Winterization Confusion

[Gkconfer]

I attempted to winterize my Rockwood Mini-Lite 2306 over the weekend but am confused about how to get RV antifreeze through the lines. My manual shows two bypass valves in the diagram, both on the blue lines, that I am supposed to close to bypass the hotwater tank. However, there is a third bypass valve on the hotwater line, and I'm not sure if I need to do anything with that valve.

The manual also says to add antifreeze to the freshwater tank once all the lines are drained and blown out with compressed air. I added roughly 11/2 gallons of AF to the tank and turned on the water pump as per the instructions, but the AF won't pass through the lines. When I looked at the water tank, I can see the AF is above the suction hose leading out of the tank, but all I hear when I open the faucet and turn on the pump is a gurgling sound.

To complicate matters, I viewed an instructional video on how to winterize that I found on this site. The video instructs me to take a hose off the water pump, insert it into the AF gallon jug and turn on the pump. I am confused as to how I should proceed. I poured AF into the sinks and drains, also into the blacktank via the toilet, but I'm concerned on how to get AF into the water lines. As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

Greg

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by Gkconfer

I attempted to winterize my Rockwood Mini-Lite 2306 over the weekend but am confused about how to get RV antifreeze through the lines. My manual shows two bypass valves in the diagram, both on the blue lines, that I am supposed to close to bypass the hotwater tank. However, there is a third bypass valve on the hotwater line, and I'm not sure if I need to do anything with that valve.

You probably have a three valve setup like the diagram below. The first diagram is for normal use and the second shows the valves turned for bypassing the hot water heater. Hope this helps.

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by Gkconfer

The manual also says to add antifreeze to the freshwater tank once all the lines are drained and blown out with compressed air. I added roughly 11/2 gallons of AF to the tank and turned on the water pump as per the instructions, but the AF won't pass through the lines. When I looked at the water tank, I can see the AF is above the suction hose leading out of the tank, but all I hear when I open the faucet and turn on the pump is a gurgling sound.

To complicate matters, I viewed an instructional video on how to winterize that I found on this site. The video instructs me to take a hose off the water pump, insert it into the AF gallon jug and turn on the pump. I am confused as to how I should proceed. I poured AF into the sinks and drains, also into the blacktank via the toilet, but I'm concerned on how to get AF into the water lines. As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

Greg

The manual said to fill the fresh water tank with antifreeze? That's just plain wrong.

As you have found out, its wasteful and expensive because of the amount of potable AF you would need to do this.

Your trailer probably needs only a couple of gallons of AF.

The video you saw probably refers to a winterization kit for the water pump (picture below). You can get them at the dealer or on Amazon or at Walmart. I would install that, drain the AF in your FW tank and reuse it (assuming that it wasn't mixed with too much water from the tank.

By the way, many just blow out the lines or winterize with AF. Some do both, but its probably not necessary.

[Gkconfer]

So if I understand you correctly, blowing the air out of the lines will be sufficient. I guess it's also safe to say that 1&1/2 glns of AF in the freshwater tank is not enough for the pump to suction it through the lines. I can hear gurgling when the pump is on but nothing comes out of the faucets.

[Triguy]

Yep - blowing is enough if you have already drained the low points and the tanks. You still need some AF for the traps and toilet. See the video on the FAQ section in the winterizing thread.

You would probably need a lot of AF in the FW tank to do it the way the manual described. Depending where the intake hose is attached you need to fill enough above that in order to get a couple of gallons sucked up into the lines. Wasteful and expensive because you will leave several gallons in the tank once done.

Plus that stuff, even it potable, doesn't taste good and you will want to flush out your FW tank well this winter or in the spring to get rid of the taste.

[bikendan]

if you haven't done it already or for others, DON'T PUT ANTIFREEZE IN THE FW TANK!

[Labzy]

I have a 2306 and as far as the WH bypass goes, you need to turn the levers on the red and blue (hot and cold) lines so they are perpendicular to the water line they attached to (= off), and turn the lever that is on the bypass line between them so that it is parallel (=on) to the water line.
Hope that makes sense.
As far as the AF goes, I dumped about 5 jugs into my FW tank and used 1 jug in the black tank and 1 jug split between each drain.
I never drink the water from the trailer so I am not concerned about the taste residue, besides the AF is in all the lines anyways......
If so inclined I could always open up the FW main drain and empty the remaining unused AF back into the jugs....
Reasons I used the FW tank instead of the antifreeze inlet is that idk where the bypass on the line is for the antifreeze inlet, as there is 2 there, and I needed to get it done ASAP, also I was redoing the winterization because the TT place did it wrong and I was concerned about water in the line from FW tank to pump as they did not drain any of my tanks.
Better luck next year for me........

[Labzy]

Originally Posted by bikendan

if you haven't done it already or for others, DON'T PUT ANTIFREEZE IN THE FW TANK!

Oh oh....too late.....
What reasons, other than possible residual taste, is there for not putting it into the FW tank?

[rawlus]

It's Not "wrong" to put AF in the FW tank. It won't break anything or hurt anything. Some would say it is uneconomical, inefficient or causes extra work later but it's not wrong.

It is easier to avoid the tank and suction right from the jug through the pump and into the lines. But I've seen plenty use AF in the tank with no real problems other than possibly having to do a few more rinses in the spring. Since most will be sanitizing in the spring anyway, the sanitization process usually involves a decent amount of rinsing anyway. So it's sort of 6 of one, half dozen of another IMHO.

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by rawlus

It's Not "wrong" to put AF in the FW tank. It won't break anything or hurt anything. Some would say it is uneconomical, inefficient or causes extra work later but it's not wrong.

Actually, the reasons you just cited are the reasons its widely considered wrong.

[ezawacki]

Originally Posted by Triguy

You probably have a three valve setup like the diagram below. The first diagram is for normal use and the second shows the valves turned for bypassing the hot water heater. Hope this helps.

This cleared up my mis-winterization that I did on Friday. However I was wondering about the HW heater. Shouldn't this be included in the path of AF?

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by ezawacki

This cleared up my mis-winterization that I did on Friday. However I was wondering about the HW heater. Shouldn't this be included in the path of AF?

If I understand you right, you're asking if you should put AF in the HWH? The answer to that is a definate "no". Just drain the HWH.

[ezawacki]

Oh boy,,,, I didnt have the top and bottom valve turned to bypass only the middle one. It took about 4 gal of AF on Friday to start the flow through the system. I bet I filled the HW heater with AF. Thoughts?

[Triguy]

That's ok, you didn't hurt anything. It's just a little more expense than it needed to be.

You could still drain it of AF and leave it empty for the winter. AF is probably not good for the anode.

[bikendan]

the reasons for not put AF in the water heater or the FW tank are:

1. not necessary, simply draining them will suffice.
2. waste of AF.
3. it'll take numerous rinses depending how sensitive your taste is, to get rid of the taste. for some, it takes a number of seasons before the taste goes away.
if you're an "only bottled drinking water" or "i don't drink campground water" person, it'll take lots and lots of rinses.

[ezawacki]

Looks like I will be heading back to the storage area tomorrow to fix what I done. Thanks for all the help.

[Grey Wolf]

I used 6 gallons of antifreeze when i installed the camco bypass
kit there was a extra hose hooked up from the outside fill. I
disconected the hose & put a plug but it didnt seal good enough
2 gallons on the floor .I did blow out the lines first not sure i had
the vales turned right had anti freeze out all the faucets but
forgot the bath&shower hope it will be ok thank you for the
picture of the valves.This is on a 2012 Cherokee.

[dezolen]

Only use 2 gallons on my rig. Not sure why any rv would take 6 gallons

[Labzy]

Taps left 'on' or 'off'?

Does it matter?

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by dezolen

Only use 2 gallons on my rig. Not sure why any rv would take 6 gallons

sounds like he may have put AF in the water heater.