Winterizing an '08

Hudson

Well-known member
I just got the '08 3490BHS with the new winterizing valve setup behind the ODS basement door. The W/H bypass valve is here (handy!) but there is another "winterizing" valve plus a clear hose with what looks like a push-on fitting. What does the other winterizing valve do? What is the hose for and where do I get a fitting for it? Does it intake antifreeze? My dealer appears to be stumped by this (of course they are also the ones who told me on delivery that the vent in the basement "is absolutely not heat ... it is just a safety vent for the converter" when I knew all along from factory materials that it is precisely a heater vent). The book that came with the FW does not mention any of this new (and apparently wonderful) plumbing control center.
 

nhunter

Well-known member
If it comes off a T and a valve at the water pump then it is for antifreeze. You just stick it in the jug and suck away. My 3600 takes about 3 gal.
 

tcbrady

Well-known member
The hose is the pick up for anti-freeze previously located behind the storage bulk head. When the valve is set to "winterize" you can put the hose directly in an antifreeze container and the pump will then fill the potable system. Note: also by-pass the water heater or you will fill the water heater tank. The fitting is there to prevent the hose from going back through the hole and so the customer can extend using pex fittings if desired.

Hope this helps!
 

nhunter

Well-known member
On a side note you can also use that hose to suck out of a water jug if you run out of water as per Timk's idea.
 

Luckyhat12

Active Member
what happens when the pump doesn't suck water out of the antifreeze jug? I can't get it to start pumping. I can hear the pump running but no suction.
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Luckyhat12;

Look at post #3: //heartlandowners.org/showthread.php?t=4153&highlight=winterizing This may be your problem. You may not have your valves in the correct sequence.

John
 

Luckyhat12

Active Member
Thanks JPMorgan37. I have drained and bypassed the water heater. I have opened all the drains. I have turned the valve from normal water flow to winterized water flow. I placed the hose in the anti freeze and still can't get it to pump. I tried to fill the line and get it to pump with a full line but that didn't work either. I have done everything I can to get it to work so if it freezes tonight then I guess I will just have to deal with it. I don't know what else to do.
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Chris;

Shut the valve off that goes from the pump down under to the fresh tank and flip the valves to close off the heater, there are three of them. Open the valve to the anti-freeze hose and put it in a bottle of anti-freeze. Turn on pump and open faucets and what not to pump anti-freeze into the lines. Should do it.

John
 

Luckyhat12

Active Member
I will go looking for the water pump. I haven't seen it yet but I hear it running. I have a cyclone not the big horn but any help is still appreciated. Thank you very much.
 

Luckyhat12

Active Member
Since I accidentally posted this in two threads I thought I would go ahead and post the results in both so folks can see...


OK... so here's the scoop...

I pulled the access panel behind the water center and found the pump. I also found this random hose that hooked to the pump but didn't really go anywhere else so I started pulling. Lo and behold there was my winterization hose behind that panel. Apparently the hole that the dealer pointed to when we were discussing winterization is the hose hookup for the black water flush. I have an external valve to turn to winterize but I didn't have an external hose to put in the antifreeze. I put the hose in the jug and everything worked exactly like it was supposed to. Only took a little over 2 gallons to get the entire system including the washer and dryer prep. I had most of the water out anyway as it turns out.

I will extend this hose and put it so I can easily get to it in the future. I am going to leave the panel off to show the dealer tomorrow when I go back for some warranty work so he knows too. I had everything right except the port for the antifreze.

To their defense. This is only the 3rd cyclone that they have had on their lot and the first one of this model. They haven't had to winterize any of them yet because they have been coming from the factory winterized already so I can't fault them. I just hope I didn't damage the pump while I was learning. (Brand new dealership)

What I didn't particularly like finding was that the city water connection wasn't screwed on tightly. Fortunately it hasn't been hooked to city water since I picked it up last week so there wasn't any water damage and it was found quickly.


Thank you very much for your help.

Chris
 

Luckyhat12

Active Member
I found the water pump and the hose. It was already attached and the hose was behind the access panel where the water pump was. Everything is flowing pink now. I did not have an additional valve to turn but I did have to find the hose that was tucked under a bunch of other stuff.

Thanks again for the help,
Chris
 
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