Please help

[pstieler@gmail@gmail.com]

It is so frustrating that this info isn't in the manual! We will look for this spot in the van,, and hopefully get this done tomorrow!

[Lt Keefer]

Is it possible that your pink stuff is just going into the water heater?

But my vote would be for using air to winterize. I open all the low water drains and all the faucets. The next day I close the valves and run the water pump for about a minute with all the faucets open. Then I run the air thru the lines for a couple of minutes. It has worked for me for the last 30 years and doesn't cost me a cent.

[pstieler@gmail@gmail.com]

Oh man, we hope the pink stuff didn't go into the water heater either! Maybe next year we will try blowing it out with air. Paul's already talked about doing a little of both next year. Frankly, it's our first "rodeo" with doing this. The valves must be turned wrong - because we're not getting uid out of the faucets yet. Ugh...

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by pstieler@gmail@gmail.com

Oh man, we hope the pink stuff didn't go into the water heater either! Maybe next year we will try blowing it out with air. Paul's already talked about doing a little of both next year. Frankly, it's our first "rodeo" with doing this. The valves must be turned wrong - because we're not getting uid out of the faucets yet. Ugh...

As long as you go step by step you will be fine.

I highly recommend that you verify no antifreeze in the water heater. I would stop the winterizing for a moment and open all of the hot water fixtures. MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT TURN HEATER ON FOR REAL HOT WATER. Just let it run and you will smell if you have RV in the Hot Water supply tank or not. The water will be cold but it will flush out any RV antifreeze to remove any doubt. Once that is confirmed you can go back to your winterization.

Just so you know it has to be one or the other; Air Dry or backfilled with RV Antifreeze.

I think above it was assumed that all of the other steps (i.e. bypass the water heater was done) I bypass my water heater and I do not even use the pink stuff.

There are two methods for sure. It really should be in the manual? Maybe manual is missing? Unless you find a video or someone to be sure I would be concerned with it being done right based on responses I am reading.

I don't use RV Antifreeze because a simple mistake can cause some water not properly treated to actually freeze because of error I made. But if you know what you doing, you know what you are doing and NEVER have an issue with Pink Stuff.

Verify no pink stuff is in water heater or flush it out, drain your entire system including water heater. Get a compressed air adaptor, open up all of the faucets and blow air inside the city water supply side until all you see and hear is air. You are done. 5 min max for this method. Think about it, if there is no water in the system, nothing can freeze.

Other options

...Search the cite for instructions on how to load pictures, but the procedure on how to pump the RV Antifreeze has been posted a few times already.

...Consider having someone or paying someone to winterize for you and you simply watch and learn

[Edensob]

When I winterized my Compass I was getting frustrated because the pump was not sucking the antifreeze out of the container. What I found was that the little gasket on the suction line was stuck on the plug when I removed it to screw in my adapter for the antifreeze. That allowed air to leak in preventing suction. Once I replaced the gasket everything worked flawlessly and winterizing was a breeze. Lesson learned and all pinked up now.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by pstieler@gmail@gmail.com

Oh man, we hope the pink stuff didn't go into the water heater either! Maybe next year we will try blowing it out with air. Paul's already talked about doing a little of both next year. Frankly, it's our first "rodeo" with doing this. The valves must be turned wrong - because we're not getting uid out of the faucets yet. Ugh...

On my rigs I always blow the system out with 45 psi of air and then running antifreeze through the lines. I will keep the compressor connected for at least 4 hours so the ice maker cycles a few times and run the washer through an entire cycle.

Since moving south this year I might dry winterize only. Haven’t decided yet.

[pstieler@gmail@gmail.com]

Thank you so much for your tips. Hindsight..we would have hired it done! He will go out now...cold here in MN, ,& start over! Step by step..

[pstieler@gmail@gmail.com]

Thank you so much for your suggestions. Hindsight being 20/20...we should've hired it done. But really..how challenging could it be? ! PLENTY CHALLENGING! Paul is going out now to try your steps. Again, thank you.

[Campnjoe]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

That information is incorrect. The city water connection is on the discharge side of the pump. You need to connect to the suction side of the pump. Find your pump and locate the antifreeze suction connection and plug. remove the plug and connect your anti-freeze rig there.

How is this information incorrect. Are you saying you can not put antifreeze in via the city water connector?

[pstieler@gmail@gmail.com]

Yes, it took approx 1/2 gallon of antifreeze but nothing came out of any faucets. Paul thinks it only filled the built-in filter next to the pump.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Campnjoe

How is this information incorrect. Are you saying you can not put antifreeze in via the city water connector?

The city water connection does not go to the suction side of the pump, it goes to the discharge side of the pump, hence the integrated check valve in the city water connection. So no, you can not use the internal RV pump to install anti-freeze from the city water connection.

If you had an external pump that you could use to pump the antifreeze in through the city water connection; that would work.

[pstieler@gmail@gmail.com]

He went out & bought an external pump...fingers crossed...��

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by pstieler@gmail@gmail.com

Thanks, we have a faucet open and Paul bought a manual pump...but it isn't going into the faucets.

Is it going ANYWHERE? If it’s pumping somewhere but not the faucets it might be going into the fresh water tank. There probably is a separate valve that disconnects the tank from the pump. At least that’s what my coach (SOB) has.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by pstieler@gmail@gmail.com

He went out & bought an external pump...fingers crossed...��

But why? Isn't this a new RV? All of the instructions are either in the manual or available or online. If you have followed the instructions and it does not work you need to take it back to the dealer to get it fixed.

You also mentioned it is cold, just follow the drain procedure until you have a chance to regroup, think it all the way through. Dealerships and Thor will be open in the morning for a few phone calls. Be patient and winterize it right the right way per the manual.

As one poster said earlier, you can still backfill with RV Antifreeze after you have drained and blown out with air. I already don't like putting RV Antifreeze on my fresh water supply line, I never do; but understand why some do, but I would never put the pink stuff in the city water line so it goes into my Fresh water tank.

IMO, I think you are at greater risk of damage from improperly adding RV anti-freeze than simply draining all of the tanks dry and blowing with compressed air. We only talking a few days for those that absolutely insist that you MUST have RV Antifreeze .


BTW a few links with help on how to post pictures.

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/f4...ays-20421.html

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/f2...test-1856.html

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

… So no, you can not use the internal RV pump to install anti-freeze from the city water connection. ..

I can and I also did on my Challenger for 5 years. The one thing I have to do is reverse the screen filter on the city water inlet so the pump will suck in the antifreeze.

It all depends on how the water system is plumbed and installed. Not all rigs are the same.

[pstieler@gmail@gmail.com]

Thanks again. We are trying to get into this technical age...and I do know how to take screenshots but couldn't figure out how to attach on this site. I will watchor look at the site you sent.
I can honestly say we really like our Thor Sequence...put over 4000 miles on it this summer and saw spectacular places. But (obviously) We are
mechanically challenged! Paul assures me next winter will be easier. Well, duh! It couldn't be much more difficult THIS year! And I have my MousevMagic & peppermint oil, and Downy Unstoppables ready for placement!

[Campnjoe]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

The city water connection does not go to the suction side of the pump, it goes to the discharge side of the pump, hence the integrated check valve in the city water connection. So no, you can not use the internal RV pump to install anti-freeze from the city water connection.

If you had an external pump that you could use to pump the antifreeze in through the city water connection that would work.

I was under the impression that the op was using an external pump.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by pstieler@gmail@gmail.com

Thanks again. We are trying to get into this technical age...and I do know how to take screenshots but couldn't figure out how to attach on this site. I will watchor look at the site you sent.
I can honestly say we really like our Thor Sequence...put over 4000 miles on it this summer and saw spectacular places. But (obviously) We are
mechanically challenged! Paul assures me next winter will be easier. Well, duh! It couldn't be much more difficult THIS year! And I have my MousevMagic & peppermint oil, and Downy Unstoppables ready for placement!

Pictures are easier than you think, but matters if you are trying to do on a phone or regular picture. I take pictures on my phone, email them to myself and download to my desktop. I use the desktop to attached pictures to the forum.

If I wanted to go through the trouble you are trying to do, this is what my setup would look like. I have done it with water just to see it work, but NEVER RV Antifreeze

Note: I fully winterized my RV this morning with my wife's assistance. We dumped the holding tanks, bypassed the water heater, drained the water heater, cleaned the anode and fresh water filter, cleaned the both pump drains ( we have outdoor kitchen thus two fresh water pumps); blew compressed air for about 15 minutes, turned the outside water heater switch off ( a mod I installed; so if someone mistakenly tries to turn the hot water on from the inside nothing will happen because I know hot water tank is empty and bypassed. Then we poured the last of the RV Antifreeze we had down the P traps to block potential odors. One hour and 20 minutes Our RV was like this during that week long Hard Texas freeze with temperature hitting the teens this past February, and while we were in Colorado in March for the worst snowstorm in 100 years and we had no problems. To be clear, we do use RV antifreeze, just not in the fresh water supply lines; ONLY the P TRAPs.

Note 2: There is no Danger of Freeze in sight for us, but I will take our RV to Dealer tomorrow, not knowing how long they may have, I want it 100% fully winterized when I drop it off. We have a trip planned this Thanksgiving; so we will dewinterized it before that trip, that is another reason we don't use the Pink Stuff in fresh water lines.

Note 3: If you look at the 1st picture, the RED arrow shows where the Valve should be pointing on the Suction side for it to draw from the RV Anti Freeze Bottle, the other RED line just shows where the label is marking the same and they call it the Winterized Bypass.

But let me give you a scenario where I would actually use this function to bypass fresh wash supply and backfill with RV Antifreeze.

Because I use my RV year around, let's say I drive to Indiana expecting good weather; so I am fully dewinterized. Then suddenly a freeze storm came out of nowhere. I could easily drain hot water heater tank and fresh water supply tank, I would then use this bypass in the picture and fill the freshwater supply lines with the RV Antifreeze. If I could not find a dump station for the holding tanks, I would ensure my heater stays on as it is routed in a manner to keep the holding tanks warm

Good Luck

[EA37TS]

To the OP, when you are connecting the siphon hose to city water did you reverse the screen at the water inlet. On my rig if I do not reverse that screen the pump will siphon the antifreeze at a rate of one gallon per year. With the screen reversed the pump siphons as it should and the the antifreeze is under pressure in the lines.

Not sure your rig is the same but that is how mine works. The Challenger was the same way.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Campnjoe

I was under the impression that the op was using an external pump.

Why? So you at the airport trying to catch a flight but can't figure out how to get the kiosk to print the ticket, so you go back to get you luggage to get laptop to process ticket so you can email to yourself and use your phone. There is no reason to believe the kiosk is not working.

Point of this I thought was to tell the OP how to properly put the RV Anti Freeze based on their make model? I hope they can upload pictures soon and it will instantly clarify all.