ground. Upon looking further, I determined that the tank's white drain valve was closed, but that there were drips coming from two petcocks (in closed position) visible between the two curbside tires. These are placed within two inches of one another, and seem to have something to do with the sheet metal which I'm guessing protects the water tank. I repeated the whole process again, with identical results. Can anybody tell me what has happened to my AS that the seller didn't both to tell me about? Thanks!

[btowntincan]

The white valve drains the fresh tanks. The metal petcocks are (I believe) downstream from the pump in the pressurized lines. So if they were open it would pump out there.

I don't put antifreeze in the FW tanks, I just drain them for the winter. My rig is set up with a really cheap way to switch from "water tanks" to a short, open tube that is directly upstream from the pump. I put the tube in the antifreeze to distribute it around the systems in the trailer.

I don't think putting antifreeze in the fresh tank or the hot water tank is a great idea - probably makes flushing them back out in the spring pretty involved.

[cwf]

the 'petcocks' are the 'low point drains'. If they are screwed all the way 'in' they are fully OPEN.