Flushing the Water System T1850

AprilL · 04-09-2019, 08:40 AM

Hello all! I was going to have the RV inspection guy flush my system for me but now that I've learned a little more about it I think I can do this. The problem was no access to water or dump. Electric yes. But I'm thinking I could use five gallon jugs to fill the fresh water tank and then flush the system and then take the trailer to a dump station. Does that sound like a plan?
My next question is does anyone here have or know of a video of a similar model to mine, 86 Satellite T1850, showing how to flush the system? So I can compare all the on/off valves etc. And where the water pump is etc.
Thanks so much!

**JohnB** · 04-09-2019, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilL

Hello all! I was going to have the RV inspection guy flush my system for me but now that I've learned a little more about it I think I can do this. The problem was no access to water or dump. Electric yes. But I'm thinking I could use five gallon jugs to fill the fresh water tank and then flush the system and then take the trailer to a dump station. Does that sound like a plan?

Hi April,

See my response here on this part of your questions. It seems I was answering this while you were typing here. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...tml#post147972

I agree, you need to learn and do the flushing. It is a skill every camper owner must do at some time or another.

I know you are using the wording "flushing" and the system needs that too, but look up "sanitizing" your camper. They are different and your camper needs both.

See here in our files section. Look under section D, Water Systems, step 6 which tells how to do the sanitizing procedure basics.Sunline Coach Owner's Club - Sunline Owner's Files - Sunline Spring Startup Guide

In case no one answers with specifics on your model, we can help if you post pictures of the back side of your hot water heater where there may be some valves. And from that pic we can tell you what valves should be where.

Do the same for the low point drains, they are there somewhere, just need to find them. If you cannot find them, go under the camper and look for 2 pipes hanging down. Then go inside in the area of the 2 pipes and look for 2 valves in a floor cabinet or access panel.

Hope this helps

John

AprilL · 04-10-2019, 08:02 AM

Thanks JohnB! I'll update with pictures probably after this weekend. Around Monday 4/15. On top of all this I'm still cleaning out my house and getting it on the market. So I'm in up to my neck and I feel the constriction. haha

**JohnB** · 04-12-2019, 08:58 AM

Here is a tip that might help on the water source, making an assumption that you said you did not access to a water source. That may mean you have no outside water spigot at your house.

If you have a laundry tub in the house, many of the standard laundry tub faucets have a garden hose threads on the end of the faucet. You can screw a garden hose on faucet and put the hose out the window to run the camper. Again assuming you can get the camper by the house. We used to do this during cold weather time at our old house when all the outside spigots were shut off.

AprilL · 04-13-2019, 06:48 AM

My camper is parked at my daughters house and they're struggling with bills and have to pay for water so I was trying not to use their water. I'm sure they would have no problem with me using it. I will definitely use it a little but to flush the system takes a lot of gallons$$.

AprilL · 04-16-2019, 08:52 AM

I couldn't remember how to get the pics in my post. When I hit the pic icon above it asks me for the url. Not sure how to get the address of the pictures so I uploaded them to my profile pictures.

**JohnB** · 04-17-2019, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilL

I couldn't remember how to get the pics in my post. When I hit the pic icon above it asks me for the url. Not sure how to get the address of the pictures so I uploaded them to my profile pictures.

To post a pic, there are a few ways. See here for more on this. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f1...html#post86041

The Pic Icon you where using is to "link" to the forum pics from a online photo server if you have one. Or even from the Sunline forum. That is why it is asking for a url, so it can link in the pic.

You can "attach" pics to the end of your post by uploading them from your hard drive or phone. When in the advanced reply mode, scroll down and look for the "Manage Attachments".

And you can link to a post picture from your personal album here on the forum. Like this, you found your water pump!

To link them into a post from your album, go to your album, select the pic you want in full view form. Right click and "copy image address" Then use the Pic Icon and paste in the forum URL address. It will link it to your post where ever you put it in the text.

There are also other ways to link in from your Control Panel (User CP, located in the upper left top of the forum). Scroll down to Networking, Pictures and albums, find the pic you to want to link. View it and then at the bottom of the pic is the URL of that image. Copy and paste the URL into the Pic Icon address or copy the BBcode address and just paste it in the post.

Hope this helps

John

AprilL · 04-18-2019, 06:24 AM

Hi JohnB. An update....I cannot not find any valves inside the camper whatsoever. The only valves I found on the outside are in the pics here.

AprilL · 04-18-2019, 06:39 AM

This is the water heater but I see any valves to bypass the water heater when I flush.

AprilL · 04-18-2019, 06:40 AM

I'll be there today and take better pictures of the whole area where the outside valves and the water heater are in relation to each other.

**JohnB** · 04-18-2019, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilL

Hi JohnB. An update....I cannot not find any valves inside the camper whatsoever. The only valves I found on the outside are in the pics here.

Those valves in your pic are the black and gray tank dump (drain) valves. That is where the excess water and waste stored in your holding tanks comes out.

OK, try this.

You are going to have to bend down and look under the camper along the entire bottom of the camper. We are looking for what is called, low point drains. You are looking to see if there are 2 small pipes sticking out of the bottom of the camper. These 2 small pipes are about 3/4" OD. and would be sticking down about 3 to 6" below the bottom cover of the camper.

Assuming you can find them under the camper, then go inside the camper and look in a bottom cabinet or under the bed etc in that general location you found them under the camper. There should be water piping leading to a valve for each pipe that goes under the camper.

These low point drains, allow a large percentage (not all) of the water trapped in the water lines to run out on the ground. All the faucets in the camper need to be open to let air in to let the water run out the low point drains.

I would "think" your year camper would have these.

Hope this helps

John

**JohnB** · 04-18-2019, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilL

This is the water heater but I see any valves to bypass the water heater when I flush.

You are right, there are no water heater bypass valves outside the camper.

The water heater bypass valves if you have them are "inside" the camper behind the water heater. They bypass the water heater to shut off the water supply to the water tank. Look their and take pics of the inside back of the water heater piping.

John

AprilL · 05-16-2019, 10:08 AM

Hello JohnB! Sorry it's been a while. I had to put the Sunny on hold for a bit, first to get my toad fixed and refixed, and now to get the final things done to get my house ready for sale. Still working on that but will be done and ready after this weekend. Anyway, I actually had a couple minutes today so I thought I would post these pics I took a while ago of the low point drain pipes and valves I found. I never posted because I was having trouble with my pics turning sideways. I'm going to post them anyway.

AprilL · 05-16-2019, 10:09 AM

Also JohnB I still have to go over and look behind the heater unit to see if there is a bypass valve there. Thanks for your help and your patience!!!

mainah · 05-16-2019, 05:18 PM

Yes the things with a"T" handle are the drains up they are open pushed down they are closed. The heater valves will be different the long part of the handle points to the direction they are in.

AprilL · 06-28-2019, 03:15 PM

Still haven't flushed the system yet. I'm going to eventually take it to a campground with full hookups and flush it there. So in the meantime I put 7 gallons of water into the fresh water tank via siphon so I can flush the toilet and make sure it works etc. and I'm getting the propane filled. I'm just gonna try and learn as much as I can at least for now. So now I just have to figure out how to turn the water pump on.

**JohnB** · 06-29-2019, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilL

. I'm just gonna try and learn as much as I can at least for now. So now I just have to figure out how to turn the water pump on.

Well, I'm not exactly sure on your year and model, but look around the kitchen or bathroom by the sink. There should be a switch there, most times a rocker switch to turn the pump on. I do not know what model year tank level monitors started showing up. The pump switch is often on the tank monitor panel if yours has one.

AprilL · 07-06-2019, 02:00 PM

I found the switch and I can hear the pump go on. I opened the water valve that looks like its coming directly from the fresh water tank and I opened or turned on the cold water knob on the kitchen sink faucet and no water from sink faucet. Is there simething else I should be doing?

**JohnB** · 07-06-2019, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilL

I found the switch and I can hear the pump go on. I opened the water valve that looks like its coming directly from the fresh water tank and I opened or turned on the cold water knob on the kitchen sink faucet and no water from sink faucet. Is there simething else I should be doing?

A few things to check and may help.

1. Ideally you have almost a 1/2 fresh tank of water before trying to prime the pump. If the tank is too low, you can suck air bubbles over the water line trying to prime the pump. The pump does not pump air very well but can handle some once it is primed. How full was the fresh tank when you started trying to pump?

2. Yes, have a faucet open before you try and prime the pump with water. With the faucet open it helps lower the air back pressure against the pump when it tries to draw water and it has to evacuate the air in the pump suction line before it can get water. I myself open hot water faucet closest to the water heater. This way the air from the pump during priming has more empty water heater tank to go into and then out the faucet.

3. Try opening a few faucets. The one you have open may be partly clogged since this is the first time you are using the camper.

4. If you are totally positive the water line from the fresh tank to the pump is open, not clogged and full of water, the pump should evacuate the air in the suction line and draw water then start pumping water. It may be that the pump has internal issues.

5. If your camper has a "winterizing" anti freeze kit (it might and it might not) at the suction side of the water pump, has a 3 way valve and a hose you put in the 1 gallon jug of RV antifreeze, you can put a jug of water there, flip the valve to the winterize mode and try pumping the jug down. If that works then you know the pump is good and the issue is in the line from the tank to the pump or a low water level in the tank.

The winterizing kits look like this if yours has one
https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-P235...gateway&sr=8-8

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Convert...gateway&sr=8-9

Hope this helps

AprilL · 07-07-2019, 07:49 PM

Hi JohnB. Man! You are on it! You are such a big help! Okay so my fresh water tank is probably only a third full. I'll be over there Wed and I'll put more water in and take a pic of the water pump. I don't want to involve hot water yet because I haven't flushed the antifreeze or sanitized it yet and I don't think your supposed to let the antifreeze go through the hot water heater? Not sure what you mean by priming the pump. Is there something I should be doing besides turning it on and getting the water to flow?