Blowing Lines

[Cecilt]

When using air to blow out the lines my furthest water source is our outside kitchen. Is it best to just open the cold side and get all the water out then close and move to the next closest and open the cold etc or is it best to open the cold and hot on the outside kitchen at the same time, get all water out and then do the same for the next closest which is inside kitchen sink? tks

[AmericalVette]

Dr Quick wrote:
I do not recommend blowing out potable water lines unless you have a clean air source. Normal air compressors will have rusty water and oil in the tank, that will get into your water system.

This is why I use an oilless compressor. And after each use of the compressor, there is a relief valve on the bottom where all moisture is blown out. It's a 6gal Porter Cable, $92.00 bucks from Amazon.

[MFL]

I agree ^^^^ on the use of higher quality antifreeze. I get Prestone RV antifreeze at Walmart. It is propylene, with no alcohol,and is non staining. It is about 5 bucks a gal. I blow the lines first, then add Prestone RV. I run a good amount down drains, since mostly pure, with very good valve lubricating qualities. In the Spring all valves work easily/smoothly. Yes, good for toilet seal too, and will not evaporate.

Jerry

[myredracer]

Please say it's not that time of year again. 😞

Fan of blowing lines out here. I used to use a pancake compressor and it worked fine but now I use a 5HP shop compressor with dessicant dryer and 0.01 micron filter - no worries about contaminated air. 🙂 Two winters ago it got cold enough on the west coast that the engine in our skid steer loader froze up solid and did some expensive damage but the lines in the TT were perfectly fine using the pancake compressor.

One thing to know about pink stuff if you're going to use it is that there are two kinds. The cheaper ethanol based one can taint the water, damage seals and evaporate (in toilet bowl). The better propylene glycol stuff doesn't do this and is non-toxic, non-flammable and will help to lubricate seals but is harder to find since it is a little more expensive and won't sell off the shelves like the inferior stuff does. I'm not surprised at all that TL mag. would promote the use of antifreeze. DW refuses to allow a chemical of any kind into the plumbing system.

[goducks10]

dodge guy wrote:
I think the "blow it out only camp" has never lived in a -20deg. area!

You're right, I never have.

[DrewE]

dodge guy wrote:
I think the "blow it out only camp" has never lived in a -20deg. area!

Vermont occasionally gets down to -20 degrees, though not consistently and rarely for months at a time.

However, it does very much get and stay below freezing for extended periods, and my motorhome does get plenty cold enough for any water in the plumbing system to freeze solid. I don't think that 20 below ice is any more destructive to pipes and fittings than 10 above ice.

And yes, I use the "blow it out" method and have never had any problems from it.

I, from my point of view, find it rather surprising how many people here find all sorts of reasons why blowing the water out of the lines in an RV can't and won't and doesn't work when there are a great many people who have done it for many years with success. It's not as though this is new and untried and experimental technology. It's perfectly OK if people prefer not to go that route, but suggesting that it's ineffective or dangerous when there's plenty of evidence to the contrary seems odd to me.

[wa8yxm]

Back when I wintered in Detroit the first year I used Pink Stuff in the lines. Mell of a hess getting rid of all of it, ....Second year I wised up

Hooked up the compressor and blew the lines.. Several times waiting a few minutes between blows.. Used pinks in drains and traps only.. Emptied the water pump inlet strain and let it run dry for a minute.. Drained the water heater.

(NOTE: you should do most all this if using pink stoff too save for the blowing of lines)

Next spring.. Not only did I not have a hassle getting rid of the pink stuff... There was no pink stuff to get rid of save in the drains and traps, And well.. getting rid of that is.... NOT a problem.. (just flush).

Sanatized as I had to do the first spring, and all was good.

Now some folsk yammer about the frew drops of watter remaining after a blow out..

First: I did multiple blows. waiting between blows.. This gets rid of most of those.
Second: Even if some water does drip down to a low spot.. PEX survives freezing well, what breaks are the elbows and connectors as they are made of a hard plastic with no give... And the low spots (not the lowest which is a drain but the kind of spots where water might collect) on my rig are all PEX, nice freezable PEX.

Secodn, not enough water to fill a line remains, and if the air in the lines ever freezes... I won't be worried about it, not one bit.. For that matter I wont' be alive to worry about it (I breath that air too and frozen air is kind of hard to breathe).

[JaxDad]

dodge guy wrote:
Pink stuff is the way to go! Just blowing it out will always leave water laying in a low lying line somewhere. This has the potential to freeze and rupture.

Only if it's done wrong or poorly, amazing how many people think a dinky little compressor will do the job. You need a unit big enough to hold a minimum of 50psi with a 1/4" opening wide open for as long as it takes for ALL the water to be blown out of the lines.

dodge guy wrote:
I think the "blow it out only camp" has never lived in a -20deg. area!

I blow my lines several times each winter, have done so for 20+ years, never had a single problem.


Yes, it gets cold up here in Canada too.


BTW, they use air to blow irrigation systems too, I'm pretty sure if it didn't work and they had to dig up lawns and golf courses every spring to make repairs every spring, they'd use some other method.

[tinner12002]

dodge guy wrote:
I think the "blow it out only camp" has never lived in a -20deg. area!

Lol...I agree! I always blow lines out and then I use pink stuff, usually takes about 2 gal...cheap insurance against frozen/busted lines.

[dodge_guy]

I think the "blow it out only camp" has never lived in a -20deg. area!

[Crabbypatty]

I do both. I blow out the lines from the closest to the furthest away. The pressure restricter used for water is 45psi and thats what I do. I also add pink rv antifreeze. It only takes just a little more than a gallon and its cheap insurance of protecting any low points that defy the blow out.

To me im not that thrifty to worry about a couple of bucks and guarantee that I wont have a problem. to each there own but as soon as you break a line and flood something you will wish you did. The air blow out never gets all the water out. there is always something left.

[Dave_H_M]

Dick B, I am a pink stuff only guy also.

On that black tank flush, i have made a jumper that goes from the outside shower hose hook up to the black tank flush inlet.

[rhagfo]

goducks10 wrote:
I've never added pink stuff. I only blow my lines out. I open all the lines and blow for a few mins. I do open the low point drains, fresh water tank drain and empty the hot water heater prior to blowing. Haven't had a problem in 6 years. I live in Oregon and we don't get that constant really low temps in winter. I have other friends that just blow the lines and none have had issue either.
IMO it depends on where you live. I certainly wouldn't blow the lines if I were adding the pink stuff. Like mentioned it seems redundant.

X2, don't know about GoDucks10, but I may "Winterize" several times a season, as we go out year round.

I only blow the lines if temp is dropping to about 28, after a cool day, if day time temp get to 50 or so, 28 at night is still safe. I also blow if work takes me out of town for several days.

[ScottG]

A compressor isn't going to blow water and rust out unless you somehow hook up to the drain valve in it.
Just blow them out and put the pink stuff in the drains - doesn't really matter in what order, you'll eventually get everything out.
If you drink from your tanks then sanitize them next year.
Been doing this for years without anything "icky" getting in the lines.

[westend]

I'd suggest to remove as much water as possible by opening drains and sink valves, toilet, shower, etc. before hooking up the air compressor. There is a lot of energy in even a small slug of water in a pipe with air behind it. That slug of water moving through connections at high speed from the air compressed behind it isn't good for the plumbing.

[TBammer]

Dr Quick wrote:
I do not recommend blowing out potable water lines unless you have a clean air source. Normal air compressors will have rusty water and oil in the tank, that will get into your water system.

How about blowing through the portable water filter first, which I pitch at the end of the year anyway.