E19FD Winterizing - pump not drawing antifreeze

[Attila the Pun]

This is my 2nd year winterizing this camper. Last year no problems:
- Remove anode rod & drain water heater - check.
- Bypass water heater - check.
- Open all the faucets and the low point drain plugs - check.
- Close 'em all once the water stops dripping out - check.
- Hook up air pump (set to not exceed 40psi) to city water inlet - check.
- Open one faucet after another until no more "gurgling", then close - check.
- Remember to include outside shower - check.
- Remove air pump - check.
- Switch water pump inlet valve from freshwater tank (never used) to A/F inlet - check.
- Hook up short hose to antifreeze inlet - stick other end in bottom of "pink" bottle - check.
- Turn on water pump - check.
- Open one faucet after another until pink stuff flows - check.
- Disconnect from A/F inlet and be done until de-winterizing in spring - check.

That was last year. THIS year everything was going fine until I turned on the pump to pump the pinkstuff into the pipes. The pump ran for a few seconds, took less than a quart of the pink stuff, then stopped dead. Won't turn on. No pink stuff coming out of any faucets.
Opened the breaker/fuse box and checked for trips. Nope - but then again the diagram doesn't list any breakers or fuses for the water pump.

SO:
1. Howcome the pump stopped?
2. Howcome almost a quart of pink stuff was pumped out of the bottle but none shows up at any faucet?

Ideas?

[SeaDog]

A quart is not much fluid to expect something out of faucets. I would start by checking for an inline fuse at the pump area.

[Badger_71]

Just a guess, but if you never used the fresh water tank, could the valve still be on by pass from last year? Since you never used it. Maybe its trying to pull from tank and not RV Antifreeze jug? Sometimes we overlook the simple things. Good luck.

[True North]

If you’re not plugged in is it possible your battery voltage has dropped to a point it wont run the pump?

[Attila the Pun]

Sea Dog ALMOST nailed it. There's a 30-amp inline fuse at the water pump. Sucker is tough to pull out! Got it out - it wasn't blown! Tried turning the pump on again - it pumped for about one second and stopped. Checked the fuse again to see if it was "almost" blown. Nope. GRRR! At this rate it'll take me until spring to finish winterizing.

Badger - we've never used the fresh water tank. And yes, its drain is open. But also yes, I made sure teh valve was moved from fresh-water to anti-freeze input.

True North - I keep the camper plugged in when we're at home.

Any ideas why the pump would shut off after a second or three?

[D W]

Just a thought here,... go out to your CW connection, pulled the cap off, remove the screened washer, stand off to the side and use your finger to depress the check valve and see if a stream of water shoots out. Then try your pump again. Sometimes an air lock in the CW line will cause the condition you are experiencing.

[Attila the Pun]

Originally Posted by D W

Just a thought here,... go out to your CW connection, pulled the cap off, remove the screened washer, stand off to the side and use your finger to depress the check valve and see if a stream of water shoots out. Then try your pump again. Sometimes an air lock in the CW line will cause the condition you are experiencing.

That resolved it! Removed screen, pressed check valve, got a stream of water then air. Then the pump worked again. It stopped couple more times, but each time a press of the checkvalve got a stream then air. The last time it got pink stuff instead of clear water.

So I'm thinking maybe I could have avoided this by NOT draining the lines and blowing them out? Just start pumping antifreeze until the faucets fow pink instead of clear?

Final (maybe) question: Once all this is done, do I open the low point drains again?

[Foothills]

Atilla, I would try it next time w/out blowing out lines. Catch & dump the first amounts that are mostly water, and if everything is pink, you’re good. You could drain the low points when you finish in case they are a light mix of antifreeze.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Attila the Pun

That resolved it! Removed screen, pressed check valve, got a stream of water then air. Then the pump worked again. It stopped couple more times, but each time a press of the checkvalve got a stream then air. The last time it got pink stuff instead of clear water.

So I'm thinking maybe I could have avoided this by NOT draining the lines and blowing them out? Just start pumping antifreeze until the faucets fow pink instead of clear?

Final (maybe) question: Once all this is done, do I open the low point drains again?

No. Leave the antifreeze in all winter.

Also, going back to your first post, you should bypass the water heater BEFORE draining it.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

No. Leave the antifreeze in all winter.

Also, going back to your first post, you should bypass the water heater BEFORE draining it.

I drained my before bypassing. Then you get more water out of the lines and you can open a faucet to relieve the pressure so you don't get hit with anode when taking it out.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Attila the Pun

That resolved it! Removed screen, pressed check valve, got a stream of water then air. Then the pump worked again. It stopped couple more times, but each time a press of the checkvalve got a stream then air. The last time it got pink stuff instead of clear water.

So I'm thinking maybe I could have avoided this by NOT draining the lines and blowing them out? Just start pumping antifreeze until the faucets fow pink instead of clear?

Final (maybe) question: Once all this is done, do I open the low point drains again?

You relieved the pressure on the system by pressing the check valve on the city connection but I'm guessing you could have opened ANY faucet and it would have caused the pump to run. Often times (not always as I've owned a few R/Vs where the pump would run regardless) one must open a faucet BEFORE turning the pump on for it to begin pumping. Trapped air will do funny things.

And for your final question... personal choice.
Many of us leave the pink stuff in all winter but it is also fine to open the low point drains and let as much out as will come out. (also open all faucets while doing this to eliminate air locking, it will allow the liquid to siphon out the low point drains better) You will still need to do a flush and sanitize in the spring regardless.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

I drained my water heater?before bypassing. Then you get more water out of the lines and you can open a faucet to relieve the pressure so you don't get hit with anode when taking it out.

Draining the system before bypassing the water heater risks pulling crud from the water heater into the plumbing system. When you refill the system in the spring it will clog the faucet aerators, shower head, and toilet valve. That's not a big deal you can unscrew the aerators, but some of the new pulldown faucets don't come apart easily, nor do the shower heads or toilet valves.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Draining the system before bypassing the water heater risks pulling crud from the water heater into the plumbing system. When you refill the system in the spring it will clog the faucet aerators, shower head, and toilet valve. That's not a big deal you can unscrew the aerators, but some of the new pulldown faucets don't come apart easily, nor do the shower heads or toilet valves.

They crud drains out the hole of the water heater.

Why would it pull it into the lines?

Are you thinking of when you drain the water from the low point drains before bypassing the WH?

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

They crud drains out the hole of the water heater.

Why would it pull it into the lines?

Are you thinking of when you drain the water from the low point drains before bypassing the WH?

Umm, yes. The particular post I was referring to listed opening the low point drains BEFORE bypassing the water heater. Bad idea. The post may since have been edited.

[clcousins]

Originally Posted by Attila the Pun

This is my 2nd year winterizing this camper. Last year no problems:
- Remove anode rod & drain water heater - check.
- Bypass water heater - check.
- Open all the faucets and the low point drain plugs - check.
- Close 'em all once the water stops dripping out - check.
- Hook up air pump (set to not exceed 40psi) to city water inlet - check.
- Open one faucet after another until no more "gurgling", then close - check.
- Remember to include outside shower - check.
- Remove air pump - check.
- Switch water pump inlet valve from freshwater tank (never used) to A/F inlet - check.
- Hook up short hose to antifreeze inlet - stick other end in bottom of "pink" bottle - check.
- Turn on water pump - check.
- Open one faucet after another until pink stuff flows - check.
- Disconnect from A/F inlet and be done until de-winterizing in spring - check.

That was last year. THIS year everything was going fine until I turned on the pump to pump the pinkstuff into the pipes. The pump ran for a few seconds, took less than a quart of the pink stuff, then stopped dead. Won't turn on. No pink stuff coming out of any faucets.
Opened the breaker/fuse box and checked for trips. Nope - but then again the diagram doesn't list any breakers or fuses for the water pump.

SO:
1. Howcome the pump stopped?
2. Howcome almost a quart of pink stuff was pumped out of the bottle but none shows up at any faucet?

Ideas?

There is a antifreeze intake near the fresh water drain. Is that the one I should be using to winterize my Geo Pro 19 Ft. 2018 trailer? Please and thank you.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Umm, yes. The particular post I was referring to listed opening the low point drains BEFORE bypassing the water heater. Bad idea. The post may since have been edited.

Nope, no editing. You said you were referring to the OP's first post.

It shows the proper order:

This is my 2nd year winterizing this camper. Last year no problems:
- Remove anode rod & drain water heater - check.
- Bypass water heater - check.
- Open all the faucets and the low point drain plugs - check.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

Nope, no editing. You said you were referring to the OP's first post.

It shows the proper order:

Yup, that's the order I was concerned about. I never remove the anode rod without bypassing the water heater FIRST, not AFTER.

Water draining from the hot water plumbing (high on the tank) could flow out into the cold water plumbing (low on the tank) and put crud into the cold water system. Then you bypass. In the spring that crud could go into water faucets.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Yup, that's the order I was concerned about. I never remove the anode rod without bypassing the water heater FIRST, not AFTER.

Water draining from the hot water plumbing (high on the tank) could flow out into the cold water plumbing (low on the tank) and put crud into the cold water system. Then you bypass. In the spring that crud could go into water faucets.

I've never heard of that being a problem. The only thing I've ever heard is to not open the low point drains before bypassing.

Even in their video about sediment removal Suburban doesn't say anything about bypassing the WH before draining it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAhQgCTnNcA

[jdjeff]

LOL...I just had the same problem (pump running not pulling in AF) and realized the water saver valve was open. Just a reminder for anyone reading this that may have overlooked it.