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mojo · 10-22-2012, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Relocate your pump so you have room to install. It's only 4 screws.

And you can attach some short supply lines between the valve and pump so it is even more accessible.

Mikethefixit · 10-22-2012, 04:55 PM

Ihave a short peice of plastic hose that I connect to the pump. I disconnect the line from the fresh water tank. I drain everything. Then I start the pump and 6 gallon later every waterline in the trailer is runnin pink. Been doin it that way for 5 years now Never been a problem.

mefly2 · 10-22-2012, 10:20 PM

Open drains and faucets one at a time while air pressure is applied at the city water connection. When that blows dry and the water heater bypass is in place, we hook a short piece of tubing to the third leg of a 3-way valve attached to the inlet side of the AS pump. Total cost was $7-8 for the valve and tubing, $5 for the RV anti freeze. Really in our FC20 - one gallon will do it!

AirsDream · 10-23-2012, 07:10 AM

Well, I'm sort of with Roger on this one. I think it depends a bit on how your coach is plumbed. In my case, trial and error was instructive. I started out by first draining everything that would drain via gravity. Then I turned to blowing out all the lines as described, using compressed air. (drained and bypassed the water heater, of course.) Somewhere (RV store?) I got an adapter that goes into the fresh water inlet and which has a Shrader valve on it. Then I attached a clip-on Shrader inflator chuck, pressurized, and blew out everything, catching the water as it came out so I wouldn't have black and gray tanks with a bunch of water in them over winter. So far so good.

But then, sort of on a lark, I built a water-pump-inlet adapter with a short length of hose that would fit a one gallon antifreeze jug. Hooked it up. Turned on the pump and opened valves. I was amazed to find nearly a gallon of nice clear water coming out of the taps before the antifreeze got there. Where was that water hiding?!!?? I now catch that water in a small jug that fits in the sinks, collect it, and pour it out. It takes me nearly two gallons of antifreeze to do all the lines, traps, etc. AFTER I've blown out the lines with air.

So I'm now certain that in my trailer, there are low spots where the water will collect despite blowing out the lines. Your trailer may be different. But for me, belt and suspenders seems necessary, and for the price of two gallons of pink antifreeze and a bit of flushing out in the spring, the "insurance factor" is worth it.

This does leave air-only treatment for everything upstream from the water pump and the cit water line. But this is apparently not where the water "hides."

p.s. after blowing out the lines, it takes me less than ten minutes to run the antifreeze through all the piping. Not a big deal, at least to me.

**jcanavera** · 10-23-2012, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLDuthie

Not sure if this is the way to respond and/or aska question, but here goes. I up-rooted the closet floor of my 2007 Classic 27FB (new to us) and found the water pump. However, it is located such that the inlet is only about two inches from the wheel well cover - not enough room to install a flush kit attachment. How did you make your adapter? dana

My Classic is the same way where the pump is up against a wheel well which negates being able to put a flush valve on it without relocating the pump. Someday I will do that. At this point I have bought a long clear plastic hose and I unscrew the fresh water tank supply hose which screws into the small water filter that is part of the pump. I then screw on the hose, place the other end of the hose into the anti-freeze jug, turn on the pump and off we go.

Jack

aftermath · 10-23-2012, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredV

I do have a compressor with variable pressure...I like the idea of not having to buy anti freeze every year...

Fred, you will still have to buy antifreeze each year. It is important to fill all the traps when you are finished blowing the lines. You should also add some to the black tank to help prevent damage/freezing to the valves in both the black and gray tanks. I use just under two gallons each time.

You have received some great advice on this. By far the best way is to blow all the lines and then pump in the pink stuff. I live in Eastern Washington with a climate not much different from Montana. I blow my lines and that is it. So far it has worked well for me but I am very particular as to how it is done.

One of my future projects is to replace the pump with the quietest one I can find. At that point I will relocate the pump and add the bypass valve. I am planning on making this trailer son-in-law proof, which is a huge challenge in and of itself.

Welcome to the forum.

Dick

Skater · 10-23-2012, 08:57 AM

Wait, I always did the hand pump method by myself. (Okay, out of context, that sentence sounds bad.) I must have just stopped pumping, opened the sink valve, then resumed pumping. It helps to have something the right height to set the bottle on when you have to go in the camper.

FrenchBern · 10-23-2012, 09:27 AM

Doesn't anybody drain the antifreeze out back into the container for reuse after pumping it through the plumbing? That way I use less than 2 quarts every time.

FredV · 10-23-2012, 09:43 AM

I appreciate all the opinions expressed on this topic. I will be winterizing my rig this afternoon, and I think I will opt for the blowout AND antifreeze approach. The cost of a couple of gallons of antifreeze will buy me lots of good nights of sleep this winter.

Thanks to everyone for being so helpful...

Wazbro · 10-23-2012, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrenchBern

Doesn't anybody drain the antifreeze out back into the container for reuse after pumping it through the plumbing? That way I use less than 2 quarts every time.

I have thought about that but I worry about the antifreeze getting watered down too much to be effective.

noreen&sal · 10-23-2012, 04:04 PM

Does anybody take a plunger and try to evacuate the traps before adding the pink stuff? Sal.

**jcanavera** · 10-23-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noreen&sal

Does anybody take a plunger and try to evacuate the traps before adding the pink stuff? Sal.

I used to take a shop vac, reverse the hose and blow out the traps. Then I'd pour in some antifreeze. I quit doing this due to I expel enough antifreeze from each of the fixtures to displace the water in the traps. Usually I also have enough left to pour directly into the drains also. I use about 2 gallons total to winterize. You'd be surprised how little it takes once you blow out the lines first.

Jack

noreen&sal · 10-24-2012, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcanavera

I used to take a shop vac, reverse the hose and blow out the traps. Then I'd pour in some antifreeze. I quit doing this due to I expel enough antifreeze from each of the fixtures to displace the water in the traps. Usually I also have enough left to pour directly into the drains also. I use about 2 gallons total to winterize. You'd be surprised how little it takes once you blow out the lines first.

Jack

That is my usual method. The shop vac idea sounds good. I was just wondering how much it took to displace water in the traps. Sal.

**jcanavera** · 10-24-2012, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noreen&sal

That is my usual method. The shop vac idea sounds good. I was just wondering how much it took to displace water in the traps. Sal.

I'd wrap a rag around the shop vac hose to make a good seal in the drain. It took a couple of seconds in each drain. You can hear the water leaving the drain.

Jack

noreen&sal · 10-24-2012, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcanavera

I'd wrap a rag around the shop vac hose to make a good seal in the drain. It took a couple of seconds in each drain. You can hear the water leaving the drain.

Jack

Thanks for the tip. Hoping to hold off til around Thanksgiving and maybe get a short camping trip in before then. Sal.

SilverRanger · 10-24-2012, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLDuthie

Not sure if this is the way to respond and/or aska question, but here goes. I up-rooted the closet floor of my 2007 Classic 27FB (new to us) and found the water pump. However, it is located such that the inlet is only about two inches from the wheel well cover - not enough room to install a flush kit attachment. How did you make your adapter? dana

Sorry I didn't see your question until now. Been traveling. I may have more space to work with, but I attached my suction hose to a PEX swivel elbow. I found some plastic hose that just slipped on the fitting by hand, and the fitting can also be attached to the pump by hand. That works fine because there's no pressure, only suction. It only protrudes from the pump fitting less than an inch and a half. Pictured below:

Ty Trainor · 10-28-2012, 05:49 AM

OK - Until this year, I've only blown out the system to winterized, and have had no problems. You folks convinced me to pump antifreeze through the lines this time to be safe -- I.e. blowing out the lines works...until it doesn't. All drain valves shut and hot water tank bypassed. I left the water filter under the galley sink in place (will use only for winterizing from noe on of course). No problem getting pink to flow through all faucets, stool BUT... The filtered water tap in the galley continues to flow clear after 3 gallons of antifreeze! Could the filter be removing the color and the antifreeze is actually doing it's thing? Excuse the stupid question, but I can't be the first to experience this...or am I?

Gene · 10-28-2012, 06:03 AM

Ty, sounds like you are pumping into the fresh water tank. You have the bypass on the wrong side of the pump. 1 or 1/2 gal. of antifreeze should be enough.

Gene

Ty Trainor · 10-28-2012, 06:28 AM

Gene -- thanks but the fresh tank is disconnected. Am using the inlet side of the pump with the antifreeze.

Silver Goose · 10-28-2012, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ty Trainor

... I left the water filter under the galley sink in place (will use only for winterizing from noe on of course). No problem getting pink to flow through all faucets, stool BUT... The filtered water tap in the galley continues to flow clear after 3 gallons of antifreeze! Could the filter be removing the color and the antifreeze is actually doing it's thing? Excuse the stupid question, but I can't be the first to experience this...or am I?

I've seen an ad on tv where they add some red wine to water in a pitcher and what comes out is clear. The filter cartridge in mine is supposed to be good for 400 gallons of water or 8-12 month per the package. As part of my winterizing routine, I toss the cartridge and put the empty housing back on and remove the 2 AA batteries before running the pink stuff through the system. In the spring, after purging the pink stuff, I put in a new cartridge and batteries.