buying used, please help

[Lost Croz]

It's official, we are now the happy owners of an "06 Escape 17C. The previous owners took very good care of the trailer and it looks great. This one has been painted and although we thought we were looking at a 17B, turns out its a 17C. But that wasn't a deal breaker for us.

It was an adventure getting it home from B.C. to Alberta. Mud, snow, ice, and 850 km of towing makes for a long first day with the trailer. I also had to winterize it in the hotel parking lot, and as this is my first time owning an RV of any kind, I already messed up my winterization. I did not pull the plug and drain the hot water heater!! Now, it's -12C and I'm not sure if I should try to heat things up with a heater and get the plug out ASAP, or leave it for the first above zero day. Is the damage already done?? I ran a lot of RV antifreeze through the plumbing and got quite a bit in the hot water tank (another mistake, I now realize). I'm not sure if I will do more damage trying to open up that drain now.

I would appreciate any opinions as I am a little worried about my first mistake...

(14.2 L/100 km towing with the Runner makes me happy!!)

Thanks

[cpaharley2008]

Get that plug out and let it drain and leave it out until it gets warm, stuff a rag in the hole. It may not have enough antifreeze so leaving it empty is best.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Lost Croz

It's official, we are now the happy owners of an "06 Escape 17C. The previous owners took very good care of the trailer and it looks great. This one has been painted and although we thought we were looking at a 17B, turns out its a 17C. But that wasn't a deal breaker for us.

It was an adventure getting it home from B.C. to Alberta. Mud, snow, ice, and 850 km of towing makes for a long first day with the trailer. I also had to winterize it in the hotel parking lot, and as this is my first time owning an RV of any kind, I already messed up my winterization. I did not pull the plug and drain the hot water heater!! Now, it's -12C and I'm not sure if I should try to heat things up with a heater and get the plug out ASAP, or leave it for the first above zero day. Is the damage already done?? I ran a lot of RV antifreeze through the plumbing and got quite a bit in the hot water tank (another mistake, I now realize). I'm not sure if I will do more damage trying to open up that drain now.

I would appreciate any opinions as I am a little worried about my first mistake...

(14.2 L/100 km towing with the Runner makes me happy!!)

Thanks

I agree with Jim and your mistake of running RV antifreeze into the hot water tank may well save you. If you displaced enough fresh water with antifreeze you may have gotten enough in to prevent the tank from freezing solid. I would go ahead and take the plug out, then you can get a better idea. If water drains out normally maybe it did not freeze solid. And if you can get enough out, then even if it does freeze there should be expansion room in the water heater tank.

You will want to really flush the hot water heater out REALLY well to get the antifreeze out of it in the spring before you use the water heater. I made the same mistake once and once that antifreeze heats up inside the water heater it leaves a bad taste and smell that takes a while to get rid of.

Eric

[PGDriver]

You could leave the low point drain open and run the furnace as you will not be able to remove the plug and anode until it warms up. You could try lighting the water heater if it is full and melt it first then remove the plug and anode.

[Lost Croz]

Alright, I will get that plug out tonight and hope for liquid...

Thanks very much,
Shawn

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

You could leave the low point drain open and run the furnace as you will not be able to remove the plug and anode until it warms up. You could try lighting the water heater if it is full and melt it first then remove the plug and anode.

Why would you not be able to remove the drain plug when cold?

baglo

[float5]

Shawn, Congratulations on your new Escape! Glad you made it back.
Good chance there won't be any damage. Hope you have the right tool for that as it is difficult even when not frozen. Yes, we are all waiting for it to warm up!
Hope you post some photos.

[cpaharley2008]

I do not think he wants to heat that tank with anitfreeze in it. He may never get that taste removed.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I do not think he wants to heat that tank with anitfreeze in it. He may never get that taste removed.

I can vouch for the fact that it takes a long time and lots of flushing to get rid of!

[PGDriver]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Why would you not be able to remove the drain plug when cold?

baglo

Hi Glenn

On the end of the plug is an anode that will be frozen into a block of ice, if you put a wrench on it and turn it will probably snap off the anode rod.

[PGDriver]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I do not think he wants to heat that tank with anitfreeze in it. He may never get that taste removed.

Hi Jim

Just a little heat to melt a bit of ice so some water runs out and takes the pressure off the water heater tank.

[PGDriver]

Originally Posted by thoer

I can vouch for the fact that it takes a long time and lots of flushing to get rid of!

Your not kidding....

When I winterize my trailer I pump antifreeze through the plumbing (with the hot water tank bypassed) and then I lift the front of the trailer up and open the low point drain at the back to let as much antifreeze out as possible. Any liquid left in the system will be antifreeze and hopefully not much. BUT I still let everything run in the spring for and hour or so to flush the system.

[gbaglo]

Got it. Thanks.

[Jim Bennett]

I used to have to use RV antifreeze in my stick built, but am SO glad I have never had to use it in the waterlines of my Escape. Really glad they designed it with the low point drain, which is such a simple concept, I don't understand why other manufactures do not do it.

[PGDriver]

Hi Jim

You can't always trust a low point drain, last unit I drained and blew out the lines but there was this little valve in the toilet that ended up cracked in the spring.

[float5]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

Hi Jim

You can't always trust a low point drain, last unit I drained and blew out the lines but there was this little valve in the toilet that ended up cracked in the spring.

Did you have anti-freeze in the toilet?

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

Hi Jim

You can't always trust a low point drain, last unit I drained and blew out the lines but there was this little valve in the toilet that ended up cracked in the spring.

Trust me, I know this one only too well...'nough said.
If you pull the flush handle open, and allow water in the toilet supply to drain back, then all will be good.
Well, I will add that the dealer that sold me the replacement valve said that he sold about 50 a year for the same reason.

I actually tried blowing out the lines after fully draining using the low-point drain, and got but a wee bit of spitting. At first I was a bit leery of the relying on the low-point drain, but checked out every line, and other than one with a wee bit of sag (not near enough to fill the whole pipe), I was happy in knowing that all the supply lines would in fact drain.

[PGDriver]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

Did you have anti-freeze in the toilet?

No just used the low point drain and air hose. But this was the unit I had in my previous life, before my Escape.

[gbaglo]

Ouch. The Old Bag was inside the trailer, opening and closing taps while I pumped the anti-freeze from outside. But, I don't recall telling her to hold the toilet flush valve open.
Oh well, it's been a mild winter.

baglo

[PGDriver]

Glenn

Word on the street is Jim or I could probably direct you to a good valve supplier.