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Old 09-29-2012, 09:30 PM   #1
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Winterizing with the winterizing system

I plan to use the winterizing system, the two switches below the fridge, to winterize my 1999 Chieftain in about two weeks. It's the first time using this as I just bought it about 3 weeks ago.

It took me a while to find the tank to put the "pink stuff" in. It was located in the back and up on a ledge in the basement compartment just behind the entry door. It had a belt on it which I detached and put the tank in the compartment. That is all the hose would allow me to move it. It was stored on it's side.

Anyway this is my question. I turned on both switches just to test if the system would come on before I switched on the pump and the Winterize switch lit up but the Water Heater Bypass switch did not. Does that mean it is not working or will it come on when I eventually put the pink stuff in and switch on the water pump?

Any ideas?
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Old 09-29-2012, 11:44 PM   #2
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Your system sounds similar to the one that was in my 03 Journey DL. If so, the light is only an indicator of switch position. It may be burned out or power may not getting to the switch. You need to check if you can hear the valves move when the switch is turned on.

BTW, the valves are no longer manufactured, and are quite expensive if you can find them. I converted my Journey to manual valves.
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Old 09-30-2012, 07:24 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ernieh View Post
Your system sounds similar to the one that was in my 03 Journey DL. If so, the light is only an indicator of switch position. It may be burned out or power may not getting to the switch. You need to check if you can hear the valves move when the switch is turned on.

BTW, the valves are no longer manufactured, and are quite expensive if you can find them. I converted my Journey to manual valves.
Where do you think the valve would be? I'm not opposed to try to convert to a manual valve, where would you get the valves?

Thanks for your help.......
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Old 09-30-2012, 07:41 AM   #4
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Dave, I also have a '99 Chieftain and this is the first winter that I too will be winterizing it. I have noticed that the electric valve has already been switched over to mechanical on my hot water tank. If you go back in the bedroom and pull the door down behind your tank you should be able to tell if the valve there is still electric or switched to mechanical. Let me know if you need a picture of it.
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Old 09-30-2012, 12:32 PM   #5
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tank????

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Originally Posted by corvettec3 View Post
Dave, I also have a '99 Chieftain and this is the first winter that I too will be winterizing it. I have noticed that the electric valve has already been switched over to mechanical on my hot water tank. If you go back in the bedroom and pull the door down behind your tank you should be able to tell if the valve there is still electric or switched to mechanical. Let me know if you need a picture of it.

my hot water tank is under the sink next to the couch. And the hot water tank drain and pressure valve (etc) are right outside on the side of the coach from the sink. That would put it about in the middle of the slide on the outside. My motor home is not here right now so I cannot check it. I have it stored at a friend of mine's trucking company.

The only doors I have in my bedroom are the 110 volt electrical panel (on the drivers side) and the access to the shower valves (on the passenger side).

I guess I need to know if yours is different or maybe I do need a picture.

Thanks for your help.
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Old 09-30-2012, 01:27 PM   #6
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Dave, I expect the tanks are the same model (Atwood 6 gallon) and the plumbing configuration is probably the same. I will take a picture of my setup anyway just in case it may be of help.
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Old 09-30-2012, 11:34 PM   #7
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Where do you think the valve would be? I'm not opposed to try to convert to a manual valve, where would you get the valves?

Thanks for your help.......
Both of the valves on my coach (03 Journey DL) were in the water compartment. I got two, two position valves with built in quick connects for PEX, at a local RV dealer. As I recall, they were around $15-$20 each.
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Old 10-09-2012, 06:54 PM   #8
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end if the story

well here's the whole story

We went camping for a day at a campground near us. Just to get used to the hookups, how to dump stuff, and to check if everything works.

Everything worked the furnace, water heater, water lines, dump valves and other things but we could only get a trickle or thin stream out of the hot water lines. We had trouble the whole time.

Come to find out there are manual bypass valves in mine under the galley sink behind some shelving. These valves seemed strange to me as to the settings and I realized they were the hot water heater bypass valves. So after working on them for a day and finally taking one off I started realizing how they worked (not really how I thought they worked). I realize now that the input bypass was installed wrong, even though it still worked that way it would have been better installed correctly. Given that fact, The whole time we were struggling with the hot water trickle the only problem was the input valve was turned to "bypass" setting. Unknown to us and to the camper people that I showed pictures of the valve to. When we finally took one apart and found out how it did function it was a easy fix.

Today we used the Winterizing system by filling the little bypass tank with 2 gallons of "the pink stuff" (antifreeze) turning on the Winterizing switch and setting the water heater bypass valves to the bypass position (understanding now that one of the valves was installed incorrectly) then turning on the pump and it did a wonderful job of pumping "pink" to every faucet and drain as well as the toilet. It felt good !!!!!!!!!!!.

What a trial this has been but now I know, pretty much, all the plumbing in that motor home.

Thanks everyone for your help. Dave........in central IL.
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