flushing out the antifreeze

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   Excellent info, tidalwave.  And yes, those are the drains I'm talking about and not the waste drain(s). 

Something that we discussed here a few months ago, and its worth pondering - the active ingredient, Propylene Glycol, is in the alcohol family.  So it should have some sterilizing properties.  I couldn't confirm this online, other than finding it is a secondary ingredient in hand sanitizers, most likely because it is also a moisturizing agent.  I also found that experiments were done in the past to see if it would reduce bacterial growth in the lungs if inhaled - useful in a hospital setting to reduce pneumonia.  If true, most of the water system will be sanitized already in the Spring, with the exception of the hot water tank and the fresh water tank.  Since they should both be stored mostly dry there shouldn't be much bacteria there, either.  Bleaching the system might not be necessary...

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techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Topic: flushing out the antifreeze Posted: 15 Feb 2011 at 1:07pm
	Excellent info, tidalwave. And yes, those are the drains I'm talking about and not the waste drain(s). Something that we discussed here a few months ago, and its worth pondering - the active ingredient, Propylene Glycol, is in the alcohol family. So it should have some sterilizing properties. I couldn't confirm this online, other than finding it is a secondary ingredient in hand sanitizers, most likely because it is also a moisturizing agent. I also found that experiments were done in the past to see if it would reduce bacterial growth in the lungs if inhaled - useful in a hospital setting to reduce pneumonia. If true, most of the water system will be sanitized already in the Spring, with the exception of the hot water tank and the fresh water tank. Since they should both be stored mostly dry there shouldn't be much bacteria there, either. Bleaching the system might not be necessary...
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

TIDALWAVE Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: MINNESOTA Online Status: Offline Posts: 315	Posted: 15 Feb 2011 at 9:35am
	The 'low-point' drains are small diameter (usually white plastic) tubes which hang below the RPod. They are used to drain the water out of the fresh water pipes when winterizing the Pod. Usually the drains are ended with small twist-on caps. Spin them off and water should drain out. If the Pod is brand new, the factory used compressed air (no water) to test for leaks and make sure that there was no fresh water to freeze in the lines. A Pod that has been winterized with RV antifreeze should have a small amount of pink water which will drain out of each low-point drain. Don't forget to drain the hot-water heater...usually the tank is drained and left empty using the heater bypass pipes when winterizing. If pink water comes out of the heater drain...someone didn't use the heater bypass and you will have to flush out the water heater tank also. I found that even after draining the antifreeze out of the lines, the glycol antifreeze will leave a slight taste to the stored water, even after several flushouts/uses. There are several water-taste treatments sold which claim to kill the taste but if you check the bottle contents, it is usually a bleach component. So you trade a glycol taste for a chlorine taste. I treat my fresh water tank with an RV chlorine water treatment solution each spring to kill any bacteria which may be in the water tank and purify the water lines. (it takes a minimum of about 3-4 hours sitting in the tanks and lines to be effective). So I end up with either an antifreeze taste or a chlorine taste. After a complete tank fill and water line flush and drain, I fill a gallon milk container with water mixed with baking soda and pour it into the water tank. I then fill the tank enough to pump the soda water through all of the lines (including the water heater tank. I usually let the soda water sit over night and then do another complete drain/flush. The soda water flush really does remove any residual taste to the water.
	TIDALWAVE

drdrew Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 14 Jan 2011 Location: missouri Online Status: Offline Posts: 88	Posted: 14 Feb 2011 at 11:35pm
	Perfect info on the hot water valves thank u. As for low point drains i know of the freshwater holding tank drain and then the black and grey pull valves...am i forgetting any? Thanks
	172T

iamsmonk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Location: North Carolina Online Status: Offline Posts: 114	Posted: 14 Feb 2011 at 9:49pm
	techntrek: when you mention 'low point drains' are you referring to the valves you open to drain the gray and black water tanks?
	Sherrie & Carol, Henri, Jay & Tanner 2004 Dodge Dakota w/4.7 V8 2011 r-pod 177 Let's go camping!

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 14 Feb 2011 at 9:09pm
	Before changing any valves you want to flush out the antifreeze. Hook up your garden hose, then open each valve - sink hot/cold, shower hot/cold, toilet - until each one runs clear. Optimally you also want to open up both low-point drains but by the time you've flushed out everything else you probably have everything out of those lines too. Then you will change the valves next to the water heater. First find the valve that sits between the two water lines (the pipe it is attached to runs between the hot water line and the cold water line). The handle on that valve should currently be parallel to the pipe, turn it so it is perpendicular. Next find the other 2 valves (on the cold water line and hot water line). They should currently be perpendicular, turn them so they are parallel to the pipes they are mounted on. Finally, if you plan on using your fresh water tank you should sanitize the water system. One example of how to do that is here (two actually): http://rvbasics.com/techtips/sanitizing-your-rv-fresh-water-system.html
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

marshwatcher Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2011 Location: Sunny FLORIDA Online Status: Offline Posts: 127	Posted: 14 Feb 2011 at 2:40pm
	I for one am glad you are asking questions. We haven't received our RPod yet but expect it at the end of the month. I have started a file that contains all the "how to's" I am finding here. Thanks for asking questions. I am looking forward to the day when I can answer some of them.

drdrew Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 14 Jan 2011 Location: missouri Online Status: Offline Posts: 88	Posted: 14 Feb 2011 at 12:55pm
	okay so dealer winterized the pod before we picked it up and now its in my driveway. getting ready to de winterize in the next couple of weeks. dealer showed me the valves by the water heater...and told me what to do....ugh i should have written it down. could someone kindly repeat the valve sequence for me for flushing out the lines? thanks so much...i'm starting to feel like im the only one asking questions on here....the lone newb.
	172T