De-winterizing February 23, 2013, 11:05:49 pm Yahoo Message Number: 137025My wife and I have taken our 2011 RK out of storage. I winterized using the "air" method last October following the LD Manual step by step. When reintroducing water to the system (filling the external fresh water tank etc.) I again followed the LD Manual step by step. My problem is I'm not getting any water flow to the sink in the bathroom or the sink in our kitchen. The shower and toilet work fine as well as outside shower. There seems to be no problem at all with the water pump, hot water heater etc. Has anyone experienced this condition and if so can you offer some suggestions on what I might look at? ? ? ? ? Does anyone have a good reputable repair facility they could recommend in the Grand Junction area should it come to that??Stuck in Grand Junction, Colorado Jay and Patsy Guddat in Pilgrim[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: De-winterizing Reply #1 – February 23, 2013, 11:34:02 pm Yahoo Message Number: 137026Quote My wife and I have taken our 2011 RK out of storage. I winterized using the "air" method last October following the LD Manual step by step. When reintroducing water to the system (filling the external fresh water tank etc.) I again followed the LD Manual step by step. My problem is I'm not getting any water flow to the sink in the bathroom or the sink in our kitchen. The shower and toilet work fine as well as outside shower. There seems to be no problem at all with the water pump, hot water heater etc. Has anyone experienced this condition and if so can you offer some suggestions on what I might look at? ? ? ? ? Does anyone have a good reputable repair facility they could recommend in the Grand Junction area should it come to that?? Check the aerator screens on the kitchen and bathroom faucets for any minerals and/or debris that could be clogging them.Art
Re: De-winterizing Reply #2 – February 24, 2013, 03:26:18 am Yahoo Message Number: 137028Both of the fixtures with which you have trouble should have shutoff valves in the supply lines below the sinks. Check to assure all 4 shut-offs are open. When mud dauber wasps build a nest in an opening such as the end of a water line or faucet, your pump probably does not deliver enough pressure to blow it out. Use a small flat blade screwdriver like a shovel to scrape it out being careful not to pack it in tighter. If you are getting cold water flow but not hot, check the bypass valve on your water heater. If you opened it as part of your winterizing, you need to close it again to get hot water.
Re: De-winterizing Reply #3 – February 24, 2013, 07:58:06 am Yahoo Message Number: 137030Thanks so much for this advice. I'll check everything today.Jay
Re: De-winterizing Reply #4 – February 24, 2013, 09:06:05 am Yahoo Message Number: 137033Quote My wife and I have taken our 2011 RK out of storage. I winterized using the "air" method last October following the LD Manual step by step. When reintroducing water to the system (filling the external fresh water tank etc.) I again followed the LD Manual step by step. My problem is I'm not getting any water flow to the sink in the bathroom or the sink in our kitchen. The shower and toilet work fine as well as outside shower. There seems to be no problem at all with the water pump, hot water heater etc. Has anyone experienced this condition and if so can you offer some suggestions on what I might look at? ? ? ? ? Does anyone have a good reputable repair facility they could recommend in the Grand Junction area should it come to that?? Check the aerator screens on the kitchen and bathroom faucets for any minerals and/or debris that could be clogging them.Art I will second Art's suggestion. I had the same issue last month but just with the kitchen sink when de-winterizing. Due to a cold spell when we left I did not de-winterize until I was at the campground in FL. Everything worked when I put the RV to bed for the winter in Dec. After cleaning the screens they worked fine. John
Re: De-winterizing Reply #5 – February 24, 2013, 09:43:09 am Yahoo Message Number: 137035If it is still near freezing or below where you are, there may be a pocket of ice in the water line. A southward adjustment in latitude would alleviate that condition. Seriously, if it's cold outside, even if the interior of your LD is warmed, there could be a spot where the plumbing in exposed enough to the outside cold to stay frozen. A day or two in a heated garage would prove or disprove that theory. I prefer to fill my water system (bypass the water heater) with the pink antifreeze, I feel the plumbing system is more protected that way.
Re: De-winterizing Reply #6 – February 24, 2013, 10:54:23 am Yahoo Message Number: 137037"Both of the fixtures with which you have trouble should have shutoff valves in the supply lines below the sinks. Check to assure all 4 shut-offs are open."Don I have changed a lot of bath and kitchen faucets, in LDs of many vintages, and have never found a faucet shut-off valve. What year and model do you own? Photos of the kitchen and bath supply lines on our 2003 FL with no shut-off valves http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/5356555828/in/set-72157625826674170> http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/5355941899/in/set-72157625826674170> The lack of shut-off valves has always worried me because a leaky faucet requires leaving the water pump off to prevent the loss of the limited water supply until a replacement is found or repairs can be made. This can be a real problem when it occurs in the middle of nowhere on a Saturday night. To take care of this contingency, I take old faucets, cut the supply stems off and fill them with epoxy. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157607802072647/> If a leak occurs, the faucet's supply lines can be caped with the filled supply plugs. Retrofitting shut-off valves would be a difficult project in most LDs. BTW, I agree with Art's suggestion on checking the faucets for calcium buildup, I have seen faucets completely plugged with hard water deposits.Larry
Re: De-winterizing Reply #7 – February 24, 2013, 11:10:26 am Yahoo Message Number: 137038On Sun, 24 Feb 2013 16:54:21 -0000, "Larry" wrote:QuoteBTW, I agree with Art's suggestion on checking the faucets for calcium buildup, I have seen faucets completely plugged with hard water deposits. I found about this when I used air to blow out the lines. The calcium wound up in the faucets. The kitchen faucet proved not to be cleanable with vinegar so it got replaced.I wonder if the person who is experiencing the problem allowed the pump to run long enough? No need to answer that.Cheers, Don
Re: De-winterizing Reply #8 – February 24, 2013, 02:25:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 137043"The kitchen faucet proved not to be cleanable with vinegar so it got replaced." Many of the kitchen faucets have two aerators, One made of screens, the other a round plastic cartridge. The cartridges can get completely plugged and replacements do not seem to be available. Soaking in vinegar or Lime-away has not clear two that I have tried it on. Probably needs a stronger acid, maybe pool acid or muriatic acid, to dissolve it. I don't keep strong acid at home, other than what is in the car and RV batteries, it's too easy to get seriously burned. The cartridges can be opened by grinding off one end of the plastic tube. Once it's opened, the the piece inside can be removed and cleaned of the mineral buildup. The slight amount of length of the cartridge doesn't seem to effect the faucet's operation. Of course, I have not this this with every model of faucet known so you do this at your own risk but you have nothing to loose if the cartage is not replaceable. Clogging, after using air to air to winterize, isn't uncommon. The long blasts of compressed air, through the water system's pipes, fittings and various outlets kicks sediment up from the water heater and any spot in the system where sediment has settled. This is the stuff that is supposed to be flushed out of the water heater once or twice a year.Everyone doing that and using a plastic flushing tube? http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/water-heater-tank-rinser/49070> It's is a MUST have tool if you want you want to the water heater to last and heat efficiently...and to reduce plugged faucets. My driveway looks like it has a thin layer of hail, while flushing. The plastic tool is flexible and doesn't damage the tank. It needs to be actively pushed in, out, sideways, any way you can to stir up sediments that form during the heating process. Flush until the water runs clean while scrubbing. Expect to get wet, dress accordingly. And while you are ordering you flush tool, pick up a extra plastic drain plug or two. The plugs get damaged often. Make sure to sure Teflon tape in the plug's threads. http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/rv-water-heater-drain-plug-kit/70661>Larry
Re: De-winterizing Reply #9 – February 24, 2013, 02:35:37 pm Yahoo Message Number: 137044QuoteMy driveway looks like it has a thin layer of hail, while flushing. Amen! I am often surprised at the amount of mineral chunks that I get out of our water heater.Art
Re: De-winterizing Reply #10 – February 24, 2013, 02:50:33 pm Yahoo Message Number: 137045Thanks Larry.Jay
Re: De-winterizing Reply #13 – February 24, 2013, 03:55:41 pm Yahoo Message Number: 137048Quote Clogging, after using air to air to winterize, isn't uncommon. The long blasts of compressed air, through the water system's pipes, fittings and various outlets kicks sediment up from the water heater and any spot in the system where sediment has settled. The easy answer would seem to be to remove all aerators before Winterizing then replace them after the water tank is once again refilled and the system is operational.Ed
Re: De-winterizing Reply #14 – February 24, 2013, 05:37:48 pm Yahoo Message Number: 137049Thanks Ed!Jay
Re: De-winterizing Reply #15 – February 24, 2013, 05:54:22 pm Yahoo Message Number: 137050"The easy answer would seem to be to remove all aerators before Winterizing then replace them after the water tank is once again refilled and the system is operational."Ed The kichen faucet, with a cartridge, requires disassembly of the handle to access the cartridge. Take it out before starting of winterization too.Larry
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Topic: De-winterizing (Read 13 times)
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