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Topic ClosedWinterizing no pink in hot water lines
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3220 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Winterizing no pink in hot water lines
    Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 5:08am
My guess would be that the previous owners used compressed air to blow out the system.  As others above have stated, there is no way to winterize this system with the conventional antifreeze method you are attempting with the shutoff valves in the location they are currently in.  They must have drained the HW tank, blown out the lines, probably drained the HW tank again and blown out the lines a second time just to be safe.  Curious as to why someone would have re-configured the top and bottom valve, hard to believe it would have come off the assembly line like that, but anything is possible.
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ampete View Drop Down
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Posts: 53 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 9:11am
Thanks for your thoughts. 
So, now what?
I already have pulled the pink into the cold water lines and drained everything. Can I use an air compressor through the city water connection and ONLY open the hot water lines in the kitchen, bath and low end drain?  Is that asking for trouble?

Or, do I de-winterize by filling everything with water, and then re-winterize the whole system from start to finish using air?

Pros/Cons?

THX
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 9:32am
I have often observed the Forest River motto to be: "Let no two Pods be built the same", but this is a new one. Looks like you have some re-plumbing to do. Compressed air through the city water connection will work even with the bypass valves plumbed as shown. It just takes more air because you will have to fill the empty WH with air each time but you don't have to fuss with the bypass valves. Just leave them in the summertime position.  That's the way I do it each year.

As far as what to do now, I would open all three valves and flush the entire system with water. Then close the crossover valve (blue to red), drain via low points and blow out the entire system with air. Be sure to blow out the outside shower port if you have one.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 9:54am
In looking at the pictures I was surprised to see that the bypass fittings are secured with PEX crimps, not PEX clamps. You can tell they are crimps because of the small protrusion on each metal fitting. Clamps, like what my rpod has, are smooth rings. 

Generally high volume work is done with clamps because they are cheaper, while homeowners like me tend to use crimps because the crimp tool works with several tube sizes. The clamp tools are only good for one size, but thats not an issue for FR since its all half inch.

Are the other fittings and connections in the trailer using crimps too? Anyone else have crimps?
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ampete View Drop Down
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Posts: 53 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 10:04am
Many thanks Charlie.  I will add water back into the system and give it a go as you describe.  I appreciate your detailed advice.  I'm a greenhorn at this, having this forum is a lifesaver!

Thanks for your help!
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ampete View Drop Down
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Posts: 53 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 10:08am
OFFGRID, I have no history to say if it came from FR like this or not.  I know I didn't change it haha.

I'm curious, could it be re-plumbed so that a new "bypass" blue to red with a valve in the center was added to the right of the other valves, leaving the current bypass (which is incorrectly to the left of the other valves) there but in a permanently closed position?    I will contact an RV dealer for a spring appointment to fix the issue, but I'm afraid it might be extensive and expensive to remedy.
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ampete View Drop Down
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Posts: 53 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 10:12am
I will look for crimps vs clamps and post in a little bit.
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ampete View Drop Down
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Posts: 53 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 10:16am
CharlieM    Should I use pink antifreeze only in the p-traps, toilet, shower drain; skip the rest of any antifreeze processes?
I don't have an outside shower, but thanks for the other reminders.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 11:00am
Originally posted by ampete

OFFGRID, I have no history to say if it came from FR like this or not.  I know I didn't change it haha.

I'm curious, could it be re-plumbed so that a new "bypass" blue to red with a valve in the center was added to the right of the other valves, leaving the current bypass (which is incorrectly to the left of the other valves) there but in a permanently closed position?    I will contact an RV dealer for a spring appointment to fix the issue, but I'm afraid it might be extensive and expensive to remedy.



I'm not suggesting anything at this point about when and why the bypass was improperly done, just found it curious about the crimps vs clamps.

Re difficulty and expense to remedy, not at all. You can do it yourself in a few minutes. Pex is easy to work with and the fittings almost never leak. Lots of how to videos.i would just leave  the existing bypass there and put a new one in around the corner on the other side of the two shutoff valves where you have room to work.  You need a pex tube cutter, two pex tees, and a shutoff valve, a 10 pack of crimps, a short piece of pex, and the crimp tool. Might be 50 $ at your big box, after which you'll be set up for future plumbing chores.
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ampete View Drop Down
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Posts: 53 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2020 at 11:05am
OFFGRID---thank you for the encouragement!  I will look at doing this in the spring and very much appreciate your specifics and list of parts/pieces. 

No worries, I have no idea how long it's been like this, but I am so grateful to everyone here that has given me some peace of mind.  I could NOT figure out what I was missing/doing wrong!

Now I see it!
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