Hot Water tanks

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 01:24 PM

I know that you are suppose to by-pass the hot water tank when using the rv antifreeze. But why are you suppose to do it? We hear that you are suppose to do it but never as to why you are suppose to do it.
Lisa B

NO1RAINH20 · 11-04-2011, 01:30 PM

First of all it is a cost saving factor,and secondly once the tank absorbs the scent of the antifreeze and then get heated you will understand why. Also make sure you only use non toxic antifreeze

Dave78Chief · 11-04-2011, 01:32 PM

Simple answer is:
The hot water tank typically holds 6 gallons. Thats 6 gallons of antifreeze. You bypass the tank and drain/flush it so you do not have to purchase 6 gallons of antifreeze. The piping system takes only a few gallons at most.

Dave

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 01:36 PM

so when you take all the water out of the system there will be no water in the hot water tank/pump to cause any damage in the winter?

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 01:43 PM

That would be bad to have that happen. So then you don't want any of the rv antifree to get into any of the tanks that store water?

NO1RAINH20 · 11-04-2011, 02:07 PM

There will be no water in the hot water tank as lons as you bypass and pull the drain plug on it.that is of course as long as the check valve works.after we run antifreeze thru the system we blow as much as we can back out with air to make rinseing the system in spring much eaiser.

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 02:21 PM

Ok makes sense. What should the check valve look like and where would you find it?

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 02:35 PM

By the sound of we have some troubles then. The guy that we got the camper from put the rv antifreeze in (pink) and when we got it home when you turn on the faucets the antifreeze would come out that was 3 years ago as we have not put any water in it as of yet due to all the repairs.

Dave78Chief · 11-04-2011, 03:03 PM

Check valve is on input side water heater plumbing (bottom fitting on tank). Used to prevent hot water being forced back into cold water side due to hot water expansion.
3 years in system - Not good but not a problem per-say. Just means you need flush and sanitize your system.
From Wa8yxm:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f54/what-...tml#post929775
You do want to INCLUDE the water heater in this flush.

Then winterize with new antifreeze.

Dave

toneumanns · 11-04-2011, 03:19 PM

Lisa let me give you a suggestion. Your questions are good but indicate that you are new to RVing. Sometimes it is better to let someone do your winterization who is familiar with RV systems. It isn't very expensive but if you do it wrong it can & will get very expensive to fix cracked plumbing. Good luck.

offthewall · 11-04-2011, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toneumanns

Lisa let me give you a suggestion. Your questions are good but indicate that you are new to RVing. Sometimes it is better to let someone do your winterization who is familiar with RV systems. It isn't very expensive but if you do it wrong it can & will get very expensive to fix cracked plumbing. Good luck.

I always let someone else winterize it. Fairly cheap at my dealer and he guarantees it if something should freeze.

And I've been RVing for over 40 years.

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 03:41 PM

It doesn't seem to be all that hard of a thing to do yourself if you read up on how to do it. Have a paper the the camp store that tell some things. It is very expensive to have someone do it in this area they are taking over $50 for it. We already had to replace the hose on the air vent to the water tank as something got into it and blocked it off.

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 03:42 PM

Will have to do a good flush with bleach and baking soda and have to run it around the block to make the water move around in everything.

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 03:45 PM

There is a place right here in town that works on rv but I would not take it there as I seen the kind of work they do. They had alot of camper there they they worked on and all the roofs were bad and this black tar was just all over them where they tried to patch them. The places that work on rvs are to far from us over an hour to get there that is a lot of gas to burn up.

Lisa B · 11-04-2011, 03:48 PM

I am not ready to take everything back out of the camper again. That is just to much to do for something like that. People break into the camper when they are at their places and they don't go good for anything that is missing.

Luckiest Dreamer · 11-04-2011, 03:51 PM

Anti freeze in the tank will not hurt the tank. Anti freeze in the hot water heater will cause the water to have a terrible odor and taste next spring if you turn on the heat element. Heated antifreeze causes the water to smell and taste "awful". The only way to get that smell and taste out of the system is to flush the tank several times with fresh water and afterward with fresh water and house hold bleach mixture. Usually a cup of bleach to maybe 30 gallons of water, flushed thru the system( after letting stand for several hours) and another tank or two of fresh water will cleanse the system. To get the taste of the bleach out will require another tank of water with a cup of white vinegar and another flush with fresh water. This is good info to know even if you do not put anti freeze in the heater the water system will occasionally get to stinking or tasting bad and the need to flush the system is required.

offthewall · 11-04-2011, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa B

It doesn't seem to be all that hard of a thing to do yourself if you read up on how to do it. Have a paper the the camp store that tell some things. It is very expensive to have someone do it in this area they are taking over $50 for it. We already had to replace the hose on the air vent to the water tank as something got into it and blocked it off.

I guess cost is relative. If the place guarantees no freezing, $50 seems cheap for the work, antifreeze and insurance.

I wouldn't do it for that for you