Washing machine prep line

[mchiaradonna]

Howdy allies!

2023 310RL and getting ready to store the RV for a few weeks over the holidays.

Question on any recommendations on how to handle the washer hot and cold prep lines when they are terminated (see picture). It looks like the prep lines are open at the shut-off valve in the pass through so there could be water in the line. Since there is no guarantee that the low point drain will pull the water from that line., I have concerns there might me water in there.

The dishwasher prep has a fitting at the end so that can be easily filled with antifreeze.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Todd F]

You could pull the plugs and install a couple of shutoff valves there. Or disconnect the lines at the shutoff. You could always reconnect at a later date if you decided you were going to use the washer connections. That way there wouldn't be any question of water left in the line.

 

[Lantley]

Are you trying to drain the lines for storage? Are you trying to winterize what is your end game?
There is really no need to worry about residual water. There will always be residual water in the pipes you will never achieve 100% dry.
Let lines drain via gravity. If you want more water out attach a compressor and blow out the system.
When ready to re fill system most sanitize system with bleach or the germ killer of your choice.
From there you flush and rinse water lines a few times and you are good to go.

 

[mchiaradonna]

Thanks for the replies.

To ensure I get all the water out I plan to install a proper Pex washing machine valve on each pipe and bleed it through to the closet.

Air and gravity will not sufficiently satisfy my concerns.

 

[Lantley]

Do you have a washing machine? Do you plan to have a washing machine?
If no wash machine just turn off the valves and disconnect the lines.

 

[mchiaradonna]

I do not have a washing machine or this would be easy... Just run the machine until the antifreeze comes out. As you can see in the pictures, the PEX line was capped where the washer machine water inlets should be. The valves for the washer lines are open in the pass through storage and so there could be water past the valve that air and gravity will not fully remove.

When winterizing the lines, blowing the lines or pushing in the antifreeze would not force all the water out of this line if there is no where for it to go at the end. Not to mention, air will only push out so much until the air just flows over the water. Since these are capped, I will will only get so much out. So the only real option is to run the antifreeze all the way through the line to ensure the line is completely vacated of water.

So, I will install the washer valve at the end and pump antifreeze through the entire line. Once that is done, I will close the both the valve at the end of the line as well as the one in the pass through.

For anyone else in this situation, I found the following is available from SharkBite to properly terminate the washer lines.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/valves/shut-off-valves/4798831 - Hot line
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/valves/shut-off-valves/4809281 - Cold line

 

[Lantley]

If you don't have a wash machine there is no need to install. $36.00. worth of valves.

 

[George]

If you don't have a wash machine there is no need to install. $36.00. worth of valves.

Plus crimper and rings if you don't already have them.
They didn't leave you much room to cut off the plug and add a valve, did they?

 

[Todd F]

Is it a normal practice these days for Alliance to not install valves at the washer locations any longer? My 2023 Valor has valves at both the front and rear locations. I wouldnt think there would be that much of a cost savings?

 

[mchiaradonna]

$36 is a small price for piece of mind.

Not sure what is 'standard' honestly across the models. 2023 there were still some supply chain issues getting some items.

As for the room, there is some slack in the pass through that can be used to add some length at the termination point. I checked that first.

 

[TrustiKrusti]

I do not have a washer or dryer and I also didn't like the location of these shutoff valves. They are too far from the MAIN inlet line and I feared I wouldn't get all the water out since they are terminated at the washer end. To solve this problem I followed the washer lines back to the main hot and cold legs and installed additional shutoff valves directly off the main line. I did make sure the line were drained to the best of my ability. Now there is no worry with there being water trapped in the lines that might freeze.

As a side note, I didn't like the placement of these plastic valves above the maintenance bay. I thought one bad strike from an object and there would be water all over the place. Now I have peace of mind. Cost about $12 for valve and fittings.

 

[Bierdude]

We just picked up our 2025 23ML. The washer prep is in the bedroom closet behind a set of drawers. Not very accessible at all. On my past 5th wheel, I opened the valves to drain water, blew them out then ran antifreeze.
Since we're not installing a washer and I don't want to get in there to access the valves every winterizing, I installed PEX shutoffs on the washer hot and cold feeds in the storage area (behind the Nautilus access panel).

 

[mchiaradonna]

Quick follow-up on this. I completed the install today. Here are some notes:

1) Do the line closest to the side wall first (or whichever is closest to the drain pipe). I did not and it made getting to the other port much more difficult as the box was anchored by two points and I still needed to add the middle one.
2) Due to the exhaust pipe, you cannot remove the entire box (unless you cut the drain pipe or the box) so there is very little room to work with. Some of the PEX lines might need to be adjusted to get enough slack to trim off the prior crimps. Tools do not fit in the limited space easily.
3) For some reason my SharkBite hot valve did not come with a retaining nut but the cold one did. I purchased a 1/2 inch faucet locknut (~$2) to ensure the hot line was secured.
4) I picked up a 3/4 in. FHT X 3/4 in. FHT Washing machine supply line to allow easier bleed of the line when winterizing.
5) Getting the clamp tool for the PEX ring was tricky and required bending the box a good bit. Depending on the material used for other models this might be more difficult.

It would be much easier to attack this from the other side of the closet wall, but mine is right next to a side and I did not feel like dealing with trying to reattach a wall. I'm sure this would be much easier to complete when the rig is being built and I am not sure if this was a post-Covid supply issue or if they are not adding them by default.

But as a note there was water in the line and when testing the fitting under pressure the water that came out was rather nasty smelling. So it has been there for some time. I would recommend if you are going to have your RV in freezing temperatures, this line should be winterized as well. Once I complete this round of winterization, the shutoff valve for this line will be closed and remain so.

 

[Lantley]

I just winterize my washer line. I cut off the pex just below the clamp and added shark bite supply valves in the set.
I have no plans to install washer so supply valves sufficed vs. using wash actual wash machine valves.
The whole process was rather simple and took all of 10 minutes once I had the correct parts.
I fought off the urge to just cut off the lines just past the OEM in line cut offs valves and permanently disable them.
So now the lines are still in place filled with pink stuff. Only now they have valves on them that allow to drain and fill with anti freeze as required

 

[mchiaradonna]

Nice...

Lucky you had enough PEX line to install there. Mine barely exceeded the box frame limiting my options.

 

[Lantley]

Yes I was concerned about how much pipe was extended above the box. Alliance did a good job of leaving me some pipe to work with.
If the pipe were too short it would not be too difficult to add a short section of pipe in the storage area to extend pipe beyond washer box a few inches. Luckily that step wasn't necessary.
Another option if the pipes were too short. Would be to install supply valves on pipes in storage area. Winterize pipes at that point and abandon the lines going to the washer box.

 

[mchiaradonna]

I did consider doing that. But I just did not trust that I would get all the water.