Anti-freeze inlet?

cage5516 · 09-01-2011, 06:22 PM

Just wondering about the anti-freeze inlet located on the outside of the trailer? It's between the city water connection and the sewer flush. How does it work? Do I run the pump and it will draw from the container of antifreeze (that I put a hose in of course)

I can't seem to find any information on this feature anywhere on the internet or in the manual. Thanks in advance.

TURBS · 09-01-2011, 07:39 PM

new to me too ! i would guess there is a valve behind the panel somewhere that you turn in order to use that feature . but yes it should suck it right out .
make sure you drain hw heater and turn by pass valve first tho

it would be nice to know make model and year of camper to tho

youroo · 09-01-2011, 08:35 PM

Are you sure it is not the outside shower that you are looking at?

Youroo!!

Old car · 09-01-2011, 08:39 PM

My Windjammer has the anti-freeze inlet fitting as well. I have the outside shower locked behind a small door, the city water hook-up, and a black tank flush connection. All are clearly marked. Just wondering if the water pump will pick up from the anti-freeze connection.

zaih05 · 09-01-2011, 09:52 PM

In the examples of this configuration I have seen, there is a bypass valve for winterization in close proximity to the water pump on the feed from the fresh water holding tank to the intake side of the water pump. Get access to the pump and chase the hoses, it has to be there somewhere.

cage5516 · 09-01-2011, 10:15 PM

oh geez...sorry...it's a 2012 Windjammer 3008w. It's just like OldCar explained, with everything clearly marked.

I opened the panel where the water pump was but I didn't notice any bypass valves. I was thinking that both it and the black tank flush were automatic features that pretty much just worked when you connected to them. (If that made any sense) I'll be back at the trailer Sunday and I'll look for valves again then...in the meantime...HELP!

youroo · 09-02-2011, 08:42 AM

Cage & Old car, are you saying that on the (Outside) of your trailers there are (1) city water,(2) Tank flush,(3) shower,(4)fresh water tank fill,(5)anti-freeze connection ? Youroo!!

cage5516 · 09-02-2011, 10:03 AM

Hey youroo...everything you listed there is correct...except the fresh water tank fill is not located there. I believe it is at the back of the trailer. Anywho...check out this picture...this is on a Windjammer 3065w. The inlets are the same as on ours, beside the shower door to the left you can see 3 inlets...the top one is city water, the middle is antifreeze, and the bottom is black tank flush.

dimurrrw · 09-02-2011, 10:29 AM

Well, if that is a port to connect a siphon tube to siphon antifreeze out of a gallon jug, then there has to be a connection to the intake side of the water pump, with some sort of arrangement (usually a two-way valve) to prevent the pump from simultaneously sucking up both antifreeze and water/air from the fresh water tank. The question I have is where is the valve? It should be near the water pump.

cecilt · 09-02-2011, 10:48 AM

We have a 2012 Rockwood Sig UltraLight 8312SS and have the antifreeze inlet. There is a bypass near the water pump that I assume you turn. I normally just blow out my lines with air vs putting in antifreeze. Makes it easier come spring to not have to flush it all out.

youroo · 09-03-2011, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cage5516

Hey youroo...everything you listed there is correct...except the fresh water tank fill is not located there. I believe it is at the back of the trailer. Anywho...check out this picture...this is on a Windjammer 3065w. The inlets are the same as on ours, beside the shower door to the left you can see 3 inlets...the top one is city water, the middle is antifreeze, and the bottom is black tank flush.

Cage,the pic tells it all,I have to open a hatch door,reach waaaay in and remove a panel I cut in half,(the panel goes side to side),then I can turn off the press. tank,remove and drain the whole house filter,hook up the hose for the anti-freeze,and then crawl back out of the space. After a while I can stand up strait agin! The out side connection for the A/F will not help my setup. hope it helps you guys & girls.

Youroo!!

cage5516 · 09-07-2011, 01:56 PM

Hey all...well we winterized our trailer this week. Everything went well except for one little issue. We drained all the tanks (and washed) and opened the low point lines, and emptied the cannister for the water filter, and bypassed the water heater. After installing a blow out plug onto the city water connection we proceeded to blow the lines (going from faucet to faucet of course) then quickly ran the pump to remove the water from it and again emptied the water filter cannister. We did discover the bypass valve for the antifreeze inlet in the mess of hoses by the cannister. So we flipped the bypass and hooked up a hose to the antifreeze inlet on the outside of the trailer. Ran the pump and quickly filled up the damn cannister again. Then...NOTHING!!!!!! Wouldn't work. We fidgeted and cursed for far too long. Then since by this point I was frustrated and at my wits end I was outside staring at the inlets and decided to "winterize" the city water inlet valve. (Caution...when doing this it sprays like crazy for a second or two) Then we tried again and everything worked like a charm. It seems that once I relieved the pressure at the point everything worked great. My friend said there must have been an airlock and that when I let the pressure go at the city water inlet it got rid of the airlock. I dunno. So anyway...now I have a cannister full of antifreeze that I wanted to use to pour into the p-traps...well good luck trying to get the stupid thing off!!!! P.I.T.A.!!!

It was like it was glued on. Finally get it opened a smidge and it starts spraying antifreeze everywhere!!! Close it up quick and again go outside to relieve pressure (not sure if that worked at this point or not but it sure didn't hurt) So I finally wrestle the damn cannister off, spilling antifreeze of course because it was so full and pour it into the traps. Then clean up what's left of my mess. I tell you...next year there will be no water filter cannister for me...I'm bypassing that sucker the first chance I get...nothing but a P.I.T.A.

TURBS · 09-07-2011, 02:14 PM

Why was you worried about the rv anti freeze in the filter canister? I leave mine full till spring then fill fresh tank 1/4 full then run pump to flush lines.
after that then I shut pump off and turn a faucet on which runs for a little bit to lessen pressure but it also sucks down about a 1/3 of the canister to aid in replacing filter without spillage.
Try it next time!

SaskCampers · 09-07-2011, 02:53 PM

You have pressure lock. All you had to do is open one of your hot and cold faucets in the trailer with the pump off till water stopped running and then the canister will spin off fairly easily. I always put a kitchen catcher garage bag under the canister when removing it and no mess on the floor as well.

kwkincer · 10-17-2011, 12:56 PM

I'm getting ready to winterize my camper, and found that mine also has the external antifreeze connection (2012 Rockwood 2902ss). Did your camper come with a hose that screws into the external "Antifreeze" connection and down into the antifreeze jug? What will I need in order to use the antifreeze inlet? Sure hate to cut the end off a water hose just for winterizing...

TURBS · 10-17-2011, 01:06 PM

go to the hardware store and get a hose bib and a piece of clear tubing .
the hose bib will have garden hose end on one side and a hose barb on the other .

jwuertz · 10-17-2011, 01:42 PM

Before you winterize take the filter out of the water canister and insert a drinking water bottle in its place. The bottle will take up space so not as much anti freeze is needed to fill the canister and it also allows you to remove the canister without spilling because the bottle will float and as you unscrew the canister the anti freeze level will drop, so it will not spill on the floor.

MtnGuy · 10-17-2011, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwuertz

Before you winterize take the filter out of the water canister and insert a drinking water bottle in its place. The bottle will take up space so not as much anti freeze is needed to fill the canister and it also allows you to remove the canister without spilling because the bottle will float and as you unscrew the canister the anti freeze level will drop, so it will not spill on the floor.

I tried that 1 year, and won't even do it again. The bottle floated to the top, and blocked the outlet valve. I couldn't depressurize the system because of the blocked valve, so I had to loosen the filter housing under pressure......I had 1 mell of a hess. Forget about saving about $.60 of antifreeze.

kwkincer · 10-17-2011, 02:00 PM

A water bottle is a brilliant idea Jwuertz! Will a 20oz bottle be too big? Do you leave the bottle in year round? As far as the filter, I never installed it. Do you think it will be easy to get the canister off the first time from the factory? I imagine they tighten them on pretty good...

F1100turbo - Do you know the size on the garden hose end? Gut tells me 3/4", but I've learned not to trust my gut

TURBS · 10-17-2011, 02:09 PM

Yes 3/4

You may also like: