Fresh water tank drain valve - where is it?

[Badlands]

Originally Posted by DocP

Marksha83: I initially thought that as well, until I located a third drain valve on the left side of the outside kitchen area. It is very difficult to trace it back to its origin, but I believe that it may be for the fresh water tank, since the water tank is so close.

Concerning the left-hand valve (slide-out table and sink, lower left front, to left of sink). Turn on your pump, open that one valve on the lower left, and you drain your fresh water tank via pumping it out -- at least this worked for me.

I have yet to try the low-point drains, but will be doing so next week when I winterize. In lieu of that, the noted valve and pump worked.

[pobox1067]

Ronald Ross confirms that there is no anode rod in my water heater.

[Marksha83]

We had one last camping trip this weekend and we winterized our Leprechaun 319 DS for the first time so I made a checklist for myself. Although this checklist is specific to our Leprechaun I thought I would share it with you guys. I did both the compressed air method and antifreeze method. I could have stopped after the compressed air, but since it is our first time winterizing I used antifreeze as more of piece of mind. I took my time and double checked everything and everything went well

[pobox1067]

Thank you for preparing that Marksha83. I'm not clear on the part that says, "Remove screen from city water connection and depress valve until pink flow." Also, I guess it goes without saying, but each time you open a faucet to get pink flow, you then close it before proceeding to the next one. Seems obvious, but I didn't keep this in mind when I was blowing out my lawn watering system, and couldn't figure out why I wasn't seeing any pressure come through.

[Marksha83]

Originally Posted by pobox1067

Thank you for preparing that Marksha83. I'm not clear on the part that says, "Remove screen from city water connection and depress valve until pink flow." Also, I guess it goes without saying, but each time you open a faucet to get pink flow, you then close it before proceeding to the next one. Seems obvious, but I didn't keep this in mind when I was blowing out my lawn watering system, and couldn't figure out why I wasn't seeing any pressure come through.

If you remove the filter screen from the outside city water connection you will find a small white valve there that prevents water back flow. When done with antifreeze everywhere else just push that little white valve stem and you will get rid of the water and then antifreeze will flow out.

[Tireman9]

Here they are behind the fresh air return to the furnace below the stove.

One on far right is fresh water tank it only has a single line to the valve. The others are in-line with cold & hot water so have two lines connected. The drain is down through the floor.

[pnashdc]

Thanks for the info. A few of the details are not quite correct (for my 2015 Prism 2150le), but overall very helpful. Of most use for me was learning that the valves pull (instead of twisting, like every other T-valve I've ever seen). I couldn't figure out nothing came out when I "opened" them!

[Marksha83]

Originally Posted by pnashdc

Thanks for the info. A few of the details are not quite correct (for my 2015 Prism 2150le), but overall very helpful. Of most use for me was learning that the valves pull (instead of twisting, like every other T-valve I've ever seen). I couldn't figure out nothing came out when I "opened" them!

Glad it was helpful. I made the list specifically for my Leprechaun but you can adjust it to fit your Prism.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by pobox1067

Thank you Leprechaun. That seems to do it. Originally I had considered that maybe you were supposed to pull up on them and I did that a little bit but not very aggressively. (Didn't want to fill the coach up with water). But when I went back after reading your reply it worked.



That was my major hurdle but I still have a couple of questions. I wouldn't be asking if I hadn't already tried the owner's handbooks, etc but they were no help.



The compartment where you put water in has a lever labeled city water in one direction and the other direction is labeled fresh water/winterize. I hooked the city water to the city water supply and all is well. The rig came with a full fresh water tank so I haven't filled it. But it appears that you use the same (only) hose inlet and flip the lever to fill it. No problem. But if I want to winterize, it would appear that the antifreeze is going to go right into the fresh water tank. The owner's manual would seem to support this. Is this what I want to do? My fifth wheel had one bypass lever for the fresh water tank and one for the hot water heater. Not so here. And in any event, how do I keep the antifreeze out of the hot water heater? Is there some type of secret valve for this also?



I would again appreciate any help you could offer. Thanx.

Sorry if this was already answered, but normally the city water connection and fresh tank fill port are two different entry points. And you do not use the pump diversion lever to fill the fresh tank. You use that valve to switch from normal operation (pumping from fresh tank when not on city water) to winterize mode for pumping antifreeze from gallon jugs into the water lines.

Someone mentioned putting antifreeze into the fresh tank - not a good idea if you can use the other method. It will be hard to flush out in the spring.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by pobox1067

Well, I got it winterized...I think. Thank you for everyone's input. Still a lingering question, though. I, too, received a prompt reply from Ronald Ross at Coachmen, along with the same PDF file shared by MarsMan. In the text of his answer he states with regard to the water heater bypass valves, " For normal mode all the valves are horizontal, for bypass mode they are vertical." However, in the PDF file, figure 2, if you look very carefully, the top and bottom valves are in the vertical (shutoff) position but the middle one is in the horizontal (flow-through) position. Further, the PDF file says to reverse the position of all three valves from the previous position. This is what I did and it ended up looking exactly like the figure 2...two off and one on. No pink stuff came out of the water heater (with the plug out) during the process. I hope I'm OK?



Also, I have the propane-only water heater (what a drag!) and when I pulled the plug there was no anode rod attached there or anywhere else that I can tell. Thinking about it, I guess that makes sense if it is not electric but I would appreciate confirmation. Documentation that came with water heater not helpful. Also, I know that even the propane models need 12 volt to run, but I wouldn't expect that to cause electrolysis...right?



Thank you all for all the help and comments previously.

This diagram posted by others is most helpful in understanding bypassing the hot water heater to avoid filling it with antifreeze.

As you can see, in this setup, for normal use all three valves are horizontal (hot and cold lines on and bypass off) and in bypass mode all three are vertical (hot and cold lines off and bypass on).

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by Marksha83

We had one last camping trip this weekend and we winterized our Leprechaun 319 DS for the first time so I made a checklist for myself. Although this checklist is specific to our Leprechaun I thought I would share it with you guys. I did both the compressed air method and antifreeze method. I could have stopped after the compressed air, but since it is our first time winterizing I used antifreeze as more of piece of mind. I took my time and double checked everything and everything went well

Thanks for the checklist! You don't need to turn the pump on until ready to pump in antifreeze. You may want to run it briefly after draining the lines to get any residual water out of the pump, but the antifreeze will do that immediately anyway. The pump does not cause the lines or tank to drain, or at least is not needed. That is done via gravity with the tank drain valve and low point drain valves.

[Jim and Regina Ryan]

My wife and I just bought this unit two weeks ago and now need to winterize - yes, it does drop below freezing here in southern Nevada too. I have not been able to get the dealership or the 1-800 customer support to return my call. Watched videos and I'm ready to go, but can't find any location info in the manual. Any help would be appreciated by this newbie.

[MNtraveler]

Unless/until someone else provides better information, just look underneath the fresh water tank for a blue drain with a valve, and under each that area (including the water pump) and each of the sink areas for both a red (hot) and blue (cold) water line drains. Usually they have screw-off caps. Unscrew, drain out, then put caps back on before blowing out or adding antifreeze.

[pnashdc]

On my Prism, the low point drain is a labeled, round portal roughly underneath the inside shower, acessible from the "basement". Inside the portal are 3 lines, hot water, cold water, and fresh water. Open each one (for mine, it's pull, don't twist), making sure for the hot and cold that the corresponding faucets are open. Good luck.

[VinceU]

I've had M/H's without FW tank drains. You would be directed to pump out the tank till "dry". Residual would evaporate.

[2013leprechaun319dsf]

Originally Posted by pnashdc

On my Prism, the low point drain is a labeled, round portal roughly underneath the inside shower, acessible from the "basement". Inside the portal are 3 lines, hot water, cold water, and fresh water. Open each one (for mine, it's pull, don't twist), making sure for the hot and cold that the corresponding faucets are open. Good luck.

Ditto on my coachman leprechaun


Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by MNtraveler

Thanks for the checklist! You don't need to turn the pump on until ready to pump in antifreeze. You may want to run it briefly after draining the lines to get any residual water out of the pump, but the antifreeze will do that immediately anyway. The pump does not cause the lines or tank to drain, or at least is not needed. That is done via gravity with the tank drain valve and low point drain valves.

On our 23QB how does the line from the DW tank to the pump drain? Are you sure the line from FW tank is on the bottom of the tank and that the pump is below the tank with no low spots? I can see water line at least 6" above the pump before it drops back down and this is on exit of pump so how does the pump move air in sufficient quantity to push water out of that line? Look to right side of pump in attached picture.



I'm still trying to figure out how to move the pump per vague instructions from FR

[gchessor]

I have a 2016 Forest River 3, Camping World, where I bought it, wished me good luck on my attempt to locate a drain plug for the fresh water tank. I will never use it other than necessary, such as for toilet while traveling. Never heard back from the Forest River manufacturer.. hope he wishes me luck too.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

On our 23QB how does the line from the DW tank to the pump drain? Are you sure the line from FW tank is on the bottom of the tank and that the pump is below the tank with no low spots? I can see water line at least 6" above the pump before it drops back down and this is on exit of pump so how does the pump move air in sufficient quantity to push water out of that line? Look to right side of pump in attached picture.



I'm still trying to figure out how to move the pump per vague instructions from FR

I'm not certain I fully understand your question, but the gist of it seems to be how to get water out of the water pump when the pump resides above the floor of the FW tank and there may be water in the line above that too (i.e., that will now flow back into the FW tank from which it could be drained).

Others have reported that in some units you can just pump out the FW. However, in most units discussed on these boards there is a FW tank drain line (and separate drain lines for the hot and cold water lines).

Even with those, the remaining water needs to be removed from the FW lines in one or both of two ways: 1) blow it out using compressed air attached to the city water inlet using a blow-out plug readily available on Amazon or from Camping World or other sources (there are at least two kinds of plugs depending on your air pressure connection so be careful there, a tire valve type and a quick-connect chuck); and 2) pump RV antifreeze through the lines using the inlet side of the pump (this may already be set up with a valve to switch to winterization mode or that valve can be added to your pump inlet line if it's not there now).

Personal preferences and local weather conditions govern which method or both to use. Around here in MN because it can drop to 30 below, we generally use both methods to get as much water out as possible and then fill every line and drain with antifreeze.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by gchessor

I have a 2016 Forest River 3, Camping World, where I bought it, wished me good luck on my attempt to locate a drain plug for the fresh water tank. I will never use it other than necessary, such as for toilet while traveling. Never heard back from the Forest River manufacturer.. hope he wishes me luck too.

Find the FW tank and look for a line that runs straight down from some portion of that tank. If there are red and blue drain lines for draining the hot and cold water lines, there should still be another one for the FW tank. It may be blue or clear. Good luck indeed!