| [GMCnet] Winterizing a GM interior GMC. No water heater shut off valve? [message #338539] |
Thu, 08 November 2018 20:48  |
BobDunahugh
Messages: 2465
Registered: October 2010
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Karma: 11
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Never have winterized one of these. My Royales have had one of these valves at the water heater. I blew it out days ago. But needed to get anti freeze in the water pump. So I put a hose on the pump intake. Put the other end in a gallon of anti freeze. Seems that all the anti freeze is going into the water heater. The system is now protected. But would like to have seen the anti freeze at the faucets. Snow tonight. 15 degrees tomorrow night. Started to cool down. Bob Dunahugh
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Winterizing a GM interior GMC. No water heater shut off valve? [message #338548 is a reply to message #338539] |
Thu, 08 November 2018 22:20  |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Bob,
No pink in faucet, you are going to have a problem. Your going to need a bypass on the water heater or pump in 5-6 antifreeze to fill the water-heater. Or blow it out with air, but that is not fail safe. Some toilet valves(dometic 310). Wont blow out.
I filled up my fresh water tank today. Tossed a big scoop of rock salt down the toilet and turned on the furnace. Will be staying in and using the coach this weekend. Overnight temps of 10 degrees. My daughter is going with, so having bathroom working is important.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
[Updated on: Thu, 08 November 2018 22:23] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Winterizing a GM interior GMC. No water heater shut off valve? [message #338561 is a reply to message #338539] |
Fri, 09 November 2018 09:52 |
Rob
Messages: 651
Registered: November 2013
Location: Victoria, BC
Karma: 3
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I’ve installed a water heater bypass and fresh water tank bypass (at the pump). I bypass and drain the heater - then drain and bypass the water tank. I then pump in enough AF to get pink at all taps/valves. Enough AF goes down the drains to protect them (but we rarely freeze in the winter). This year - I’ll need to also ensure the black tank gets enough AF to protect the macerator.
As others have said - if don’t bypass the water heater, you’ll need enough AF to fill it, before you get pink at the faucets (I don’t want AF in my water heater and don’t want to “waste” that much AF).
Rob
Victoria, BC
76 Royale - Rear Twins/Dry Bath
> On Nov 8, 2018, at 6:48 PM, Bob Dunahugh wrote:
>
> Never have winterized one of these. My Royales have had one of these valves at the water heater. I blew it out days ago. But needed to get anti freeze in the water pump. So I put a hose on the pump intake. Put the other end in a gallon of anti freeze. Seems that all the anti freeze is going into the water heater. The system is now protected. But would like to have seen the anti freeze at the faucets. Snow tonight. 15 degrees tomorrow night. Started to cool down. Bob Dunahugh
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
Rob -
Victoria, BC -
76 Royale - Rear Twins/Dry Bath
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Winterizing a GM interior GMC. No water heater shut off valve? [message #338570 is a reply to message #338561] |
Fri, 09 November 2018 13:11 |
JerryW
Messages: 256
Registered: August 2018
Karma: 1
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I have been doing it your way for the 37 years I have owned the GMC.
Prior to this I used to blow out the lines with air in my Dodge Travco but once had a copper line rupture from freezing of a low spot in the line where water collected and the air just blew past it.
I winterize using one gallon of RV antifreeze with enough left to pour into the drain traps — don’t forget the shower drain.
There are two types of pink RV antifreeze. One is made of propylene glycol. The other contains ethyl alcohol. The alcohol one is cheaper but the propylene glycol is much better. Read the label.
The water tank and water heater bypass valves are the way to do things. You can buy them on Amazon or from about any RV parts store or from Applied GMC.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
> On Nov 9, 2018, at 8:52 AM, Rob wrote:
>
> I’ve installed a water heater bypass and fresh water tank bypass (at the pump). I bypass and drain the heater - then drain and bypass the water tank. I then pump in enough AF to get pink at all taps/valves. Enough AF goes down the drains to protect them (but we rarely freeze in the winter). This year - I’ll need to also ensure the black tank gets enough AF to protect the macerator.
>
> As others have said - if don’t bypass the water heater, you’ll need enough AF to fill it, before you get pink at the faucets (I don’t want AF in my water heater and don’t want to “waste” that much AF).
>
> Rob
> Victoria, BC
> 76 Royale - Rear Twins/Dry Bath
>
>> On Nov 8, 2018, at 6:48 PM, Bob Dunahugh wrote:
>>
>> Never have winterized one of these. My Royales have had one of these valves at the water heater. I blew it out days ago. But needed to get anti freeze in the water pump. So I put a hose on the pump intake. Put the other end in a gallon of anti freeze. Seems that all the anti freeze is going into the water heater. The system is now protected. But would like to have seen the anti freeze at the faucets. Snow tonight. 15 degrees tomorrow night. Started to cool down. Bob Dunahugh
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Winterizing a GM interior GMC. No water heater shut off valve? [message #349029 is a reply to message #338570] |
Mon, 07 October 2019 17:45 |
Deb
Messages: 349
Registered: October 2016
Location: Logan Lake, BC
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
First year, I was hoping I did it right. My PO had reconfigured the plumbing, so I wasn't certain I had found all of the shut-offs and drain-cocks. I had to disconnect a line going into the fresh water tank and pour the pink stuff in through a funnel (no by-passes installed). Took quite a few jugs (12 to be exact) until I felt comfortable that I had all of the plumbing "pink". Last year I managed to get a pump-by-pass installed and was able to fore-go filling the fresh water tank, sucking it straight from the jug, but still had to fill the hot water tank (no by-pass installed there yet). This year, I have both the pump & water heater by-passes installed. Used less than 3 gallons (and that's only because I had forgotten to close the main drains (Duh!) and about a gallon ended up on the ground until I realized what I had done (or not done, as the case may be). It almost as long to flip the mattress up and back than it did to do the plumbing.
Last year and this I ran the macerator for a bit to get some pink into that as well.
Was a PITA to get those 2 by-passes installed, but I am SO-O happy I did. I know that everything is pink and secure for winter, and it is no longer a job I feel like putting off because it's such a chore.
My next project is jigging up a cover for her. Can't do a proper shelter (permanent or other-wise - our by-laws won't allow a portable garage/shelter beyond the front of your house). I will be using those flexible, collapsible tent-poles to create a couple of 'domes' on the roof, tied to the rails, and then put a tarp over the whole thing. Allows for air circulation as well as access to the under-side of the tarp with a push broom to dislodge the snow that builds up over the winter up here. At least thats the theory. I'll let you know how well THAT works out.
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
GMC Alumnus
It's Bigger on the Inside!
|
|
|
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
