Hidden Plumbing Dead-End!!

[Michigander]

Well, we opened the MH yesterday, hallelujah!

Later in the evening, my DW and I were sitting on the sofa, enjoying a beverage, and discussing storage space. She looked at the drawer under the fridge and said she wished it were larger.

So, being the dutiful and handy husband that I am, I pulled the drawer out to see if there was any space behind it in case I wanted to enlarge it.

Lo and behold, below is what I discovered. Not only was there room at the back for expansion, but I discovered plumbing that I did not know existed.

I'm pretty sure that, because it's under the fridge, it is a feed to an icemaker, which I do not have.

What concerns me is that for the past four years, I have faithfully winterized my plumbing without knowledge of this 4-5 foot dead end. If you look closely at the photo, the PEX tubing has a pink cast to it as it trails off to the right. I'm pretty sure this is leftover antifreeze that did not flush out.

Probably, the pink stuff will dilute over the course of the summer, but now that I know about this dead end, I'll always wonder when winterizing in the fall if I got enough pink fluid back into the system to cover this area.

Maybe I'll install a valve closer to the take-off. What a pain in the butt!!

I know igorance can be bliss, but the potential for a disastrous plumbing leak makes me worry. Any suggestions out there?

[Airstreamer67]

Your concerns are good ones. That is a freeze-damage point waiting to happen.

I would put a valve on the end, and open it with a connected drain hose to get antifreeze or compressed air in there during the winter preparation process.

[Michigander]

Originally Posted by Airstreamer67

Your concerns are good ones. That is a freeze-damage point waiting to happen.

I would put a valve on the end, and open it with a connected drain hose to get antifreeze or compressed air in there during the winter preparation process.

I'm with you. I cannot just let it stay as is and hope for the best. I've been lucky so far but don't want to push it. Thanks for your input.

[Smartstream]

I have a separate ice maker next to the refer. When I winterize I disconnect the water supply to make sure everything is drained. I'm not sure about your coach but on mine the water tank is under the couch behind the drivers seat. The water starts there and makes a loop to the rear bath and up the right side to the ice maker. If I don't drain the ice maker, that is probably 8' or 10' of tubing to freeze.

Cheers, Dan