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Old 12-02-2015, 01:07 PM   #1
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Winterized by pass pump question

Ok so I was talking to a friend of mine on winterizing the rv and I always blew out the lines and years back bought a bypass "T" connectornto book on the water pump and simply used this after by passing the hot water tank to pump antifreeze in the lines

Our books suggest simply add the antifreeze to the fresh water tank and turn on pump guess it makes sense so why are we and the rv sales selling this 12 dollar by pass connector to use so you don't have to add antifreeze to the fresh water tank and pump it this way ?

Does it matter ? Curious on your thoughts
Thanks
Scott
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Old 12-02-2015, 01:19 PM   #2
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The way you use to do it the proper way. Don't add RV antifreeze to the Fresh water tank because it will be hard to get it all out and get rid of the taste. You don't want antifreeze in either the FW tank or the water heater.
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Old 12-02-2015, 01:26 PM   #3
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Plus by using the by pass you can winterize your unit with only 1-2 gallons of antifreeze.
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Old 12-02-2015, 01:29 PM   #4
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While you 'could' put antifreeze directly in your fresh water tank and pump it into your plumbing by that means, you will have a devil of a time getting all the antifreeze out of the fresh water tank.

Why you ask???
Because on most FW tanks, the pump suction connection isn't on the bottom of the tank so the pump can't draw out all the liquid that's in there. Sometimes, the FW tank drain isn't completely at the bottom so opening the drain doesn't get it all out either. It just depends on who at the factory plumbed it up and/or how the connections were made.

The only way to completely rid the tank of antifreeze in those cases are to add fresh water and flush... add fresh water and flush... add fresh water and flush... well... you get the picture.

It's ALWAYS better to inject antifreeze in the system via a FW tank bypass or a dedicated antifreeze port.
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Old 12-02-2015, 02:40 PM   #5
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Thanks as I know we don't drink out of the facets probably just habbit but it came up in conversation and when I thought of I never really question why I put in that by pass connection on my pump guess I was doing what was suggested until somone read the manual
And asked why I didn't do it the boom way lol

Anyway thanks As I will pass this info to my friend as I couldn't give him much of an explaination other than you may have to flush the tank a bit
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Old 12-02-2015, 09:32 PM   #6
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You can also make your own so called bypass valve with standard PVC pipe fittings from Lowe's. I found that the brass bypass valve from Camping World & Amazon.com has an unacceptable restriction the reduces water volume, most noticeable in the shower. Solution: PVC "T" fitting, short (1") pipe pieces and two ball valves. Only one gallon of pink juice necessary now. When you de-winterize, be sure to flush the lines BEFORE rotating the hot water bypass valve back to normal. Hot antifreeze is no more pleasant than fresh tank antifreeze.
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Old 12-04-2015, 11:20 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hondo View Post
Plus by using the by pass you can winterize your unit with only 1-2 gallons of antifreeze.
As opposed to 5 or 6 gallons. In the spring I stick the short hose into a jug of fresh water and flush the antifreeze out of the lines. After flushed switch the hw heater valves back to normal, switch the three way valve back to the fw tank, and then sanitize the fw tank. Helps make keeping the fw tank clean much easier.

Jim
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