Exterior shower?

[notanlines]

Exterior shower or for winterizing the trailer? My neighbor was looking the RV over recently and asked if this was for winterizing and I said that it was an exterior shower. Then I started wondering if I was mistaken and it might also be used for winterizing if one so chose.

[hankpage]

It is a shower. If you winterized from there you would not be going through the water pump and check valve in city inlet. JM2¢, Hank

[notanlines]

Asked and answered! Thanks, Hank. Now I know. (And I should have been able to figure that out on my own)

[canesfan]

Originally Posted by hankpage

It is a shower. If you winterized from there you would not be going through the water pump and check valve in city inlet. JM2¢, Hank

OK, stupid question time. The winterize port is a separate port from the city water inlet. Since you aren't putting antifreeze into the city water inlet, how does it get into the city water inlet check valve? From the back side? Never thought about this before and since I had the misfortune once of a check valve breaking in the middle of the night and pumping the entire fresh water tank out the city water inlet and into the basement I'm more than interested. I have a small hand pump I use to put antifreeze into the black tank port for the anti-siphon valve, I can always pump a little into the city water inlet too to be safe.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by canesfan

OK, stupid question time. The winterize port is a separate port from the city water inlet. Since you aren't putting antifreeze into the city water inlet, how does it get into the city water inlet check valve? From the back side? Never thought about this before and since I had the misfortune once of a check valve breaking in the middle of the night and pumping the entire fresh water tank out the city water inlet and into the basement I'm more than interested. I have a small hand pump I use to put antifreeze into the black tank port for the anti-siphon valve, I can always pump a little into the city water inlet too to be safe.

What works for me is to use air to blow out the city water inlet along with the rest of the lines. Then, when I use the water pump and a clear hose (stuck in a gallon of antifreeze) to pump the antifreeze into the hot/cold water lines, since the city water line is empty, the antifreeze will "backflow" into that part of the line, protecting it from freezing. If you don't blow out your water lines with air (using the city water supply connection) then you'll have water in that part of the line and antifreeze won't "backflow" to protect it. In that case, I'd suggest you do as you indicated, and pump some antifreeze into that part of the line. Remember to do that first, so you're not pushing the undiluted water into the part that you've already filled with antifreeze from the pump and jug.

[canesfan]

OK, thanks! Makes perfect sense. Unfortunately I already winterized and didn't blow out the lines. I'm not sure the little portable battery operated compressor I have now has enough pressure to even open the check valve so I didn't bother doing that. I hate messing with the check valve, but I might just push it in with my finger until I get red coming out, then refill the lines with a little more AF. Just need to remember to stand to the side when doing so, like draining the hot water heater.