maggie blair Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 The RV I bought has been winterized and I notice red liquid dripping from the faucets when I move the RV. If this is antifreeze does this mean they put it in the drinking water tank??? How do I get all of that out when I start to use my RV? It makes ma a bit nervous. Thanks for any and all tips. Maggie Blair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 It probably is antifreeze and that indicates that they did the complete job and didn't just blow out the water as best they could. It could mean there is antifreeze in the fresh water tank, but that isn't likely as most RVs today have a means of adding antifreeze from a special connection between the water pump and the tank. There is also most likely a "bypass kit" behind the water heater which allows them to push antifreeze through the system with the water heater drained. By doing these things an RV can be supplied with antifreeze using only about 1 gallon or less, while putting it into the fresh water tank, it probably would require several gallons, plus what the water heater holds if there isn't any bypass kit. To get the antifreeze out, you first drain the water system with all low point drains. Next connect to city water and flush out the system, running several gallons of water through all faucets, the shower, the toilet flush, the outside shower, and everywhere. I also open the low point drains with water connected and run several gallons from each of those as well. If there was antifreeze put into the tank you will need to fill and drain it as well, just to clean it out, but check with the dealer first to see just what and how it was winterized. I doubt that you have any in the fresh water tank, but it is possible. Once you have the antifreeze out of the system, it is wise to follow the advice from this article and sanitize it before use. Does this mean that you have changed RVs to a different one? Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFDR3116 Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Just to add, the pink anti-freeze is non-toxic. You do still need to flush it out of the systems, but it will not hurt you. Pat DeJong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Once you have flushed the fresh water lines with water, add about a cup of baking soda to your fresh water tank, fill it and run through the winterizing process to get the soda-treated water eveywhere there was RV anti-freeze. Then drain your fresh water tank, refill, and flush out the soda. This removes remaining taste of RV anti-freeze. If any baking/bicarbonate of soda remains it will simply act like your present stomach antacid. 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggie blair Posted January 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 It probably is antifreeze and that indicates that they did the complete job and didn't just blow out the water as best they could. It could mean there is antifreeze in the fresh water tank, but that isn't likely as most RVs today have a means of adding antifreeze from a special connection between the water pump and the tank. There is also most likely a "bypass kit" behind the water heater which allows them to push antifreeze through the system with the water heater drained. By doing these things an RV can be supplied with antifreeze using only about 1 gallon or less, while putting it into the fresh water tank, it probably would require several gallons, plus what the water heater holds if there isn't any bypass kit. To get the antifreeze out, you first drain the water system with all low point drains. Next connect to city water and flush out the system, running several gallons of water through all faucets, the shower, the toilet flush, the outside shower, and everywhere. I also open the low point drains with water connected and run several gallons from each of those as well. If there was antifreeze put into the tank you will need to fill and drain it as well, just to clean it out, but check with the dealer first to see just what and how it was winterized. I doubt that you have any in the fresh water tank, but it is possible. Once you have the antifreeze out of the system, it is wise to follow the advice from this article and sanitize it before use. Does this mean that you have changed RVs to a different one? Thanks Kirk. What is a low point drain? It's the same motorhome I have been asking questions about. I haven't taken it on the road and won't until June. I really appreciate your input as I had no idea how to get the antifreeze out. The person I bought the RV from took it to a dealer to have it winterized. He said I could take it back when I am ready to use it but they will charge me 150.00. I think I can do this myself once I figure out what you mean by low point drain. The only drain I am aware of is the black or gray water dump. Maggie Blair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Nearly all modern RVs have drains for the fresh water lines somewhere in the system today. They are valves of some type that allow the draining of the water from the plumbing lines, in addition to the drain for the fresh water tank and the one for the water heater. They are usually found under teh RV and may be just drain lines from a valve located inside of the RV or they might be valves or caps on the lines. Usually there are two, one for hot water lines and one for cold water lines and they are usually red for hot and blue for cold. The first image is one that has caps on the outside while the second image is of rubber lines that come out from valves that are found up on the inside of the RV and which should look something like one of these next images. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 On how they put the antifreeze into the RV, it was probably done with a special suction to the pump that looks like this. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 If you look behind the water heater, you will probably also find a bypass assembly that looks something like this. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggie blair Posted January 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Nearly all modern RVs have drains for the fresh water lines somewhere in the system today. They are valves of some type that allow the draining of the water from the plumbing lines, in addition to the drain for the fresh water tank and the one for the water heater. They are usually found under teh RV and may be just drain lines from a valve located inside of the RV or they might be valves or caps on the lines. Usually there are two, one for hot water lines and one for cold water lines and they are usually red for hot and blue for cold. The first image is one that has caps on the outside while the second image is of rubber lines that come out from valves that are found up on the inside of the RV and which should look something like one of these next images. Thanks again. I also went to the site you mentioned about and WOW! Everything a person needs to know when starting out and then some.... I bookmarked the site and signed up for the newsletter. Thanks for al you do!!!! Loved your stories too! Maggie Blair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Saran Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 For my MH I purchased a hand pump from CW that screws into the water inlet for filling the water tank and also for pumping the RV antifreeze into the water lines to the sinks. To add bleach to the water tank to clean I figure I will need to pump it into the water tank that same way I had to add the RV antifreeze. Phil & Alberta Saran 2019 Keystone Cougar 30RLS 2012 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 diesel Colorado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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