Blowing out water lines mistake ??

tomman58 wrote:
"BUT just remember, you MUST allow a lot of the pink stuff to flow out the faucets if you don't blow the water out first.. Failure to ensure enough pink stuff flows results in the water in the lines to be absorbed by the pink stuff and WEAKENING the pink stuff to the point of possible damage.."

This seems like someone that is convinced his method is without fail and the "pink" one is for those that don't do it his way.
Sorry but been doing the pink thing for 18 years without any problem and trailer is stored in the great white north. The pink stuff is "made" for one purpose and does it well without any other effects.

:R

GEE, glad you are using the pink stuff..

Seems to me I read quite a few posts this spring and perhaps last spring also of folks who used the pink stuff WITHOUT blowing out the water first which resulted in BROKEN water lines.

The pink stuff ONLY works when it is used FULL STRENGTH.

ANY dilution by any amount of water WILL RENDER it USELESS.

The problem however with depending on the pink stuff is the manufactures CAN CHEAT and dilute it further than they should WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

I HAVE personally ran into this issue with the blue windshield washer fluid! Several winters ago, I FOUGHT with several jugs of windshield washer fluid (I bought them at the same place at the same time) which FROZE COMPLETELY SOLID IN THE LINES AND TANK. The temperatures, 20F-25F ABOVE ZERO! The blue stuff should be good WELL below that.. I basically bought blue colored water :M

Go ahead and feel better but you STILL have a good chance of freezing if the manufacturer CHEATED and diluted the pink stuff or you do not leave enough pink stuff run out (waste)..

I sleep very well with just blowing out the water :B

Gdetrailer wrote:


Seems to me I read quite a few posts this spring and perhaps last spring also of folks who used the pink stuff WITHOUT blowing out the water first which resulted in BROKEN water lines.

The pink stuff ONLY works when it is used FULL STRENGTH.

ANY dilution by any amount of water WILL RENDER it USELESS.

The problem however with depending on the pink stuff is the manufactures CAN CHEAT and dilute it further than they should WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

I HAVE personally ran into this issue with the blue windshield washer fluid! Several winters ago, I FOUGHT with several jugs of windshield washer fluid (I bought them at the same place at the same time) which FROZE COMPLETELY SOLID IN THE LINES AND TANK. The temperatures, 20F-25F ABOVE ZERO! The blue stuff should be good WELL below that.. I basically bought blue colored water :M
:B

60 minutes should investigate this dilution of blue windshield washer fluid and pink RV antifreeze for this clandestine activity. I didn't happen to note a great influx of broken plumbing last winter being reported myself.

and "any dilution will render it useless". If I have some spare time to waste, I think I will do a study of various dilutions and see what happens. since the pink stuff may slush up, it will be hard to tell exactly how much "slushing up" is done per dilution however.
bumpy

Bumpyroad wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:


Seems to me I read quite a few posts this spring and perhaps last spring also of folks who used the pink stuff WITHOUT blowing out the water first which resulted in BROKEN water lines.

The pink stuff ONLY works when it is used FULL STRENGTH.

ANY dilution by any amount of water WILL RENDER it USELESS.

The problem however with depending on the pink stuff is the manufactures CAN CHEAT and dilute it further than they should WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

I HAVE personally ran into this issue with the blue windshield washer fluid! Several winters ago, I FOUGHT with several jugs of windshield washer fluid (I bought them at the same place at the same time) which FROZE COMPLETELY SOLID IN THE LINES AND TANK. The temperatures, 20F-25F ABOVE ZERO! The blue stuff should be good WELL below that.. I basically bought blue colored water :M
:B

60 minutes should investigate this dilution of blue windshield washer fluid and pink RV antifreeze for this clandestine activity. I didn't happen to note a great influx of broken plumbing last winter being reported myself.

and "any dilution will render it useless". If I have some spare time to waste, I think I will do a study of various dilutions and see what happens. since the pink stuff may slush up, it will be hard to tell exactly how much "slushing up" is done per dilution however.
bumpy

Do you know what type of RV/Marine antifreeze you are buying?

Do you realize that there ARE different types of RV/marine antifreeze?

There ARE at least THREE distinct "types" of RV antifreezes.

Per HERE you have an Ethanol (alcohol) based, Propylene Glycol Based and a Propylene Glycol/Ethanol MIX based.

Unlike what the website I referenced above says you can buy both Propylene Glycol and the Propylene Glycol/Ethanol mix in most retail stores.. Walmart has them side by side on the shelves.

Good pink stuff (propylene glycol) $11.40 a gallon

HERE

Cheap pink stuff (Propylene Glycol/Ethanol (alcohol) mix) $3.47 gallon

HERE

Both of the above can provide "freeze protection" but that freeze protection listed on the bottle is ONLY GOOD if you do not dilute it any further OR the bottler does not dilute it..

Additionally the cheap pink stuff since it contains a considerable amount of Ethanol is going to be harsh to many rubber seals (toilet, faucet valves, tank valves, water pump and pressure switch, Water pressure accumulator tank with bladder if you have one, and even perhaps the water lines..

Most people are not going to pay the $12 price tag of the straight Propylene Glycol..

At $12 a gallon you are not going to want to run more than you have to through the system so most folks are going to shut off the spigots when it STARTS to turn pink which IS WELL BEFORE they get ALL the water out of the system..

By the way, if you are buying the expensive pink stuff then you can buy a tester made for propylene glycol instead of guessing on how pink it looks..

I blow out my water lines and only use the antifreeze in the traps and drains. I have never had a problem. I live in Indiana.I set my air compressor at 40 # and start at the back of the trailer and work toward the front. I drain the water heater and put it on bypass.I drain the fresh water tank. I run the pump long enough to get the water out of it. Any residual water will not expand enough to hurt anything. I have a 32 ft Holiday rambler TT.

Gdetrailer wrote:

The pink stuff ONLY works when it is used FULL STRENGTH.

ANY dilution by any amount of water WILL RENDER it USELESS.

Unlike what the website I referenced above says you can buy both Propylene Glycol and the Propylene Glycol/Ethanol mix in most retail stores.. Walmart has them side by side on the shelves.

Good pink stuff (propylene glycol) $11.40 a gallon

By the way, if you are buying the expensive pink stuff then you can buy a tester made for propylene glycol instead of guessing on how pink it looks..

I can assure you I will not be buying the $11.40 a gallon pink stuff. that which I use is a combination and labeled to minus 50 degrees. I figure that where I have my RV in the winter I can stand to have it diluted somewhat and still be effective.
but if there is some large conspiracy to dilute the pink stuff so it only protects to minus 40 degrees, I hope the attorney general will put together a strike force.

bumpy

After using the pink stuff the first year of RV'ing (1987), then tasting it on the first, second and third camping trips, I've been blowing out the lines ever since. I don't use shut off-diverting valves, I blow out the system from the drain hole of the hot water tank. Works great. My air pump has a lot of pressure.

I just blow mine out , I open every valve at the same time and fire up the compressor . Takes about 2 minutes ........... a 125 cfm diesel compressor . I have a pressure regulator set at 50 psi , but the volume works fantastic

As I've stated for over several years the 15 minute winterization WITH the cheap pink stuff after draining the trailer and then leaving it in Northern Michigan has never ever had bad outcomes. I invest about 3 bucks for the "pink" and it works great.
If you put the pink stuff in the drains etc then why not the whole system? Seems like you are "trusting it anyways.

Uplander wrote:
Considering the low cost for anti-freeze (about $3.47 per gal. at Walmart). I can not understand why anyone would just blow out the lines and pray they got it all out. Just a little amount of water left in the system could result in some big expenses for repairs and parts. Not worth the gamble to me.
I blow out the system, drain every tank plus the water heater (leaving the plug out) with the by-pass set, then I pump the system full of antifreeze, add some to the traps and some into all the tanks.
When spring arrives I flush out the system, run a bleach water solution through the pipes, rinse again to clear our the bleach smell and taste. No leaks, no blown out pipes, no cracked tanks....no big repair problems.....Happy, Happy, Happy!!!

I used to own a Starcraft hybrid and it was a breeze to winterize. Under the decent sized bathroom cabinet the water pump came with the auxilary hose attachment to suck the pink stuff through the lines.

I "upgraded" to an Airstream and the water pump is located in a very tight compartment that Houdini himself would be challenged to work on.
The Airstream dealer told me that they use only air and told me how to go through the system. No problems for me but, as a few have already mentioned, you have to do it right. Hey, you have to do it right if you use the pink stuff too so beware. Things can go wrong. I managed to break two, not just one, kitchen sprayers. One when I was using the pink and the second a few years later when using just air. I doubt I will break a third one. I am a slow learner obviously but I am learning none the less.

I have never used the 'pink' stuff or blow lines out.........
I just open low point drains, all faucets/showers (hot/cold mix) and prop toilet open.
Drain water heater and fresh water tank and run pump dry.

Haven't had a bust line/fitting etc.
Done this in UT, CO, WY, CA and AZ

Water expands when it freezes...but only busts lines etc if it doesn't have room to expand. With an 'open' system the little bit of water that might be in lines can expand without damaging anything.

This pink stuff..blow lines debate is silly.

Do what works for you and makes you comfortable......even if it isn't necessary :B