Bighorn Winterizing Problem

[Nuclearcowboy]

I need help or advice in winterizing my unit. I bypassed the hot water heater, drained it via removing the anode rod, then turned my water valve selector to Sanitize/Winterize. I set up my suction hose into a 5 gallon bucket of anti-freeze - all set, right? Nope. When starting the pump, I cannot get the pump to take a suction on the anti-freeze. It seems like the pump is not primed or something (it did work fine when pumping from the fresh water tank earlier in the year). I then tried to fill the hose and lift it higher than the pump to prime it with no success - I just get anti-freeze leaking around the hose connection in the docking station. Yes, my fittings are tight, but the hose connection by design does swivel in the docking station wall. When I looked into the water connection, there appears to be a small nylon ball check valve in the water connection such that only pressure will cause it to open, at least that is what it appears to be. Any suggestions would be appreciated, since I have tried almost everything to get the pump to start a suction on the antifreeze.

 

[JohnDar]

First dumb question. Did you open a faucet after turning on the pump?


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[danemayer]

Hi NuclearCowboy,

Sounds like you may have a problem with the 4-way Anderson Valve, or possibly with the hose from the valve to the pump. I've attached a picture of the back side of the valve assembly showing the flow when set to Sanitize/Winterize, and labels for each connection.

First thing to do is check the hose connected to the left side of the valve and to the pump to make sure it's not kinked. A kink could reduce suction at the inlet valve below the pressure needed to open the inlet's check valve. If it looks ok and fittings are hand tight, you probably have a valve problem.

If it's a valve problem, you might try disconnecting the hose on the left that's connected to the Pump/Suction connector on the valve. See if there's anything that might be reducing flow. If it looks good, temporarily connect it to the connection on the bottom that normally routes water to the faucets. Then switch the valve back to CITY. Assuming your CITY water setting has been working, that would route the antifreeze through a known working path and should allow you to bypass a valve problem related to the Winterize setting.

 

[Nuclearcowboy]

First dumb question. Did you open a faucet after turning on the pump?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sure did - didn't make any difference.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi NuclearCowboy,

Sounds like you may have a problem with the 4-way Anderson Valve, or possibly with the hose from the valve to the pump. I've attached a picture of the back side of the valve assembly showing the flow when set to Sanitize/Winterize, and labels for each connection.

First thing to do is check the hose connected to the left side of the valve and to the pump to make sure it's not kinked. A kink could reduce suction at the inlet valve below the pressure needed to open the inlet's check valve. If it looks ok and fittings are hand tight, you probably have a valve problem.

If it's a valve problem, you might try disconnecting the hose on the left that's connected to the Pump/Suction connector on the valve. See if there's anything that might be reducing flow. If it looks good, temporarily connect it to the connection on the bottom that normally routes water to the faucets. Then switch the valve back to CITY. Assuming your CITY water setting has been working, that would route the antifreeze through a known working path and should allow you to bypass a valve problem related to the Winterize setting.

Thanks for a quick reply. I pulled my basement cover and everything looks really good with hoses, connections, etc. Have to say that Heartland did a great job here with how all the water connections, etc. are arranged. I disconnected the actual pump inlet connection and was going to hook up directly to pump suction; however I quickly realized that this connection is different from the standard water hose connection and I didn't have the fitting to tie in directly. It may be my Anderson valve.

 

[sengli]

In the mean time, you can use compressed air to blow out the majority of the water from the system.

 

[Nuclearcowboy]

In the mean time, you can use compressed air to blow out the majority of the water from the system.

That is what we did last winter but I felt more comfortable using anti-freeze this year - I'm not sure that air always gets all the water out of the low points.

 

[JohnD]

That is what we did last winter but I felt more comfortable using anti-freeze this year - I'm not sure that air always gets all the water out of the low points.

I did the same.

Even though I usually just blow out the lines, this year I kept getting water splashing out . . . even two weeks after I blew out the lines when I blew air through again just to check.

So a trip to the local Walmart and two gallons of antifreeze now in the water lines.

Don't forget to do the outside shower and running a little into the black and grey tanks just in case there is a little water in those, plus pour some in all the p-traps and some in the toilet bowl.

 

[danemayer]

I disconnected the actual pump inlet connection and was going to hook up directly to pump suction; however I quickly realized that this connection is different from the standard water hose connection and I didn't have the fitting to tie in directly. It may be my Anderson valve.

What I intended is for you to swap the hoses on the left and bottom of the backside of the valve assembly and set the valve to CITY. Leave the water inlet hose alone. By doing this, you should be able to suck antifreeze through the valve and out the bottom connector, which normally goes to the faucets. By swapping, the bottom connector will supply antifreeze to the pump.

 

[Oregon_Camper]

That is what we did last winter but I felt more comfortable using anti-freeze this year - I'm not sure that air always gets all the water out of the low points.

Blowing out the lines, if done well will be enough. When liquid water is cooled, it contracts like one would expect until a temperature of approximately 4 degrees Celsius is reached. After that, it expands slightly until it reaches the freezing point, and then when it freezes it expands by approximately 9%

IMHO....damage will occur to plumbing/pipes if water can't expand. Getting 91% of the water out will do the job.

 

[Gaffer]

Don't forget to blow out the black tank rinse.

 

[lynndiwagoner]

It really seems that you have an air leak where you connected the antifreeze line to the water inlet connector. What kind of hose did you use for this purpose? Did you use a rubber gasket? Just a little air suction will screw up the system.

 

[Nuclearcowboy]

What I intended is for you to swap the hoses on the left and bottom of the backside of the valve assembly and set the valve to CITY. Leave the water inlet hose alone. By doing this, you should be able to suck antifreeze through the valve and out the bottom connector, which normally goes to the faucets. By swapping, the bottom connector will supply antifreeze to the pump.

Thanks, I will try that. If it works, then I'm assuming it's a problem with my Anderson valve.

- - - Updated - - -

Don't forget to blow out the black tank rinse.

Thanks! I would have missed that part!

 

[Lou_and_Bette]

Could the ball in the check valve be stuck? Had this problem on a different type system but it can happen. Try using something flexible to poke the ball and try again.

 

[Nuclearcowboy]

Well, I finally determined what my issue was - kind of embarrassing. When I bought a section of tygon hose for the antifreeze suction, I also bought a male garden hose fitting for the end. What I determined is that this really nice brass fitting wasn't seating well into the water supply fitting gasket, and so I didn't have a very tight connection and the pump was sucking air through the fitting. When I took a vice grip and crescent wrench to it and torqued it up, bingo, I got my pump to take a suction. The moral of the story here is that a cheap water hose fitting seals tighter in the docking station connection than that high dollar brass connection I bought. Winterization successful!