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Water pump filter screen housing degradation


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Doing my pre-camping season checkout of the Oliver, along with de-winterizing, and I noticed the clear plastic filter screen cup on the pump inlet showed a pinkish-white discoloration, and also some stress cracking probably related as well.  I’m thinking it’s the pink RV antifreeze solution used (the standard stuff sold at Walmart for RV potable water system winterizing).   Anyone else noticed this?   I’ve already replaced it with a brand new one, and that’ll now become an annual maintenance check/replacement item.   It’s on the intake (vacuum side) of the pump so not really a major water leak issue if it did crack, but it could create an air leak on the pump intake side that would affect the pump efficiency.  

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  • The title was changed to Water pump filter screen housing degradation

We picked ours up back on Oct 14 and used the WalMart Pink antifreeze this winter. No issues with our filter housing so far. I will definitely add it to my list of things to check on though.

 

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2019 Ram 1500 5.7L V8, 3.92 axle ratio - 2020 LEll - Hull676

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Thanks for posting! This is not at all uncommon,

59DA77BC-1EC0-404F-8461-74E31776C155.thumb.jpeg.8f0f02ea74006aeb6b69ad952db50589.jpeg

https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/antifreeze-ethylene-glycol-vs-propylene-glycol

I wonder how the plastic water fittings are affected? This is perhaps a good reason to use compressed air for a major system purge, and then add a little pink stuff to just the outside ports and inside sink and shower traps.

 John Davies

Spokane WA

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SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

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This might be a good opportunity to update that I haven’t used antifreeze since my first winter with the Ollie (compressed air only) and haven’t had any issues yet. Well tested with nine days below freezing this February with no heat going in the trailer.

John, I believe the plastic PEX fittings are polybutylene vs nylon or acrylic so they may not react with the antifreeze the same way. 

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This is very interesting in that I've been using the WalMart stuff for 20 years with absolutely nothing happening.

Bill

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14 hours ago, John E Davies said:

Thanks for posting! This is not at all uncommon,

59DA77BC-1EC0-404F-8461-74E31776C155.thumb.jpeg.8f0f02ea74006aeb6b69ad952db50589.jpeg

https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/antifreeze-ethylene-glycol-vs-propylene-glycol

I wonder how the plastic water fittings are affected? This is perhaps a good reason to use compressed air for a major system purge, and then add a little pink stuff to just the outside ports and inside sink and shower traps.

 John Davies

Spokane WA

Yeah, I think next winter I’ll try the compressed air method for winterizing.   

 

 

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In past rvs living in New England I only used the air blow out method. And only used enough rv anti freeze for the sink and shower traps. Now in Florida I still do the same the antifreeze is only used to keep the traps from letting any smell in from the tanks. Last longer than just water.

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Grant  2022 GMC Denali 2500 HD 2019  Elite 11😎

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Overland:

Can you provide some specifics on the use of air for winterizing the piping?

Do you use the same procedures (connection points) for using compressed air instead of rv anti freeze?

What air pressure do you use?

Thanks

Richard

2018 Oliver Elite II, Twin Bed, Hull #354 

2024 RAM 1500, 4 x 4; Gas. 5.7L V8 Hemi MDS VVT Torque; 3.21 rear axle ratio

Maine 

 

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I do the fresh tank fill and city water ports. The boondocking port will drain on its own since there’s no check valve, so I just uncap that while I’m doing everything else to make sure nothings in there.

If I’m putting up the trailer for the full winter then I’ll sanitize the fresh and grey tanks first.

If you aren’t doing that, then start by draining all of your lines.  You can do that by running your pump with a faucet open, or if you’ve got a Truma water heater, open its drain valve and you can pump the water out through there pretty quickly.

Then blow out the fresh tank fill with your compressor using an attachment like either this or this.  I think I use 80 psi, which I think should be fine for everything.

Then open a faucet and do the city water port. I don’t move any of the plumbing valves from normal. Do each faucet separately - kitchen, bath, and outside shower - and be sure to do them with the valves turned to both hot and cold.  You’ll get a fine mist of water for a while.  I’ll repeat that two or three times for each faucet until they all seem clear.  Before the last time I’ll run the pump for a bit to make sure it’s clear (take off the filter so that you know you aren’t pulling any new water in from the tank.)  I’ll also open the truma drain while I do that just to make sure no water has settled in there.

I don’t have a flush toilet so I’ve never looked up how that’s done.

If you want to blow out the sink traps, you can by adding an air valve to a small plunger.  I think it’s the same little adapter I linked to above, just screw it into the plunger where the handle would go. Just be sure that the hole goes all the way through, and cut one if not. It works really well, but if you do it that way, make sure you plug your drains or in the spring your trailer will smell like grey tank.  I leave all the faucet valves open through the winter.  

If I’m on the road and it’s going to freeze, I’ll just blow out both ports quickly to get water out of the check valves.

I think that’s it. I’m having to run through it in my head so I may have missed something. 

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