Missed Step in Winterizing Process

[JohnnyBadger]

First, thanks to each of you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Here is my update:

Ynot4me2, no, the pump never reached that point where it stopped running. Luvmyrv, I saw those posts too. But no matter where I put the AF jug, I didn’t get the pump to give me a solid stream. Mgarguillo, I did something like your comment; I used a funnel to fill the hose with AF and then quickly put the hose into AF jug as the pump began sucking out the AF from the hose; no luck. Rob, I did blow air through the black tank wash connection, but did not run AF through it. Rich T, I did reverse the cone-shaped washer (and reversed it back).

What I decided to do is what Rob suggested: attempt to pump AF into system again and see what happens. Unfortunately, the same weak flow of AF occurred for each faucet and the toilet (I did not repeat the process with the washing machine). Given the fact that I blew air into the system first and that there was definitely AF coming through each faucet, I have to assume I am good.

Thank you all again for your counsel.

John

[JM0397]

I ran through the process for first time a few days ago, and had the same headaches of poor AF flow. Seeing you blew out your lines, and I took some Youtube advice to open all drains and lowpoints and let gravity do its thing, I ended up with a lot of air in the system. Not sure about the check valve, but that might explain why it seems like the pump is operating at a way reduced power for winterizing.
I had to go back & forth between bleeding air out the low lines, running extra AF through the outdoor shower, and using the funnel to get AF moving each time. Finally got a system working and the largest problem was all the air pockets that the pump couldn't seem to handle on its own. It wasted a lot and took 6 gallons, but I eventually even got the pink stuff into the ice maker - that took about 20x manually cycling the ice tray, FWIW.
Next year, I'll go straight to winterize with the water system still full/pressurized and see if I get better results with no air pockets.

[JohnnyBadger]

I ran through the process for first time a few days ago, and had the same headaches of poor AF flow. Seeing you blew out your lines, and I took some Youtube advice to open all drains and lowpoints and let gravity do its thing, I ended up with a lot of air in the system. Not sure about the check valve, but that might explain why it seems like the pump is operating at a way reduced power for winterizing.
I had to go back & forth between bleeding air out the low lines, running extra AF through the outdoor shower, and using the funnel to get AF moving each time. Finally got a system working and the largest problem was all the air pockets that the pump couldn't seem to handle on its own. It wasted a lot and took 6 gallons, but I eventually even got the pink stuff into the ice maker - that took about 20x manually cycling the ice tray, FWIW.
Next year, I'll go straight to winterize with the water system still full/pressurized and see if I get better results with no air pockets.

Hope this doesn't sound weird, but I was happy to hear you had problems too! Thanks for sharing. For the past two days I have been fretting that maybe I messed up doing something. Your sharing your experience will help me to sleep better during these next few COLD months in WI.

[JM0397]

Hope this doesn't sound weird, but I was happy to hear you had problems too! Thanks for sharing. For the past two days I have been fretting that maybe I messed up doing something. Your sharing your experience will help me to sleep better during these next few COLD months in WI.

I get it totally, helps to hear you're not crazy or messing things up! Like others said, I took it as "done" when I was able to get the AF coming out steady everywhere, albeit with air pockets and barely trickling out at times.

[Rideblue51]

I had the same issue on my new Reflection. Never have I had this problem before with 15 years of my old rig. From what I have read recently, it makes perfect sense: By the book, I believe, they say to drain the low point hoses first. That's the problem. That takes away all the prime to the system. This winter I will not drain those lines first. I will (hopefully) saturate the system with the AF first, then I will drain the low point hoses (maybe). Even if I do drain the low point hoses last it shouldn't make a difference in the amount of AF that is left in the system, if any, right? Because all the water would be gone.

[Imagine2600rb]

Ok, I’ll bite. If your blowing your lines with 30 psi through every fixture, why would you still put antifreeze in the lines?

[Rvlife]

This was our third season to winterize and the simplest. We were advised to set the system to sanitize or power fill first and then switch to winterize.
It worked! Don’t know why, but it did. During the previous two years, we too were priming the pump.

[Malco1]

I get it totally, helps to hear you're not crazy or messing things up! Like others said, I took it as "done" when I was able to get the AF coming out steady everywhere, albeit with air pockets and barely trickling out at times.

You want to talk about messing up, I have a RR with an ice maker. I left the water pump on with about half a bottle of antifreeze, and forgot about it. I remembered it the next day. When I went to the RV the AF bottle was empty the water pump was running and the freezer was full of red slush. I know the water pump is still good because I forgot to do the shower, so I pumped more antifreeze into the rig to do the shower. I always carry a spare water pump anyway so I am not worried. I am actually amazed that the water pump was still working.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

By the book, I believe, they say to drain the low point hoses first. That's the problem.

I agree, this is one problem, the other is, if you have drained the water first, you need a water tap open to make it possible for the pump to prime. The air in the line has to go somewhere.

[IBEW Sparky]

Ok, I’ll bite. If your blowing your lines with 30 psi through every fixture, why would you still put antifreeze in the lines?

Really?? Because you never actually get ALL of the water out of the lines even after blowing it out with an air compressor. This is evident by the fact that each faucet will still spew out a little water when first opened during the winterizing process. Not sure if you're located in a climate that requires winterizing your RV but for those of us that are antifreeze is a must... unless you want to be doing annual Spring water line repairs.