Winterizing

[vcbutton]

Can someone please point me to a step-by-step outline to blow out the water lines? I have a compressor but need a connector of some kind.

Thanks

[JC2]

Effy wrote:

prism wrote:

Nomadac wrote:
Don't forget the lines for your Ice Maker and blow out the plastic valve that they connect to or it will break. The spray hose in the toilet also.

If you have lines for a washer, you need to make sure that antifreeze is in those lines. I do not have a washer so do not know what that procedure is.

If hes BLOWING it out why would he need antifreeze in these lines?
He will need antifreeze in the washing machine pump for sure(if he has one0

I do it as a bit of added insurance. It would be next to impossible to evacuate all the water from every line and the pump by blowing it out. Based on the way the lines are run , despite blowing them out, water will still collect and pool somewhere in the lines. For the cost and easy of letting the pump siphon it through, why not? I know some folks never do and they have luck with that. For a few bucks I am not taking any chances. Maybe it's overkill, but I sleep better.

I agree.:)

[Effy]

prism wrote:

Nomadac wrote:
Don't forget the lines for your Ice Maker and blow out the plastic valve that they connect to or it will break. The spray hose in the toilet also.

If you have lines for a washer, you need to make sure that antifreeze is in those lines. I do not have a washer so do not know what that procedure is.

If hes BLOWING it out why would he need antifreeze in these lines?
He will need antifreeze in the washing machine pump for sure(if he has one0

I do it as a bit of added insurance. It would be next to impossible to evacuate all the water from every line and the pump by blowing it out. Based on the way the lines are run , despite blowing them out, water will still collect and pool somewhere in the lines. For the cost and easy of letting the pump siphon it through, why not? I know some folks never do and they have luck with that. For a few bucks I am not taking any chances. Maybe it's overkill, but I sleep better.

[prism]

Nomadac wrote:
Don't forget the lines for your Ice Maker and blow out the plastic valve that they connect to or it will break. The spray hose in the toilet also.

If you have lines for a washer, you need to make sure that antifreeze is in those lines. I do not have a washer so do not know what that procedure is.

If hes BLOWING it out why would he need antifreeze in these lines?
He will need antifreeze in the washing machine pump for sure(if he has one0

[Nomadac]

Don't forget the lines for your Ice Maker and blow out the plastic valve that they connect to or it will break. The spray hose in the toilet also.

If you have lines for a washer, you need to make sure that antifreeze is in those lines. I do not have a washer so do not know what that procedure is.

[lanerd]

Born To Travel wrote:
I went to my local hardware store and made one from scratch for a couple bucks.. Just ask for a 3/4 npt x 1/4_ npt pipe bushing.. I made mine from steel but they come in everything from plastic to stainless. Then just thread a quick coupler into the center and you are good to go.. Here is one just for reference.. http://www.amazon.com/Anvil-8700130704-Fitting-Bushing-Galvanized/dp/B005C2U6T6/ref=sr_1_1?s=industr...

This is exactly what I did years ago and have kept the thing through out several rv's. I made mine with a pvc connector and a spare male air nozzle I had laying around. Total cost was less than a buck.

Not mentioned is the fact that this allows you to connect the air line so you can go around the rv and drain all the lines without having a second person to hold the air line in place. You can also use this for the black tank flush line too.

Ron

[Effy]

hipower wrote:

tbred wrote:
Don't forget black tank flush line if you have one.

Never thought about that one and fortunately never had any problems as a result. Not heading for warmer climes for a several more weeks and debating winterizing now or taking a chance that Mother Nature will be kind in the interim.

That may not be a perfect plan since we are getting reports of potential snow later this week.

You can take a chance and run the heat. But for a few minutes and a few dollars I find I sleep better at night if you just winterize. To un-winterize is really simple so why not. All it takes is a small crack anywhere to cost you big bucks and ruin a trip. I do mine a few times in the winter since it might sit a week or so between trips. Beats watching the changing weather every day and a small storm might push you to do a late night in the cold quick winterize anyway.

[Born_To_Travel]

I went to my local hardware store and made one from scratch for a couple bucks.. Just ask for a 3/4 npt x 1/4_ npt pipe bushing.. I made mine from steel but they come in everything from plastic to stainless. Then just thread a quick coupler into the center and you are good to go.. Here is one just for reference.. http://www.amazon.com/Anvil-8700130704-Fitting-Bushing-Galvanized/dp/B005C2U6T6/ref=sr_1_1?s=industr...

[hipower]

tbred wrote:
Don't forget black tank flush line if you have one.

Never thought about that one and fortunately never had any problems as a result. Not heading for warmer climes for a several more weeks and debating winterizing now or taking a chance that Mother Nature will be kind in the interim.

That may not be a perfect plan since we are getting reports of potential snow later this week.

[tbred]

Don't forget black tank flush line if you have one.

[docnascar]

-additional.

blow out plug
Drain freshwater, black, and grey tanks.
Drain low point drains.
Drain hotwater heater and set to bypass before you blow the lines out.
Don't forget your outside shower if you have one.

[Effy]

Any RV parts store will have a blowout plug. Make sure you set your psi high enough to blow out water but low enough you don't exceed and rupture a line. Open a faucet, then another etc until they have no water coming out. Beyond that, you want to drain your water heater by unscrewing the plug, bypass your water heater supply lines, and either add pink stuff to your fw tank, and use the water pump to run through the system making sure you get pink stuff coming out of every faucet - including your outside shower - (I forgot that one once and had to replace) your sink sprayer, shower hose and toilet. This will also add pink stuff to your traps so it takes care of that too. If you have a siphon on your water pump (a hose that will draw from an anti freeze container) you can do that as well or instead of running through your fw tank, I do both. for the cost of 2 gals of anti freeze I don't take any chances. We get some hard and long freezes up here on the mountain. I have the whole process down to 15 minutes.

[John_Joey]

Clicky.

WalMart in the RV section will also have a plastic one for half that price. Just thread it into your city water inlet and apply LESS THAN 50 PSI. That is more then enough to push the water out, plus not do any damage.

You'll be surprised at how much still comes out of things like the toilet and Hot water heater even after draining.

[donn0128]

You can buy a really crappy blow out plug or make one for a couple of dollars. Take an old white water hose and cut the end off leaving maybe 6 inches of hose, using a hose clamp and the correct quick connect fitting, install the fitting in the end of the hose. Tighten the clamp around it. Screw the hose into your fresh water port. Connect to your compressor and turn the compressor on. I usually set mine to around 10-15 PSI. Go inside and open faucets one a time until there is no water coming out. Repeat until everything is done. Pour a cup of antifreeze into each "P" trap and the toilet and your done.