Winterizing Blues

[donreitz]

It's the little things that drive you crazy. Here I am winterizing my 2013 FC 25 FB for the first time, something I've done successfully maybe a dozen times with our other campers, and I'm scratching my head. Bypass the water heater, suck in antifreeze at the pump inlet--and the pink stuff immediately runs out a drain and onto the ground. This is not either of the low point drains nor is it the freshwater tank drain. It's just a white plastic tube located almost under the water heater. I hope someone smarter than I can set me straight on what I'm doing wrong.
Thanks,
Don

[murreywalker]

It could be possible that you have TWO sets of low point drains. Are there two plastic tubes?

Mine does, and it surprised the Airstream tech.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Check the street side rear storage compartment.
There may be a valve there that can get turned accidentally...ask me how I know.

Bob

[donreitz]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Check the street side rear storage compartment.
There may be a valve there that can get turned accidentally...ask me how I know.

Bob

Bob, I looked high and low and found no extraneous valves lurking in hidden corners. Murrey, I checked and there's only one tube sticking down, not two. Thanks both of you for the advice. I think I'll forego using antifreeze this year as I pretty thoroughly blew out the lines anyway. Maybe the dealer can fill me in next spring after I de-winterize.
I appreciate the help.
Don

[masseyfarm]

Just a shot in the dark but ---
On my Clipper, there is a pex line to the ice maker that runs in front of the HWT and this low point drain goes into the wheelwell.

Have you accidentally opened that valve when bypassing the HWT?????
The valve on mine is right there with the other HWT valves.

Dave

Originally Posted by donreitz

It's the little things that drive you crazy. Here I am winterizing my 2013 FC 25 FB for the first time, something I've done successfully maybe a dozen times with our other campers, and I'm scratching my head. Bypass the water heater, suck in antifreeze at the pump inlet--and the pink stuff immediately runs out a drain and onto the ground. This is not either of the low point drains nor is it the freshwater tank drain. It's just a white plastic tube located almost under the water heater. I hope someone smarter than I can set me straight on what I'm doing wrong.
Thanks,
Don

[Friday]

If it is draining now, it is going to be leaking in the spring... the water is coming out of some kind of pressurized line so if you don't find it you'll have no water pressure next year.

I guess what I am saying is this needs to be found even if you don't finish with the antifreeze...

[Alumaholic]

To bypass your hot-water heater, you needed to:
Close 2 Valves
Open 1 valve.
That's a three-valve manipulation.
I believe you opened a fourth valve.
Just find Valve #4 and close it when you de-winterize in the spring.

[donreitz]

Originally Posted by Friday

If it is draining now, it is going to be leaking in the spring... the water is coming out of some kind of pressurized line so if you don't find it you'll have no water pressure next year.

I guess what I am saying is this needs to be found even if you don't finish with the antifreeze...

Friday, it drains when I bypass the water heater, not otherwise. It doesn't drain when the water heater is operational ( I.e., not in bypass mode). I discovered the problem only after bypassing the water heater and adding antifreeze. I guess I'm wanting to know exactly what the purpose of the drain is so I can determine what needs to be corrected.

In any case, thanks to you and the others for your ideas.
Don

[Alumaholic]

Don. Simply by-passing the H20 heater doesn't open an outside drain.
By -passing the H20 heater involves three steps:
Closing the H20 heater intake valve
Closing the H20 heater outlet valve
Opening the by-pass valve between the two.

[Castaway]

I too don't understand how the valve in the front curbside valve works, even after I opened it I still got about 4-5 gallons of water from the heater.

I found my low point drains on our 2012 25 FB FC under the trailer behind the street side wheels

[Friday]

Originally Posted by donreitz

Friday, it drains when I bypass the water heater, not otherwise. It doesn't drain when the water heater is operational ( I.e., not in bypass mode). I discovered the problem only after bypassing the water heater and adding antifreeze. I guess I'm wanting to know exactly what the purpose of the drain is so I can determine what needs to be corrected.

In any case, thanks to you and the others for your ideas.
Don

Hmmm... that makes no sense to me at all... But, little does...

The water heater bypass should be a simple "H" above the tank... two valves that stop water in/out, and one that opens up the "H" to bypass it. Under no conditions should any of those valves allow water to exit the trailer, anywhere - even if they are set incorrectly...

Does the hot water tank or compartment have some other kind of drain? Most just have a plastic plug on the bottom... but if it is out, it would only leak with the tank NOT bypassed (once it is drained).

Hmmm....

[mefly2]

Call the mother ship because our FC20 has the aforementioned bypass as well as a drain going outside from that same area near the wheel well. The actual HW heater has an outside drain on the lower part of the tank - reached from the HW heater door. But there is the inside valve number two near the bypass valve ... it controls a drain.

[donreitz]

Thanks mefly2. I will do as you suggest. I'd come to the conclusion that there is another valve controlling the mystery drain, I just can't find it. It's good to know that someone else has experienced a similar situation. And thanks to all for the help.
Don