Winterize fail

[thoer]

Dave would potato vodka work best or are you partial to the grain ones?

[emers382]

Wow Dave that seems like the best solution, either that or like us just keep our old easy to winterize trailer with a low point drain and the old style toilet valve. Never had a problem except the year I forgot to turn the water heater bypass to drain and that line froze and burst.

Adrian

[Fox hunt]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Only slight revision required. Make sure all tanks are drained properly. Turn both valves on hot water tank to allow for bypass mode (not one cut off valve). Open winterizing t-valve to pull antifreeze from container. Besides all faucets and outside shower make sure you flush the toilet to protect that valve and simultaneously it puts some antifreeze in the black tank. Run the faucets long enough with antifreeze to cover the kitchen and bath sink traps. Don't forget to pour some antifreeze down the shower floor drain too. Also for good measure I do a quick push on the city water inlet outside to clear the check valve and relieve any residual pressure. Turn the winterizing t-valve back to the normal position so you don't think you have a pump problem come spring. Done.

What is a quick push on city water outlet? pour antifreeze in it?

[float5]

Originally Posted by emers382

like us just keep our old easy to winterize trailer with a low point drain and the old style toilet valve. Never had a problem except the year I forgot to turn the water heater bypass to drain and that line froze and burst.

Adrian

Yes, most Escapes have a low-point drain but not ours. We said that we would even pay for one, as they had put in for many years, but they would not install it. Would have been very useful to us.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

What is a quick push on city water outlet? pour antifreeze in it?

There is a screen on city water inlet. You remove that to access the back-fow valve. Press on the centre and a wee bit of water will dribble out.

[keithgugliotto]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

There is a screen on city water inlet. You remove that to access the back-fow valve. Press on the centre and a wee bit of water will dribble out.

That quick burst of cold antifreeze on my hand and past my surprised face felt a bit like one fall evening long, long ago, when I followed friends under moonbeams and through a cow pasture minefield, to beat my noisemaker in the half-leaved thicket and wait alone, for I'd been told that is the way of it, my heart beating faster and faster with each crackle and whoop in the brush, in the hope that a snipe might rise.

It seems the T-valve procedure somehow got antifreeze up into the city water intake. I noticed it in the intake tube under the dinette last night, but didn't think too hard on it. I noticed it again for sure just now.

Stand to one side, maybe the other, or let it all unfold as it will. It's fun any way.

[War Eagle]

For anyone contemplating the compressed air method for winterizing, but new to all this, here are some items/instructions that help: 1) air compressor (mine lets me adjust the line pressure to 50 psi, for example), 2) brass adapter from air hose to water hose, 3) brass in-line 40-50 psi pressure regulator just in case I forget to adjust my air compressor line pressure down, 4) brass 90 degree elbow to let the weight of all this hang rather than cantilever. Set your water heater valves for winterizing, hook everything up, build up some air pressure, go inside and start opening faucets (galley sink, bath sink, shower head, toilet). Then remember to do all the other usual stuff, too. I have the winterizing t-valve, too, but I like to flush water out of the system as much as possible with air before using the pink stuff just to reduce the risk some pocket of water diluting the antifreeze to the point it's less effective. Just me being anal....

[rbrandenstein]

We are forecast to have two nights of hard freeze. My new 19 is in a storage lot with no electricity. I was wrestling with what to do. The air compressor method seems the easiest, but with no electricity did not seem to be an option.

In an attempt to blow out the lines, I used a 5 gallon air tank I have and charged it to 60psi. With an bicycle fitting I rigged to clamp to the Schrader valve on the blow out fitting, I opened the tank and was able to blow out the sink, toilet and bath sink. I disconnected the shower hose rather than blow it out. It seemed to have enough volume to do the job. Some antifreeze in the drains and I hope to be set.

BTW, the ETI documentation does not cover how to use the winterizing T valve. I bought the option and was looking at the valve and hose, but had no idea how to use it. Fortunately, the forum answered those questions but I decided to try the blow out first.

[gbaglo]

Only thing you have to do now is winterize the compressor.
Did you save the manual?

[laurah]

I've seen it mentioned in a few places about removing the anode from the hot water heater. I just finished winterizing my 21 and followed the directions in the booklet that came with the trailer. It did not say anything about removing the anode. Did I miss something?

[gbaglo]

You remove the anode to drain the water heater.
Page 54 in your Escape manual.
Page 52 describes draining the heater and removing anode.

[laurah]

UH OH. I guess I have to go back and do that. Thanks

[float5]

Originally Posted by laurah

UH OH. I guess I have to go back and do that. Thanks

You need a socket wrench, maybe 1 1/16" --- see instructions, and you need Teflon tape to put on the threads. It is sometimes some trouble to get the anode back in. You can do it though. . You can try to get any gunk out of the tank also.

[gbaglo]

You'll need a 1 1/16" socket with extension to remove the anode easily. I use coins to take up space inside the socket so I can apply pressure.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by laurah

I've seen it mentioned in a few places about removing the anode from the hot water heater. I just finished winterizing my 21 and followed the directions in the booklet that came with the trailer. It did not say anything about removing the anode. Did I miss something?

Removing the anode is the fastest way to drain the hot water tank. Here's what my original one looks like after 8 months of use. Most corrosion so far is near the threads. Note: be sure to relieve line/tank pressure by opening a hot water faucet before removing or it can spray you and blow out at you. Don't ask me how I know.

[War Eagle]

It's worth noting that there are two main varieties of "pink stuff" RV antifreeze - ethanol based and propylene glycol based. Each has it's pros and cons....
http://rvlife.com/techtipsrv-antifre...-all-the-same/

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

Note: be sure to relieve line/tank pressure by opening a hot water faucet before removing or it can spray you and blow out at you. Don't ask me how I know.

If someone has already flipped the hot water valves inside to bypass before draining then opening a faucet won’t work to relieve pressure. Best bet is to just slowly lift the pressure/temperature relief valve outside on the water heater. Never done with the water hot of course.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

If someone has already flipped the hot water valves inside to bypass before draining then opening a faucet won’t work to relieve pressure. Best bet is to just slowly lift the pressure/temperature relief valve outside on the water heater. Never done with the water hot of course.

Great minds think alike! I was thinking that very same thing - - - just as the spray of water started hitting me in the face!
And as you surmised, I had already flipped the hot water tank bypass valves inside and wondered why they were a bit more difficult to turn than usual. I assume now it may have had something to do with the system still being pressurized.

[laurah]

Just curious...What would happen if you don't remove the anode? When I winterize my cabin I don't take out the anode in the water heater.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by laurah

Just curious...What would happen if you don't remove the anode? When I winterize my cabin I don't take out the anode in the water heater.

One way or the other the water heater needs to be drained. If you know of a faster, better way to do it, please let us know.

PLUS it's part of regular maintenance to physically check the sacrificial rod. It's what protects the liner of your hot water heater. The rod dissolves, not the liner.