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Old 11-19-2017, 03:13 PM   #1
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Getting Anti-Freeze Through My Water Pump

This may be a dumb question..... If I run anti-freeze through my city water hook-up, does anti-freeze run through the water pump? I’m thinking not, but don’t know for sure.
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Old 11-19-2017, 05:01 PM   #2
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No the check valve will stop it it's the same valve that keep the city water from filling your water tank. The pump will do a pretty good job of emptying itself if it's run dry for a bit. I installed a two way valve that allows me to suck up antifreeze with the pump at the suction side of the pump where the tank pickup is. I only use maybe a pint of antifreeze in the entire system just enough to fill the pump to be on the safe side. The rest I blow out with air pressure.
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Old 11-19-2017, 05:30 PM   #3
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Call me a belt and suspenders type of guy, but today, I blew all the water out of the system and then pumped a gallon of antifreeze through that same type of bypass valve into the system.
I don't like to worry about anything when the temps hit about 5d and stay there for awhile.
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Old 11-19-2017, 06:32 PM   #4
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John,

Not a dumb question, a good one.

As mainah stated, no, the city water connection will not fill the pump. The pump check valve prevents water from going backwards through the pump.

And depending on how your camper is piped, there could be several feet of tubing from the exit of the pump until it ties in the main feed line that may have water left in it. Not all campers are piped the same. Some have 12" of pipe others 3 plus feet between the pump and main water feed line.

Does your camper have the antifreeze winterizing kit installed ahead of the pump, (a 3 way brass valve to switch the pump suction from fresh tank to an antifreeze suction hose)? If not, then you need to make up a hose kit that will screw into the suction side of the pump (take fresh tank hose off, screw antifreeze hose on). Then pump it through.

I myself converted my system to be able to blow out the camper starting at the discharge of the pump. Then I flip a few valves and blow through the pump. This gets the long feed hose from the pump to the main feed system and the hole camper. But the antifreeze method will work too.

Hope this helps

John
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Old 11-20-2017, 05:23 AM   #5
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Getting Anti-Freeze Through My Water Pump

I don’t have a connection at the pump for doing that. Looks like it would be quite a chore to install one as the pump is barely accessible. Mainah, we have the same model camper but different years. Is your water pump in the same location as mine? To the right of the under tub access panel?
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Old 11-20-2017, 07:33 AM   #6
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Yes it is. I did some plumbing work and replaced the hoses with braided piping along with a 2 gallon expansion tank they are flexible enough to be able to remove the pump without having to stand on your head. You can access the suction side of the pump (sort of) from the door for the power cord. While I was at it I shock mounted the pump to a homemade frame between that and the flex hoses unless you are in the bath you can't even hear it run.
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Old 11-20-2017, 10:18 AM   #7
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Antifreeze

I bought a hand pump to push the antifreeze into the system thru the city water connection. I blow the system out first. Last year I tried the pump method with no results. I've had the trailer for a few years and never used the fresh water tank and pump method for water. I broke the connection at the tank side of the pump and hooked up a hose that I made up. Pump ran fine but would not pump the antifreeze thru the system. I just gave up and went to the old hand pump method. Still don't know why it wouldn't work. Oh well!

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Old 11-20-2017, 10:31 AM   #8
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Yes it is. I did some plumbing work and replaced the hoses with braided piping along with a 2 gallon expansion tank they are flexible enough to be able to remove the pump without having to stand on your head. You can access the suction side of the pump (sort of) from the door for the power cord. While I was at it I shock mounted the pump to a homemade frame between that and the flex hoses unless you are in the bath you can't even hear it run.
Mainah, how long does it take for that tank to run low enough for the pump to kick back on? I'm always looking for ways to quiet our pump since we seldom have water hookups.
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Old 11-20-2017, 11:55 AM   #9
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Quote:
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I bought a hand pump to push the antifreeze into the system thru the city water connection. I blow the system out first. Last year I tried the pump method with no results. I've had the trailer for a few years and never used the fresh water tank and pump method for water. I broke the connection at the tank side of the pump and hooked up a hose that I made up. Pump ran fine but would not pump the antifreeze thru the system. I just gave up and went to the old hand pump method. Still don't know why it wouldn't work. Oh well!

Dave
Hi Dave,

On your pump running but not pumping, this normally comes from one or more of the following;

1. A fitting air leak on the pump suction side. Draws air and not liquid and the pump will not prime.

2. There is dirt in the check valves inside the pump which prevents them from sealing correctly. This will not allow the pump to prime.

3. The diaphragm or something else in the pump may be defective not creating any suction. This can happen from extended running of the pump with no water in it.

4. There is a blockage of some kind on the down stream side of the pump not allowing liquid to flow and prime the pump.

5. The system is air bound down stream of the pump and the pump will not prime. This can happen sometimes when all the faucets are closed trying to prime the pump. To help fix this, just open up the faucet the farthest away from the pump. It lets the air bleed out of the piping when the liquid starts pumping. Once the liquid flows long enough full pump prime is made and then the pump can pump against an air bound system but cannot do it well when the pump is not primed.

6. If you are drawing water from the fresh tank and wanting to prime the pump, the level in the tank is too low to start and prime the pump. It can suck air from above the water line in the tank. To help offset this, let the tank fill up to 3/4 full or full then start the pump.

I have had all 6 of these happen at different times over the years on different campers. They can be others too I'm sure.

Hope this helps

John
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Old 11-20-2017, 03:51 PM   #10
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John,

Does your camper have the antifreeze winterizing kit installed ahead of the pump, (a 3 way brass valve to switch the pump suction from fresh tank to an antifreeze suction hose)? If not, then you need to make up a hose kit that will screw into the suction side of the pump (take fresh tank hose off, screw antifreeze hose on). Then pump it through.

Hope this helps

John


Being my water pump is so difficult to access, I think it might just be easier to put some anti-freeze in the fresh water tank and winterize the pump that way.

Any cons to that?

Mainah, where in the world were you able to find room for a two gallon tank?
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Old 11-20-2017, 04:39 PM   #11
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Quote:
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Being my water pump is so difficult to access, I think it might just be easier to put some anti-freeze in the fresh water tank and winterize the pump that way.

Any cons to that?
The only con will be how many gallons of antifreeze you are going to use trying to get the pump to prime to draw it in. In that big tank, it might take 5 to 8 gallons to get enough to start it pumping. And since you did the other pipes already, you may one use a quart doing the pump.

For the raw cost of the 5 to 8 gallons, making up a hose to fit on the 1/2" npt straight thread fitting on the pump suction may be cheaper and then stick the hose in a gallon jug. While I say this, I have no idea how hard it is to get to your suction port on the pump to unscrew the tank hose and put the temp hose on. Take tank hose off, screw new hose on, pump what you need and change back.
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Old 11-20-2017, 04:50 PM   #12
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I have not read where anybody asked if you have a hot water tank. If so, remember to drain it. Then shut the valve off so water can not to get to it. Pumps can be hard to get to. A lot of water tanks have a drain valve. You could use the pump to fill the lines. This is what I do.... They sell an air chuck connection that fits the city water inlet. Blow out the lines ( DO NOT EXCEED 30 PSI). Then you only have to pump solution until it comes out of the faucets. I only use city water so I got and old pump and pump solution through the city inlet. It still takes about 3 gallon. Don't forget to treat the traps. Oh.... keep in mind... a lot of pumps must be lower then the solution level. Not all pumps can draw. They only push.
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Old 11-20-2017, 05:02 PM   #13
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Being my water pump is so difficult to access, I think it might just be easier to put some anti-freeze in the fresh water tank and winterize the pump that way.

Any cons to that?

Mainah, where in the world were you able to find room for a two gallon tank?
I had to shoehorn it in over top of the power center I can tell you it will fit there is space under the stupid tub it's bolt upright with the "T" pointing down it was not a lot of fun but it was worth it
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Old 11-20-2017, 05:13 PM   #14
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Mainah, how long does it take for that tank to run low enough for the pump to kick back on? I'm always looking for ways to quiet our pump since we seldom have water hookups.
Thanks,
Rich
It runs maybe 2 minutes or more before the pump comes on my main plan was power reduction it takes a great deal of power to start any motor so by reducing the cycle time I save battery power. I do spend a good bit of time in the willy waggs and being able to conservative battery draw was my biggest goal so between that and other reductions like LED's I can go indefinitely with a 100 watt portable solar panel. My lines are all flexible and I made an elaborate mount for the pump I can't hear unless I'm in the bath.
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Old 11-21-2017, 05:04 AM   #15
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While we're on the subject, the Sunline manual says that you can collect the antifreeze in the spring and re-use it next winter. Sounds like an economical thing to do, so I used last year's antifreeze this year. I don't know if that can be done year after year (does antifreeze lose it's properties over time?) and of course, not all of it will be captured, so more will need to be added along the way, but it might be something to consider in the spring.

Also, I think once you see pink coming from all the faucets, I would think those lines are protected. I used one gallon and all faucets ran pink, but I had already blown all of the water out. I plan on buying another gallon to pour into the traps just to make sure they are protected.

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Old 11-21-2017, 06:07 AM   #16
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I'm not fond of the antifreeze taste/smell so I use as little as possible. Sometimes my pump will not pick it up from the jug but because I already have compressed air handy from blowing out the lines adding a bit of air pressure to the jug with my hand over the opening is enough to get fluid into the pump they are not real good at pumping air.
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Old 11-21-2017, 06:23 AM   #17
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While we're on the subject, the Sunline manual says that you can collect the antifreeze in the spring and re-use it next winter. Sounds like an economical thing to do, so I used last year's antifreeze this year. I don't know if that can be done year after year (does antifreeze lose it's properties over time?) and of course, not all of it will be captured, so more will need to be added along the way, but it might be something to consider in the spring.

Also, I think once you see pink coming from all the faucets, I would think those lines are protected. I used one gallon and all faucets ran pink, but I had already blown all of the water out. I plan on buying another gallon to pour into the traps just to make sure they are protected.

Rich
The RV antifreeze protection drops very quickly with the addition of any water so I would be hesitant to reuse lasts years fluid.
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Old 11-21-2017, 06:45 AM   #18
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Anti freeze

Don't know what you guys in other parts of the country pay per gallon for your PINK STUFF, but I get it on sale each year when it's on sale for $3-$4 a gallon. Therefore, I don't re-use it.

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Old 11-21-2017, 08:20 AM   #19
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Johnnybgood,

Here is thought that just flew in thinking about your situation.

Since you already pumped antifreeze through the city water connection, (I think that was what you have) there is about 6 to 8 oz of water inside the pump. When you sort out how to get the pump filled with antifreeze you need to deal with getting that 8pz of water out. Maybe you unhook the downstream hose on the pump and let it go out there and mop up the mess. Or open the closest faucet and bleed the good antifreeze from the city water in the line out, then the water slug and then good new antifreeze through the pump. Point being, ya gotta get that 8oz out of the system.

A thought, if this pump is so buried it is hard all the time to do a normal winterizing, after fighting it one or 2 times, I would do and upgrade to not have to deal with this headache every year. Maybe this year, take the pump out and bring it in the house for the winter. Then next spring deal with upgrading the setup to make this process easier for next year. If you take the pump out, may have to plug the downstream hose so the antifreeze doers not leak out all over the floor during the winter.

Hope this helps and let us know how you make out.

Thanks

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Old 11-21-2017, 08:33 AM   #20
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Also, I think once you see pink coming from all the faucets, I would think those lines are protected. I used one gallon and all faucets ran pink, but I had already blown all of the water out. I plan on buying another gallon to pour into the traps just to make sure they are protected.
Hi Rich,

The amount of antifreeze needed depends on the camper floor plan piping layout. If your T2499 is drained well before pumping in the antifreeze then on that floor plan a gallon may well do it. The piping if somewhat close to each other and short.

On our big camper, the lines run almost from one end to the other. I think my system holds about 1.5 gallons maybe a little more in the piping. So when I use to use antifreeze, I would go though almost 1.75 gallons to do it. Then use another gallon to do the drains.

Something for folks following along, if this is your first time winterizing, when the pink antifreeze comes out of the faucet it may not look as pink as it does in the gallon jug just running out of the faucet. The jug is about 5 to 6 inches across and looks more red. It is more of a clear reddish liquid coming out the faucet.

If you want to really see it better, purge the lines into a white old plastic left over container so you can see it. Then dump down the drain. I helped a new member this year talk her though how to winterize and she used almost a 1/2 gallon trying to make sure it was purged well and she saw red. It really is not the same look as in the big bottle coming out in a small stream. You can drain a gallon real fast pumping it out of the faucet.
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