Winterizing the Black Tank Flusher

[Dave_H_M]

I been thinking - and I know that is dangerous. :R

We usually break camp in FL earlier than a normal show bird and it was freezing adz cold when we got back to IL this winter. I Winterized with the pink stuff in FL but since I left my head buried in the sand down there Murpy got me.

So now I am repairing a cracked 90 degree elbow in the basement and have the black flow prevention thingey on order.

I am thinking that the reason that the mfg installed an outside shower on my trailer was for the purpose of winterizing the black tank flush line. It seems to me that rigging a tube/hose that could be used for connecting the shower faucet to the tank flusher (which are located next to each other) would take care of my issue.

What do you think of that brain storm? Feasible? :h

[MFL]

Dave, thanks for the follow up!

That seems like a slick deal, since you need to run pink through the outside shower anyway. Now we know what to use, to just jump over and do the city hookup, and black flush.

Jerry

[dog_bone]

dbbls wrote:
I must be lucky because I have never winterized the black tank flusher and have never had a problem. Dumb luck I guess.

Me either. 12 yrs. This was one of the coldest winters up in the northeast. Everything good. I believe there is a check valve, when I disconnect my hose, quite a bit of water comes out
Couple shots using a hand pump will do the trick

[Dave_H_M]

Follow UP

I ordered a Phoenix USA 342-40 40" white vinyl hose off amazon for $5.61

It screws right onto the output for the outside shower. I then cut one end off and bought a nylon male garden hose with 3/8 barb that plugs right into the cut of hose.

Can now do the City water and Black tank flusher from that hook up.

Oh and I can guarantee you that my Black tank flusher is not self draining since I know how the pex is routed.

Have fun out there.

[allen8106]

dbbls wrote:
I must be lucky because I have never winterized the black tank flusher and have never had a problem. Dumb luck I guess.

Same here. I think they drain out by design when you finish flushing therefore no need to winterize.

[diesel_man_03]

I also just blow it out with air.

[Bumpyroad]

imjustdave wrote:
IF the line is empty "blowing air" I dont see the need or purpose of the pink stuff.....

you are absolutely correct. If the line is empty.the only issue is if low spots, dips, etc. happen to still contain water and some can adhere to the sidewalls of the pipe and later settle to low spots, etc.
I spend the $5.00 and use the pink stuff just in case.
bumpy

[Paul_Clancy]

I do air then pink into Btf using outside shower and a short 2 foot hose I bought at CW. I also had a Btf backflow valve freeze crack and had to replace.

[imjustdave]

IF the line is empty "blowing air" I dont see the need or purpose of the pink stuff...... I blow my irrigation system out every year... I never add pink stuf to it 🙂

I do pour pink stuff in the p traps though 🙂

[IllinoisCheeseh]

shadows4 wrote:

IllinoisCheesehead wrote:
I hook up a blowout plug and compressor to the black tank flush input and blow it out, same as I do to blow out the regular water lines. I don't pump in any anti-freeze to the tank flush. So far so good.

X2 I also pump the pink stuff after I have blown the lines. But I don't put any of the pink stuff in the BTF line.

Yep, same here. I do pump the pink stuff into the rest of the water lines, just not the BTF. It gets too cold here in WI/IL to go without the pink stuff, although I do recall reading of a guy who lives around Chicago who says he just blows out the lines, uses no pink stuff and never had an issue. I'm not that big of a gambler. I'll keep using the pink stuff.

[shadows4]

IllinoisCheesehead wrote:
I hook up a blowout plug and compressor to the black tank flush input and blow it out, same as I do to blow out the regular water lines. I don't pump in any anti-freeze to the tank flush. So far so good.

X2 I also pump the pink stuff after I have blown the lines. But I don't put any of the pink stuff in the BTF line.

[IllinoisCheeseh]

I hook up a blowout plug and compressor to the black tank flush input and blow it out, same as I do to blow out the regular water lines. I don't pump in any anti-freeze to the tank flush. So far so good.

[Devocamper]

I use a shot of air followed by some antifreeze pumped in with a hand pump right out of the bottle till I see it flow out the drain of the black tank. That way I know all the lines and sprayer are clear of water.

[TakingThe5th]

Thanks OP. Sorry 'bout your cracked elbow. Your shower idea makes perfect sense.

[MNRon]

I also have never worried about winterizing the black flush line and never had a problem. After reading replies here I probably will give it a shot of air this coming fall if I remember, but that's purely overkill. I wouldn't worry about it.