2019/20 Classic with winterization kit

[ghaynes755]

Couple of weeks ago I did a blowout with air for the water system. Yesterday with temps heading down to 0, I attempted to used the winterization setup. Drained all of the tanks and lowpoints. Drained the Alde water tank and set it up for bypass mode.



Put the valve into the winterization mode, pointing to the plastic tube. Tube in jug of antifreeze, pump on an zilch, nada, nothing being pulled from the jug.


Valve back to normal, filled the tube with fluid, open valve turned on the the pump, and again nothing.


Filing the tube with fluid with the valve open the fluid ran down the tube but wasn't sure where it was going. Lost 2 gallons of fluid playing around trouble shooting. Didn't seem like there was any suction on the tube with the pump running.



Finally disconnected the pump inlet side. Valve in the winter position, blow in tube with thumb over the inlet coupling sealing it and was blowing air back into the main water tank. Probably where all my fluid is sitting.


I've seen a few postings about the valve being installed backwards. Doesn't make much sense as it is a simple valve setup.



So the question is for those of you that have this setup in a late model Classic, have you tried the winterization setup? Did it work? If it worked and you get a chance can you take a photo of the valve that I can compare for positioning of the on/off handle?

[Aircub69]

Yes. I have a 2019 Classic 30' and tried to winterize. I thought my winterization valve was backwards since I had the same thing happen to me. It was not plumbed incorrectly. Make sure your valves are set for antifreeze use. I turned mine for blowing out with air and did not change them for antifreeze. I also had an air leak in the hose. I asked my dealer to replace the winterizing valve with a Camco brass valve and it works fine now. Check your valve positions.

[ghaynes755]

Thanks Aircub. Bought a 1/2 inch PEX connector this morning. Attached it and a tube directly to the pump inlet and it sucked up the liquid with gusto. 2 1/2 gallons later I was done. Add to list for Jackson Center to fix next month.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Making up a manual anti freeze feed setup from PEX and vinyl tube is doable. At least in the older Classics, a right angle PEX fitting makes the process a little easier than a straight one.

The PEX stuff *should* be reasonably freeze proof. Brass (like the Camco valve) usually isn't happy when water freezes in it. Does any of this really matter? Obviously, that depends a lot on just what happens "down the road"

Bob

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Making up a manual anti freeze feed setup from PEX and vinyl tube is doable. At least in the older Classics, a right angle PEX fitting makes the process a little easier than a straight one.

The PEX stuff *should* be reasonably freeze proof. Brass (like the Camco valve) usually isn't happy when water freezes in it. Does any of this really matter? Obviously, that depends a lot on just what happens "down the road"

Bob

Bob, I had a brass valve for 17 years in my old trailer and 9 years now in my AS. No freezing. The water on the pick up side of the valve drains back to the tank as soon as the cap is taken off the valve (along with most of the water in the strainer). And antifreeze is on the other side of the valve.

[Gleverett]

New 2020 Classic 30'. A little confused on winterization. Are you all filling the water system with RV antifreeze to include the boiler? or are you draining the hot water boiler and by passing it all together? Some photo's of valve positions would be great. Opinions on blow out with air vs antifreeze winterization?

[nipperguy]

Personally, we don’t trust that a blowout with compressed air removes all water from system—especially with Alde water jacket. We generally drain all tanks and low points, including Alde, blowout system with compressed air then pump antifreeze through system including Alde (2.5 additional gallons in our 2018 Classic 30). Once completed, we drain all antifreeze out of system, pour a sufficient amount down drains then save the balance to reuse.

[RickyNelson]

Following - thank you!

[ghaynes755]

I've sent this question to Alde. Based on the various answers, yes use RV antifreeze, or no not needed, I'd hazard a guess that the answer will be...


1. If you plan to use the heat side (glycol boiler) to heat the trailer during the winter then don't put RV antifreeze in the water side, leave it empty.



2. If you will be in storage and not using the heat side then you can fill with RV antifreeze if desired.



I'll post the answer I get from Alde.

[ghaynes755]

And here is the reply from Alde.


A lot of people use the antifreeze in their RV’s. If you do, you need to bypass our system, so the antifreeze does not enter our heater. There is a bypass valve that needs to be open and then you close the hot and cold lines.

Thank You,

Mandy

Alde Corp
6700 NE 152. Suite 160
Vancouver, WA 98682
Telefon: 360-597-3017
Fax: 360-718-7077

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Bob, I had a brass valve for 17 years in my old trailer and 9 years now in my AS. No freezing. The water on the pick up side of the valve drains back to the tank as soon as the cap is taken off the valve (along with most of the water in the strainer). And antifreeze is on the other side of the valve.

Hi

How often do you let the entire trailer freeze solid without doing any winterization at all? The PEX *might* survive that. The brass .... maybe not. I doubt anybody reading this thread is going to skip winterization simply because they trust the PEX. It's more a freak temperature drop that catches you unprepared.

Bob

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Gleverett

New 2020 Classic 30'. A little confused on winterization. Are you all filling the water system with RV antifreeze to include the boiler? or are you draining the hot water boiler and by passing it all together? Some photo's of valve positions would be great. Opinions on blow out with air vs antifreeze winterization?

Hi

If you fill everything (including the hot water tank) with anti-freeze and let it sit, you will be protected over the winter.

The issue is next spring. At that point there is a *lot* of pipe / tank coated with anti-freeze. The stuff will not kill you ( = it's safe ). However it does have a taste and it is a laxative ( = they sell the same material for that purpose). Getting it all washed out of the system can take a long time. We spent the summer trying to get it fully out of our Classic. The taste / smell still was there in the fall.

Bob

[pjshier]

Similarly suspicious that the air trick would leave behind some mischievous water, and unhappy about RV antifreeze in the fresh water system due to our experience with same out at our fish camp RV (stationary RV on blocks; water smells BAD, I know, maybe not related to antifreeze, but still...).

I tried something different this year: with the air compressor connected, followed the purge instructions. Then, with the air compressor still attached, re-did the purge with my shop vac and a long hose - went to each fixture and "helped" clear any leftover moisture by placing the shop vac hose at the business end of the fixtures. Did the same after the hoses/spouts were disconnected. Was able to pull quite a bit of water out of the water line I disconnected from the inlet side of the pump. Even fixed a small flexible hose and inserted it into the water heater through the drain - pulled a bunch of water out of there, too. Probably not a problem, but...

Hopefully it is a desert in there. Kitchen sink spray head, shower hoses and heads all disconnected and waiting for spring. Pump disconnected, toilet disconnected.

[Daquenzer]

Don’t forget the outside shower. I just about did this year, then thought of it as I was walking around the AS doing something else. Since I already had antifreeze in the system I turned on the pump then pumped antifreeze out. Then I blew it out.

The big thing in the 28’ AS Serenity is to empty the pump. If you blow out the system without putting antifreeze in you could easily leave water in the pump to freeze. Not sure if this is true on the Classic. You can open up a connector and then turn the pump to drain out the water. It just gets messy.

One nice thing I have is an air compressor connection that will stay attached to the valve I attached to the inlet water. I can then set my compressor to 60lbs and go in and just keep opening up and shutting connections. Just make sure that before you turn on the compressor to open up a faucet.. I let the system just blow itself out for about 15 minutes. I was amazed at how much water could remain in the system; especially around the toilet area. That is why I decided to use antifreeze as well.

[BigChuck]

I ran into a similar issues with my 2017 Basecamp - lines cleared with air and attempted to fill with lines and pump RV antifreeze - and the pump did not draw any fluid. In my situation, the fix was easy - just open the cold faucet/fixture furthest from the pump, then turn the pump on. I had to raise/lower the jug of fluid a few times to get the pump primed. Opening the line allowed the fluid to pump through almost instantaneously. Flush the fixtures - all the cold sides first, then all the hot sides, including shower, and the toilet last. Opening the furthest fixture allowed the column of air trapped in the line to escape, and the pump to draw. Hope this helps.