winterize popup

[tlhdoc]

The manual pump is simple to use.  The pump looks like a pump for putting air into balls, but it has 2 hoses.  The hose off of the bottom goes into a jug of RV Antifreeze.  The hose off of the side has a fitting on it to allow you to screw it onto the city water connection of the trailer.  After the water heater is bypassed, open one faucet and start pumping.  When the antifreeze comes out that faucet, close that faucet and open another one.  Pump the antifreeze through all of the water lines and the water pump gets filled along the way.  Pour some antifreeze down each drain so that the traps are protected.  I have to add antifreeze to the cassette potty separately since it isn't connected to my water lines.  If you have someone opening and closing the faucets it take just minutes to winterize the water system with the pump.

[dthurk]

The manual pump is simple to use.  The pump looks like a pump for putting air into balls, but it has 2 hoses.  The hose off of the bottom goes into a jug of RV Antifreeze.  The hose off of the side has a fitting on it to allow you to screw it onto the city water connection of the trailer.  After the water heater is bypassed, open one faucet and start pumping.  When the antifreeze comes out that faucet, close that faucet and open another one.  Pump the antifreeze through all of the water lines and the water pump gets filled along the way.  Pour some antifreeze down each drain so that the traps are protected.  I have to add antifreeze to the cassette potty separately since it isn't connected to my water lines.  If you have someone opening and closing the faucets it take just minutes to winterize the water system with the pump.

So what about the 12 volt water pump in the camper.  How do you get antifreeze into that?

[tlhdoc]

So what about the 12 volt water pump in the camper. How do you get antifreeze into that?

Pump the antifreeze through all of the water lines and the water pump gets filled along the way.

The water/antifreeze doesn't bypass the water pump when you are using the city water connection.

[dthurk]

The water/antifreeze doesn't bypass the water pump when you are using the city water connection.

Sorry, I missed that.  Maybe I'll give that a try and see how it works.  I would hope the same method would work on our camper.  Our water system's a bit more complex now that it was when we started the year.

[tlhdoc]

My toilet doesn't come off of the campers water system, but I have 3 faucets, water heater and 2 drains.

[outdoors5]

Last time my dealer winterized my pu.  I'm also planning on winterizing the pu myself.  QUESTION- I have been told to use my air compressor, attached to the city inlet line to blow out the excess water. Is this needed?
Thanks for all the past helpful input.

[tlhdoc]

Last time my dealer winterized my pu. I'm also planning on winterizing the pu myself. QUESTION- I have been told to use my air compressor, attached to the city inlet line to blow out the excess water. Is this needed?
Thanks for all the past helpful input.

Some people blow out their lines instead of using antifreeze.  I am not comfortable just blowing the lines out.  If some water does pool in a low spot it could cause damage.  One year I blew my lines out after I pumped antifreeze through the system.  I couldn't see taking the time to do it after the first time.  If you do blow your lines out make sure that you keep a faucet open all the time when you have air blowing through the water lines.

[4campinfoxes]

We blow out our lines to avoid dealing with the anti-freeze remnants in the spring.  We used anti-freeze the first couple of years & have done without the last several, without any issues.

Sharon

[rpstms]

Well thanks to all for the advice.  It really is going to help me take care of the pop this year.

AustinBoston -  Yes it is Attleboro MA.

[kampingkoge]

Winterizing the camper is not hard to do.

Drain all of the water that you can from the water lines, tank and water heater.  You need to bypass the water heater.  Your water heater may have a permanent bypass on it or you may need to use the short sort of U shaped hose that came with the camper.  They bypass stops water from going into the water heater.  The bypass  connects the incoming water line on the water heater to the out going line from the water heater, bypassing the water heater.  If you have a permanent bypass just turn the handle(s).  If not you unscrew the incoming and outgoing water lines from the water heater and connect them together with the bypass hose.  Once the water heater is bypassed you can buy several gallons of pink rv antifreeze and pour a couple of gallons into the fresh water tank of the camper, of course after you have closed the water valve on the tank.  Then pump antifreeze thought out the water lines until it runs pink out of the faucet.  OR  you can buy an RV antifreeze pump stick the end of the pump into the jug of rv antifreeze.  Attach the other end of the pump to the city water connection and then pump the antifreeze through the water lines.  You have to keep at least one faucet open at all times.  When done pumping pour about 1/2 cup of antifreeze down each drain.  If you the pour the antifreeze into the tank method there is one more thing you need to do.  Take the screen out of the city water connection, push on the little plastic thing in the middle and some water should run out.  The water system is now winterized.  

***** CAUTION *****
Not sure if I did something wrong here but last night when I was winterizing my RV I completed the antifreeze stuff and remembered about the city water connection and the little plastic thing in the middle ... well, my little plastic thing did not want to be pushed in so I forced it ... guess what happend?  Ok ... it broke and this resulted in me taking a rather forceful shower of pink antifreeze shooting back out of the city water connection (thank god it's non toxic).  So now I am in need of a new city water connection as this one is toast.  My question is why did this happen, are not all of these meant to be pushed in??   I understand this is actually a backflow preventer, not sure if this last step is needed.

[tlhdoc]

If there is water there and it freezes it can break your city water fill connection.  I don't know why yours was hard to push.  The water pressure of the hose is enough to move the piece so that water can fill the lines.  Did you have any pressure in the lines when you pushed on it?  Was the water pump running?  Sorry that you have to replace the city water connection on your trailer.

[kampingkoge]

Update - After removing the water line inside the camper that attaches to the city water connection we (DW and I ) were able to fix the city connection.  DW on the inside and I on the outside .... now I feel stupid because the release valve does indeed push in very easily without the water pump being on.  When I originally did this I had left the pump on and the water system was pressurized ... all makes sense now ..... be sure to shut off your water pump before attempting this last step.  Lesson learned from a newbie. - lol

[AustinBoston]

Update - After removing the water line inside the camper that attaches to the city water connection we (DW and I ) were able to fix the city connection.  DW on the inside and I on the outside .... now I feel stupid because the release valve does indeed push in very easily without the water pump being on.  When I originally did this I had left the pump on and the water system was pressurized ... all makes sense now ..... be sure to shut off your water pump before attempting this last step.  Lesson learned from a newbie. - lol

We call these SPUT's...Stupid Pop-Up Tricks.  We've all done things like that (I tried to tow with the tongue jack down, and have banged my shin on both the hitch ball and the tongue really hard).  Only those who are very new (or liars) have never had a SPUT.

Austin

[tlhdoc]

I have never thought to say that you shouldn't have any pressure in the lines when you drain the water.  Sorry it happened to you, but you have brought it to everyone's attention.  Like AB says we all have done SPUTs.  Some of us have done a fair number of them.:yikes: