Anyone RV ??

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Anyone RV ??

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

57poncho · Uber Guru

I didn't know there is a certain way it should be. All I do is pull the caps on the drain line and it drains then dump antifreeze down in the traps.

unclebernie · Guru

That's quite the line set-up for your trailer..... this is the first year out for our family, but I could get a shot of our tank bypass to compare if you wish.......???

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Looks like your shut off valve is open so it should drain but I always had to drain the hot water tank independently, it had a plug. With the rest I always hooked up my air compressor to the water inlet and blew it out and then just drained the tanks. Then just poured a bit of antifreeze in the traps and seemed to have good success.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

57poncho wrote:

I didn't know there is a certain way it should be. All I do is pull the caps on the drain line and it drains then dump antifreeze down in the traps.

If I don't bypass the heater, it fill with antifreeze, and heats it up in summer and stinks and is not good for elements?

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

unclebernie wrote:

That's quite the line set-up for your trailer..... this is the first year out for our family, but I could get a shot of our tank bypass to compare if you wish.......???

yes that would be nice

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

jmont64 wrote:

Looks like your shut off valve is open so it should drain but I always had to drain the hot water tank independently, it had a plug. With the rest I always hooked up my air compressor to the water inlet and blew it out and then just drained the tanks. Then just poured a bit of antifreeze in the traps and seemed to have good success.

there is a drain on the other side, and I open it up and let it drain.. the valves keep me from pumping antifreeze into the heater...

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

That's what I liked about using air. I never had any antifreeze in my system except in the traps and that just drained out into the tanks in the spring.

unclebernie · Guru

Here is the shot of mine Carl. It is basically the same as yours, I close the upper and lower valve, and open the bypass line. Very simple, as for the other posts of blowing the lines out, I tried that, but found that even with air applied to the lines, you could still hear water bubbling in the lines. I have an inline bypass that I have to install between the potable tank and the pump, which has a small hose to draw antifreeze from the jug directly. Unfortuantely i haven't got it in yet, so I just dumped it in the potable tank and pumped it through the system that way. This way it fills all the lines, and I let it run to fill the traps and put some in the tanks in case there happens to be liquid in the tanks still. It will just require more rinsing next year when I get it out.

unclebernie · Guru

Carl, I was just looking at your photo again, and I can't understand the valve located between the white and red line, sholdn't it be on the red line going to the top of the water heater???? That way it blocks off both lines to the water heater, and allows a proper bypass of the tank completely.

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Have to say after doing both ways I'd do the air everytime now. Once the hot water tank is drained you do it a tap at a time until it blows air, so simple. Never, never have the smell of the antifreeze even though they advertise it as unoticeble after use. Just bubbles as it's completing the flush. Just dump the antifreeze in your toilet and sinks and a little if you want in your tanks.

-- Edited by jmont64 on Monday 12th of October 2009 07:44:15 PM

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

unclebernie wrote:

Carl, I was just looking at your photo again, and I can't understand the valve located between the white and red line, sholdn't it be on the red line going to the top of the water heater???? That way it blocks off both lines to the water heater, and allows a proper bypass of the tank completely.

I agree.. would have made sense to me, buy thats the way it was confuse

I turn the valve on the white inlet hose "to shut" and open the valve on the red hose to"open" but I am pumping antifreeze through the system, and red is a return line? Guess I should drive down to "Camp Out RV" in Straftord and ask?

unclebernie · Guru

427carl wrote:

unclebernie wrote:

Carl, I was just looking at your photo again, and I can't understand the valve located between the white and red line, sholdn't it be on the red line going to the top of the water heater???? That way it blocks off both lines to the water heater, and allows a proper bypass of the tank completely.

I agree.. would have made sense to me, buy thats the way it was I turn the valve on the white inlet hose "to shut" and open the valve on the red hose to"open" but I am pumping antifreeze through the system, and red is a return line? Guess I should drive down to "Camp Out RV" in Straftord and ask?

The only thing I wonder is if there is a check valve in the return line so nothing can backfeed???? Just a thought.......CAMPOUT, that's where I bought my trailer as well...small world.....

lowbow · Addicted!

427carl wrote:

Thats different then anyone I have ever had, all of mine for the last 20years or so have looked like pic by unclebernie, but the way I see it is you need to close the valve going to the inlet (lower) and open the other valve, now that should bypass the hot water tank and allow water to flow to the rest of the system,however I can't help but wonder what stops it from backfeeding into the outlet (upper) unless there is some sort of check/one way valve installed right at the tank I can't see from the pic if that is just a brass nipple at the tank or some sort of check valve as well, definately one way to tell is set the bypass, remove the outside access door, remove drain plug or 110 element if no drain present, drain the tank, once drained and bypass still on turn on your pump and allow water to flow if there is no check valve you should see water running from the drain

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

lowbow wrote:

427carl wrote:

Thats different then anyone I have ever had, all of mine for the last 20years or so have looked like pic by unclebernie, but the way I see it is you need to close the valve going to the inlet (lower) and open the other valve, now that should bypass the hot water tank and allow water to flow to the rest of the system,however I can't help but wonder what stops it from backfeeding into the outlet (upper) unless there is some sort of check/one way valve installed right at the tank I can't see from the pic if that is just a brass nipple at the tank or some sort of check valve as well, definately one way to tell is set the bypass, remove the outside access door, remove drain plug or 110 element if no drain present, drain the tank, once drained and bypass still on turn on your pump and allow water to flow if there is no check valve you should see water running from the drain

YOU are correct! The dealer e-mailed back my photo, with instructions I pressurized the system with the fresh water pump and antifreeze! They suggest blowing air first, then antifreeze.. My way, blew all the water, then air, than flowed antifreeze, even to the low point drains I poured a little in the traps, and pumped a"little bit" to the water heater (they suggested).. good to go In the future, do I just use a locking air chuck and clip it on the city inlet with the compressor running? and then open each tap etc. ?? Carl

2007 Prowler 002.jpg

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Carl, as I mentioned on a previous reply I've used just air for over 15 years on 2 different motorhomes and have never had a sniff of trouble. As said before I just put antifreeze in the sinks and the toilets and let a little run into the tanks. Just blow them a tap at a time.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

did you use a clip on chuck and set compressor at 45-50 and then open the taps 1 at a time? biggrin

Elroy · Poncho Master!

Carl : your setup is not complete, I think. The only thing missing is a valve on the red line where it attaches to the grey line. If you put that in there you will be able to isolate your tank by closing the two outside valves, then open the middle valve to circulate with glycol. In the spring , you flush with H20 and then close the middle valve and open the tank valves and your heater will fill . Mine is the same as John's too. If you look at his photo thats how it loops and yours now will still leak back to your tank as someone has attempted to make the loop but has not isolated the tank.

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

427carl wrote:

did you use a clip on chuck and set compressor at 45-50 and then open the taps 1 at a time?

Yes, and actually have the air only at 30 lbs. but 45-50 would be fine too I'm sure. Yeah just 1 tap at a time, water is gone pretty quick and then it's just spitting a few drops at a time which is never enough moisture to cause any trouble.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Elroy wrote:

Carl : your setup is not complete, I think. The only thing missing is a valve on the red line where it attaches to the grey line. If you put that in there you will be able to isolate your tank by closing the two outside valves, then open the middle valve to circulate with glycol. In the spring , you flush with H20 and then close the middle valve and open the tank valves and your heater will fill . Mine is the same as John's too. If you look at his photo thats how it loops and yours now will still leak back to your tank as someone has attempted to make the loop but has not isolated the tank.

thats what I thought, but service manager says

there is a check valve that only lets hot water out..

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

jmont64 wrote:

427carl wrote:

did you use a clip on chuck and set compressor at 45-50 and then open the taps 1 at a time?

Yes, and actually have the air only at 30 lbs. but 45-50 would be fine too I'm sure. Yeah just 1 tap at a time, water is gone pretty quick and then it's just spitting a few drops at a time which is never enough moisture to cause any trouble.

thanks

65sssd · Poncho Master!

Doesn't get cold enough to damage anything here, He, He!!

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

65sssd wrote:

Doesn't get cold enough to damage anything here, He, He!!

I think I misunderstood Carl, I was helping him to keep it from drying out and smelling stale, not from freezing.

65sssd · Poncho Master!

jmont64 wrote:

65sssd wrote:

Doesn't get cold enough to damage anything here, He, He!!

I think I misunderstood Carl, I was helping him to keep it from drying out and smelling stale, not from freezing.

I'm not sure but he has a nice RV package. Who goes camping in a caddy?

Here's mine.