fresh water drain

[Triple SS]

We bought a 2014 Salem 27RKSS this year and while hubby was trying to winterize we poured 4 gallons of antifreeze in the fresh water tank. the dealer said that the drain is about 3 inches above the bottom of the tank. Now I might not:confused know a lot but I would think the drain should be on the bottom of the tank. Who wants to mix fresh water with water that may have been sitting in the tank for a couple of months. Anyone with any ideas on this? Also I would think the value handle would be off if it is turned crosswise of the hose, Am I wrong? Could be everything drained out as it was dark and cold and I could not see everything. I never could get anything to come out of hose. after the 4 gallons of antifreeze and several gallons of water.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Mikegjax]

You poured antifreeze in your fresh water tank or you mean the gray water tank? You should never put antifreeze in the fresh water tank.
The valve will be open if the handle is aligned with the hose. You will need to drain and fill the tank several times to get the antifreeze out of the tank.

Run the pump to flush the lines.

[Triple SS]

DH and I both agreed that it would be wise to flush the tank several, several times before using any water from the fresh water tank. I am thinking that maybe water and antifreeze wound up on the ground. Like in the OP, it was dark and he had just drained the water heater and it was on grassy ground. Guess we will have to wait until next year to find out as it is too cold to be trying anything else at the moment here in north Alabama. Still do not why pump would not pick up any antifreeze or water when we did this. The handle was aligned with the hose and I believe it still is.

[Mikegjax]

I am a little confused on what you are trying to do. If you are trying to pump antifreeze into the system there is a separate hose and winterizing valve near the fresh water tank.

If you are trying to drain the fresh water tank, there is a small valve in the drain line. It does not drain very fast and could be far enough under the rig that you can't see it easily.

[Triple SS]

My husband poured antifreeze in the fresh water thinking the water pump would pick it up and winterize the TT. It did not work so he went inside and undid a line on the water pump and then winterized the lines using 3 more gallons of antifreeze. I never saw anything coming out from the drain under the TT and was wondering why. The dealer told my husband that the pump did not pick up the antifreeze from the fresh water tank because the pick up is about 3 inches from the bottom of the tank. I understand that he also said that the drain is about 3 inches from the bottom of the tank. I am hoping that everything went straight thru to the ground but have no way of checking as it was a grassy area and he had just finished draining the hot water heater. Exactly where is the pickup for the pump located in the fresh water tank and shouldn't the drain be located at the bottom of the tank?

[Dave Lyon]

Don't ever put antifreeze in your fresh water tank (or water heater for that matter).

If you've already winterized the unit, I would drain the fresh water tank just store the trailer. However, in the spring you're going to need to sanitize your fresh water tank. This process will be outlined in your manual.

[rr retired]

if you did not turn the valves to the water heater you probably pumped the antifreeze into that tank, my salem, will not fully drain the water tank and mixing antifreeze with water is the point of the operation as long as it is fully rinsed come spring.

[Triple SS]

Originally Posted by Dave Lyon

Don't ever put antifreeze in your fresh water tank (or water heater for that matter).

If you've already winterized the unit, I would drain the fresh water tank just store the trailer. However, in the spring you're going to need to sanitize your fresh water tank. This process will be outlined in your manual.

The manual is what caused the antifreeze to be put in the tank. Dealer side manual is wrong. DH told dealer then the manual needs revision.

[Mikegjax]

The drain is at the bottom of the tank. My drain did get plugged once with construction debris and I used compressed air back through the line to clear it. It is a small hose and does not drain very fast.

If you pump is not picking up any water it may have lost it's prime or there is not enough water in the tank. Check you quantity indicators to see if it is showing anything.

Does you system have the winterizing valve?

[Triple SS]

Originally Posted by rr retired

if you did not turn the valves to the water heater you probably pumped the antifreeze into that tank, my salem, will not fully drain the water tank and mixing antifreeze with water is the point of the operation as long as it is fully rinsed come spring.

I am thinking that a lot of water will be going thru the entire TT come spring. Probably at least once to twice a week until I am satisfied that the water is clean and no antifreeze is present.

Thanks guys and by the way I just checked the valve on the drain and the handle is aligned with the hose.

[Triple SS]

Originally Posted by Mikegjax

The drain is at the bottom of the tank. My drain did get plugged once with construction debris and I used compressed air back through the line to clear it. It is a small hose and does not drain very fast.

If you pump is not picking up any water it may have lost it's prime or there is not enough water in the tank. Check you quantity indicators to see if it is showing anything.

Does you system have the winterizing valve?

Not sure what you mean by winterizing valve.

[Mikegjax]

It is a manual valve ( if installed) near your water pump. The valve has 2 positions, normal and winterize. There is also a coiled hose that can be placed in a container of RV antifreeze. With the valve in winterize and the hose in the container, the water pump will pump the fluid throughout
the system. You would want to bypass your hot water heater and remove the water filter prior to doing this. Also open all faucets and low points to purge the system.

All of the above is mute if you don't have the system in stalled in your RV.

Hope this helps.

[Triple SS]

I do not recall seeing anything like that at the pump but sounds like something we need. Thanks for explaining

[OldCoot]

The freshwater drain on ours is on the side of the tank close to the bottom. It is a white plastic petcock which turn 180d to drain.

[Flybob]

You said you pumped 3 gals in the TT after finding your original error. It sounds like you did not bypass the hot water heater. At 6 gals, if you did not bypass it, you have a lot more pink stuff and water in the HW heater. Search here for some help on winterizing your TT.

[techntrek]

If your model doesn't have the winterization valve on the water pump intake (mine didn't), then get a scrap 3-foot length of hose, then losen the hose on the water pump, pull it off, and temporarily add the 3-foot hose.

But as said above, if you didn't set the bypass valve(s) on the water heater, you probably didn't winterize anything. Should take about 2 gallons.

[Triple SS]

As you can tell we are really new at this TT thing and are learning and hopefully fast without any real problems or major screw-ups. We did have pink stuff coming from all faucets and in toilet when we quit. I am just hoping that pink stuff and water has either not froze in fresh tank or that it has all drained out. Either way would be ok with me. We also put 1 cup down each drain which was 4 drains and 2 cups in toilet.

I appreciate all the feed back and will try to remember to let everyone know what happens come spring. I am more than ready to start the camping season. We may have to camp close to home but at least we will not be at a stationery home.