Plumbing and winterizing basics

[ipso_facto]

The temperature is dropping, my frustration is rising because I don't understand what exactly I should do. It is not that cold here in olde Virginny, but it has been consistently 28F at night and in the 50sF during the day. I fear that one of these night it will be more like 22F and something will freeze.

A few months ago I put some water in the fresh water tank, and I wanted to empty that. I opened the faucets and some of it came out, but doesn't seem that as much as I put in it. Weird.

I also tried to open the drain valves which are located under the microwave cabinet (if I found the right ones) but not sure that accomplished anything. Where would the water come out? I don't get it.

Is there something else basic I should be doing? Like blowing air through the system?

Here is the crypic owner's manual:


DRAIN VALVE

The fresh water tank may be emptied by pumping the water cut with the self-contained water pump. Simply turn on the pump switch and open a couple of faucets until the water will no longer come out. On all models there is also a petcock type drain valve located in the roadside wheel well (curbside on 25 ft. models) between the tires that may be used to drain the fresh water tank.

All models have a drain plug or petcock on the water heater. Access is from exterior.

Rear bath models have two line drain valves located in the rear access compartments.

The Sovereign side bath models the line drains in the wardrobe down in the water tank well. The valve or valves are below floor level and are difficult to see without a flashlight.

Limited and Excella models have an additional (3 total) valve in the tank well, plus one under the rear bed behind the water heater.

The drain valves do not have stops. Pull up and turn about 3 times to open. Push down and turn to close.



"a petcock type drain valve located in the roadside wheel well" --- don't understand what this means and where it is. I extensively looked for it and couldn't find it.

[dscluchfc]

Ipso, look under your trailer in the middle, where the fresh water tank is located. On the pan of the water tank cover, there is an access door for the plug in the bottom of the fresh water tank. On this same side, between the wheels is a petcock valve....faucet type looking thing that you can drain the fresh water tank with by opening the valve and the water will run out of the faucet.
In the area of my trailer's closet, under the false floor of the closet, where the water pump is located there is a low point drain for the water lines, and the tube for this drain runs out under the trailer. I pull the handle on the drain, and open the faucets and step on the toilet and open the hand sprayer and drain the water lines by gravity.
Any place under your trailer that a tube runs out is a drain for something.....the water lines, the frigerator condensation, the AC condensation...it is a drain for something. Find out by exploration what the drain is for.
Pull the plug on the water heater and drain it. Do you have a water heater bypass installed? I have one on mine and it bypasses the water heater so when I pump RV anti freeze into the lines I don't have to fill the water heater with 6 gallons of it.
Next I use a 12V air compressor and hook it up to the city water intake and blow out the lines...kitchen, shower, bath sink, toilet.
Then if you don't have an antifreeze intake valve installed, you might close the drains on everything, pour a few gallons of RV antifreeze in your fresh water tank and pump it through out the system...kitchen sink, bath sink, toilet bowl and hand sprayer, and shower until it comes out pink from each place, and then pour some more into the pea traps and then drain your black and grey water tanks.
If you have any doubt about how to do this, take it in to a dealer, and pay them to do it and to show you how.....$100 for this is CHEAPER than replumbing.

[john hd]

ipso

located between the roadside wheels it may look like this....


john

[dscluchfc]

John ...Bingo! That is a petcock valve!
Also, on the far right side of the pic, is a drain hose from the low point drain for the water lines.

Ipso, I forgot to mention, that under your sink is also the water filter cartridge and associated lines that need to be drained.

[j54mark]

That thing is FACTORY????!!!

When I got my coach, all low point drains had been removed, for reasons unknown. I saw that thing sticking out the side, and figured it was another PO "improvement". My reasoning ran along these lines: It is white nylon. It is poorly attached. There are no nylon valves anywhere else in the coach. It is outside the heated tank area. It requires crawling under the coach to turn. I have three holes in the bottom of the pan, and there are only two low point drains.

Wrong again.

Well, anyway, after much effort, I now have a fresh water drain located within the heated tank area that can be operated from inside, and still have no idea what that third opening was for.

Mark

[john hd]

mark,

yes it is factory installed.

replaced it once, cracked right behind the mounting flange.

caused by freezing? don't know!

john

[dscluchfc]

My petcock valve broke too. The plastic just deteriorated with age to the point that when I went to turn the handle it came off in my hand.
Takiing the valve out was easy...and it was cracked all over at the housing.
So.....I pulled it out and had what is shown in the above pic in my hand. Got the valve for a couple of bucks at the dealer and reinstalled it.

[Pick]

I winterize in the 30's. Here is how I do it.

1. Turn on pump, open all faucets, hot and cold, let water run out until fresh tank is empty. Shut pump off.
2. Hook air compressor up to city water connection, apply 40 PSI.
3. Open all faucets, one at a time until nothing but air comes out.
4. Open all low point drains until nothing but air comes out.
5. Open water heater drain until nothing but air comes out.
6. Turn water heater valves into bypass mode.
7. Purge air out of faucets and low point drains again
8. Remove water filter element under sink and screw bowl on with no element inside.
9. Unhook compressor.
10. Unscrew inlet to water pump, install short hose, stick in gallon of RV antifreeze.
11. Turn on pump, wait for antifreeze to start running out of city water connection outside, then cap it.
12. Open faucets one at a time (hot and cold) untill antifreeze flows from each one. Turn pump off.
13. Fill all 3 drain traps with antifreeze.
12. Pour 2 quarts of antifreeze into toilet and EMPTY holding tank.
13. Done! Takes 2 gallons to do plumbing, 2 quarts to do toilet and holding tank. You could pour more into the holding tank, but 2 quarts works for me.

[ipso_facto]

On this same side, between the wheels is a petcock valve....faucet type looking thing that you can drain the fresh water tank with by opening the valve and the water will run out of the faucet.

27F tonight.

I found it!!! And drained it. Lots of water came out for about 15 minutes. Once you see where it is, it is most simple. Before, I looked between the wheels, but now I looked in front of the first wheel (right side of the unit) and it was behind it, it is not visible between them. I left the petcock open.

I wonder why I couldn't drain it with the faucets inside. It is not connected to shore power so maybe the batteries are low and not pumping the water out.

I also found the drain for the water heater inside that door at the very rear on left side. Not much water came out of it.

And, I made sure that the petcocks under the microwave cabinet were open.

Is there still water left in the system?

[john hd]

in a word, YES!

water will remain in the cartriges in the faucets, low points etc.

now is the time to blow it out with compressed air and/or add antifreeze to the system.

the hand sprayer on the toilet is another area that will have trapped water in it.

john

[dscluchfc]

Ipso, it sounds to me like it might REALLY be worth it to just one time take the Airstream to an RV dealer and let them walk you through a winterize process.
It would be money well spent, much less expensive than a replumb of busted waterlines.
I don't know where you live, but in some RV Clubs, such as WBCCI local units, there are members who help those with health problems and also help newbys do things like this for free as FRIENDS and members of the club for only the cost of the RV antifreeze.
You don't have much time to get this right before it freezes hard and solid if it hasn't already.
Best of luck!

[overlander76]

Can anyone explain the hot water heater bypass. I know the intent but I don't have one. I thought I did but no. Can you undo the hosed entering the hw heater and connect them together. If anyone has installed a hw bypass and has pics of it that would be great! I should install one but not sure how/where?

Thanks
Brian

[dscluchfc]

The line is placed in between the in and out line for the water heater tank.
The valves are turned so that the RV Antifreeze flows into this shortcut line "bypassing" the water heater tank.
In the Spring, just turn the valves back to bypass the bypass line and use the water heater.