Those of you with accumulator/pressure tanks

[GWolfe]

I'm going to add one to my camper. My only question is what do you do to winterize? I have always just blown air through my lines and dumped RV antifreeze down the drains. Will I need to start running the antifreeze through my lines as well?

[mobeewan]

I too used the 2 gallon water heater expansion tank from Home Depot. Teed it into the cold water line with it's own shut off valve to isolate it when winterizing like others.

[Bobbo]

I put a shutoff valve in the line to mine. Drain all of the water out of it and shut it off. Done.

[TurnThePage]

I have the small one and have been happy with it, though I might get a bigger one someday.

It's mounted as though it's laying on its side. I've never in the 13 years it's been installed, done anything other than a standard winterization, which for me means pumping the pink stuff through the lines then draining it. We routinely fall below 0F.

[ScottG]

I've had the small, RV specific units and the bigger 1 and 2 gallon tanks. Any combination works great to quell the vibrations and noise and smooth out the water flow, even the little one.
Using the larger tanks will cause the pump to run-on some while it replenishes the lost volume. You get that time back when you first turn on the faucet the next time.
One nice thing about the larger 1 or 2 gallon tanks is that you can flush the toilet a great number of times without the pump kicking on. With a two gallon tank and the pump off, I could flush it 17 times before the pressure and volume was exhausted.
So if you have people getting up at night, it works out very nicely.

[GWolfe]

Thanks for all of the replies! I wish I would have posted this before I ordered the tank, I got one of the smaller ones. I'll try it out and see how it goes I suppose.

[TUCQUALA]

As to mounting, I recommend with fitting down. You'll get almost 100% of water out of the accumulator with none in the inlet. Seen them mounted with fitting on top, seems like you would have a high spot both in the lines and the fitting connection.

[JIMNLIN]

I've used both but I like the accumulator tank better also.

[RAS43]

GWolfe wrote:
I'm going to add one to my camper. My only question is what do you do to winterize? I have always just blown air through my lines and dumped RV antifreeze down the drains. Will I need to start running the antifreeze through my lines as well?

I also blow out the lines and have never had an issue with the accumulator tank.
I do like the tank. It was OEM when I got the trailer. I removed it and installed a different pump that was supposed to replace the tank but it never worked like the tank so I put everything back to stock and we have been happy with that.

[GordonThree]

I like my small accumulator too, it has worked great to even out the pressure from the factory equipped pump. Before the tank I'd have no pressure when I opened the tap and it would slowly build. Now I open the tap, the water is at full pressure instantly, and maintains the same flow as the pump kicks on a second or two later.

[time2roll]

I like my small accumulator. Had leak issues as the water expands in the heater from full cold to full hot. No need to maintain an air pocket in the W/H with a small expansion tank. Only slightly improves pump cycling but that is not why I have it.

OP, I don't winterize but with no pressure it will self drain and there is space for water to expand as it freezes.

[lawrosa]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Lawrosa,

How about the ones intended for reverse osmosis?

Yes any tank made for potable water....

[Stefonius]

I agree with lawrosa - use a larger tank. Here's the one I put in: 2 gallon pressure tank. It does the trick!

[pianotuna]

Hi Lawrosa,

How about the ones intended for reverse osmosis?

[lawrosa]

accumulator tank waste of money IMO unless you get a larger tank like used for a HWH... You will not like the results with the tiny ones they sell for RV that hold less then a 1/2 pint of water...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/8-5-in-W-x-11-5-in-D-x-8-5-in-H-Pre-Pressurized-Steel-Water-Expansion-Ta...

Just need a 3/4 x pex adapter, a 1/2 pex tee, and a small length of 1/2 pex hose...

IMO youll be happier with the results all for under $50 bucks...

Im a plumber 35 years....