winterizing with air instead of antifreeze

[hsmunoz]

anyone out there blow thier lines out instead of filling them full of antifreeze?
Are you able to go through the "winterize" tap and blow air through the water pump?
I hate the lingering aspect of the anti freeze.

any and all wisdom deeply appreciated

thanks

[Hunter757]

See this thread for the information your looking for. Good luck I learned a few thing myself.

http://http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=900&highlight=winterize

[Festus2]

I used to use the air method until a few years ago then switched to using RV antifreeze. During that time, I didn't have any problems with frozen pipes or with the water pump. I used the exterior city water inlet to screw in the air adapter and then pumped in air with a bicycle pump. If I were to do this again, I would probably use an air compressor instead but my RV was much smaller at that time.
When I was finished, I removed the hoses and electrical connections and then removed the pump from the RV.
I too was hesitant about using RV antifreeze but am now using it to winterize. We make sure that our drinking water is filtered and/or bottled rather than use the water from the fresh water tank for this purpose.
As yet, we are showing no signs of turning pink.

[jq1031]

I had the same idea when I lived up in Buffalo, NY. It was pointed out to me that some of the low areas in the water lines may accumulate water from gravity after the lines were blown out. If you're in a climate that gets a real hard freeze it's probably not a good way to go.

[Handysam]

I too used to do the air method. However, I since switched because after thinking about it, the seals in the water pump, toilet, and sink fixtures can dry out, crack and fail. I also talk to the dealer about this and several other friends we camp with and concluded the same thoughts. Happy Camping, Sam

[Alpinecummin]

I live in Kentucky and I always blow out the lines and have never used antifreeze. On the last camping trip of the season I drain all the tanks and open all the drain lines and faucets, run the pump for a minute, and pull the camper home with everything open. When I get home I blow the lines outs with compressed air at 40 psi. Put antifreeze in the traps and toilet and I have never had a problem. Don't forget to empty the hot water tank.

[SteveC7010]

I used the air method for a couple of seasons in Western NY, but went back to the pink stuff. As mentioned, the seals and valves stay nicely wet, and frankly, I found it a lot easier and faster to do than the air method. More reliable too.

Another reason was the flush valve in the older style plastic Thetford toilets. The space inside the valve is pretty small with some delicate plastic parts which break easily when frozen, and it is difficult to get enough water out of it to insure that it won't freeze. And speaking from experience, I can tell you that valve is a bear to replace. Running in the pink stuff really makes a difference here.

My preference is not to pour pink stuff in the fresh water holding tank. Instead, I have the three-way valve with siphon hose on the pump. You flip the valve, stuff the hose in the jug of pink, and run the pump. The fresh water tank is drained. What ever small amount of water remains in the bottom of the tank can't do any harm when it freezes. On my last TT, the hose from the tank to the pump was the high pressure flexible material so any small amount of water in it is harmless. The pump itself is full of pink.

Regardless of which method you uses you still have to pour pink stuff in all the drains to replace the water in the S or P traps, plus an inch or two in the toilet bowl to keep those seals wet. I like enough pink in the gray and black holding tanks to keep those dump gates wet, too.

If you do a proper de-winterizing and fresh water system cleaning, the pink taste is long gone by the time you head out on your first trip of the season.

[hsmunoz]

thanks for all the feedback guys.
still one question
-do you turn on the water pump and use compressed air in the winterized tap to blow through the pump?
meaning , is the pump running while you blow out all the lines?

-or do you just go through the "city water tap" and then hope that the low point drains get the water between that tank and the pump?

[X-Treme]

thanks for all the feedback guys.
still one question
-do you turn on the water pump and use compressed air in the winterized tap to blow through the pump?
meaning , is the pump running while you blow out all the lines?

-or do you just go through the "city water tap" and then hope that the low point drains get the water between that tank and the pump?

If you are asking "how do you make sure the line between the pump (or bypass valve) and the freshwater tank is not going to freeze without putting antifreeze in the freshwater tank?", then I am totally with you, and was wondering the exact same thing just the other day.

I don't have an answer yet tho, so hopefully someone here will chime in.

[Festus2]

When I used air, I just came in through the city water intake and also drained all the water from both the pump and the FW tank. Now that the plumbing system has become a bit more complex, I switched over the antifreeze. Like Steve mentioned in his post, I never pour antifreeze into the FW tank. I use the same method he does so that you don't end up with any antifreeze in your FW tank.
If you use air and disconnect all the hoses from the pump afterwards and drain your FW tank, there shouldn't be any water left in the line between the pump and the tank should there?? If there is a small amount, having the FW intake hose removed from the pump would more than allow for any left-over water, if frozen, to expand out the end of the open end of the hose.

[cpaulsen]

I live in Kentucky and I always blow out the lines and have never used antifreeze. On the last camping trip of the season I drain all the tanks and open all the drain lines and faucets, run the pump for a minute, and pull the camper home with everything open. When I get home I blow the lines outs with compressed air at 40 psi. Put antifreeze in the traps and toilet and I have never had a problem. Don't forget to empty the hot water tank.

X2!!! I do the same thing...use about 1 gallon of antifreeze.

[JRTJH]

The water supply hose on my trailer has a low spot in it that holds water. When I disconnect it to use the antifreeze supply line, I use compressed air to blow out the low spot. Admittedly, it's a 1/2" white high pressure "garden hose" like the ones used to connect to campground water supplies so it probably wouldn't crack if it froze with a small amount of water in the low spot. Of more concern is the black tank rinse fitting. There's a clear hose that goes from the side of the trailer to the black tank. The low spot in it holds water and is (was) easy to see until I covered the bottom of the trailer this week. Before, I could disconnect the hose at the black tank and drain it, now that it's covered, air is about the only way to push that water out of the line and into the black tank. I'm thinking a couple "basterfulls of antifreeze squirted into the outside fitting might save that hose from damage.

I've always used both, air to help clear the lines (and prevent diluting the antifreeze) followed with antifreeze until it runs pink at each faucet, then about a cup down each drain to prevent traps from freezing. Don't forget the toilet. If it's a Thetford, the water valve is probably the weakest spot from freezing, Make sure to run antifreeze until it's good and pink to prevent that $50 springtime replacement.....

[SteveC7010]

I've always used both, air to help clear the lines (and prevent diluting the antifreeze) followed with antifreeze until it runs pink at each faucet, then about a cup down each drain to prevent traps from freezing.

That may well be the best of the best... :) I also use my shop-vac to blow out the drain traps out before pouring in the pink stuff.

With the much larger Cougar, I have to learn how to winterize the water system all over again. The water system is a lot more complex and stuff is hidden in different places.

[christopherglenn]

Sacrafice an old water hose, cut a 2-3' section, and put fittings on the cut end. Put this stub hose on the black flush (after blowing it out), fill with the pink stuff (use a funnel), and blow it in with your compressor.