Water tank draining

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   Ok, another newbie question; and don't laugh uncontrollably...When I winterized the Pod in the fall, I watched a YouTube video that recommended blowing out the water lines, which I did, and draining the gray water and sewage tanks. The next step was to pour some antifreeze in the water tank and run the water pump until it came out the faucets. The remainder stayed in the water tank over the winter and put it away for the winter.
Now it's spring... Do I have to pump it all out, probably about two gallons, with the water pump or is there another, simpler way?
Craig feeling "new guy stupid" 

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Buckeye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 20 Jan 2019 Location: LSL, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 37	Topic: Water tank draining Posted: 04 May 2019 at 9:29pm
	Ok, another newbie question; and don't laugh uncontrollably... When I winterized the Pod in the fall, I watched a YouTube video that recommended blowing out the water lines, which I did, and draining the gray water and sewage tanks. The next step was to pour some antifreeze in the water tank and run the water pump until it came out the faucets. The remainder stayed in the water tank over the winter and put it away for the winter. Now it's spring... Do I have to pump it all out, probably about two gallons, with the water pump or is there another, simpler way? Craig feeling "new guy stupid"
	Craig-retired teacher of the blind Carol-retired legal admin asst Spot and Sam-the miscreant Shih-tzus "Politically incorrect with no real changes expected...” Former 2017 Rpod 180 F150 5.0 4x4

Tars Tarkas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446	Posted: 04 May 2019 at 9:45pm
	You should not have put antifreeze in the tank. We'll discuss that later. What you need to do is get it out of there by opening the drain on the tank and letting it all run out. Recapture it if you want to. When it's out, run water in the tank and drain it, two or three times. When the antifreeze is out of there, run fresh water through all of the faucets, toilet, shower, etc, until the pink stuff is gone. Then you might want to fill the tank again and put some vinegar in the water to get rid of the antifreeze taste and drain it again. TT
	2010 176 FJ Cruiser

Buckeye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 20 Jan 2019 Location: LSL, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 37	Posted: 04 May 2019 at 10:31pm
	Thank you. Thought I screwed up. Drain it from the drain in the middle of the tank or the one on the side of the tank? Craig
	Craig-retired teacher of the blind Carol-retired legal admin asst Spot and Sam-the miscreant Shih-tzus "Politically incorrect with no real changes expected...” Former 2017 Rpod 180 F150 5.0 4x4

Tars Tarkas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446	Posted: 05 May 2019 at 12:49am
	My tank doesn't have a drain on the side. You want which ever is lower. TT
	2010 176 FJ Cruiser

Buckeye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 20 Jan 2019 Location: LSL, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 37	Posted: 05 May 2019 at 6:34am
	Thanks, Tars. I just read the creating an instruction & maintenance manual folder/thread/topic and techntrek's post (excellent instructions). I have the answer about how to do it next time. This forum is a Godsend for us newbies. Craig feeling better about the problem...
	Craig-retired teacher of the blind Carol-retired legal admin asst Spot and Sam-the miscreant Shih-tzus "Politically incorrect with no real changes expected...” Former 2017 Rpod 180 F150 5.0 4x4

Kup-Pod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08 Jun 2017 Location: Guelph, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 153	Posted: 05 May 2019 at 6:51am
	Avoiding this problem in the future? First thing is locating your pump and your hot water tank (I'm not sure where it is on the 180 but it's probably not far from the fresh water tank. Second, there should be two 3-way valves on the connections to the hot water tank that you can use to isolate your hot water tank - you don't want to waste antifreeze by filling your hot water tank Third, near the inlet to your pump, there should also be a 3 way valve attached to an open ended hose. Swtich the 3-way valve so that you can pump directly from the jug of antifreeze. When you're done make sureyou switch it back to sucking from the tank otherwise you'll be confused next spring. Finally, remove the anode from the hot water heater to drain that tank and drain your fresh water tank. Once you've done it once, it's easy.
	2017 RP-178 2021 F150 5.0l "Lead me on a level path"

Buckeye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 20 Jan 2019 Location: LSL, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 37	Posted: 05 May 2019 at 7:19am
	Thank you for your response. I feel as if I have much to learn...but am very interested in doing it. Craig
	Craig-retired teacher of the blind Carol-retired legal admin asst Spot and Sam-the miscreant Shih-tzus "Politically incorrect with no real changes expected...” Former 2017 Rpod 180 F150 5.0 4x4

Richand Cindy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2016 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 328	Posted: 05 May 2019 at 7:52am
	What you did was not wrong (from the perspective of winterizing your lines) and was probably alot easier to do than then the recommended approach. Access to the valves on a 180 is under the bed. So you have to lift the mattress off and then unscrew the plywood bottom, lift that and then you will see the tank and the valves. If you do a search on this board there have been a number of mods to get to this better. Someone even cut a hole through the RPOD and made an access door! We found it so difficult we paid our storage guy to do it. On our boat there is no access to the tank periord so not valves. You must add the antifreeze to the tank. It takes forever to wash it out in the spring. Very wastefull and since we do not use the sink much we stopped adding water to the tank. If you can do it the recommended way next time you will be saving the environment
	OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel

Jeepinator Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 08 Sep 2017 Location: Seacoast NH Online Status: Offline Posts: 72	Posted: 05 May 2019 at 1:13pm
	You should always release the tank pressure before attempting to remove the anode. Pressure relief valve is up and to the left of the anode.
	2018 Jeep Wrangler Willys 2017 179

Buckeye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 20 Jan 2019 Location: LSL, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 37	Posted: 05 May 2019 at 1:40pm
	Thanks. Learned that last year...glad I had on throwaway clothes. Is there a picture somewhere of the pressure relief valve in the proper position, i. e. lever up or down? Craig in sunny LSL learning something new every minute...
	Craig-retired teacher of the blind Carol-retired legal admin asst Spot and Sam-the miscreant Shih-tzus "Politically incorrect with no real changes expected...” Former 2017 Rpod 180 F150 5.0 4x4