Winterizing and Waterfilter

overlander76 · 12-07-2003, 10:27 PM

I am currently winterizing and going through a bunch of antifreeze. It seems that the Everpure water filter is a real hog. I have used a gallon so far just for the kitchen sink and I'm still getting water out of the cold faucet. All the other faucets/valves are running pink. What are people doing about the water filter? The valve on top of the unit that has to be turned for filter removal just shuts water off completely, it's not a bypass. Are people filling the filter up with antifreeze and then removing it? I'm using all this antifreeze to push out water and I even blew out the lines first. I cant figure it out. Has anyone bypassed the filter? It seems to hold up the cold water flow in the kitchen sink anyway.

Help!
Brian

dscluchfc · 12-07-2003, 11:26 PM

I pull the filter, place a drip pan under the area first. then with the system pressurized, open slightly the cutoff to allow pink stuff to run into the cutoff.
The I depressurize the system, and open the topside outlet and the cutoff allowing the topside to drain by gravity into the drip pan.
This way, my lines have pink stuff in them, and the topside faucet is completely drained.
Just my 2 cents....

overlander76 · 12-11-2003, 12:28 AM

I started pumping the pink stuff through the pipes a few days ago. I thought that if I started with the cold water first, I wouldn't have to bypass the how water heater but I was wrong. I spent 3 gallons before I realized all the antifreeze was going there. I did the cheap skate bypass of the water heater by disconnecting the PEX lines on the heater and connecting them togeter. This solved the problem with that.

But then, I can get all the faucets and toilet to pee pink except the cold water on the kitchen sink. I have now used (I'm afraid to say) 9 gallons of antifreeze and the kitchen sink is still running clear water? What's going on? The last 3 gallons were pumped with just the kitchen cold water on. And now the pressure is very low and the pump will run for only a second before it shuts off and then it's right back on again. The flow is very reduced. Does the antifreeze plug up the filter? I removed the filter but see no way to remove the water from the kitchen sink line?

Thanks for your help.
Brian

**Pick** · 12-11-2003, 10:01 AM

Don't know the answer to your question, but I always take the cartridge out of the filter housing, and screw the bottom back on without a cartridge, before winterizing. I use about 2.5 gallons of antifreeze with the water heater bypass on.

What kind of water filter do you have? I replaced the original Everpure unit with a Culligan RV filter from Lowes.

dscluchfc · 12-11-2003, 11:12 AM

If you have pumped 9 gallons of pink stuff to someplace, then I do not understand why it is coming out of the faucet clear if all you are pumping into the system is RV antifreeze. Water cannot come out the tap. You cannot get something out that you don't put in.
I see two possibilities....one, the filter is stripping out the coloring for the pink stuff and you are getting clear RV antifreeze out the tap....or two, based on your explanation of the problem, the faucet itself is stopped up on the cold side with a blockage that is restricting the flow. You need to isolate the cold side of the faucet so that the pump cannot force anything onto the other side of the faucet.
Just my 2 cents...

overlander76 · 12-11-2003, 06:55 PM

dscluchfc I think your brilliant. I never thought that the filter would be filtering the pink color out but I guess it's possible. As soon as I started with the sink it was running fine and then started getting slower and slower. I will see if the "mystery solution" that is coming out of the faucet freezes or not. I think the extremely slow water is because the filter is becoming clogged. Possibly by the antifreeze?

I don't see any other way to winterize the cold faucet on the sink besides going through the filter. My pipes take a dip between the sink and the filter.

The filter is the stock Everpure by the way. I removed it and tipped it upside down and hardly any thing came out. Like less that a quarter cup.

Thanks
Brian

andyfuson · 12-12-2003, 06:29 AM

First, I live in GA so maybe I don't have a clue about winterizing in "true" cold weather, but here is my input. I purchased an adapter so I could hook an air hose to my trailer's fresh water intake and blew all of the water out of my lines. I drained the water heater, and then poured antifreeze into the drains to protect the traps.

Good luck, Andy

Lyall · 10-16-2004, 07:02 PM

I have a '68 and an '83 Airstream. I blow out the water, drain the water heater. I then repeat the process. I have used anti-freeze and find it a pain to get rid of in the summer. When I have used anti-freeze, I have unscrewed the pump inlet and attached a how and pumped it through. When you have the pin stuff in, you should try and blow out as much as possible. If you have drained the system first, you can recover some of the anti-freeze. Blowing out as much as possible makes it easier to get rid of the taste in the spring and helps to mix the anti-freeze with any remaining water in the lines. One extra crevat. If you have a sealand toilet, you must take the valve apart to drain it or blow a lot of anti-freeze through it. It will not drain with air alone.

Cracker · 10-17-2004, 01:04 PM

I was fortunate to still have the instructions - and the plug - for my Everpure filter. It definitely states to remove the filter and install the plug before winterizing. Usually, I buy a new filter in the Spring - but this Winter we're headed for Florida and I plan to re-use it. I think that you hit it on the head when you surmised that the filter was "removing the pink!"

hookedonclassic · 10-17-2004, 05:16 PM

I agree with Cracker. My AS came with a plug that is used when you remove the filter (a pain). Once the plug is on, you can return the lever on the filtration system to on. Pump water out of your lines using the 12 volt pump, take the plug out of the heater heater to drain, and blow the lines out. Pour antifreeze in the sink, shower traps and your done. I confirmed with the AS dealer process so I hope it's right. Dealer told me doing it this way doesn't require antifreeze in the lines. This is the first time I owned an AS to winterize so it's different than how I used to put antifreeze in all the lines. I see others are doing antifreeze in the lines. Comments?

**john hd** · 10-17-2004, 07:39 PM

rich

you may want to add antifreeze, the cartriges on the moen faucets can hold water after they are blown out. even a few drops can be fatal to them.

i also had to change the sprayer out on the toilet, they break easily!

here is a thread i put together last fall http://www.airforums.com/forum...ead.php?t=7222

did you remember to blow out your outside faucet? it is right next to the black tank flush. there are pics in the above thread.

john

rockcutter · 10-21-2004, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander76

I am currently winterizing and going through a bunch of antifreeze. It seems that the Everpure water filter is a real hog. I have used a gallon so far just for the kitchen sink and I'm still getting water out of the cold faucet. All the other faucets/valves are running pink. What are people doing about the water filter? The valve on top of the unit that has to be turned for filter removal just shuts water off completely, it's not a bypass. Are people filling the filter up with antifreeze and then removing it? I'm using all this antifreeze to push out water and I even blew out the lines first. I cant figure it out. Has anyone bypassed the filter? It seems to hold up the cold water flow in the kitchen sink anyway.

Help!
Brian

I used 16 gallons of pink stuff last winter because I did not know about bypass valve on new hot water tank or if it has bypass valve. I salvaged 2 gallons. It is 76 overlander. It has 3 valves, 2 located near black water drain slide valve & third one inside access to be at the back side of hot water heater. I dont know which valve does what. One more clue, that anti freeze has a sweet taste so if you think it is only water coming from your kitchen fawset, catch a sample on your finger & taste it.

rockcutter · 10-21-2004, 10:59 PM

[quote=rockcutter]

I used 16 gallons of pink stuff last winter because I did not know about bypass valve on new hot water tank or if it has bypass valve. I salvaged 2 gallons. It is 76 overlander. It has 3 valves, 2 located near black water drain slide valve & third one inside access to be at the back side of hot water heater. I dont know which valve does what. One more clue, that anti freeze has a sweet taste so if you think it is only water coming from your kitchen fawset, catch a sample on your finger & taste it. Any comments?