Winterizing Jayco

[Shredder]

I have a 2005 Jayco model 1006 that we purchased this year. I'm getting ready to winterize it soon. The Jayco manual has a section on winterizing, it mentions opening all tank drains and drain valves, drain all water, then closing drain valves(3) one on the tank two on the water lines, closing valve to the main tank, opening valve to short hose section, insert short hose into RV anti freeze bottle and start pump to run antifreeze threw the system. No mention of the hot water tank, or how much anti freeze to use. I called the dealer but the service people could not come to the phone, the salesman told me you do not have to do anything more for the hot water heater, just run the pump until you get anti freeze coming out of the cold faucets. I'm naturally skeptical of salesmen giving advice, and have not winterized this camper yet, and don't want to freeze damage my hot water heater. Does pulling the hot water tank plug, and draining supply and hot water lines  completely drain the HW tank? Thanks   Shredder

[lotust]

I drained my 6 gallon attwood then used some a compressor to get the rest of the water out.   I did not use any aitifreeze in the pump.  I kinda forgot about it.   I might run some antifreeze into it like you said.   Im not sure If i blew the water out or not.

[tlhdoc]

You will need to bypass your water heater.  Your water heater may have a permanent bypass on it (you just turn the valves to bypass the water heater), or you may have a short bypass hose that you need to attach and detach each fall and spring.  If you have the bypass hose you will unscrew the water line going into the water heater and the water line coming out of the water heater.  Then use the bypass hose to connect the two water lines together.  This takes the water heater out of the hot water circuit.  RV antifreeze is bad for your water heater.  Once the water heater is removed from the system you can pump antifreeze through all of the hot and cold water lines.  Don't forget the outside shower if you have one.  I use a hand pump to pump the RV antifreeze through my PU.:)PS:Make sure the water heater is drained.

[Shredder]

You will need to bypass your water heater.  Your water heater may have a permanent bypass on it (you just turn the valves to bypass the water heater), or you may have a short bypass hose that you need to attach and detach each fall and spring.  If you have the bypass hose you will unscrew the water line going into the water heater and the water line coming out of the water heater.  Then use the bypass hose to connect the two water lines together.  This takes the water heater out of the hot water circuit.  RV antifreeze is bad for your water heater.  Once the water heater is removed from the system you can pump antifreeze through all of the hot and cold water lines.  Don't forget the outside shower if you have one.  I use a hand pump to pump the RV antifreeze through my PU.:)PS:Make sure the water heater is drained.

Apparently I do not have a by pass to the HW heater, and no easy way to put one in. The water lines leave the pump then go through the cabnets and spit up under ther sink for water to the sink and outside shower then through the trunk to the HW tank. Not much room under there. I will take off the tank cover in the trunk to see If I can by pass it there. BTW what does anti freeze do to the HW tank?   Shredder

[uploon]

Anti freeze will eat away at the sacrificial anode in the water heater.  This rod "takes on" the corrosion so the tank itself does not corrode.  

To drain the water heater, I remove the anode, and leave it out for the winter.  Before putting the PUP away, I flush the tank by spraying lots of water in through the hole that anode was in, then letting it drain, then flush, drain, flush, and so on.

Hope it helps.

Cheers, JC

[uploon]

Inside the trunk, look where the water line enters the water heater tank.  There may be a small brass bypass valve already installed on the line.  If so, just turn the lever and it will bypass the water heater.  Then winterize away!

JC

[tlhdoc]

You bypass the water heater right at the water heater.  Unscrew the water lines in and out of the water heater and then connect them together or buy a permanent bypass kit and attach it to the water heater and then attach the water lines to the bypass kit.  It is not hard to do, but on some trailers there isn't much room to get your hands in there to work.

[Shredder]

I removed the cover in the trunk over the HW heater. There is very little room to operate, and the lines are pretty stiff to bend around to hook up to each other. I did unscrew the lines and there was no water in either line. Also, as far as I know, there is no anode rod in this water heater. There are two openings into the tank on the outside, one for the check valve and a drain with a plastic drain plug installed, and no mention of it in the manual. I think it is going to be fine. I re-rinsed out the HW tank with fresh water just in case I got some anti freeze in it, drained the system from the tank drains and the water line drains with the water knobs open, put in anti freeze, threw the pump, into the cold water for the sink, and cold water in the outside shower, turned off the pump, poured a little anti freeze into the sink trap, and left open the hot and cold water handles in the outside shower for any expansion. So the water lines have little or no water, the pump has some anti freeze in it, the trap has some anti freeze in, the tanks are as empty as I can get them. Did I miss anything?
Shredder

[camping nuts]

We have a Jayco 1006. Here is what I plan on doing next year for winterizing:

1. Park the camper on an incline such that the fresh water tank and hot water heater drain valves are on the low side. Open the drain valves and open the outdoor shower faucet valves.
2. Park the camper on the level and put the top up and the galley in place. Open all the valves including the low point valves to let as much water out as possible.
3. Use air compressor at the city water inlet to blow the water out of the system, alternating which valves are open to avoid leaving a section of pipe with the water still in it.
4. Once no more water is coming out shut the valve between fresh water tank and pump. Open the valve for the pump bypass tube. Insert the tube into the jug of RV antifreeze. Turn on the pump long enough for it to prime. Close all the valves (except pump inlet valve). Pressurize the system with the air compressor (if the water heater is pressurized with air not much of the antifreeze will go in it). Turn the pump back on and open the kitchen sink cold water valve until antifreeze comes out and then shut it and the pump off. Go outide and place the outdoor shower head in a bucket and turn on the cold valve. Go back inside and turn on the pump until antifreeze comes out the shower head and then turn the pump off. Go back out and turn the shower cold valve off. Come back in and turn the hot water valve on for the sink to let the air pressure out of the hot water tank and let some antifreeze go into the lines to the water heater. Go outside and open the shower hot water valve. Come back inside and remove the airiator screen from the sink faucet. Insert a piece of tubing with a funnel attached into the faucet where the screen was. Pour antifreeze into the funnel until it comes out the shower head. Turn the shower head faucet off and open the water heater drain valve. Pour about a pint more antifreeze into the funnel. Close all valve and count the days until spring.

This isn't exactly what I did. I managed to add several sputs into varies point in the process but I mananged to only need 3 quarts of antifreeze to winterize the system. I also avoided needing to bypass the water heater.

Also I realize my steps are specific to my camper and my not apply to everyone's camper exactly but the main point I was trying to make was it is possible to get antifreeze through the cold and hot water lines without filling or bypassing the water heater.

[tlhdoc]

Camping nuts welcome to PUT.  Where do you like to camp?

[camping nuts]

Camping nuts welcome to PUT. Where do you like to camp?

Thank you.
As of late we have been camping in eastern Iowa. We went camping 8 times this year with the first time being a tent and the 7 after with our NTUs PUP. We haven't decided when and where our first long trip is going to be. We have made multiple non-camping trips to the eastern states. The problem is probably more than half of those resulted in some type of car trouble ranging from check engine light, failed transmission, to broken front spring. With our less than perfect track record with vehicles we have been reluctant to get too far from home with our TV and PUP.
We have been looking at replacing our tow vehicle, 2000 Windstar w/131K miles, with a low mileage 2003 Windstar but the search hasn't been easy. We want to stay with the Windstar because it is the vehicle that best fits what we need.