Low point drains

HappyCamperCanada · 10-21-2019, 02:46 PM

Newbie winterizing. So I completely forgot about opening the low point drains before I dropped off the pup at storage place. Is that bad?

**Mr. Dan** · 10-21-2019, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyCamperCanada

Newbie winterizing. So I completely forgot about opening the low point drains before I dropped off the pup at storage place. Is that bad?

It would be bad where I live in north Texas because the water in them would freeze and burst the lines.

HappyCamperCanada · 10-21-2019, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

It would be bad where I live in north Texas because the water in them would freeze and burst the lines.

Crap. That's what I thought. I'll have to go to the storage facility and drain them.

babock · 10-21-2019, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyCamperCanada

Crap. That's what I thought. I'll have to go to the storage facility and drain them.

Make sure you drain the hot water tank too.

HappyCamperCanada · 10-21-2019, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babock

Make sure you drain the hot water tank too.

Did that. Didn't put the anode back in though. That should be alright?

babock · 10-21-2019, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyCamperCanada

Did that. Didn't put the anode back in though. That should be alright?

It is I guess. I wouldn't leave it out...no point of doing that.

joeuncool · 10-21-2019, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyCamperCanada

Did that. Didn't put the anode back in though. That should be alright?

I put the anode back in to keep and critters and dirt out.

Mike91 · 10-22-2019, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyCamperCanada

Newbie winterizing. So I completely forgot about opening the low point drains before I dropped off the pup at storage place. Is that bad?

Yeh, you'll definitely want to open the low point drains so the water trapped in them doesn't freeze and split the PEX lines.

I couldn't believe FR put stupid caps on them instead of valves, So I bought some valves from Amazon here. These are quality valves unlike the ones I seen at the big box stores. These from Amazon are smooth opening and closing and don't require 2 hands to open and close like the cheap big box store valves.

I also bought some fittings to add to the 3 way winterizing valve coming off of the fresh water tank outlet, to make it easier next year.

I put a permanent clear vinyl hose on the barb with a hose clamp, then a fitting on the other side of the tubing with a PVC 1/2" NPT male thread so I can spin on a coupler that has a 10' section of vinyl tubing that I put in my rv antifreeze gallon jug.

When I take the 10" section and it's fittings off of the permanently mounted section, I put a cap on the permanent male threads to protect them. Found everything at Menards except for those Valterra valves from Amazon.

It would had been easier to have everything inside the water pump cabinet like I've had on every other camper, but there simply wasn't enough room as the hose coming off the pump inlet, only went about an 1-1/2" before going through the floor to the outside. Easier just putting everything on the original 3 way winterizing valve on the fresh water tank outlet hose.

HappyCamperCanada · 10-23-2019, 02:57 PM

Drained the low point drains today. There wasn't much water in them and what was in there was pink so all good now. I also put the anode back in the water heater. I didn't screw it all the way back in as it was really tough to turn...I'll have to invest in a socket wrench I suppose. But it'll keep the critters and whatnot out.

**Iwritecode** · 10-23-2019, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyCamperCanada

I'll have to invest in a socket wrench I suppose.

Yes, do that. Heck, I'd advise buying an entire socket set. Preferably one with both 3/8" drive and 1/2" drive wrenches and sockets.

You can typically find sets with 100 or even 200+ pcs for less than $100.

**bikendan** · 10-23-2019, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

Yes, do that. Heck, I'd advise buying an entire socket set. Preferably one with both 3/8" drive and 1/2" drive wrenches and sockets.

You can typically find sets with 100 or even 200+ pcs for less than $100.

Harbor Freight is even cheaper, if you only use such tools occasionally.

Mike91 · 10-23-2019, 07:13 PM

I bought this socket and T handle from amazon. Works great taking the anode out and putting back in.

The socket could be had much cheaper at Menards.

I keep it in the camper at all times. That way I can keep all my other 1/2 drive sockets, together in my toolbox for other projects.

Jeffjeeptj · 10-23-2019, 07:49 PM

Be careful with the FR caps. I have three on my Surveyor. 1 for FW tank drain and 2 for LP drains. There is a soft gasket that fits inside the cap and seals the opening. It is NOT a tapered NPT thread. Same diameter, same thread pitch, but, not tapered.
Somewhere along the way (maybe me, maybe not), I am missing one of the gaskets which seal between the caps and the fitting. I had a slow drip out the tank drain, as the ground was always wet in a spot. A heavy application of teflon tape did not stop the drip.
I did a lot of net surfing but could not find a source for the cap. I did find a Test Port Cap ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ). This does not have a soft gasket, but it does have a rounded internal surface that seals into the end of the opening in the male side.
Normally I would install valves, but, ground clearance is an issue. Also, the belly coroplast has been installed using the “modern” FR practice of powder actuated “nails” into the frame beams. I haven’t mustered the energy to remove the coroplast yet. I have found a 3M adhesive (SF 100) to join coroplast when the time comes.

Mike91 · 10-23-2019, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffjeeptj

Be careful with the FR caps. I have three on my Surveyor. 1 for FW tank drain and 2 for LP drains. There is a soft gasket that fits inside the cap and seals the opening. It is NOT a tapered NPT thread. Same diameter, same thread pitch, but, not tapered.
Somewhere along the way (maybe me, maybe not), I am missing one of the gaskets which seal between the caps and the fitting. I had a slow drip out the tank drain, as the ground was always wet in a spot. A heavy application of teflon tape did not stop the drip.
I did a lot of net surfing but could not find a source for the cap. I did find a Test Port Cap ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ). This does not have a soft gasket, but it does have a rounded internal surface that seals into the end of the opening in the male side.
Normally I would install valves, but, ground clearance is an issue. Also, the belly coroplast has been installed using the “modern” FR practice of powder actuated “nails” into the frame beams. I haven’t mustered the energy to remove the coroplast yet. I have found a 3M adhesive (SF 100) to join coroplast when the time comes.

Not sure what camper and what year, but my 2020 had caps that had a compression ferrule threaded into it with no gasket at all. When you put the caps on, the plastic ferrule that sat in the caps threads, sealed the inside of the plastic fitting that was crimped on the plex tubing.The idea was that you can put the cap on without teflon tape. Also the caps were hand tight.

The bad is that if you have antifreeze or hot water in the tubing, it will pour down your arm when you take the cap off. A valve fixed that issue easily and it had no leaks after being pressurized.

babock · 10-23-2019, 08:17 PM

Valves are good if they don't get put on sitting lower than the existing caps. I see people attaching them to where the caps are now...not a great idea in my opinion.

Bob414 · 10-26-2019, 10:13 PM

I am a little confused, the OP (I am a newbe also) posted in another topic about winterizing his camper. How to insure antifreeze gets to all the places it should and shouldn't. And here he is draining it all out. Is antifreeze used to just flush the system to insure no pure water is left to freeze. Or should it be left in the system like a car and drained and flushed before using the camper?
I don't think any harm would be done in either case, but as I said I am a Newbe.

JWood422 · 10-27-2019, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babock

Valves are good if they don't get put on sitting lower than the existing caps. I see people attaching them to where the caps are now...not a great idea in my opinion.

Why is it not a good idea? I’m asking because this thread got me thinking about doing exactly that. I’d much rather avoid bad ideas.

HappyCamperCanada · 10-27-2019, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob414

I am a little confused, the OP (I am a newbe also) posted in another topic about winterizing his camper. How to insure antifreeze gets to all the places it should and shouldn't. And here he is draining it all out. Is antifreeze used to just flush the system to insure no pure water is left to freeze. Or should it be left in the system like a car and drained and flushed before using the camper?
I don't think any harm would be done in either case, but as I said I am a Newbe.

I was asking myself if I should be opening the low point drains after I put the antifreeze in the system. But I forgot to open the low point drains before adding the antifreeze. So I thought I better open them just in case any unpinked water was in there. As it turned out, there was very little in them and what did dribble out was pink. I think it's all good. Next year I will definitely remember to open the low point drains before adding antifreeze.

marinerjoe · 10-28-2019, 02:02 AM

As you found out, when you opened the drains, you just got a small amount of pink colored fluid. It may or may not have been concentrated enough to provide freeze protection, but I think you’re good. Just think about this. What you’re trying to do is prevent the water lines from breaking due to water expanding when it freezes. That’s usually done in one of two ways, either by removing the water (blowing it out), or forcing untreated water out with something that won’t expand as the temperature drops (antifreeze aka the pink stuff). To be truly safe, I do both. I blow out my lines and then run the pink stuff.

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