This may help some folks make up their mind. We purchased our first MH 1 year ago and have made just about all the mistakes a newbie can make. But one thing we got right was deciding to use air to winterize instead of the pink stuff.Without any experience in these things and only following the advice of people on this forum we have successfully winterized our 2014 Pleasure Way twice this winter with air pressure.The important one was the second one coming back from 2 weeks in Florida in Feb. In the fall, not knowing what I was doing, I took great care and blew out each line several times. But coming home, on the side of the road in less than ideal conditions, I did not do as good a job.Just put water in it and checked everything. Good to go!The lines were still spraying wet air when I decided it was good enough. It is clear you do not have to get every drop. And you don't have to have a professional compressor either. The inflator in the trunk of your car IS NOT good enough but a $100 home unit from Sears is.It was easy and I strongly recommend this to anyone who wants their coffee to taste right in the morning.

It is still a good idea to put some antifreeze into the sink traps though. I have used both methods, the antifreeze should be all out and no taste if you are sanitizing before first use in the spring anyway.

I can winterize in about 20 mins with 2 gals of pink. Bypass and drain the WH, drain the FW tank, connect bypass hose to pump to draw pink from the bottle, turn on the faucets and pour the rest in the traps.

Yes I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say I don't use any pink, I always put some in the traps and the gray/black tanks. I'm only referring to the lines and suggesting that there is no need to deal with the taste I've hear so much about.

My brother in law (in Georgia) use the air pressure method also in a toyhauler he had. One year he said he though the got all the water out, but had an expensive repair that spring. For what it's worth, here in North Carolina, CW (at least ours) will not just blow the lines out. They also pump pink stuff through the lines. That is the only way they will guarantee it. One could go 100 years without issue or they could go 1 year and have a problem. It's up to each individual owner tio decide how they will do it and then accept the responsibility. I know that when I have gone cheap on things, it ended up costing me more in the long run.

After one winter when the pink stuff was defective and turned into a globby gelatin like muck in my water lines, I quit using it and just blow everything out now. I have not had any problem doing it that way and I don't have to put up with the foamy water issue that always seems to follow using that stuff. I do put some AF in all the traps though.

Pink stuff vs Air pressure - The Verdict | Good Sam Community

Campfire_Time
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
There is no right or wrong with this. I do both.
DownTheAvenue
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
rvit wrote:
This may help some folks make up their mind. We purchased our first MH 1 year ago and have made just about all the mistakes a newbie can make. But one thing we got right was deciding to use air to winterize instead of the pink stuff.

Ah, but your inexperience is showing again. Blowing out the water lines can be effective, and certainly was in your case. But you are failing to realize that even a minute amount of water left in the lines and collects in a low point, especially an elbow, can cause a very expensive repair. You are also failing to understand that pressurizing the fresh water inlet does not do anything for any water left in the pump or the water line from the fresh water tank to the pump.
obgraham
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
I prefer the air method also. But you have to do it properly. Quitting while it is spraying water simply assures that the remaining bits of water will eventually find the lowest spot, and given the right temperatures will freeze.

I blow it till no more water appears. And I run the pump dry of water also.
FlatBroke
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2015
Best maintenance improvement I have done is when I switched to air winterizing. SO MUCH EASIER. I am fortunate that I have 4 low point drains in mine. I open them, drain and close and very little water even comes out when I blow the system. None comes out the dreaded plumbed in washer lines the low point valves work so well.
shum02
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
At the coldest of -35C/-31F this winter I'll continue using the pink stuff. A little water left in an elbow or pump and I have a water park inside the rig in the spring.

Glad just air worked for you but I live and camp where it gets cold. And yes the pink stuff gets slushy at this temp but has not burst or busted anything.
Wishbone51
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
I usually blow the lines out and use the pink stuff in the traps and waste tanks. Forgot to this past winter. Was below freezing for a couple of weeks (low: 20, high 32). No damage and working fine right now. Is that not cold enough for long enough to cause issues?
LarryJM
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2015
rvit wrote:
Yes I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say I don't use any pink, I always put some in the traps and the gray/black tanks. I'm only referring to the lines and suggesting that there is no need to deal with the taste I've hear so much about.

IMO you are being overly concerned about this taste issue. My perception is that it's NOT THAT BIG of an issue. PG is used as an additive in a lot of consumable items and is basically tasteless. Also, giving you lines a good flush and a basic sanitization with a bleach solution reduces the potential taste concern to as near ZERO as feasible.

I like the pink stuff since it takes no extra equipment or careful use so you don't damage your water system from too much pressure and you have to use it anyway in things like the traps and toilet.

Larry
LarryJM
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2015
Only using air can be a hit or miss proposition and can depend a lot on how an RV is plumbed. Also you have to use it in your traps anyway. Air doesn't winterize the FW pump and just running it dry may or may not work depending again on it's specific location and how the lines are plumbed into it. I also think you will find the only universally accepted and recommended method of winterizing is to use the pink stuff and not just rely on using air so I disagree with you belief that using it is somehow more prevelant here on RV.NET than other sources of information. I would bet if you take your RV into almost any RV dealer and ask to have it winterized they will include using the pink stuff and will not just rely on blowing out the lines with air.

Larry
wcjeep
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
For everyone using air, are you using an air pressure filter? The inside of many metal tanks is ok for running power tools. Not something I'd want in the lines. I use pink and an oil filled radiator. I also use a remote thermometer for monitoring camper temp from the house.
mayo30
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
jplante4 wrote:
In typical over-do fashion, I blew out the lines, suck in a couple of gallons of pink stuff, then blow out the lines again. It's hard to get everything out of the washer pipes.

yup drain out anti freeze no taste.

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Pink stuff vs Air pressure - The Verdict

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