? on winterizing with Shower Miser Water Saver

[Wiscampsin]

I've winterizing a camper before but it's my 1st time winterizing with the Shower Miser Water Saver feature. Any suggestions/tips would be appreciated.

[hobienick]

It should be the same as other campers. I would just do the SM bypass last so the pink stuff (if you use it) goes into your FW tank when everything else is done.

[Wiscampsin]

Originally Posted by hobienick

It should be the same as other campers. I would just do the SM bypass last so the pink stuff (if you use it) goes into your FW tank when everything else is done.

SM bypass? And yes I do use the pink stuff.

[hobienick]

SM = Shower Mizer. It basically is a bypass of the shower head to the fresh water tank. I suggest running the pink stuff through everything else the turn the SM on to send the pink stuff to the fresh water tank.

On my rig the shower is the furthest fixture from the pump.

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by Wiscampsin

SM bypass? And yes I do use the pink stuff.

The ShowerMiser diverter valve.

[Wiscampsin]

Thanks. I guess SM = Shower Mizer should be added to some of the RV anacronym lists floating around. Believe me, I looked .

[01tundra]

Originally Posted by Wiscampsin

I've winterizing a camper before but it's my 1st time winterizing with the Shower Miser Water Saver feature. Any suggestions/tips would be appreciated.

I open it and push a little antifreeze through the bypass line.

[Larry-NC]

I would be tempted to do a compressed air blowout of everything including the SM system, rather then get antifreeze in the fresh water system.

[eye95]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

I would be tempted to do a compressed air blowout of everything including the SM system, rather then get antifreeze in the fresh water system.

I’ve done this every winter so far. No issues.

If i had a SM, I would use the compressed air with the SM switch in each position.

[hobienick]

That is what I do. And, if I need to use liquid instead I prefer cheap vodka. Tastes better than the pink stuff. I used to do that on my sailboat when I had one with fresh water. The compressed air caused issues with the low pressure lines. I never had any issues finding help with spring commissioning...

[Tailwindpilot]

I also have the Shower Miser (SM) water saver on my new 2021 Rockwood 2104S that we just took delivery on a month ago. Yesterday I winterized the system with antifreeze utilizing the antifreeze inlet (bypassed water heater) and the water pump. Got pink stuff out of all outlets, toilet and shower (inside and out) but just got to thinking about the Shower Water Miser. Does anyone know for sure on the 2104S, if it dumps the water directly into the FW tank or does it plumb into the "suction" side of the pump? I have read some other posts that seem to say that it dumps directly into the FW tank. I would tend to believe that it goes into the suction side of the pump as it would accomplish the same thing and have less hose involved.

Since I did not open the SM valve while sucking in the AF, I am assuming that there is still some water in that line. I would like to just open that valve while sucking in some more antifreeze to get the antifreeze into that line but do NOT want to get any in the FW tank. If the plumbing from the SM valve goes to the suction side of the pump, I don't think that I will get any antifreeze in the FW tank. Am I thinking correctly?

I know some use compressed air but I am more comfortable using antifreeze up here in Wisconsin. As an FYI, I did also pump some antifreeze into the black tank flush inlet and was surprise at the back pressure in that system. I am assuming there are some nozzles on the black tank flush system and no doubt a back flow preventer or at minimum a check valve that might have caused the "back pressure" I noticed. I blew some compressed air in that fitting only just to be sure.

We are new to TT but not new to camping. We are both retired and finally are going to travel this great country of ours.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I don't want to cause damage my first winter.
Keith

[2WheelJon]

Just finished winterizing my 2014S and wrote up the procedure now posted in the Rockwood forum. I forgot about the shower miser valve and am now deciding how to do it.


I don't think getting a little antifreeze in the fresh water tank is a problem. Unlike auto antifreeze, it won't kill you (even mixed with vodka). I sanitize my system each spring, filling the fresh water tank with the diluted bleach/water solution, running it through the system and then draining the tank. That pretty much flushes out any antifreeze left in the tank.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by 2WheelJon

Just finished winterizing my 2014S and wrote up the procedure now posted in the Rockwood forum. I forgot about the shower miser valve and am now deciding how to do it.


I don't think getting a little antifreeze in the fresh water tank is a problem. Unlike auto antifreeze, it won't kill you (even mixed with vodka). I sanitize my system each spring, filling the fresh water tank with the diluted bleach/water solution, running it through the system and then draining the tank. That pretty much flushes out any antifreeze left in the tank.

Setup is easy. Same as the other winterizing. City water off. Winterizing valve set. Tubing into antifreeze jug. Water pump on.

Then you turn the Shower-Miser on and let the water run. The only mystery is how long to run it, since you can't watch for pink stuff as you do at the taps. Since you've already done the shower, pink stuff is already at the shower valve. The only thing to fill is the tubing back to the fresh water tank. 10-15 seconds ought to do it; 30 if you're feeling insecure.

[NMWildcat]

My SM return line goes all the way back into the fresh tank due to having an on demand water heater. The ones I have seen installed from the factory with regular water heater tanks go into the suction line between the pump and tank.
If you don't know where yours goes, just look. Should be fairly obvious when you look near your pump and water heater plumbing.
I blow the SM return out as part of my routine. And yes, if you use antifreeze in the SM return line, it will go into your fresh tank.

[5picker]

Here is a schematic FR posted some time ago but that does not mean all are the same.

[chriscowles]

As I've never winterized a trailer, take this with a grain of salt, but the return line on my SM is fiber-reinforced 1/2" water hose, not PEX or anything stiff. Does that not make it less susceptible to freeze damage, since it can stretch a little?