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Old 10-29-2013, 02:04 PM   #1
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355QBQ winterizing issues

Trying to winterize my 5er. All valves are turned the way they should be to do this properly. I hooked a hose to the gravity/city connection and put the other end of the hose in the antifreeze jug, then turned on the water pump. Nothing happens. This is the proper way right? All exterior drains are closed, faucets open etc. I can hear the pump running but it seems like it's not getting the antifreeze. The only bypass valves I know of are out on the control panel with the other valves. Am I missing one? Is there a hidden one inside behind a panel?:Hea dBangingonComput:HeadBangingon ComputI never use the pump, so am I missing something? HELP!
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Old 10-29-2013, 02:09 PM   #2
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A hose that's already hooked to your water pump will suck the anti-freeze out of the jug. I'm not sure of its location on your unit, but someone here will know where it is.
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Old 10-29-2013, 02:13 PM   #3
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On all 3 of my trailers there was a bypass valve right next to the water pump. Under normal operation the valve is simply a pass-through allowing water to be pulled from the fresh water tank by the water pump. There should be a 1'-2' hose connected to this bypass valve. When winterizing put this hose in the antifreeze jug and switch the bypass valve. When you turn on the pump it should pull from the jug.

It may take a bit of time to create the pressure required so don't panic if it doesn't pull right away.
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Old 10-29-2013, 02:49 PM   #4
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I cannot find the pump or the back of the water heater. I've taken inside panels off and turned the camper upside down with no luck. The owners manual is no help either.
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Old 10-30-2013, 05:25 AM   #5
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My understanding is that your water pump pulls from your fresh water tank, NOT your city water connection. If you use your city water connection you need a hand or electric pump outside with your antifreeze.
Some built in water pumps have a hose/valve which will let you suck into line with inboard pump.
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Old 10-30-2013, 06:46 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2013leprechaun319dsf View Post
My understanding is that your water pump pulls from your fresh water tank, NOT your city water connection. If you use your city water connection you need a hand or electric pump outside with your antifreeze.
Some built in water pumps have a hose/valve which will let you suck into line with inboard pump.
My Roo 23SS has an antifreeze inlet right below the city water connection. As noted above the water pump normally draws from the fresh water tank, I then by-pass the water tank and the pum draws direclty from antifreze inlet.

If you have no antifreeze inlet and are usingf City water inlet.....I believe the quoted poster is correct and you need a hand pump or exterior electric pump.
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Old 10-31-2013, 08:15 AM   #7
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After trying everything imaginable, I broke down and called an RV dealer/service center and this is what I learned. Since I have the "water management center" (control panel inside a compartment) on my camper I DO NOT use the pump to winterize. He said it would take approx 10 gallons of antifreeze in the fresh water tank before the pump would be able to pump the antifreeze through the system. Since I only had 4 gallons on hand he said that the winterize valve should be on "normal" and the water heater valve should be on "bypass." I then had to put a manual pump into the inlet where I hook up the hose for city water. I had to manually pump in 3 gallons into the system. I kept all faucets closed and once the 3 gallons was in the system, I opened the faucets one by one and flushed the toilets also. The hand pump I had was not ideal for this, but It got the job done. So in a nutshell, it was easy. But since I've always taken my 5er to the dealer to have this done, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Thanks to everyone for the help and advise!
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Old 10-31-2013, 08:50 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grey Stray View Post
After trying everything imaginable, I broke down and called an RV dealer/service center and this is what I learned. Since I have the "water management center" (control panel inside a compartment) on my camper I DO NOT use the pump to winterize. He said it would take approx 10 gallons of antifreeze in the fresh water tank before the pump would be able to pump the antifreeze through the system. Since I only had 4 gallons on hand he said that the winterize valve should be on "normal" and the water heater valve should be on "bypass." I then had to put a manual pump into the inlet where I hook up the hose for city water. I had to manually pump in 3 gallons into the system. I kept all faucets closed and once the 3 gallons was in the system, I opened the faucets one by one and flushed the toilets also. The hand pump I had was not ideal for this, but It got the job done. So in a nutshell, it was easy. But since I've always taken my 5er to the dealer to have this done, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Thanks to everyone for the help and advise!
A handi item for many pumping purposes is a surplus 12 volt pump. Works for winterizing and for transferring water from a bladder to your fresh water tank when dry camping. Among other places, they seem available most of the time at bottomdollarsurplus on EBAY for fairly reasonable proices.
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