Winterization: wet or dry?

[Homey_B]

It is way early in the season (even up here in the NorthEast), but I'm trying to head off a disaster later on...

We (DW and myself) are planning on taking a late November trip down south (Florida? Georgia?). It'll be after the seasonal campground we're staying at completed their "winterization services" for those who choose to participate. Which means that when we come home, I'm going to have to get ready for The Big Freeze which comes later in the season.

I've read that there are two ways to prep for winter. First is to replace water with anti-freeze. Call this the "wet" method. You get a gizmo to allow the water pump to suck anti-freeze from the jugs, etc etc etc... There's also a gizmo out there to connect "city water" to an air compressor. So basically, one by one, you open each water faucet and blow the water out under air pressure. And no need to dump in anti-freeze with this method (from what I have read).

So, what's the collective wisdom? Get the gizmo for wet prep, or get the gizmo for the dry prep?

Thanks in advance for the guidance!

j

[robbins1]

For $50.00 I get the RV place to do it all. One hour, guaranteed results, and I read the newspaper.

[Dakzuki]

Wishbone51 wrote:

NanciL wrote:
I am not sure how a person does the traps with the compressor method, but with the wet method they automatically get done, and it also puts some in the black and gray tanks

Even with the 'dry' method, a splash of anti-freeze is still required in the traps.

Correct. The anti freeze also helps keep them from drying out so you don's get tank stink in the RV.

[Dakzuki]

SteveAE wrote:
J,

No "wisdom", just what I do.
As I frequently camp (and then return home) in sub-freezing temps though out the winter, I use the "dry method".
Drain everything, blow air through the lines, and dump a little anti-freeze in the sink and tub traps.
No "fancy" fitting, just a device that allows my air hose to connect to the pressurized water inlet which I suspect you can get it at RV stores.
Takes about a hour which includes dumping the tanks (as long as the dump valves aren't frozen....)

I suspect you will find many others who prefer the "wet method".

Safe travels,
Steve

Me too. We use the RV in the winter so if we break it out for use it's way easier to just load water rather than flushing a bunch of anti freeze out of the system.

[wbwood]

Bobbo wrote:

mowermech wrote:
For my first motorhome many years ago, I dumped 6 gallons of anti-freeze into the fresh water tank, then ran it through the system. I learned to NEVER do that again!

That is why they make the kit to have the pump suck the pink stuff out of the original bottles. You don't have to put it into the fresh water tank.

Works ok if your pump is easily accessable...our TT wasn't. Did it that way the first year and then I read the manual that said to dump it in the FW tank and go that way. Way easier for us.

But even that way, if you are worried about pink stuff in the lines, it will be there. You can drain it out of the FW tank.

[Bobbo]

mowermech wrote:
For my first motorhome many years ago, I dumped 6 gallons of anti-freeze into the fresh water tank, then ran it through the system. I learned to NEVER do that again!

That is why they make the kit to have the pump suck the pink stuff out of the original bottles. You don't have to put it into the fresh water tank.

[Shot-N-Az]

To those who think that pink juice is best in the fresh water lines, I tell them to take a cup full of it and place it in their freezer at home and watch what happens over the next few days.

Better yet, take two glass bottles, fill one with pink and the other with water. Cap them off, and then set them both in the freezer overnight. See what you have in the morning.

[wbwood]

mlts22 wrote:
Dumping antifreeze in the FW tank means it remains there virtually forever, as it takes a ton of flushes to get that stuff out.

We've done it that for several years with no residuals at all. We flush it a couple of times and its gone.

[Mocoondo]

WyoTraveler wrote:

There are Rvers still out there that don't think that pink stuff freezes. It just doesn't freeze hard enough to damage lines. Unless it gets diluted in the lines. Plus winterizing and de-winterizing 5 or 6 times a year and getting the pink stuff out at 30 or 35 degrees is almost impossible.

Oh, I know only too well.

To those who think that pink juice is best in the fresh water lines, I tell them to take a cup full of it and place it in their freezer at home and watch what happens over the next few days. Household freezers typically don't get as cold as it can outside in the dead of winter, yet you can still turn a glass of pink juice into ice. No thanks. Not for my water lines.

On the other hand, there is anti-freeze that boaters commonly use which has protection down to -150. Even though I wouldn't personally put that in my water lines, that would be a much better option than the el cheapo -50 stuff they sell as RV anti-freeze. If the -50 stuff gets even slightly diluted with latent water remaining in the lines, it's level of protection is drastically reduced.

[mlts22]

Dumping antifreeze in the FW tank means it remains there virtually forever, as it takes a ton of flushes to get that stuff out.

[wbwood]

mowermech wrote:
I learned to NEVER do that again!

Why?

[mowermech]

The guy who does my underground sprinklers uses 100 PSI air, at high volume, lets the air flow until there is no moisture coming out of the sprinkler heads.
In the motorhome, I use 60 PSI air, through a 3/8 inch ID air hose, and blow out all faucets until there is no moisture.
That has worked well in two motorhomes, a truck camper, and a fifth wheel. No broken pipes or fittings through several Montana winters, temps as low as 30 below. The only anti-freeze used is a cup full or so in each drain trap and in the toilet. I disconnect the pump and run all the water out of it.
For my first motorhome many years ago, I dumped 6 gallons of anti-freeze into the fresh water tank, then ran it through the system. I learned to NEVER do that again!

[wbwood]

CloudDriver wrote:

skipnchar wrote:
Blowing out the lines (dry method) works well as LONG as you're very meticulous in the job you do. Any remaining water left at a critical place CAN cause you some repairs (water left in the water pump, check valves or faucet valves in particular). The "wet method" is much more fool proof and doesn't take much skill to do it right. It is also a faster method but the cost is a little higher (the cost of the antifreeze).

Good luck / Skip

X2

For each day of a hard freeze,

the antifreeze method = no worries

the blow out method = hope I got it all out

Agreed. Ask my BIL about the time he "thought" he blew all the water out of the lines of his toy hauler. Unpleasant surprise that spring.

Since you have a copper canyon and with it being keystone, I think you will find in your manual (as the manual for the keystone sprinter select TT we had did) that it says to drain the water out of the lines and out the antifreeze in your fresh water tank and let the water pump, pump it through the lines. Yes in the spring you will have to rinse it out a couple times to get the pink stuff out and then you will have to sanitize the tank (which you should do anyways) , but to me spending less than $20 on antifreeze each year is well worth it. And to boot, it's a lot easier and quicker to do than blowing out lines and adding pink stuff to the traps and seals. At least with adding antifreeze and seeing the pink stuff come through the lines that its good to go.

But people do it differently. And many have good luck doing it both ways.

[WyoTraveler]

Mocoondo wrote:
I never use a drop of anti-freeze in my water lines. I've seen (and repaired) far too much damage resulting from pink juice that diluted in the lines and subsequently froze.

I've always been a big believer that if you do not understand your water system, you shouldn't be winterizing it. With a complete understanding of how the system works, any person with average skills can get all the water out with compressed air. That is what I do and it has served me well to this day.

There are Rvers still out there that don't think that pink stuff freezes. It just doesn't freeze hard enough to damage lines. Unless it gets diluted in the lines. Plus winterizing and de-winterizing 5 or 6 times a year and getting the pink stuff out at 30 or 35 degrees is almost impossible.

[Devocamper]

we are also in the northeast, I do both, blow the lines out first them fill it with anti frezze since the water pump can hold water even after you blow it out , But if your on the road and using the water systems everyday you could just blow the lines out with a small comp.