Brain fart!

[SlowPoke]

I was thinking of a good way to RE-winterize my TT this coming winter when I come back from Orlando Fl in after Christmas.

I do not have an air comp. and don't like the idea of carrying or buying antifreeze next winter. If I have to, I gotta...BUT... was thinking.:banghead:

I do have a shopvac, and it of course has an exhaust. If I made it clean before use, and hooked it up with an adapter, would it be necessary, or even be useful to insert the water pressure regulator inline?? Will the water regulator work for air pressure, as well as water pressure to keep from over pressurizing the lines?

Have searched and seen this thread, but doesn't answer my question...I don't think at least...http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1703&highlight=vacuum

Just a dumb question, probably ate too much lead paint as a child, I know....

Wait for it....

GHETTO-WINTERIZATION!

[JRTJH]

I have never tried a shop vac (in reverse) to blow out water lines, but I don't know if you can develop enough pressure. You see, the fitting to attach to the city water port is about 3/8" in diameter (if that big) so you're going to have to hook up a 2" low pressure vaccuum hose to that tiny thing and get enough pressure to blow out water 20' away. You'll develop enough volume of air, but I don't know if you'll get enough pressure to even do the job. And, no, I don't think you'll have to worry at all about pressure reducers. I'm thinking the most you'll be able to develop is 15 or 20 PSI if you can even get that high. If I were you, I'd try it this summer, see if it works. Standing out in the cold "experimenting" with a new approach to a task is not the way I like to spend my cold winter evenings :banghead:

[SlowPoke]

Good idea, good answer, I'll give it a test shot this coming weekend...Will see what happens. Wish I had a device to measure the pressure at my farthest point....

Also, wish I had a way to KNOW all that water would be outta the lines. Can't see inside everything. Maybe antifreeze WOULD be the cure....we'll see...Thanks!

[f6bits]

Some of your ideas suck. Some of them blow. But, I've gotta hand it to you, this one does both!

I doubt you'll remove all of the water. There are so many dips and bends that some water will settle in at the lowest points. I'd hate to risk a busted line.

Is your goal to just not use the antifreeze? I think there are those who save and reuse their antifreeze, so you'll just end up storing it somewhere.

[SteveC7010]

I've used a shop vac with a reducer on the hose to inflate large air mattresses and all kinds of this and that. I don't think you'll have a problem blowing out your lines in the fall, but you may want let it run a bit longer than you would with a compressor. That would insure that you move all the water out of the lines. If you do it one faucet or valve at a time, it should be OK.

It may be worthwhile to have a roll of electrician's vinyl tape on hand to make your vac hose a bit less leaky. Mine all leak a bit at every connection.

[Festus2]

I've heard that a good stand-up bicycle pump may also be used to blow out the lines. The smaller, hand-held ones are not good enough but you may just be able to get enough pressure to do the job using a larger pump. If you can put 80 psi in a bike tire using one of these pumps, why wouldn't that work to blow out the lines?

[SlowPoke]

Some of your ideas suck. Some of them blow. But, I've gotta hand it to you, this one does both!
I'm APPALLED F6BITS ...If I could cuss on this forum...I would have a few choice words to call ya! (Just kidding, I know you were!)
as far as the anitfreeze, I just don't want to have to deal with it.... I may just end up having to. And yes, I'll just recycle it.

Steve- I have about 278 rolls of multiple colors...which color do you think would be best? (Brown? Since I'm full of it from what F6BITS implies?? LOL)

Festus2 - I dunno if I'm young enough to use a pump like that....I have enough greys in the beard to decidedly think I would rather just go buy the compressor ...however, that sounds feasible if I weren't so lazy ....

For now, I'm gonna try it out like John commented, and see how it goes. Got plenty of tape to seal the connections on my hoses, and a reducer to bring it down to 3/8 from back when I used a Vac to blow jetlines through electrical conduit when I did that kinda work not too many years ago. Smaller runs under 75 feet I could blow even mud outta the lines, but over 75 ft, it started loosing the "punch" to even force water out at a great rate...and that was in 4" PVC...using a 12Amp shopvac....

[hankpage]

If you can get a good connection you should not have a problem. We have been using shop-vacs to blow out swimming pool lines for years. When you hear air coming out let it blow for a little while and you will be good to go. Late model trailers use Pex tubing which can stand up to a hard freeze. As long as you get the water out of the pump, fittings and fixtures your okay. NOW!!!! the problem is the traps and toilet seal .... break down and get at least one gallon of antifreeze just to play it safe. Buy it up North, you may not find it down South. JM2¢, Hank

[SlowPoke]

Thanks Hank, I did plan on keeping some on hand to toss in those pesky traps and send a little down into the black tank flush. Good catch though!

I'll take your 2¢ and invest it....

[Comptech]

Slowpoke, Dont forget about the sink traps... they hold water and unless you empty them or pour antifreeze in they could freeze and break too....
Buy a portable compressor and have it handy in case you need it for bike tires or the TT tires... and a gallon of antifreeze.... cutting corners can cost you more if you are not careful...

[SAABDOCTOR]

hey how about just tippin the trailer over on its side that will get all the water out!!!:D what a week we got one guy blowin tires now you blowin lines thought this was a family show YIKES