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Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines

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JDimitriadis

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #15 on: March 01, 2019, 03:16:17 pm »
We have 2018 2552.  We have the four way toggle for fresh water fill, city water, tank water using the pump and winterize.  We also have the water connection in the macertor pump section on the rear driver's side.  There are two valves labeled grey tank flush and black tank flush.  I never winterized those two valves. I did not see anything in the PC info I received that showed a need to put antifreeze in there.  We drove down to Florida on January 27.  I tried flushing the two tanks. When I turned on the valve for the black and grey tank, as I did in the fall, each time there was some flushing sounds from each of the tanks.  But there was also spraying water the back side of the valves.  It looked like there may be a rupture either on the hoses connected to the tanks or something else. I have not been able to get under the coach to see what was leaking.  Too hot here.  Will check underneath when we return home in a couple of weeks.  I am concerned that something did rupture especially since we had some very  cold weather in NE Pa in December and January.  One  thing I know for sure is that typing a long paragraph using a "smart" phone is stupid.  Took me more than half an hour.
John Dimitriadis

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jimmer

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2019, 05:03:42 pm »
I've never winterized our tank flush lines mainly because I don't think of it.  Never had any issues,  but stored in an un-heated building, and probably should winterize.
This winter saw temp's we haven't had in quite a while and I wonder what I'll find out when I test it post storage, this spring.
jim

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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #17 on: March 01, 2019, 07:10:07 pm »
I've never winterized our tank flush lines mainly because I don't think of it.  Never had any issues,  but stored in an un-heated building, and probably should winterize.
This winter saw temp's we haven't had in quite a while and I wonder what I'll find out when I test it post storage, this spring.
jim
You are running risky.

I hope you are at least draining the fresh water lines, fresh water tank and water heater.  Your traps will create some serious trouble, especially the one under the shower pan because of the limited access to it, maybe no access to it.  Ignoring a leaky trap could destroy the structural floor of your PC.
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jimmer

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2019, 07:42:03 pm »
Ron,  sorry i wasn't clear about winterizing.  You have a sharp eye,  my friend.      It's just the black and gray tank flush lines that I've neglected to winterize.

All other plumbing and traps get the pink stuff.    If I find out this deep-freeze winter  has damaged the  flushers I'll be kicking myself for sure. pyho

Any suggestions on how to force antifreeze into that hose connection for the flushers ?

jim

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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #19 on: March 02, 2019, 09:10:14 am »
Ah Jim, I get it now.

I suppose the best one could do is opening both the black and gray flush valves and let gravity get as much water out of that system as possible.
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Doneworking

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #20 on: March 02, 2019, 09:28:25 am »
Believing more is better, I hook up my compressor and put forty psi of air into the freshwater inlet to blow out the lines and I open each water valve one at a time to completely blow out everywhere the lines go (hopefully).   Also, you can hook up the air hose to the inlet on the holding tank lines, open them up and blow water remaining in those pipes right into the black and gray tanks respectively.   Or at least I hope you can heartshower.

Then, I put about twice as much pink stuff into the lines as most folks use.   I have a small "plumber's helper" built for sinks that I use to flush out as much water in the P traps as possible, then  I pour over a quart of pinkie in each sink drain.   I pour about a half gallon in the shower pan to make absolutely sure it is ok.   

In summary, I overkill with air and pink.   Hey, five gallons of pink is a twenty dollar bill at Walmart.   That is a heck of a lot cheaper than finding busted lines all over the place next spring (assuming it EVER warms up).   Our average low this time of year is high 30s and tomorrow night it will be down to single digits.

Paul
« Last Edit: March 02, 2019, 09:30:50 am by Doneworking »

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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #21 on: March 02, 2019, 10:08:21 am »
I don't officially winterize our PC but I do drain all water from all fresh water systems.  I am impressed that 99.99% of the water comes out via gravity alone from all the pipes.  I open the hot and cold drain valves (to the street) located in the outdoor storage compartment, open the kitchen & bathroom faucet, shower & outside shower, and HWH, and it all drains out.  I know this because when I use compressed air to eject the last of it, just a few drops of water comes out.  It appears that I only have to winterize the traps.  It would be nice if there was a means to blast the water out the traps, then drain the tanks and forget the pink all together.

I am sure each PC model has it's own characteristics, but our 2007 2350 self-evacuates exceptionally well.
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jimmer

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2019, 11:06:03 am »
Thanks for the advice on the flushers.    Need to put that on the old winterize checklist !

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gandalf42

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #23 on: March 02, 2019, 06:31:35 pm »
We have 2018 2552.  ... there was also spraying water the back side of the valves.  It looked like there may be a rupture either on the hoses connected to the tanks or something else. I have not been able to get under the coach to see what was leaking.  Too hot here.  Will check underneath when we return home in a couple of weeks.  I am concerned that something did rupture especially since we had some very  cold weather in NE Pa in December and January.
John Dimitriadis

Had the black tank flush valve leaking behind the side wall. Turned out it was just the twist on connector had loosened. I hand tightened it and it has been fine since. Haven't winterized the valves (didn't occur to me). Been through one winter without a problem. Will see how it fairs through this winter. We have also had colder weather lows this year.
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2 Frazzled

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #24 on: March 02, 2019, 06:37:00 pm »
This post is addressing the tank flush lines ONLY.

- I'm pretty sure older models do not have the sprayers at all.
- Our 2013 has them. I don't know what year they started installing them. We have a hose attachment in the macerator cabinet that does one thing: supply water to the little sprayers inside both our black and grey tanks. When we turn them on, we hear the water pelting the inside of the tanks.

We've never winterized those flush lines, have been in lengthy deep freezes and have not had any problems to date. It's possible they simply drain out into the tank. I haven't crawled underneath to trace the lines so don't know if they are set up for gravity to do its thing. If motivation finds me, I'll check.

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #25 on: March 02, 2019, 11:49:10 pm »
This post is addressing the tank flush lines ONLY.

- I'm pretty sure older models do not have the sprayers at all.
- Our 2013 has them. I don't know what year they started installing them. We have a hose attachment in the macerator cabinet that does one thing: supply water to the little sprayers inside both our black and grey tanks. When we turn them on, we hear the water pelting the inside of the tanks.

We've never winterized those flush lines, have been in lengthy deep freezes and have not had any problems to date. It's possible they simply drain out into the tank. I haven't crawled underneath to trace the lines so don't know if they are set up for gravity to do its thing. If motivation finds me, I'll check.


The lines go up from the valves and over the plumbing to the top part of the tanks. My pic on the original post is a shot looking straight up, so no need to crawl under! (I always use my cell phone to snap pics of places I'd rather not stoop to, and those tiny printed directions on everything...take a pic and enlarge it.) I opened my valves last time after flushing the tanks and a bunch of water drained out of the filler connection, so water does stay trapped . Probably more danger to the valves and fittings than to the actual flexible hose used,

Phunny PC never mentions this, also odd no problems have been noticed.
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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #26 on: March 03, 2019, 09:52:33 am »
Good pic. So we should probably all winterize those and the question returns to how. Those with a compressor can do the air thing and that should work. They just have to remember to go around and do that valve also but a question asked above is how to do it without a compressor.

Would one of those miracle grow things (filled with pink stuff not fertilizer) hooked to a hose do the trick or would it be too diluted?

A related question: Can you do the compressed air with the four way valve? (I know you'd also need to do the flush line connector)
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Nancy and or Jake

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #27 on: March 03, 2019, 12:15:02 pm »
We have a 2011, prior to the 3 or 4 way valve. As you can see from Dougn's picture the valves are at the lowest point , the line to the tanks are about a foot higher. The flush water hose hook up is at the bottom of the valve array. After flushing and upon disconnecting the hose leave the gray and black tank valves open allowing for drainage of the small amount of water remaining in the lines. Once the flow  of water has stopped and it's miniscule,  the lines are clear, final step is to  close the valves.

This has worked for me, never had a freeze up problem. This is separate from the house water system which I fully winterize. Hope this helps.

Jake

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Re: Winterizing holding tank sprayer lines
« Reply #28 on: March 04, 2019, 08:27:51 am »
Good pic. So we should probably all winterize those and the question returns to how. Those with a compressor can do the air thing and that should work. They just have to remember to go around and do that valve also but a question asked above is how to do it without a compressor.

Would one of those miracle grow things (filled with pink stuff not fertilizer) hooked to a hose do the trick or would it be too diluted?

A related question: Can you do the compressed air with the four way valve? (I know you'd also need to do the flush line connector)
When you blow out the lines, you connect the air at the lines at the water pump, first in side to water tank then out to faucets. I don't have the four way valve but it should be able to be set to different positions for the same effect.
I have always blow out lines. We live in the arid Southwest where many have underground sprinkler systems that need to be blown out every fall when the irrigation ditches are shut off for the winter. It works.
I also remember the pre-pink stuff days when blowing out the lines was the only option (or maybe my Dad was just too thrifty to buy the stuff!)

As I understand it, the water heater and the water tank emptied can freeze the little residual with no damage because there is room for expansion of the ice. The grey and black tanks would be fine but not the drain plumbing upstream of the dump valves.
I would not try the hose end fertilizer sprayer as it would dilute the the pink too much.
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