Winterize Doesn't Work

[canesfan]

Long time, no see. So...for refreshers

2014 Raptor

My winterizing function or whatever you want to call it doesn't work. It barely worked the first year, with a lot of fussing, last Winter I had to buy a hand pump to winterize. Yes, I have all the levers set in the correct position.

The pump just won't suck antifreeze more than halfway up the tube. The tube I use is only at most maybe 3' long. I even tried putting the antifreeze jug up on the compartment door so the flow of antifreeze would be DOWN instead of up from the ground. No luck. Any ideas? Am I the only one or is this a common occurrence and I just need to stick to my hand pump and do it the old fashioned way?

[allaninman1]

I have a 2015 Raptor 375TS, my winterization inlet & water pump worked fine. Maybe the inlet is blocked somehow?


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[Pull Toy]

Our 2013 Alpine 5'er does fine. I take a 25' , 3/8" hose and pass it under the camper to my hook ups. I set my valves, and put three gallons of cool-aid in the salon. After blowing out the lines, and low point, I proceed with the 12v pump. Once I draw a prime, no more running back and forth around the nose of the camper. When the first bottle is almost empty, I start the second bottle etc... When all done I pour the excess down the sinks, and shower, and cover the ball valve in the toilet.

Don't forget the washer hook up and black water flush if you have them.

[buzzcop63]

Use about 3 gallons of RV approved, non-toxic, anti-freeze
Turn water heater by-pass valve to virticle for the by-pass position.
Drain water heater. Check Anode for wear.
Drain Fresh Water
Drain Sewage tank
Drain Gray Tanks, open faucets
Close the drains after water has drained.
Install by-pass hose on the suction side of the water pump, toward kitchen, and pump directly from the anti-freeze container.
Turn on pump switch and open the cold and hot water side of each faucet fixtures, start from bedroom.
Leave open until you see the pink fluid. Outside and inside shower to!
Flush toilet until anti-freeze begins to flow into the bow. And then pour one quart of anti-freeze down the toilet to winterize the Black tank.
Leave a small amount of antifreeze in the toilet to cover the seals.
Pour about one quart of anti-freeze down each shower, lavatory sink, kitchen sink to fill p-traps.
Pump antifreeze into the Black tank flush system inlet with hand pump.
Pump Antifreeze into the City water inlet, make sure to open one faucet to allow flow.
Put all four tires at 70 PSI
Note: You can not pump Antifreeze into City Water inlet unless at least one faucet is open.

[notanlines]

No offense, but I don't think Canesfan was looking for all your success stories. I believe he was more interested in ideas like "a possible leak (sucking air) between the inlet and the fresh water pump. Let's give that a try....."bouncey:

[Festus2]

canesfan -
No, what you are experiencing is not a common problem. If you have correctly gone through all the right steps prior to turning the pump on and sucking the RV antifreeze from the jug into the plumbing system, then it should work.

Have you:-
1) drained all of the water out of the lines so that they are almost void of water?
2) opened the faucets of one line --- such as the vanity sink - so that there is suction available?
3) checked to connection from the pump to the RV antifreeze jug to make sure that the plastic tubing is connected to the INTAKE side of the pump?

Just out of curiosity -- winter is almost over and you are just winterizing your unit now?

[buzzcop63]

Your right. Got stuck thinking of the hand pump, I could not get my hand pump to draw and pump into the City Water inlet, until at least one faucet was open so jumped to a conclusion. Does the water pump draw from the water tank OK but will not draw from antifreeze jug?

[slow]

Have you:-

2) opened the faucets of one line --- such as the vanity sink - so that there is suction available??

Ditto point 2. I ran into the same issue of the pump not picking up from the jug until I opened a faucet.


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[bobbecky]

Try putting an extra hose washer in each of the suction hose connections. This has been posted on other forums about your issue.

[Desert185]

Canesfan:

This may not be the solution you're seeking, but I only use antifreeze in the p-traps and the black tank. I blow out the water lines and haven't had any issues.

[canesfan]

No offense, but I don't think Canesfan was looking for all your success stories. I believe he was more interested in ideas like "a possible leak (sucking air) between the inlet and the fresh water pump. Let's give that a try....."bouncey:
Thank you :)
canesfan -
No, what you are experiencing is not a common problem. If you have correctly gone through all the right steps prior to turning the pump on and sucking the RV antifreeze from the jug into the plumbing system, then it should work.

Have you:-
1) drained all of the water out of the lines so that they are almost void of water?
2) opened the faucets of one line --- such as the vanity sink - so that there is suction available?
3) checked to connection from the pump to the RV antifreeze jug to make sure that the plastic tubing is connected to the INTAKE side of the pump?

Just out of curiosity -- winter is almost over and you are just winterizing your unit now?
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes - it goes to the City water connection and the lever gets put to Winterize.
4. Lol, winterized in Dec, just now finding time to posting.
Does the water pump draw from the water tank OK but will not draw from antifreeze jug?
Yes, no problems there.
Try putting an extra hose washer in each of the suction hose connections. This has been posted on other forums about your issue.
Thank you - didn't see that in the search. Will try.

[canesfan]

Canesfan:

This may not be the solution you're seeking, but I only use antifreeze in the p-traps and the black tank. I blow out the water lines and haven't had any issues.
Thanks, it gets too cold here and I like to have antifreeze in the pump, etc.

[PARAPTOR]

Hey, where have been hiding? Only issue I ever had with the winterize function is once (pilot error). Thought hose was in the fluid but actually was looped around in the container. Once opened a spigot, pump started and sucked in air. To get pump suction again, ended up disconnecting pump, priming it and away it went. Also have to make sure you do not suck dry the fluid container while winterizing. Instead of worrying about winterizing hookup and head South!! "bouncey:

Take Care

[Richard Noble]

I had the same problem. Tried everything mentioned and it still would not work. Finally I eliminated it and poured antifreeze in the fresh water tank and pumped it throughout the 5er. Be sure you allow the toilet valve to run and the outside shower also. I did shut off the lines to the washer hook-up. Had to put in my own valves.

[PARAPTOR]

Maybe I am missing something at least on the Raptor the winterize switch/valve merely diverts the water pump suction to either the fresh water tank or the winterize port. Does you water pump suck water from the fresh water tank in the non winterize position? Do you hear the pump running? At least on the Raptor there is a single panel think maybe 5 screws, when removed you have access to all the piping and valves in the convenience center . Valve not operating when handle moved, hose off?

If you can draw water from the fresh water tank, then check that winterize valve and piping connected to it. Just my two cents

[MBD]

I had a similar problem last year - previous years I had no problems at all. This year I couldn't find my "anti-freeze" hose so I bought a new one. What I failed to consider at the time of purchase was the diameter of the hose. You want to use a small diameter hose-about the size of a soda straw or maybe a hair smaller. You are asking a pump to create "lift" to move the antifreeze.

If you are doing everything else right (levers/switches), use a smaller diameter hose and you will be successful.

[MarkS]

To your procedure, I would add:

First drain fresh water tank, then run pump to drain suction side of pump.

[canesfan]

@Richard Noble - Thanks, I thought of that but was wondering just how much antifreeze I'd have to pour in there before the pump would suck it up. My last rig had to have about 10-15 gallons of water in the tank to suck it, but that rig had all kinds of problems.

@PARAPTOR - Mine is like yours with the lever. Yes it sucks water from the tank and everything is connected behind the panel. The hose is in the full bottle of fluid. Everything is as it should be, it just doesn't work. I think one of the comments above about adding another washer might be the answer. I fabricated my own hose out of a pvc connector and clear plastic tubing. Where the tubing slides over the connector might not be tight enough or I might need another washer. So maybe it's not getting enough suction. Going to try that now that the weather is warming up.

@MDB - Thanks, using probably 3/8" or so tubing. I might try smaller if the above doesn't work.

@MarkS - Thanks, I did drain the tank but don't remember if I ran the pump after and before trying to suck antifreeze. I will try that also.

[canesfan]

Try putting an extra hose washer in each of the suction hose connections. This has been posted on other forums about your issue.

Thanks to all for the ideas. The extra washer did the trick. I remembered the pvc male hose end fitting I was using with the plastic tubing didn't seem to be screwing all the way into the inlet for some reason, maybe the threads aren't exact, I don't know. I put another washer in the inlet and it works. I guess it just was leaking enough air to not get enough suction to draw antifreeze up the tube. (tx) One problem solved. :)