Water Pump Strainer Bowl

WFD · 10-08-2018, 08:30 AM

I have noticed the last couple of years after winterizing using RV antifreeze pumped through the pressure pump, that the contents in the bowl of the strainer are still very clear. I would expect to see the pink RV antifreeze in that bowl? Haven't had an issue come spring time, so I assume all is good, but should the contents of the bowl not be noticeably pink?

A32Deuce · 10-08-2018, 08:35 AM

If you turn on the pump, that will empty. What ever water does not drain from the tank will get in there if you move your unit. FW tanks don't drain fully.

bubbles · 10-08-2018, 11:04 AM

Unless you put the antifreeze in the fresh water holding tank the strainer will not have antifreeze pass through it. Typically, the antifreeze enters the pump between the strainer and pump via valve selection.

JohnD10 · 10-08-2018, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

Unless you put the antifreeze in the fresh water holding tank the strainer will not have antifreeze pass through it. Typically, the antifreeze enters the pump between the strainer and pump via valve selection.

Bing!

And you win 1000 pesos!

Brother Les · 10-08-2018, 11:30 AM

I unscrew the pump bowl strainer and dump the fresh water out. If you continue to leave the fresh water in there and no anti-freeze is pumped in, the bowl will freeze and crack sometime down the road and leak.

Yes, you can buy an after market bowl for your pump when it cracks....

JohnD10 · 10-08-2018, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Les

I unscrew the pump bowl strainer and dump the fresh water out. If you continue to leave the fresh water in there and no anti-freeze is pumped in, the bowl will freeze and crack sometime down the road and leak.

Yes, you can buy an after market bowl for your pump when it cracks....

What I used to do (live in the desert...don't need to winterize anymore) is to run the pump empty...

In otherwords, just before I would run the pink stuff through the water pump and have already emptied the fresh water tank, I turn on the pump for about five seconds, which pulls the water out of the fresh water line, including the strainer.

Then bypass the water line from the fresh water tank by switching the pump to the AF hose pump.

Works every time without having to unscrew the filter/strainer.

TheWolfPaq82 · 10-08-2018, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

Unless you put the antifreeze in the fresh water holding tank the strainer will not have antifreeze pass through it. Typically, the antifreeze enters the pump between the strainer and pump via valve selection.

You don't...or shouldn't put AF in the FW tank. You'd need gals and gals before you have enough in it to pump into the system. All my TT's that had systems installed, the inlet was before the pump on the incoming line from FW tank. My current TT, I disconnect the line from the FW tank, put on a adapter and a piece of hose and drop it in a bucket that I pour my AF into. Pump is full, bowl is full with AF when I'm done.

bubbles · 10-08-2018, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

You don't...or shouldn't put AF in the FW tank. You'd need gals and gals before you have enough in it to pump into the system. All my TT's that had systems installed, the inlet was before the pump on the incoming line from FW tank. My current TT, I disconnect the line from the FW tank, put on a adapter and a piece of hose and drop it in a bucket that I pour my AF into. Pump is full, bowl is full with AF when I'm done.

Agree, I was just providing info to the OP. Why don't you just splice a permanent selector valve with a hose attached (for your AF bucket) in the line between the pump and strainer and be done with it. Now just turn the valve to the bucket hose and bingo your in business for winterizing. Turn it back to the holding tank when done. No disconnecting and reconnecting anything.

Scrapper · 10-08-2018, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

Agree, I was just providing info to the OP. Why don't you just splice a permanent selector valve with a hose attached (for your AF bucket) in the line between the pump and strainer and be done with it. Now just turn the valve to the bucket hose and bingo your in business for winterizing. Turn it back to the holding tank when done. No disconnecting and reconnecting anything.

I would personally put the selector valve between the FW tank and the strainer. The strainer is between the FW tank and the pump so it can strain out debris before it gets to the pump.

DrLewie · 10-08-2018, 01:47 PM

Sounds pretty extreme when all we need to do is demo the water out of the strainer bowl as part of winterization.

bubbles · 10-08-2018, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapper

I would personally put the selector valve between the FW tank and the strainer. The strainer is between the FW tank and the pump so it can strain out debris before it gets to the pump.

If you have debris in your store bought antifreeze bottle, you have antifreeze supplier issues and should be addressed with the store/supplier.

The Mustard Seed · 10-08-2018, 06:52 PM

OK - I'll be the stupid guy Where is the fresh water strainer bowl located? Is it attached to the pump? Sorry for being stupid.

JohnD10 · 10-08-2018, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Mustard Seed

Where is the fresh water strainer bowl located?

Is it attached to the pump?

Directly in front of the water pump on the water-inlet side of the pump.

See below:

Scrapper · 10-09-2018, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

If you have debris in your store bought antifreeze bottle, you have antifreeze supplier issues and should be addressed with the store/supplier.

That's not the point. Most don't have much room between the screen and the WP to splice in a valve. Mine is like the one in JohnD10's pic. The screen is connected directly to the water pump intake and there is not enough room under the bathroom sink to put the valve between the two. There is plenty of room before the screen to splice it into the intake hose. In fact, the AF line goes in before the screen into my system.

bubbles · 10-09-2018, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapper

That's not the point. Most don't have much room between the screen and the WP to splice in a valve. Mine is like the one in JohnD10's pic. The screen is connected directly to the water pump intake and there is not enough room under the bathroom sink to put the valve between the two. There is plenty of room before the screen to splice it into the intake hose. In fact, the AF line goes in before the screen into my system.

This is a totally different reason than previously stated and does make sense.

TheWolfPaq82 · 10-09-2018, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

Agree, I was just providing info to the OP. Why don't you just splice a permanent selector valve with a hose attached (for your AF bucket) in the line between the pump and strainer and be done with it. Now just turn the valve to the bucket hose and bingo your in business for winterizing. Turn it back to the holding tank when done. No disconnecting and reconnecting anything.

Yeah...on some trailers that may be difficult to do, but on our Cherokee it's quite simple to disconnect the line and hook my other line to the bucket, but yeah...easy to install an extra valve if I wanted.

dsiegler · 10-09-2018, 08:42 PM

Strainer bowls should be placed so that the bowl is down so that any debris/solids will fall to bottom of bowl and stay there. That also means water will remain in it if you use air pressure to empty your lines. After it froze and cracked the first year I used that method I always unscrew and empty it and the water filter.

5picker · 10-09-2018, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

Unless you put the antifreeze in the fresh water holding tank the strainer will not have antifreeze pass through it. Typically, the antifreeze enters the pump between the strainer and pump via valve selection.

Not on any units I've owned.
The strainer has always been screwed directly to the pump and the antifreeze injection point is between the strainer and fresh tank.

I suppose from your comment yours isn't that way but you can't always paint with a broad brush.

bubbles · 10-09-2018, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5picker

Not on any units I've owned.
The strainer has always been screwed directly to the pump and the antifreeze injection point is between the strainer and fresh tank.

I suppose from your comment yours isn't that way but you can't always paint with a broad brush.

I did say "typically" and also just providing a possible reason for why the OP didn't see pink stuff in the strainer. Of course the adapter (valve) can be installed anywhere in series with the tank side tube to the pump.

WFD · 10-10-2018, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

I did say "typically" and also just providing a possible reason for why the OP didn't see pink stuff in the strainer. Of course the adapter (valve) can be installed anywhere in series with the tank side tube to the pump.

OP here...my strainer is located between my winterization valve and the pump, so the antifreeze should be visible in the strainer. I am surprised my strainer hasn't cracked in the past, because like I mentioned in the OP, it's been like this a couple years now with no issue.

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