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Old 05-31-2015, 09:29 AM   #1
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winterization/dewinterization problem

I ran into a problem with dewinterization yesterday... Couldn't get the pump to prime after I filled the fresh water tank. I could see the water level in the clear line from the fresh water tank to the pump and it would bob up a couple of inches when the pump was turned on, but never further than that. If I had water in the lines (from the city water inlet) it would get pushed out with air, but the pump wasn't taking water from the tank. So: an air leak in the connection before the pump.

Here is where I start to hate the water system layout in the 19. To get at the pump you either have to lie in the compartment under the bed (not a nice way to work!), or you have to take a good part of the bed frame apart to get the pump from above (turns a 10 minutes job into a 1 hour job).

I don't have the winterization kit installed, so to get antifreeze into the pump I would take off the input hose and thread on a different hose that I could put in the end of the antifreeze bottle. Of course this necessitates getting at the pump to take it apart and put it back together again... see previous paragraph and take particular note of the word "hate"...

Turned out when reassembling after I winterized last year, trying to work by reaching in through the cupboard doors, I managed to cross-thread the input hose onto the particulate filter. And, of course, in trying to get rid of the air leak I tightened it down so far that I completely destroyed the threads (plastic! I hate plastic threads!) on the particulate filter.

So... what's the point?

I would strongly recommend that everybody get the winterization kit option installed when they buy a trailer. I would guess that most people, like us, didn't actually know how they would do the winterization when they put together their option lists. It's a cheap add-on, and it keeps your options open later.

I'd also recommend that Reace make it a standard feature, at least on those trailers where the pump is difficult to get at.

For me, now that the problem is at hand: when I replace the particulate filter, I'm going to get all the bits and pieces necessary to do the winterization kit myself... Finding the valve is the only issue: the RV shop I tried last time didn't have one...

as they say, "live and learn"...
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Old 05-31-2015, 12:13 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dbailey View Post
I would strongly recommend that everybody get the winterization kit option installed when they buy a trailer. I would guess that most people, like us, didn't actually know how they would do the winterization when they put together their option lists. It's a cheap add-on, and it keeps your options open later.
Is this the "winterizing t-valve" option? If so, already got it on my list of necessary options, due to others suggesting this. If not, what else are you referring to?

I've never had a trailer before, so I know I'll be clueless about winterizing/unwinterizing it when the time comes.

Thanks for your post as it might help someone else not have the same problem. bummer you had to go through all that.
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Old 05-31-2015, 04:04 PM   #3
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Good troubleshooting work

Quote:
Originally Posted by dbailey View Post
I would strongly recommend that everybody get the winterization kit option installed when they buy a trailer. I would guess that most people, like us, didn't actually know how they would do the winterization when they put together their option lists. It's a cheap add-on, and it keeps your options open later.

I'd also recommend that Reace make it a standard feature, at least on those trailers where the pump is difficult to get at.
This makes a great deal of sense to me.

By the way, another potential use of a winterizing valve is to draw (with the pump) from an external tank, in case you want to extend capacity without transferring from a portable container to the trailer's tank. I've done that.
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Old 05-31-2015, 08:14 PM   #4
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NW: yes the T valve is what I am referring to...

Brian: hmmm... interesting idea... might be worth making the winterization input hose a little longer for this purpose... Thanks for the thought.
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Old 05-31-2015, 08:55 PM   #5
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In the winter while camping, I leave the trailer winterized but insert the tube intoa bottle of antifreeze. Each time I flush, it pulls more to replace the antifreeze going into the tank.
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