Winterize water pump?

[MOKID]

My Sunline does not have the water pump bypass to hook into the Anti Freeze Jug so I am going to use a hand pump to pump the Anti Freeze into the City Water Valve. My question is this: Does the water pump need to be winterized if I use the hand pump and city intake valve.

Thanks

[Steve Collins]

Originally Posted by MOKID

My Sunline does not have the water pump bypass to hook into the Anti Freeze Jug so I am going to use a hand pump to pump the Anti Freeze into the City Water Valve. My question is this: Does the water pump need to be winterized if I use the hand pump and city intake valve.

If you hand pump pink stuff into the city water hookup, you can't be sure it gets upstream into the pump especially if the city water hookup is any distance from the pump. I'd be uncomfortable with that method. Pumping the antifreeze through the pump is the surest way to protect it.

Here's what I do:

First, I drain the fresh water tank as completely as possible.

My fresh water tank is internal so I can get at under under the couch and lift the end opposite the drain fitting (just an inch or so) and get the last bit of water out of the tank. I then remove the tank side hose from the pump and swing it up just a bit.

I found that the tube for a hand-held shower head has the same size fitting on each end as the inlet fitting on my pump. I got an old one and cut it in half. Then I connect that hose to the pump and insert the other end in the jug of pink stuff.

It'll nicely suck the pink stuff into the system and it only takes a gallon and a bit to do the whole TT including the drains.

If you have an underslung tank, but can get at the pump, the theory is still the same. Disconnect the tank side hose from the pump, substitute the temporary suction hose and have at it.

When you're done, give a blast of air to the hose from the tank to the pump to push any remaining water back into the fresh water tank.

In the spring, reconnect the tank side hose, fill the tank with water and flush away the pink stuff.

If you don;t have an old shower hose sitting around, you could borrow the one from the TT's shower. Don't cut it, just use the whole thing. The other end will fit into the jug of antifreeze.

[JohnB]

I agree with Steve. If you are using the antifreeze method you have to suck the pink stuff thru the pump.

There are small check valves inside the pump that prevent the water inside from falling out and the infeed and discharge line can be filled with water.

The city water line enters the main feed piping at many different places pending camper

You should also allow a small amountof anti freeze to come out of the city water inlet connection to make sure all the water is out and anti freeze is in

BUT there is a WRONG way to do this and should be avoided

In the end of the city water connection is a check valve that acts as a back flow preventor. DO NOT push the plunger in when pressure is in the pipe in the camper. You can blow the check valve O ring off.

How to burp and not mess up the valve, with the pump off bleed pressure in the pipes by opening a faucet. Then have a helper push in the check valve and in short bursts jog the pump on and off. The shorts bursts are so your helper does not get drowned. They should not push very far in on the check only enough to open it and allow anti freeze to come out

If you do not want to do the burp method you can air blow in that city water pipe first and try and drain out the camper, then pump anti freeze thru the pump. That dry city water pipe will then better fill with anti freeze.

OR you can rig up a way to actually pump in anti freeze into the city water connection

Each camper layout and maybe even year, is made different. In some cases the city water feed pipe can be 3 to 4 feet long before it tee's into the main feed line. So precautions should be made to insure it does not have water in it and does have anti freeze

Good luck

Hope this helps

John

[MOKID]

Thanks Steve and John. My water tank and pump is under the bed and pretty easy to get to. I checked and the shower hose will work and I already have the handpump so I am in good shape. I will winterize it in the next few days as it was 36 here this morning. Thanks for the help. I sure like this Forum.