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chaseav · 12-13-2015, 04:15 PM

Alright, I've blown the lines out with an air compressor, drained the hot water tank and put now three gallons of antifreeze into the fresh water tank in an attempt to pump the stuff through all the lines. Problem is, nothing happens when I turn the water pump on. Well, the pump goes on but it doesn't move any fluid.

Surely I've missed some stupid little step and am just doing it wrong. Or perhaps I just need way more fluid?!

Any thoughts are helpful!

btowntincan · 12-13-2015, 04:36 PM

maybe you accidently left the drain open on the fresh water tank?

btowntincan · 12-13-2015, 04:37 PM

or the low point drains?

AnnArborBob · 12-13-2015, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaseav

Alright, I've blown the lines out with an air compressor, drained the hot water tank and put now three gallons of antifreeze into the fresh water tank in an attempt to pump the stuff through all the lines. Problem is, nothing happens when I turn the water pump on. Well, the pump goes on but it doesn't move any fluid.

Surely I've missed some stupid little step and am just doing it wrong. Or perhaps I just need way more fluid?!

Any thoughts are helpful!

You are not supposed to put the antifreeze in the fresh water tank, you are supposed to drain the fresh water tank and then feed the antifreeze into the water system at the intake side of the fresh water pump. The reason you are not getting any flow is that your fill tube is above the level of antifreeze in the freshwater tank. They sell kits with a fitting and section of tube to attach to the pump intake with the other end going in the antifreeze bottle. You have not damaged your water system by doing what you did but you will have to flush out the fresh water tank in the springtime. Look for a Youtube video if you don't have someone locally to help you with this.

miskeeta · 12-13-2015, 06:21 PM

the water pump is under the frig on the left side need to remove a panel under sofa,to access the pump.then you need a small hose with a hose fitting and place on the intake side of the pump.Then put the hose in a bottle of anti-freeze turn on pump and fill system

chaseav · 12-13-2015, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by btowntincan

or the low point drains?

Nope, all closed up.

chaseav · 12-13-2015, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnArborBob

You are not supposed to put the antifreeze in the fresh water tank, you are supposed to drain the fresh water tank and then feed the antifreeze into the water system at the intake side of the fresh water pump. The reason you are not getting any flow is that your fill tube is above the level of antifreeze in the freshwater tank. They sell kits with a fitting and section of tube to attach to the pump intake with the other end going in the antifreeze bottle. You have not damaged your water system by doing what you did but you will have to flush out the fresh water tank in the springtime. Look for a Youtube video if you don't have someone locally to help you with this.

Wow. This is the first time I'm hearing this... So I just wasted three gallons of antifreeze and $9. Awesome. I wonder what the unusable amount is in the bottom of fresh water tank...? I suppose I could try draining the fluid out of the low point and reusing.

CRH · 12-13-2015, 10:00 PM

I would just spend another 9 bucks.

SSquared · 12-13-2015, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaseav

Wow. This is the first time I'm hearing this... So I just wasted three gallons of antifreeze and $9. Awesome. I wonder what the unusable amount is in the bottom of fresh water tank...? I suppose I could try draining the fluid out of the low point and reusing.

Is your trailer level front-to-back and side-to-side? The water tank is only a few inches high but much wider. If the trailer is tilted away from the spot where the water is pulled from the tank, your three gallons of antifreeze might all be hiding in the opposite corner....

I am tempted to get one of the winterizing hose kits like what was mentioned earlier in this thread. But for now I just have an extra piece of hose that matches the thread on the hose that goes from the fresh water tank to the pump. To winterize, I unscrew the hose from the tank side of the pump, and screw my hose on. (extra detail: There is a water strainer attached to the input side of the pump. I unscrew the hose at the input side of the strainer) I stick the other end of my hose into the gallon jug of antifreeze.

On my 25FB, i have to remove a panel (2 screws) from the back of the storage area under the refrigerator. That's where my pump is.

One word to the wise: The second year I winterized, I cross-threaded the hose screwing it on, and stripped the plastic threads on the water strainer. Had to buy a new strainer.

AnnArborBob · 12-14-2015, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaseav

Wow. This is the first time I'm hearing this... So I just wasted three gallons of antifreeze and $9. Awesome. I wonder what the unusable amount is in the bottom of fresh water tank...? I suppose I could try draining the fluid out of the low point and reusing.

If the antifreeze is able to be drained by the low water drain you should be able to recover most of it. But it's possible that because of the way your trailer is sitting you won't get all of it (or possibly any of it.) This is an issue you will have to deal with in the spring by flushing out the fresh water tank to get rid of any remaining anti freeze. Assuming you used legitimate RV antifreeze, it's food-grade glycol so it won't hurt or kill you, but it will make your fresh water taste funny until you get rid of it. The best way to get the glycol into your water system is via the fresh water pump. I use about two to three gallons of antifreeze when winterizing. Also, you do not put the antifreeze into the hot water tank, you drain that and use the bypass valve so when you run the glycol through the system it bypasses the hot water tank. There are plenty of threads on this forum that go into all the details about winterizing and there are also excellent Youtube videos.

IanPoulin · 12-14-2015, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaseav

Wow. This is the first time I'm hearing this... So I just wasted three gallons of antifreeze and $9. Awesome. I wonder what the unusable amount is in the bottom of fresh water tank...? I suppose I could try draining the fluid out of the low point and reusing.

It's an opinion on the part of the poster. I winterize putting my antifreeze directly into my fresh tank and pump from there. I always however get immediate delivery if the hot water tank is bypassed -- that would be the check I would make; ensure the tank bypass is on - else you'll just pump three gallons of anti-freeze into the hot water tank

Ian

chaseav · 12-14-2015, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanPoulin

It's an opinion on the part of the poster. I winterize putting my antifreeze directly into my fresh tank and pump from there. I always however get immediate delivery if the hot water tank is bypassed -- that would be the check I would make; ensure the tank bypass is on - else you'll just pump three gallons of anti-freeze into the hot water tank

Ian

I thought the little valve outside the unit but in the cargo door was the bypass valve. After consulting YouTube it's clear that it's not. However, I know what the pump sounds like when it catches the water and it never made that sound. It's definitely still in there... somewhere.

I did go buy a 3/4 adapter thingy and made my own pump patch cable (whatever) and it took less than two gallons to fully winterize. Doing this method, I see no reason why I took the time to blow the water out of the lines. I think I combined two methods of winterization. Oh, and did it with the AC running because it was 75 degrees today. Ironic.

Thanks everyone for the input and advice!

polarlyse · 12-14-2015, 04:18 PM

The low point drains are not connected to the fresh water tank. So if the anti-freeze is in the tank they will not help to get it out. They are there supposedly to evacuate the water from the trailers plumbing system. The fresh water tank has it's own dedicated drain. I do NOT pump anti-freeze through my system when winterizing. I blow the lines with compressed air and go through each outlet a couple of times to be sure. I then add about a cup of anti-freeze to the traps and some in the toilet bowl. I disconnect the shower hose. I drain the hot water tank and be sure to blow the black tank flush and low point drains. That's it. Done. Has served me well through the northeast winters for about 9 years. Now, many people do it both ways, some do one or the other so do what you feel you are comfortable with. After all it's your trailer.

AnnArborBob · 12-14-2015, 05:31 PM

You can certainly do what you want to winterize so long as you displace the water from the vulnerable points in your system but I think you will find that hardly anyone puts the antifreeze directly in the fresh water tank because #1 you then have to add a lot more to account for the fact that the pickup to the pump is likely not at the very bottom of the fresh water tank and #2 you then have to flush the fresh water tank in the spring before the first use which is not an easy task as the fresh water dump valve is notoriously slow to drain and you'll want to flush the FW tank several times to get rid of the antifreeze taste and smell.

Since you have already introduced antifreeze into your fresh water tank, you might as well throw in another two or three gallons and run the pump to displace the water in your system to prevent freezing. But make sure to bypass the hot water tank or you will need six gallons (not three) just to fill that up. Then in the spring you can see what it takes to flush the fresh water tank and decide if that's your cup of tea. If not, use the Forum's search function to find instructions on how to winterize your water system via the pump and also check YouTube. There is lot's of information on this out there.

Good luck!

chaseav · 12-14-2015, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnArborBob

You can certainly do what you want to winterize so long as you displace the water from the vulnerable points in your system but I think you will find that hardly anyone puts the antifreeze directly in the fresh water tank because #1 you then have to add a lot more to account for the fact that the pickup to the pump is likely not at the very bottom of the fresh water tank and #2 you then have to flush the fresh water tank in the spring before the first use which is not an easy task as the fresh water dump valve is notoriously slow to drain and you'll want to flush the FW tank several times to get rid of the antifreeze taste and smell.

Since you have already introduced antifreeze into your fresh water tank, you might as well throw in another two or three gallons and run the pump to displace the water in your system to prevent freezing. But make sure to bypass the hot water tank or you will need six gallons (not three) just to fill that up. Then in the spring you can see what it takes to flush the fresh water tank and decide if that's your cup of tea. If not, use the Forum's search function to find instructions on how to winterize your water system via the pump and also check YouTube. There is lot's of information on this out there.

Good luck!

Thanks Bob. I didn't want to throw good money after bad so I abandoned the fresh water tank idea and got a fitting directly to the water pump. Much easier with more predictable results. I may try to figure out some sort of Y fitting there so that I can leave that hose hooked up and simply select which valve I want to use.

chaseav · 12-14-2015, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polarlyse

The low point drains are not connected to the fresh water tank. *OR* The fresh water tank has it's own dedicated drain.

While contradicting, I'm curious to know what you mean here. Isn't the plastic petcock right between the wheels the one for the fresh water tank?

OTRA15 · 12-14-2015, 06:28 PM

Have you read the owners manual's instructions on what to do for your specific model?

Unless you have the basic set of full instructions in front of you, all the tidbits of advice being given here do not seem that helpful in my opinion.

polarlyse · 12-14-2015, 08:19 PM

Yes the fresh tank drain is that white petcock between the wheels. That is not the low point drains. They are located nearby, on mine they open downward and are a pair
( one hot, one cold) and are used to drain the plumbing not the tank.

chaseav · 12-14-2015, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polarlyse

Yes the fresh tank drain is that white petcock between the wheels. That is not the low point drains. They are located nearby, on mine they open downward and are a pair
( one hot, one cold) and are used to drain the plumbing not the tank.

Right, but the petcock is the low point of the fresh water tank, no? I ask because ironically, when I open it, nothing comes out. But there is definitely three gallons of pink stuff in there!

chaseav · 12-14-2015, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Have you read the owners manual's instructions on what to do for your specific model?

Unless you have the basic set of full instructions in front of you, all the tidbits of advice being given here do not seem that helpful in my opinion.

I did. Last year. But I had the dealer winterize it. I don't recall the manual being at all specific to the 25FB though and only referring to things generically or using terms I really didn't understand. I recall NOTHING about disconnecting the low pressure side of the pump and patching in some fitting to suck pink fluid into the system.