Getting Antifreeze To Pump Problems?

[fam5mel]

Three weeks ago I winterized our 337RLS. Followed the Nautilus manual and pumped antifreeze thru the lines without any issues. Past weekend we got the camping itch and off we went for a short three night trip. Got home, opened the low point drains and blew the lines out with 30psi of air. Capped the low point drains and place the Nautilus switches in the winterize position. No matter what I do I cant get the antifreeze to pull from the jug. I've placed it at ground level, floor level and above the outside shower height. I am doing nothing different then I have done previously. I can hear the pump running and I have a faucet open. Any ideas or suggestions greatly appreciated.

[boyscout]

Three weeks ago I winterized our 337RLS. Followed the Nautilus manual and pumped antifreeze thru the lines without any issues. Past weekend we got the camping itch and off we went for a short three night trip. Got home, opened the low point drains and blew the lines out with 30psi of air. Capped the low point drains and place the Nautilus switches in the winterize position. No matter what I do I cant get the antifreeze to pull from the jug. I've placed it at ground level, floor level and above the outside shower height. I am doing nothing different then I have done previously. I can hear the pump running and I have a faucet open. Any ideas or suggestions greatly appreciated.

There's a screen and valve on the fresh water intake... some people say you should take it out or reverse it before trying to get the system to suck antifreeze.

Is it possible that the screen got gunked-up during your trip?

[Likes to tow]

There is a check valve just behind that cone shaped screen!! The pump does not pull hard enough to overcome that valve when you are pulling from a jug. Remove this cone shaped screen, reverse it and put it back in. The "cone" will push the valve open and you can pull liquids from a jug. After winterizing, put the cone back in the original position or else when you are using your pump it will try to push liquid back out of this connection. When dry camping without any fresh water hook ups, I use this method to fill my fresh water tank from jugs setting in the bed of my truck. It works great. My dealer told me about the cone shaped screen, it't purpose, and how to overcome it when using the pump.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

There is a check valve just behind that cone shaped screen!! The pump does not pull hard enough to overcome that valve when you are pulling from a jug. Remove this cone shaped screen, reverse it and put it back in. The "cone" will push the valve open and you can pull liquids from a jug. After winterizing, put the cone back in the original position or else when you are using your pump it will try to push liquid back out of this connection. When dry camping without any fresh water hook ups, I use this method to fill my fresh water tank from jugs setting in the bed of my truck. It works great. My dealer told me about the cone shaped screen, it't purpose, and how to overcome it when using the pump.

What???!!!

If this is true you just saved a lot of people a lot of hassle.

I’m gonna try this fix.

Thanks for pointing!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fam5mel]

Great info. I will try when get home from work. Does the cone shaped screen just pull out? If not how do you remove it?
Thanks

[Likes to tow]

The cone shaped screen is held in place by a common everyday water hose rubber washer. Just take a pointed knife or a small hook and reach in there and carefully pull out the rubber washer........the cone comes out behind it very easily. The check valve is very easy to push in and does not damage the cone when it's turned around backwards. I usually set my pink jug up in the compartment and have made up a three foot section of water hose to use in winterizing. One end screws onto the fitting and the other dips down in the jug. I was especially happy to find out I could pump water back into my fresh water holding tank using this same method with a few 6 gallon jugs purchased at Wal Mart. I camp sometimes in areas without fresh water spigots at the campsite. I simply take my truck to the community fill station at the campground, fill the jugs and then back in close to the camper and pump water from the jugs sitting in the bed of the truck. Great feature that probably nobody uses.

[andrewssteve]

There is a check valve just behind that cone shaped screen!! The pump does not pull hard enough to overcome that valve when you are pulling from a jug. Remove this cone shaped screen, reverse it and put it back in. The "cone" will push the valve open and you can pull liquids from a jug. After winterizing, put the cone back in the original position or else when you are using your pump it will try to push liquid back out of this connection. When dry camping without any fresh water hook ups, I use this method to fill my fresh water tank from jugs setting in the bed of my truck. It works great. My dealer told me about the cone shaped screen, it't purpose, and how to overcome it when using the pump.

I had the same problem winterizing this year. I followed the winterizing instructions in the manual exactly as written, including blowing out with 40 psi air. After that, pump wouldn't pull antifreeze. Since I was scheduled for warranty work the next week, and the lines were aired-out, I cut the pump out to protect it from freezing and had the pump checked out under warranty. The dealer said the pump was fine, just needed to reverse the screen to enable flow thru the check valve. Said they did that on all the GrandDesigns they winterized each year.

So here I have a question. WHY ISN'T THIS INFORMATION IN THE MANUAL?

Also, when I sanitized the tank at the beginning of the season, the pump pulled the sanitizing liquid into the fresh water tank, no problem. Was that because the lines hadn't been blown out? Interested in an explanation.

[Likes to tow]

I can't answer that for sure but I speculate that the pump may be almost strong enough to pull liquids and overcome the check valve on it's own sometimes. Turning the cone around and pushing open the check value takes it completely out of the equation. I agree that Grand Design needs to clear this up and put it in the owners manual. I found out about it the first time I winterized. It would not pull the pink stuff even if I held it about the hose connection. I called the dealer very frustrated and they told me this procedure with the cone. I'm disappointed in Grand Design for not making people aware of an important step in the process!!

[fam5mel]

Well I got home from work. Removed the cone screen and reversed it. Thought this would solve the problem. Pump still wont pump anti freeze out of the jug. Something else going on I believe. Temperatures are going to drop here and want to get antifreeze in lines. Wondering if I could use a hand pump on the city water inlet. Anyone tried that? Someone at work suggested the pump has lost its prime. Suggested I find the pump and disconnect the suction side and pump anti freeze from there. Anyone know where the pump is located? Maybe one of the Nautilus switches is stuck or not rotating. Grasping for an answer at this point. All ideas and suggestions appreciated.

[CoChris]

.... Anyone know where the pump is located? Maybe one of the Nautilus switches is stuck or not rotating. Grasping for an answer at this point. All ideas and suggestions appreciated.

Here is a link to a discussion on Solitude with a picture of behind the basement panel. Your pump and such should be similar.

Chris