Drain for freshwater tank

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OldDragon
Posts: 11
Joined: November 3rd, 2017, 4:03 pm

Drain for freshwater tank

Post by OldDragon »

Hi, I'm a newbie too with questions. Recently bought a 1999 concourse from a couple while in Me. Drove it straight through to Va. Great ride. Didn't have "Chewy" winterized since I'm heading to Az in January. Just ran an extension cord and plugged in a heater, leaving the door to bath room and fresh water tank hatch open. Today, once I figured out how to start the generator and checked the monitor panel on the range hood, I saw that fresh water tank showed 1/3 full. Folks I bought RV from said they had drained the tank for me. I didn't check. Manuel refers to opening the peacock valve near the water pump. Found little metal thing and turned it counter clockwise. Don't see any water under the RV. Not sure what next step is. All this is confusing and books leave out a lot of info. Help
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Blue~Go
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Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Drain for freshwater tank

Post by Blue~Go »

Hello and Welcome!

I have a 99 Concourse too :)

That petcock is the drain, but it is slooooow. BTW, I noticed the same exact behaviour on my previous (non-Chinook) camper van. I've never used the petcock to drain the Chinook tank, but on the camper van it went MUCH faster if I ran the water pump (shut it off when tank is empty).

If you are trying to winterize, then actually the tank (IMO) is the least of your worries. I say that because at 1/3 full, there is lots of room for expansion. Not saying you shouldn't drain it though (I might). But rather that you might want to winterize some of the more freeze-prone small lines and the pump (they will all freeze/damage sooner than the tank itself).

The lines that will likely freeze first (especially considering you are heating the interior) are the ones for the external shower (you can drain it and then there are shutoff wheels (oval shaped) if you reach into the "tire locker" and up a little (then you can just leave it "offline" until you choose to open the wheels again). And then also the supply line that goes to the toilet and the bathroom sink. Reason is these run behind the shower where it gets cold and heat tends not to reach. With the other lines you can open the door under the couch and the kitchen doors under the sink and heat (presuming you are heating) will get to them.

You can also drain the water heater (from the outside door) and the lines around it (via the same type of oval wheel that is awkwardly partway under the front "wall" of the couch base that is behind the driver's seat.

Presuming you are not up in the VA mountains (meaning it will likely not get super cold), and if it were me and I was able to run a small electric heater plus check on the rig (and leaving for AZ soonish), I'd likely drain the outside-shower lines and shut those wheels off, and drain the water heater. Then maybe drain all the supply lines and the pump. If you can dump the waste tanks why not (those valves seem fairly hardy though). The potable water tank would be last on the list (but not saying not to do it all - I don't know how cold it is in your part of VA nor how soon you are leaving for AZ. Also what temps you might encounter along the way).

One note is that if you do use any RV anti-freeze (the propylene glycol, not engine anti-freeze) it's generally not recommended to put it into the water heater or the potable water tank. Takes forever to get the taste and foam out (plus that'd be a huge volume).

I'm sure others will chime in (who have probably winterized more recently).

Anyway, welcome! Who knows, maybe our '99's were close siblings on the line :)
1999 Concourse
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kdarling
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Joined: October 20th, 2015, 6:57 am
Location: Northern NJ

Re: Drain for freshwater tank

Post by kdarling »

Don't forget that there's another drain at the driver's seat end of the couch.

With a flashlight the drain opening ps are easy to spot underneath, btw. I've marked mine with blue spray paint.

Also, besides running the pump with all the faucets open and the grey water drain open as well, there's also using air pressre to blow out the lines.
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1994 Concourse dinette, Ford 7.5L (460 V8)
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Blue~Go
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Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Drain for freshwater tank

Post by Blue~Go »

Yeah, the forward drains (at least on mine) are the "awkward to reach" oval wheels that are partially under the forward wall of the couch base (behind the driver's seat. Boy, those are a pain to turn! The main one is between the water tank and the pump, at the other end of the couch (but completely under the couch).
1999 Concourse
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caconcourse
Posts: 489
Joined: October 31st, 2014, 10:25 pm

Re: Drain for freshwater tank

Post by caconcourse »

OldDragon wrote:Hi, I'm a newbie too with questions. Recently bought a 1999 concourse from a couple while in Me. Drove it straight through to Va. Great ride. Didn't have "Chewy" winterized since I'm heading to Az in January. Just ran an extension cord and plugged in a heater, leaving the door to bath room and fresh water tank hatch open. Today, once I figured out how to start the generator and checked the monitor panel on the range hood, I saw that fresh water tank showed 1/3 full. Folks I bought RV from said they had drained the tank for me. I didn't check. Manuel refers to opening the peacock valve near the water pump. Found little metal thing and turned it counter clockwise. Don't see any water under the RV. Not sure what next step is. All this is confusing and books leave out a lot of info. Help
The quickest way I have found to drain the tank is to use the outdoor shower (assuming you have one with the Concourse). Just turn it on with the pump and run it out.

Clay
Clay
2001 Concourse
Santa Barbara, CA
OldDragon
Posts: 11
Joined: November 3rd, 2017, 4:03 pm

Re: Drain for freshwater tank

Post by OldDragon »

Thanks for all the information. Did fiND the valves by water heater. More water flowed out!! Air compressor finished the job.
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Blue~Go
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Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Drain for freshwater tank

Post by Blue~Go »

Good to know you got it squared away. Oh, btw, you may have caught this (it's in the manual), but the "jungle gym" of valves on the inner side of the water heater (under the couch) will allow you to bypass it. Meaning that you can just put the whole water heater "offline," plumbing-wise, and then drain it via the plug at the outside access door (that also allows you to not put anti-freeze in it).
1999 Concourse
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