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Old 10-19-2016, 05:44 AM   #1
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Confused again

I am winterizing my 2016 FC28 rear queen for the first time and am wondering about the water pump. I have opened all the drains and the hot water heater plug and will be simply using an air compressor to get the water out of the system as I have done with motor homes I have owned in the past. But I keep reading that the water pump requires special treatment. I have no idea where the water pump is located and what to do about it. Won't the compressed air take care of everything or do I have to do something special with the water pump? I have read other threads indicating a need to practically disassemble the trailer to get to the water pump.

Any help from other FC28 owners? I posted in the "winterizing" forum but have had no replies and have seen no posts from those with this model AS

Thanks.
Richard
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Old 10-19-2016, 05:54 AM   #2
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Richard, Kudos for avoiding antifreeze -- we do the same.

You are correct about needing to get to the pump. Does your owners manual tell you any more about its location?

Your floor plan should be here on p. 4-3 [p. 27/112 of PDF]:

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...ying-Cloud.pdf

The plumbing section on p. 5-6 [p. 36/112 of PDF] says to go to Section 8 for pump maintenance etc.. Page 8-14 [PDF 78] says your pump is under the fridge, and that the bottom cabinet panel pulls off for access. It goes on to illustrate the filter assembly and describe its dissassembly.

I also recommend that before you put things back together for the winter, that you blow (by mouth) into the exposed end of the water supply line coming from the water tank, to discharge any small amounts of water, still in that line, back into the water tank (whose drain should have been left open earlier, after which you can raise and lower the tongue jack on the trailer, to minimize water left in the tank).

Good luck!

Peter

PS -- There may be other threads for this process on the FC28, and I will look for them later.

PS2 -- Do you have a macerator toilet by any chance? There is a special low point drain valve for these which is described in another thread.
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Old 10-19-2016, 05:58 AM   #3
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After draining down ours, I ran the pump for a short time to purge any water that might be in the pump, then aired out the lines until mostly dry air was coming out - survived a -20F winter.
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Old 10-19-2016, 06:06 AM   #4
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Blowing air through the city water connection does not blow through or purge the water from the water pump. You need to drain the fresh water tank completely and then run the pump to get the water out of the pump and the lines from the tank. After that, you can blow out the distribution lines and hot water tank with compressed air from the city water connection. Using the low point drains is also recommended.
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Old 10-19-2016, 06:31 AM   #5
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Uh oh!

Your pump may not be where the manual says it is?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f445...ss-140909.html

. . . but rather behind a panel under the wardrobe per DeltaRon?

and quite inaccessible?

Maybe call your dealer . . .

Sorry to be the possible bearer of bad news!

Peter
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Old 10-19-2016, 06:37 AM   #6
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We have a 28' rear queen and the pump is under the fridge just as the manual says it is.
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Old 10-19-2016, 06:44 AM   #7
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I have a year 2011 28W queen, and the water pump is right under the fridge. The access panel simply pops off (sometimes while driving :-P) for access to the pump/pex, etc.

Tangentally, when I winterize, I choose to leave the pump in place, and once my hot water bypass valve is thrown, the mains are drained, and I am done with blowing the lines with my compressor, I toss a gallon of anti-freeze into the fresh tank and run the pump to fill the lines to the sinks/shower/toiler/sprayer.

Generally, it takes half a minute of running each line under pressure to de-winterize. It's an easy enough process that I do it 8-12 times during the winter while I continue to use my trailer for camping during winter sports season.

Ian
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Old 10-19-2016, 06:45 AM   #8
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Good news from similar models! Ian, they want to avoid antifreeze I believe.

Thanks
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Old 10-19-2016, 06:59 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IanPoulin View Post
I have a year 2011 28W queen, and the water pump is right under the fridge. The access panel simply pops off (sometimes while driving :-P) for access to the pump/pex, etc.

Tangentally, when I winterize, I choose to leave the pump in place, and once my hot water bypass valve is thrown, the mains are drained, and I am done with blowing the lines with my compressor, I toss a gallon of anti-freeze into the fresh tank and run the pump to fill the lines to the sinks/shower/toiler/sprayer.

Generally, it takes half a minute of running each line under pressure to de-winterize. It's an easy enough process that I do it 8-12 times during the winter while I continue to use my trailer for camping during winter sports season.

Ian
There you go, good info!
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Old 10-19-2016, 07:35 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avionstream View Post
There you go, good info!
Except the OP here expressed an interest in using Air Compressor Only in that other thread, per the title of this post:

Quote:
Originally Posted by whitegs View Post
I have done the same with my previous motor home with no problem. I plan on doing so this year with my new FC28. But I notice they put a water filter under the sink. Do I have to remove this and replace it with the clear plastic line or can I leave it in place when i blow out the lines?
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Old 10-19-2016, 07:50 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whitegs
I have done the same with my previous motor home with no problem. I plan on doing so this year with my new FC28. But I notice they put a water filter under the sink. Do I have to remove this and replace it with the clear plastic line or can I leave it in place when i blow out the lines?

If you trailer has a water filter next the the kitchen sink you have to remove the filter container and replace it with the bypass cap, a small plate supplied when trailer was new. Failure to do this will leave the filter container full of water and a sure freeze problem.
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Old 10-19-2016, 07:50 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OTRA15 View Post
Except the OP here expressed an interest in using Air Compressor Only in that other thread, per the title of this post:
Ok; rather than forum moderate, let's answer the modified question then [I saw nothing in the OP that said options would not be considered.]

Re "running your pump dry" - if you use that option only, I'd do it before you pressurize the lines for a blow-out to handle water introduced into the lines. However there's also a length of pex between the pump and the valve to handle city/internal line transfer. I'd be concerned about water remaining in that line, so you may want to consider making it removable that it can be pulled along with the pump for external storage.

Of course, that makes you're winterizing/de-winterizine procedure a tad longer; and may lead to inability/non-desire to use your trailer for camping during the winter time. For me it's about being as efficient in being back on the road for a snowshoeing or snowmobiling trip in January; then re-winterize to enable a quick turnaround for another trip the following weekend.

Good luck and enjoy!

Ian
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Old 10-19-2016, 07:56 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HowieE View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by whitegs
I have done the same with my previous motor home with no problem. I plan on doing so this year with my new FC28. But I notice they put a water filter under the sink. Do I have to remove this and replace it with the clear plastic line or can I leave it in place when i blow out the lines?

If you trailer has a water filter next the the kitchen sink you have to remove the filter container and replace it with the bypass cap, a small plate supplied when trailer was new. Failure to do this will leave the filter container full of water and a sure freeze problem.
Oh; that's a VERY good point! My trailer doesn't have that filter so was not thinking...

You also don't want to be running anti-freeze through that filter either; as it can compromise the filter capabilities.

Good catch!

Ian
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Old 10-19-2016, 09:37 AM   #14
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My Airstream makes me feel like an idiot

Quote:
Originally Posted by IanPoulin View Post
I have a year 2011 28W queen, and the water pump is right under the fridge. The access panel simply pops off (sometimes while driving :-P) for access to the pump/pex, etc.

Tangentally, when I winterize, I choose to leave the pump in place, and once my hot water bypass valve is thrown, the mains are drained, and I am done with blowing the lines with my compressor, I toss a gallon of anti-freeze into the fresh tank and run the pump to fill the lines to the sinks/shower/toiler/sprayer.

Generally, it takes half a minute of running each line under pressure to de-winterize. It's an easy enough process that I do it 8-12 times during the winter while I continue to use my trailer for camping during winter sports season.

Ian
OK, so I opened all the drains (fresh water and petcocks) and raised and lowered the jack. Water has stopped flowing from the fresh water drain but the monitor says there is still 13%. I turn on the pump switch and dead silence. So I hooked up my compressor to the city water inlet with all the taps open and have a steady 60# of air pressure but I don't sense anything coming out of any of the faucets. What am I missing? Is there some kind of pressure release valve I have to press on the city water inlet? Why is this so hard?
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Old 10-19-2016, 10:08 AM   #15
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Welcome to the joys of Airstream ownership!

No need to feel like an idiot, we have all been through a similar learning curve.

Are you sure the air hose is connected to the city water port, and not the black water flush port? I would lower the pressure to 40 PSI to be safe. Your built-in water pressure regulator may be reading the PSI as too high IMO. Did it work OK before when you used city water?

Keep checking the water level percentage, it may come down to zero when the inside water residue evaporates, or the sensor may be bad.

Did you find the water pump per earlier posts? Are you sure it is not working or just very quiet? Can you actually see the pump now? Even if -- by total coincidence IMO -- your pump just went bad, you can still winterize with air pressure alone. When you disconnect the intake and output hoses from the water pump per the owners manual, some water will drain out (all plumbing already blown out, and all faucets open), which you can catch in a rag.

If necessary, take a break until your equanimity returns? Deep breathing and so forth . . .

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Old 10-19-2016, 10:46 AM   #16
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OK, so I opened all the drains (fresh water and petcocks) and raised and lowered the jack. Water has stopped flowing from the fresh water drain but the monitor says there is still 13%. I turn on the pump switch and dead silence. So I hooked up my compressor to the city water inlet with all the taps open and have a steady 60# of air pressure but I don't sense anything coming out of any of the faucets. What am I missing? Is there some kind of pressure release valve I have to press on the city water inlet? Why is this so hard?
It's ok -- this will become easier after your first or second time around. My first time, I had to winterize twice as I forgot to close my low-point drains when I introduced anti-freeze into the lines :-P

ok -- two items of note....

60# is a tad high - drop it to the 40-45# range IMHO.

However, I see you indicated all your lines were open inside the trailer. Instead, close all lines and then pressurize the system with air. If you're using a pancake or generic compressor found at a package store, it's likely powerful enough only to sustain pressure work for one side of one appliance at a time. So, my walkthrough script is as follows:

o make sure all faucets and turned off
o make sure drain lines are off
o pressurize the system to about 40-45PSI (my own choice of that level.)

o turn on cold outside hand wash faucet. Let air clear lines.
o close cold outside hand wash faucet; allow compressor to recover 40-45PSI in the lines.
o turn on hot outside hand wash faucet. let air lines clear.
o repeat closure of hot valve, repeat compressor recovery

Then inside, for the cold; recover, hot side of the kitchen sink, then the shower, cold and hot, then the bathroom sink cold and hot and finally the toilet and the toilet+spray wand.

o recover wastes from tanks, close tank valves;
o drop a cup of RV grade anti-freeze down all traps and the remainder of the gallon bottle into the toilet.

BE ADVISED -- if you have changed your shower head to the oxygenetics brand, when you release pressure through that, in the enclosed space of your shower, you'll get a hiss in a VERY LOUD decibel range to make your ears ring. you may want to wear hearing protection during the exercise!

Ian
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Old 10-19-2016, 11:00 AM   #17
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water pump again

So I look at the bottom of the fridge and that's where the converter and fuses and circuit breakers are. I'm told by AS that maybe it's under the hall wardrobe and I do see a pipe coming up from there but there is no panel that's easily removed but there is a board screwed in in front of where it might be. Do I have to unscrew 8 small phillips screws to be able to remove that board and get to the water pump?

It just doesn't feel right. No air coming out of the faucets when I attach the compressor and no obvious access to the water pump.

I'd hate to have to drive 150 miles each way to Jackson Center to have someone do this for me. What a pain.
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Old 10-19-2016, 11:03 AM   #18
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It's ok -- this will become easier after your first or second time around. My first time, I had to winterize twice as I forgot to close my low-point drains when I introduced anti-freeze into the lines :-P

ok -- two items of note....

60# is a tad high - drop it to the 40-45# range IMHO.

However, I see you indicated all your lines were open inside the trailer. Instead, close all lines and then pressurize the system with air. If you're using a pancake or generic compressor found at a package store, it's likely powerful enough only to sustain pressure work for one side of one appliance at a time. So, my walkthrough script is as follows:

o make sure all faucets and turned off
o make sure drain lines are off
o pressurize the system to about 40-45PSI (my own choice of that level.)

o turn on cold outside hand wash faucet. Let air clear lines.
o close cold outside hand wash faucet; allow compressor to recover 40-45PSI in the lines.
o turn on hot outside hand wash faucet. let air lines clear.
o repeat closure of hot valve, repeat compressor recovery

Then inside, for the cold; recover, hot side of the kitchen sink, then the shower, cold and hot, then the bathroom sink cold and hot and finally the toilet and the toilet+spray wand.

o recover wastes from tanks, close tank valves;
o drop a cup of RV grade anti-freeze down all traps and the remainder of the gallon bottle into the toilet.

BE ADVISED -- if you have changed your shower head to the oxygenetics brand, when you release pressure through that, in the enclosed space of your shower, you'll get a hiss in a VERY LOUD decibel range to make your ears ring. you may want to wear hearing protection during the exercise!

Ian
I'll try that. I'll close everything and let it pressurize to 45# and then do the faucets one at a time. BTW, You didn't mention the water pump. Do you just ignore that?
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Old 10-19-2016, 11:05 AM   #19
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Richard, you have plenty of information now to go forward with your winterizing.

I think Nrgtrakr said it best. It is very important to know where your pump is located but it is not necessary for winterizing. I have a water filter on my pump and have been using just air for 7 years. No problems and our winters get to zero and sometimes below. I follow the procedure described by our local Airstream dealer. This is how they winterize their customers trailers.

Basically I drain all the tanks, water heater and lines. I bypass the heater and blow out all the lines. Once finished with that I run the pump to clear out the water from the filter and the pump itself. I then blow all the lines out a second time. I throw some antifreeze in the traps and remove the spray head at the sink and the water filter from the faucet. I leave all the low point drains open as well as the FW tank drain. Any water left can drain once I get the trailer to the storage lot. No need, in my opinion, to crawl under the trailer and use your lips to blow out these valves. Be thorough, be careful but keep the process simple. Overkill will do no harm. Some use air AND the pink stuff. That would be the best way, no question.
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Old 10-19-2016, 11:07 AM   #20
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There is another thread on winterizing as well.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f458...wn-157188.html
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