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Old 10-16-2015, 12:02 PM   #1
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Winterizing Nightmare

Followed the directions in the owner's manual for 2013 Windjammer 3001W. Drained water heater, closed the H/W bypass valves, drained fresh water tank and replaced with 6 gallons of pink antifreeze. Hit the water pump switch (I'm still hooked up to electricity at this point) and open a faucet.

NOTHING.

Try again an hour or so later. Pump comes on but nothing comes out of any faucet. Let pump run for several minutes. Still nothing.



Rig is level and there is plenty of pink stuff in the tank. What's going on? Please help.

Freaking out a little, because in the immortal words of Eddard Stark: WINTER IS COMING!
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Old 10-16-2015, 12:09 PM   #2
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Drain F/W tank and hook up a hose to the Suction side of Water Pump! Then put hose in A/F jugs! Youroo!!
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Old 10-16-2015, 12:09 PM   #3
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Doesn't your Windjammer have a winterizing connection on the outside by the city water hookup? If so, I know what your problem is and will explain.

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Old 10-16-2015, 12:30 PM   #4
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Yes there is, but it is not mentioned in the winterizing instructions in the owners manual. Is that for using a compressor to blow out the pipes? (We don't have one.)
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Old 10-16-2015, 12:35 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Theresa Bakker View Post
Yes there is, but it is not mentioned in the winterizing instructions in the owners manual. Is that for using a compressor to blow out the pipes? (We don't have one.)
No. Now that you have the pink stuff in the tank, go over to your pump and you will see a diverter valve attached right at the intake of the pump. Flip it to the opposite direction it is in now and see if it begins to draw the pink stuff from your tank. If this works, I will take you farther along.

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Old 10-16-2015, 12:47 PM   #6
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I'll need to put the slides out to get to that, but will check it out at the first opportunity. I'd be surprised if that was the problem though, as we have never moved that valve before, and we've dry-camped using the fresh tank without incident.
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Old 10-16-2015, 01:05 PM   #7
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Six gallons of antifreeze in the fresh water tank may not be enough liquid to reach the pick-up tube for the pump. Reports of pick-up tubes being too high on the tank to completely get all of the water out are common complaints here.

You really shouldn't put the antifreeze in the fresh water tank anyway, especially if you have a winterizing/antifreeze port as it takes FOREVER to get it flushed out in the spring.

Drain the antifreeze back out of the fresh tank and back into the jugs using the tank's drain. Then use a short hose attached to the antifreeze port on the side of your unit to suck the antifreeze from the jugs into the system.

You will need to turn the valve mentioned above for the system to switch from drawing from the fresh tank to drawing from the antifreeze port.
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Old 10-16-2015, 01:08 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Theresa Bakker View Post
I'll need to put the slides out to get to that, but will check it out at the first opportunity. I'd be surprised if that was the problem though, as we have never moved that valve before, and we've dry-camped using the fresh tank without incident.
You're probably right since you've been using the fresh water tank.

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Old 10-16-2015, 04:22 PM   #9
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Yes there is, but it is not mentioned in the winterizing instructions in the owners manual. Is that for using a compressor to blow out the pipes? (We don't have one.)
That's your problem. The owners manual is generic and has no idea that your trailer came with a outside winterizing port.
I threw my owners manual in the trash because it's worthless.
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Old 10-16-2015, 04:53 PM   #10
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Um, I would hope you don't put the Pink Stuff into your fresh water tank. You will have to flush the heck out of it for doing that. Like the other poster stated, drain it back out now, flush and flush your FWT. Then use the winterizing circuit to get it done.
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Old 10-16-2015, 05:00 PM   #11
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Um, I would hope you don't put the Pink Stuff into your fresh water tank. You will have to flush the heck out of it for doing that. Like the other poster stated, drain it back out now, flush and flush your FWT. Then use the winterizing circuit to get it done.
Yes, after you get rid of the pink you really should sanitize the tank.

1/4 cup of unscented bleach per 15 gallons of water, fill the tank this way and let it sit over night.

Then drain and flush till you can not smell the bleach.
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Old 10-16-2015, 05:00 PM   #12
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Do as 5picker stated.
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Old 10-16-2015, 05:53 PM   #13
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i've not port.
i put 2 gallons in the fw tank and run the pump..get pink out of all the faucets, add some to the toilet to keep it covered and then pull the drain plugs on the tank and lines and leave them that way till spring.
haven't had an issue getting the pink out in the spring.

my concern is making sure there's no water trapped in the pump that would freeze and bust it.

not sure what a winterizing port hooks up to.
my camper is very specific that one is to never run the pump with city water hooked up.
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Old 10-16-2015, 06:05 PM   #14
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That's your problem. The owners manual is generic and has no idea that your trailer came with a outside winterizing port.
I threw my owners manual in the trash because it's worthless.
Another expensive lesson from Forest River University!

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Old 10-17-2015, 05:23 AM   #15
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I see that the OP is from FLA. BUT when we talk (Winterizing) it should cover ALL areas or Members will ONLY pick Up part of the Info and then Say (You said This)! Only use FRESH RV anti-freeze,if it has been in your F/W tank it could be Dilluted! The OP didnt supply Info that they had a Winterizing Port outside of their W/J so That is why I said to connect to the Suction side of the W/P! Pics are always a nice little feature also! Youroo!!
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Old 10-17-2015, 06:54 AM   #16
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Winterized mine yesterday. 3 hours later there was snow flakes falling. Just a cold front moving through. Went down to low 30's last night though. I've never been this close between winterizing and freezing temps in my 40 years RV'ing. Winter seems to be coming early this year.
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Old 10-17-2015, 06:57 AM   #17
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youroo,

You are correct. Some people's idea of winterizing is just draining the tanks & lines as they live in a climate where extended freezing simply doesn't happen. Others live where it gets below freezing for months. So, sometimes procedures are different for different folks but that is a personal call and should be heeded as such.

And yes, new, NON-diluted antifreeze should only be used.
I recommended the OP drain and reuse hers since she mentioned she had completely drained the fresh water tank before dumping the antifreeze in it.
Certainly if there is any suspicion it has become diluted in any way, buy new.

For those folks with a unit that didn't come with a winterizing port, there are inexpensive aftermarket winterizing kits available which easily hook into your plumbing near your FW pump. It will allow you to suck antifreeze into your pump and water system without having to put antifreeze directly in the FW tank.

Putting antifreeze directly in the FW tank is an option but has several drawbacks.
1. It takes forever to get it flushed clean. Maybe not a problem for those who do not actually drink their own water or bathe in it.

2. Because one never really knows exactly how close to the bottom of the FW tank the pick-up (suction side) for the pump is located, it could take many gallons of antifreeze simply to get enough in there for the pump to draw. That's a bunch of wasted antifreeze.

I still believe #2 is what the OP is experiencing.
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Old 10-17-2015, 07:05 AM   #18
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When our current rig was brand new we "ran out of water" while the little
red lights were saying 1/3 full. I put a bucket under my fresh water drain
and got out 9 gallons!!

I moved my pump suction line from the lower side of the tank to the drain
port in the bottom. I didn't even have to get a longer pump hose as it
was plenty long enough as is. All it took was a T and an all thread plastic nipple and about 15 minutes time.... (that 9 gallons was enough for an extra
shower!!)

5picker is telling it straight!

Happy Trails!
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Old 10-17-2015, 09:56 AM   #19
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I see that the OP is from FLA.
Yep, lived in Florida for awhile but am currently in New England, hence the freeze worry.

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Old 10-17-2015, 10:53 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KyDan View Post
When our current rig was brand new we "ran out of water" while the little
red lights were saying 1/3 full. I put a bucket under my fresh water drain
and got out 9 gallons!!

I moved my pump suction line from the lower side of the tank to the drain
port in the bottom. I didn't even have to get a longer pump hose as it
was plenty long enough as is. All it took was a T and an all thread plastic nipple and about 15 minutes time.... (that 9 gallons was enough for an extra
shower!!)

5picker is telling it straight!

Happy Trails!
Like it!
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