How to blow out lines to winterize

[ricelake922]

Hello. I have always paid to winterized my RV but would really like to learn how to do it myself without just pouring antifreeze down the toilet and sinks. I would really like to use air on the lines butl do not have a clue. Can someone please tell me using the KISS principle on how to do this task. I am placing the RV indoors for the winter. Thank you in advance.

[willald]

mowermech wrote:
(SIGH)
SIX pages of:
"THAT won't work!"
"Yes, it will!"
"No, it won't!"
"But, I have done it, and it does work!"
"No, it can't work!"
et cetera, ad infinitum, ad nauseum!

Nothing new to see here, just move along...

Mowermech, isn't that what 90% of the threads on here evolve into, in one form or another? 🙂

Will

[John_Joey]

Empty Nest, Soon wrote:

MagillaGorilla wrote:
Here is my question; If this way is the better way to winterize, why don't the RV places use this method instead of the antifreeze method?

Probably because of the extra profit from selling a few gallons of pink anti-freeze.

Wayne

Not all RV's are created equal that's why. Also some have been modified by less then knowledgeable owners. Using the Pink stuff the RV shop knows they won't be paying out of their pocket for a clients busted whatever in the spring. Push pink stuff threw and you know you're safe.

If you own the RV and are doing it yourself, then whatever floats your boat I guess.

[mikestock]

I purchased a used coach. The fellow I bought it from suowed me two valves and said all he ever did was open these two valves and let the water drain out. Really! I spent two weeks replacing faucets and lines before the system would finally hold pressure.

I have since added a washing machine. It will require antifreeze to protect the punp but I intend to use air to remove water from the rest of the system. Of course the traps will need protecting with a small amount of the pink stuff. I like the idea I got here of setting the compressor to 120 psi with one valve always open. I guarantee that any water left in the system will be residual and not a threat (in central Alabama).

[mowermech]

(SIGH)
SIX pages of:
"THAT won't work!"
"Yes, it will!"
"No, it won't!"
"But, I have done it, and it does work!"
"No, it can't work!"
et cetera, ad infinitum, ad nauseum!

Nothing new to see here, just move along...

[et2]

Lantley wrote:
I think both methods work if done properly. However anti freeze is foolproof with less chance for error and for the most part quicker.
To the guys that use the blowout method do you sanitize your water lines in the Spring?
Is the advantage to using the blowout method that there's simply no anti freeze to deal with? Is it the cost savings?
At the end of the day I want the most foolproof method.

No it's not. I always had that additude and never had one problem over many years, until last year. Done it the same way I always have, opened the low points and drained first, then added the red pop. Last year we had a line break over the winter at the water heater area. I ran at least 5 gallons thru our lines.

I think what the situation is (was) you must get red pop thru every line. The one that didn't get any was the city water connection as I didn't have a way to get red pop thru that. Whether that is the reason water got to were it did and caused the issue, I don't know. But that is the only reason I can think of other than the line was suspect all along and the red pop got slushy and swelled a little which edged a existing problem on its way.

So for what I saved from having the dealer winterize it I paid in repairs to get it fixed. General RV by us guarantees their winterization. If it leaks they pay for the repair. I'll let them do it from now on. I'd hate to have a line split in a area I couldn't get to.

IMHO either way works. You just better be confident all the lines are clear of water.

[Empty_Nest__Soo]

I feel confident that the cheapest, easiest way to test plumbing for leaks is with air pressure. If there were never any water in the plumbing system, there would be no need to winterize at the factory.

I don’t buy the statements “all” manufacturers winterize with anti-freeze at the factory. The one RV I bought new, I took delivery in February and I saw no evidence of anti-freeze from the factory. Those of you who claim to have seen this in every RV at RV shows, do you turn on the tap of every RV and check to see what comes out? And if you did, how do you know that it came from the factory that way vs. the dealer pumping it full of anti-freeze?

On the Safari motorhome forum recently there was a thread about winterizing and it was stated that the Safari tech support instructions were to use the low-point drains, followed by blowing out with air. Nearly all the Safari owners responding stated that they used the drain and blow method. One fellow said he had used only the low-point drains and gravity and had no problems after many winters up north.

On my Safari, there is no water heater bypass. Had the designers seen a need for anti-freeze, I’m sure they would have installed one – Safari did not skimp on details in their coaches. Clearly, they did not expect the owner to pump an extra 10 gallons of pink stuff to fill the water heater tank.

Wayne

[Lantley]

Empty Nest, Soon wrote:

Lantley wrote:
I think both methods work if done properly. However anti freeze is foolproof with less chance for error and for the most part quicker.
To the guys that use the blowout method do you sanitize your water lines in the Spring?
Is the advantage to using the blowout method that there's simply no anti freeze to deal with? Is it the cost savings?
At the end of the day I want the most foolproof method.

.

To me, blowing out the lines seems perfectly foolproof, quicker and easier, and leaves no taste of chemicals from anti-freeze.

Wayne

I Imagine if this were true, The RV manufactures would use the blow out method exclusively and eliminate the expense of winterizing with anti freeze.

[Empty_Nest__Soo]

A belt and suspenders guy!

The purpose of the exercise, whichever method you choose, is to displace the water from the lines. Or at least enough of the water so that what remains is harmless.

If there were no risk of low spots in the lines to potentially trap water, low-point drains by themselves would work well enough.

Wayne

[GlennLever]

I use both methods, I first blow the system out,and then pump antifreeze in. I never drink from the system, I carry several gallons of bottled water for that.

When not using the RV I drain the system dry.



Step by step instructions with pictures

[427435]

mrekim wrote:
For those that use air.

If you run your compressor just blowing air out for 5 min doesn't the air smell of oil, even if you have an oil separator.

I think an important issue for using air is getting clean air, but I never see it discussed.

No. One of the compressors I use is 45 years old.

[427435]

dodge guy wrote:
Every RV I've seen at RV shows has RV antifreeze in it. So that is how the manuf tests the system and winterizes it. Believe me if a manuf. could save a few bucks on each unit they sell them they would just blow them out, but yet they don't.

Time is money in the factory. It's cheaper to quickly pump some anti-freeze than take the time to thoroughly blow out all the lines. In fact, they probably use the pink stuff to check the system for leaks.

[mowermech]

"antifreeze is foolproof"??
Sorry, NOTHING is truly "foolproof"!
Fools are simply too darned ingenious!
Remember, "Anything that can go wrong, will."
and
"Anything that can go wrong already has, you just haven't noticed it yet!"

[Empty_Nest__Soo]

Lantley wrote:
I think both methods work if done properly. However anti freeze is foolproof with less chance for error and for the most part quicker.
To the guys that use the blowout method do you sanitize your water lines in the Spring?
Is the advantage to using the blowout method that there's simply no anti freeze to deal with? Is it the cost savings?
At the end of the day I want the most foolproof method.

I sanitize the water system any time I've gone a few months without using the RV. It's not hard to run some bleach water through everything, let it sit 24 hours, drain, and rinse.

If I were using pink anti-freeze, I would sanitize the water system anyway, and by blowing I don't have to purge the taste of anti-freeze.

To me, blowing out the lines seems perfectly foolproof, quicker and easier, and leaves no taste of chemicals from anti-freeze.

Wayne

[Lantley]

I think both methods work if done properly. However anti freeze is foolproof with less chance for error and for the most part quicker.
To the guys that use the blowout method do you sanitize your water lines in the Spring?
Is the advantage to using the blowout method that there's simply no anti freeze to deal with? Is it the cost savings?
At the end of the day I want the most foolproof method.