Winterizing/Water Heater leaking

[Carl & Patti]

I have a 2017 36RL.
The weather started turning cold here in Texas and that was my reminder that it was time to winterize the RV. So, I performed all of my normal steps like, closing valve that’s located before the water pump, turning the bypass switch in the convenience bay to bypass, removing the water filter element and removing the anode rod located in the water heater. I began pumping antifreeze into the system and noticed pink antifreeze trickling out of the water heater where I had removed the anode rod. Is there a check valve that has gone bad somewhere? I changed the bypass valve thinking it had gone bad but this did not solve the problem. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[Greg C.]

Did you bypass the water heater?

 

[Terry S]

I had this problem a few times. My unit has three one way check valves. There is one located right at the exit of the hot water tank (see Amazon link at end). If a small piece of debris gets in it the anti freeze goes backward into the hot water tank. Easy fix except you need a long ape arm to reach through all the plumbing to reach the back of the HW tank. In my case I had enough pressure to get all the faucets to run pink. Seeing how the HW tank was already contaminated I simply left it to Spring and then flushed it clean then. It took about 4 gallons of antifreeze to charge the system instead of the usual 2 - 3. You do not need to fill the HW tank with antifreeze. Just use two people and quickly fill all the lines and only a little residual should go backwards into the HW tank. Flush and fix it in the arm warm weather. Have fun



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HJ6P0Z8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[rjberry]

It won’t hurt anything. I have a 2013 so I just use the bypass valve. I will tell you, one year I forgot to burp the bypass valve when I was done winterizing, I live in Colorado.
The small amount of water left in that valve froze and broke the plastic bypass and I had to replace it.

 

[Carl & Patti]

Thanks everyone. I will try and get to the back of the water heater and locate the check valves.