Winterizing Trouble

[buzzard86]

Hi everyone -

I am a new member and just brought home a new-to-me Shasta Revere 26TBQB. We are not going to get out this year so I tried to winterize it today but ran into difficulty. Hoping you can help.

I was able to blow out the lines using my compressor. I also want to add antifreeze to the lines but the plumbing setup is a little bit different than my old one and I am at least partly confused as to whether or not I am plumbed with a winterization kit. I thought that I was and managed to draw in one jug of antifreeze, but I lost prime and now I'm stuck.

I am adding a picture of my plumbing below. Can you confirm that this is the correct setup to draw antifreeze from the jug? If so, how do I regain prime to finish the task?

Thanks for your help! Very excited the new camper and looking forward to being an active member of this forum.

Jim

[fonzie]

From what I see here the bottom left valve needs to be open to pull anti-freeze in from the hose that goes into the jug.....

[buzzard86]

Originally Posted by fonzie

From what I see here the bottom left valve needs to be open to pull anti-freeze in from the hose that goes into the jug.....

Hi Fonzie

I did have that valve open and was able to draw 1 jug of antifreeze into the system. I inadvertently let the jug run dry and lost prime. I couldn't figure out how to proceed so I closed the valve and decided to learn more before proceeding.

That definitely looks like a winterizing setup, right? The valve setup has me a bit confused. I understand that the lower left needs to be open to draw the antifreeze. The other one goes to the supply side of the pump to I presume that needs to be open. Which leaves the un-valved white line to the right of that T that appears to run behind the cabinet and through the floor (into the holding tank?)

I was almost certain that my former RV had a valve on that side to isolate the antifreeze supply and pump in lines? What am I missing here?

Thanks.
Jim

[fonzie]

It would have been better if the valve that is on the suction side of the pump would have been on the supply line from the fresh water tank then you could close that line......maybe not properly plumbed? mine is plumbed with only one valve similar to below...

Yours might have started to draw properly because there was still water in fresh water tank and was drawing from both at same time??

If it was me, I would modify the plumbing and cure the issue.....

[KyDan]

I agree with Fonzie.
The line that runs to the fresh holding tank needs a shut off or the T needs
to be replaced with a 3 way valve similar to the foto that Fonzie posted.

[bubbles]

Fonzie is correct. Looks like the valves were just installed "willy nilly" and the valve on the pump input side serves no purpose in the overall scheme of things. The valves are shut off valves and what you need is a selector valve installed as per fonzie's post to draw either from the tank or AF jug. In the interim you could pinch off the tank hose to draw only from the AF jug if desired.

[buzzard86]

Thank you all. I think you just confirmed my confusion. It "looked" like a winter hookup but for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to isolate the jug without a third valve. Just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something.

I appreciate the time you took to help and share your knowledge.

Jim

[Still Kickin]

Slow down a minute. The picture appears to show a correct plumbing set up. The logic is this; when you turn the winterization valve allowing draw from that tube, as long as it is sending the drawn anti-freeze down stream of your fresh water tank, and into the hot and cold circuits, then your plumbing is correct. Your picture shows what appears to be two pex lines existing the hole drilled in the right corner. Does this make sense that the drawn anti-freeze will flow that way, and looking at your setup, does one of the other valves isolate your fresh tank? If that is the case your plumbed correctly.

As far as you lost prime not watching you emptied the jug, you need to just put a forced flow of water from a hose in the end of the pick up line (anti-freeze circuit) and then at the same time run the pump. That will get prime back to the pump, so you can complete your winterization.

[buzzard86]

Originally Posted by Still Kickin

Does this make sense that the drawn anti-freeze will flow that way, and looking at your setup, does one of the other valves isolate your fresh tank? If that is the case your plumbed correctly.

I think that this is where I remain concerned. I don't have an apparent way to isolate the fresh water tank. Also, today I opened the previously-drained fresh water tank low point drain tonight and out came a copious amount of antifreeze so somehow I was getting antifreeze into that tank.

I am pretty sure that on my old rig I would close a valve leading to the fresh tank and open the valve on the hose extension. Not sure that I understand what purpose the valve on the pump supply serves.

Jim

[KyDan]

Your easiest way at this point is to temporarily move the pump so you can
add a shut off in remaining leg of that T. Then just leave the pump valve open
all the time.
Shut the one going thru the wall (we assume that one has to come from the fresh tank) and open the one to the AF jug and pump
in the pink stuff.

OR cut out the T and replace with a 3 way "winterizing valve".

[MNtraveler]

Isolating the f/w tank is discussed above. To reprime the winterization side, put the draw tube into the antifreeze jug and position the jug _above_ rather than below the pump until it starts running. If necessary, manually fill that tube and try again as indicated. (Pretend you are siphoning to start it up.) Although you probably won't have this problem again, when you nearly finish a jug, remove the tube while still loaded and close it off or at least elevate it so it doesn't run dry.