Dewinterizing with External Antifreeze Access

[rstowe]

Can I use buckets of clean water & use the antifreeze pump to clear antifreeze from lines?
Thinking that this will avoid need to fill fresh water tank. Have a couple of 5 gal buckets to fill with clean water and use same procedure as winterizing it.
Thanks for input

[01tundra]

Yes, don't see why you couldn't.

Just curious, why don't you want to put water in your fresh water tank?

[TheWolfPaq82]

More curious as to why not use "City Water Connection" unless there is not city water available.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by rstowe

Can I use buckets of clean water & use the antifreeze pump to clear antifreeze from lines?
Thinking that this will avoid need to fill fresh water tank. Have a couple of 5 gal buckets to fill with clean water and use same procedure as winterizing it.
Thanks for input

Just hook up to city water and run all the pink out of all faucets/toilet/ showers. Never put the pink in the FW tank. Use pump anti freeze kit. If you don't have one they are about $15.00 on amazon. If you did, fill and drain about 6 times and sanitize your tank with bleach. Youtube is your friend.

[clr]

Yes you could do the dewinterization in that manner. But this sounds like a lot of extra work to me. I always use a full hook up type camping site in the spring near me to dewinterize. I must use a lot of water to flush the lines since my wife says she can still smell the antifreeze till I run about 20 gallons of water to each outlet.

[rstowe]

I did not put AF in the freshwater tank but used the "antifreeze line" to run thru the pump. I do not want AF in the tank. So if I connect to city water will it clean the pump out as well? Will I need to flip by-pass back to city water at the pump?
Really trying to get AF out of all lines and pump without any of it going into FW tank.
Thanks

[5picker]

Originally Posted by rstowe

Can I use buckets of clean water & use the antifreeze pump to clear antifreeze from lines?
Thinking that this will avoid need to fill fresh water tank. Have a couple of 5 gal buckets to fill with clean water and use same procedure as winterizing it.
Thanks for input

Yes.
And in fact, if you've winterized this way (and you do not want to put water in your fresh tank) this is the only way of clearing any antifreeze from the pump and suction strainer. Running water through the system via the city water connection will not flush antifreeze from the pump as the pump's check valve keeps city water from back-flowing into the pump/fresh tank.

[rstowe]

So connect to city water.
Flip bypass valve to bypass pump.
Flush lines.

When ready to winterize again.
Flip bypass valve to the pump
Draw AF as I did this time to winterize.

Thanks, trying to avoid problems.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by rstowe

I did not put AF in the freshwater tank but used the "antifreeze line" to run thru the pump. I do not want AF in the tank. So if I connect to city water will it clean the pump out as well? Will I need to flip by-pass back to city water at the pump?
Really trying to get AF out of all lines and pump without any of it going into FW tank.
Thanks

To add to what I posted above...
If you simply add water to the fresh tank and pump that water through the system and out a faucet or low point drain, there will be no antifreeze go to the fresh tank.

Either way... using your bucket method and the pump OR putting water in the fresh tank and using the pump... no antifreeze will go into the fresh tank.

Here is a simple plumbing schematic that might help...

[clr]

When I winterize I just place fresh water in the tank and use the pump for the first facuit. After that I turn off the pump and then use city water to flush out the rest of the RV. There is no antifreeze in the fresh water tank at any time with this method.

[01tundra]

After purging the antifreeze from the system in the Spring I always flush the fresh water tank and then sanitize the entire system, including the tank, with a mixture of bleach and water.

I initially purge antifreeze by hooking the hose to the city water connection. I then put some water in the FW tank and drain to rinse, then add more water and purge with the pump.

[Freetyme]

I just use the fresh water tank with a bleach sanitizer to push out the antifreeze, 2 birds with 1 stone so to speak . Your idea would work, though I'd prefer to flush the lines well.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by rstowe

I did not put AF in the freshwater tank but used the "antifreeze line" to run thru the pump. I do not want AF in the tank. So if I connect to city water will it clean the pump out as well? Will I need to flip by-pass back to city water at the pump?
Really trying to get AF out of all lines and pump without any of it going into FW tank.
Thanks

No it will not clean out the pump. Here is a thought for you. When you dewinterize and are concerned about the 2 or so oz of antifreeze in the pump, put the antifreeze line in a jug of plain water. Turn the pump on and make believe you are putting antifreeze in. After just a few min turn off the pump. Close the bypass valve and hook up the city water and push of all the antifreeze out of the piping system. Pump and water lines are now empty of any antifreeze. FW tank not involved.

[rockfordroo]

OR - just put some water in the FW tank and run the pump as usual.

[Tapex]

X2

[5picker]

Originally Posted by cavie

No it will not clean out the pump. Here is a thought for you. When you dewinterize and are concerned about the 2 or so oz of antifreeze in the pump, put the antifreeze line in a jug of plain water. Turn the pump on and make believe you are putting antifreeze in. After just a few min turn off the pump. Close the bypass valve and hook up the city water and push of all the antifreeze out of the piping system. Pump and water lines are now empty of any antifreeze. FW tank not involved.

I'm pretty sure the 'thought' you recommended is EXACTLY what the OP suggested themselves in post # 1.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by 5picker

I'm pretty sure the 'thought' you recommended is EXACTLY what the OP suggested themselves in post # 1.

Nope. OP is using "Buckets" of water. My method only requires a few ounces in a water bottle then city water. Much less labor intensive.

[itat]

Originally Posted by rstowe

Can I use buckets of clean water & use the antifreeze pump to clear antifreeze from lines?
Thinking that this will avoid need to fill fresh water tank. Have a couple of 5 gal buckets to fill with clean water and use same procedure as winterizing it.
Thanks for input

Yes. You’ll probably only need a couple gallons of clean, potable water to flush everything out. It’s an easy process. The only difficult part might be accessing the 3-way valve to switch the pump to the anti-freeze inlet, unless you have the water centre with all the valves on the drivers side of a pass through.

After flushing out the water lines you should do the sanitizing procedure. For that you’ll need to fill the fresh water tank.

[KyDan]

After I winterize- I put bypass valve back in summer mode. Close low point drains, put drain plug back in water heater.

When we get to a warm place next January I just hook up to city water and open the faucets and shower long enough to flush the lines. Once the water heater is full (I open the pop off valve to check) I turn it on and we're ready to camp!

If you don't have city water then - yes - you can flush the lines with the water pump and a bucket.

I don't sanitize after flushing out the pink stuff because the pink stuff has alcohol in it and I figure it's gonna inhibit bacteria growth for the few weeks it's in there.

[The Evil Twin]

Originally Posted by 5picker

To add to what I posted above...
If you simply add water to the fresh tank and pump that water through the system and out a faucet or low point drain, there will be no antifreeze go to the fresh tank.

Either way... using your bucket method and the pump OR putting water in the fresh tank and using the pump... no antifreeze will go into the fresh tank.

Here is a simple plumbing schematic that might help...

So, if someone winterized using only the city water connection then there is still water in the pump and pump strainer. Correct? My friend swears the dealer only pushed AF in through the city connection.