Winterizing
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2986
Printed Date: 19 May 2024 at 5:46am
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Topic: Winterizing
Posted By: Robwid
Subject: Winterizing
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2012 at 10:24pm
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I have one of those small compressors that you use to keep bike/cars tires inflated. There isn't anyway to regulate the air pressure. Has anyone used one of these to blow out their water system? Thanks ------------- Rob 2012 HRE 177 2010 Toyota Tacoma |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2012 at 8:39am
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I Doubt it has enough flow to do the job. Those things don't have a tank, and a very small piston.
------------- |
Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 7:52am
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Spend the $10 for 2-gallons of the pink stuff and in 30-minutes or less, you'll be done winterizing. You won't have to wonder if you blew-out all the water or not either.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 4:43pm
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I winterized ours this afternoon. Took about half an hour and only had one boo-boo. The same one as last year. I didn't remember to open one of the hot water taps before I removed the anode rod from the water heater. Got a face full of cold water. Felt great with the 47 degree ambient temp. Could have been worse... ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 9:11pm
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I've got a question for the group ...
So I installed the little "L" valve at the input side of the water pump a while back. Works fine. A few days ago I hooked up an air compressor to the city water input and blew out the lines - - that worked fine. Tonight and the next 3-4 nights are supposed to be in the teens so I decided to pull some antifreeze into the plumbing. I took off the brass cap on the "L" valve assembly, hooked up the metal cap with clear hose and dipped it into a bottle of RV antifreeze. Turned on the pump and 6-8 seconds later the gallon bottle was sucked dry. So ...I repeated that process - - 4 times. Yeah, that's right ...I ran sucked 4 gallons of antifreeze into the plumbing of my 177. All of the bypass valves were set correctly and none of the antifreeze went into the hot water tank. It would have leaked right out anyway (and I would have seen it) because I have the anode pulled and the hot water tank drained. My question is ...where did all that 4 gallons of antifreeze go and why, when I ran the pump again, don't I see any pink stuff coming out of the cold water side of the sink ? Seems like even if I added some water and diluted the antifreeze a little it would still have some color. Anyway ...in a couple days, once the artic express blows through Laramie, I am thinking about putting some water into one of the empty antifreeze bottles, hooking up the feed hose and running the pump again, just to see if the system "pressurizes" and I see pink stuff coming out of the cold water side at the sink or in the bathroom when I turn on the faucet. I am just amazed that the "plumbing" of the 177 has a 4 gallon capacity. Oh yeah ...and I got on my knees and checked for leaks or anything running out of any visible hoses/tanks/low point drains on the underside. Thanks in advance ... 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 9:15pm
=============== That's what I used. It's a 3 gallon/100 PSI pancake compressor. It has an output regulator so that you can avoid damaging your plumbing with high air pressures. Worked like a charm. I found a quick release fitting with a hose thread that screwed directly into the city water input. I started opening spigots, closest to the compressor first until I reached the bathroom and then did the toilet. When all was said and done only air was coming out of the faucets/toilet valve. 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 9:28pm
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I have the same type plumbing provided by the factory. I drained the first jug in a few seconds, and almost right away I had anti freeze coming out the sink faucet (hot and cold). I shut them and opened the bathroom sink faucets and in a few seconds had pink flowing from them. Last I opened the flush valve on the toilet and waited until pink came from that. I had about an inch left in the second gallon. I blew it oot first so the faucets ran pink as soon as anything came out. I don't know where all the anti-freeze went in your pod. I ran a bit down each trap including the shower trap to protect each of them, and still had a few ounces of the two gallons I bought left. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 9:48pm
================= Your pump is under the bed right ? That's where you connected the line to the "L" valve and pulled the antifreeze into the system (of course, with the hot water heater lines bypassed)? I was flabbergasted when it just kept pulling antifreeze into the line but the system never seemed to "pressurize". In other words, the pump never shut off like it does when you are pulling water from the holding tank during a regular camping trip. All I know is that there are 4 gallons of antifreeze in the plumbling of my 177 and I can't seem to get it to flow out of the cold water faucets at the sink or in the bathroom - - really strange. Wish we weren't having temps in the teens for the next several days because I'd really like to research this further. 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 9:57pm
====================== Just curious ...how did you manage to get antifreeze to run out of your HOT water faucets ? Did you pull antifreeze into your hot water heater ? Seems like that's the only way there would be active flow on the hot water side of the house. Thanks, 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 10:26pm
NOPE.. all the hot water plumbing is still intact when the water heater is in BYPASS.. just doesn't go THROUGH the WH ------------- |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 10:31pm
====================== It's just got to be my misunderstanding of the system then ...or something I did wrong and don't realize it. This is our first camper with extensive plumbing so I'll be the first to admit that it's all new to me. Hopefully in the next few days I can get back out there and just sit/study the plumbling layout and get it right ...and who knows, I might even figure out where 4 gallons of antifreeze went tonight :-) 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 1:03am
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There are three valves under the bed in my pod that isolate the water heater. I shut the two that to to and from the water heater and opened the bypass valve. My pump is a few feet from the water heater, under the sink. I took off the panel that covers the space by the floor that the pump sits in, removed the hose, and opened the valve. Then hose in the bottle, pump on, anti-freeze into the system. I am curious why our 177s are different. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 8:53am
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@ Footslogger.. The system works almost exactly like your home system. Water comes into the system at a single point. In the case of a self contained camper, the single point can be fed by either the "city water" supply, or the "fresh water holding tank" On city water, the city water pressurizes the system. On Holding tank, the pump pressurizes the system. After the water passes the pump/city water "in" junction, it goes to a "T". One side of the "T" feeds the cold water side of the system, and the other goes to the WH, and then from there feeds the hot water side. When winterizing, the reason you set the bypass valves to bypass, and drain the WH, is so that you don't have to pump 6 gallons of anti freeze into the WH.. It would take about 8 gallons of anti freeze to do the system if you didn't bypass and drain the WH. It may very well be that all your anti freeze is in your WH.. not good if it's as cold out as you say. ------------- |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 9:45am
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[QUOTE=furpod]
@ Footslogger..The system works almost exactly like your home system.Water comes into the system at a single point. In the case of a self contained camper, the single point can be fed by either the "city water" supply, or the "fresh water holding tank" On city water, the city water pressurizes the system. On Holding tank, the pump pressurizes the system. After the water passes the pump/city water "in" junction, it goes to a "T". One side of the "T" feeds the cold water side of the system, and the other goes to the WH, and then from there feeds the hot water side. When winterizing, the reason you set the bypass valves to bypass, and drain the WH, is so that you don't have to pump 6 gallons of anti freeze into the WH.. It would take about 8 gallons of anti freeze to do the system if you didn't bypass and drain the WH. It may very well be that all your anti freeze is in your WH.. not good if it's as cold out as you say. ================================ We got snow last night but it only dipped to 30 degrees (not as low as predicted). I'm going to head outside today an take a good look with a fresh set of eyes. Thanks for your explanation. It makes sense. Just that things are really tight in there so it's hard to see the plumbling well. The pump in my unit is under the bed on drivers side, wedged between the hot water heater and furnace. Almost impossible to follow the routing of the lines much less get your hands in there. I saw the 3 valves and right now I know that the input and output valves to/from the hot water heater are in the CLOSED position. Plus, I have the water heater drained and the anode removed - - so even if I had accidentally pulled the pink stuff into the water heater it would have run out of the anode port and I would have seen it. What I have trouble seeing is that THIRD VALVE, which is most liikely under the pump near that city/holding tank "T" you described. With better lighting and a little heater running inside the camper, I am going to go back out and sketch the layout. Diagrams are the easiest way for me to get a handle on this. Plus, then I'll have a template for next year. Hell, who knows ...I might have even left the low level drain caps off when I was doing all this last night. I had poor lighting and near freezing temps and was in a hurry (bad combination). If that's the case I blew 4 gallons of antifreeze out of the low level drain :-) 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 11:43am
Here is a pic of the bypass valves. The valves are in the position to fill HW, turn all 3 valves 90* and you bypass the HW. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 11:48am
================ My plumbing doesn't look like this. I have the 3 valves picutred but my pump is wedged between the HW heater and the furnace under the bed. That being said ...just as a sanity check for myself - - in your picture the valves are currently in the open (non bypass) position and if you connected to city water or activated the pump your water heater would fill ...correct ? Thanks for the help and the pic. Picture help a lot, eventhough it appears that the plumbing layout varies considerably from Pod to Pod. 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: rex
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 12:03pm
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WHAT IS ALL THIS TALK ABOUT WINTERIZING.I AM ON MY WAY TO THE LAKE TO WATCH WV TAKE ON TEXAS GO WVA,ITS CLOUDY HERE TODAY LOW 80,HAPPY TRAILS TO ALL rex pHp stuart fla ------------- jrr |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 12:08pm
================== Just be happy you can. Snowing here and below freezing. This camper is gonna watch the game of his choice (Wyoming/Nevada) from the comfort of his living room :-) 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 12:12pm
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That is correct. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 5:19pm
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Mystery solved - - recall the Nat'l Guard !! It was 2 things that caused the vanishing 4 gallons of antifreeze. First (and foremost) the low level drain caps were off. I had taken them off when I blew the system out with the air compressor and had forgotten to put them back on. The reason I didn't notice that sooner was that I was inside the camper during the antifreeze uptake process and the low level valves are behind my drivers side wheel ...so I now have a patch of dead grass that is good to -50 degrees:-)
The second thing was that one of the bypass valves - - not the hotwater tank input/out line valves ...the other one. Once I got the drain caps on and oriented the valve correctly the system pressurized using the pump with the drop line sticking in the antifreez jug I had pink stuff flowing out of all faucets in seconds. Thanks to everyone who offered advice and information. In the end what helped me most was going out there with a clear head and fresh eyes, doing a diagram of the plumbing and then going forward from there. Note to self ...DOCUMENT the hell out of this for next year :-) 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: Racer|X|
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 5:48pm
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It is documented...used the check list on the site...worked great. ------------- |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 7:06pm
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I wrote a note to myself to make sure the pressure was off the system before removing the anode. I hope to not get a facefull three years in a row.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 7:43pm
========================== If you are right there at the hot water heater and forgot to open a faucet inside the camper you can always pull the relief valve lever. 'Slogger ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 9:19pm
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Not fast enough. The water was all out and all over me before I knew it! Cold too! ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Bill Ky
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2012 at 11:57pm
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Did you get a little anti freeze out of the city water supply inlet, to clear the water from there? Do not attempt it with pressure on the system. Shut the pump off and and open a faucet, then remove the screen for the inlet and push the tip on the check valve and hold it till you see some antifreeze. Here is a diagram just imagine your siphon tube for antifreeze being between the fresh water tank and the water pump.  ------------- Bill & Marilyn, Tinker Belle (Yorkie), Sparkle (Mini Dachshund) & Tootsie (the turtle) '12 RP175 '07 Dodge Ram 1500 |
Posted By: P&M
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2012 at 9:36am
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Bill, thanks for that great diagram! Just printed it out to put in my Pod folder for future reference! ------------- P & M ... and Comet too! 2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod 2018 Ram 2500 |