Blow out or Use the pink stuff my personal review

[dave17352]

Okay I did the blow out the air lines thing for the first time. I have
a large air compressor and everything necessary to make it as easy as possible. Took me about a 1/2 hour. If I were to do it again it would take about 20 minutes.

Then because I am paranoid I ran the pink stuff through. The pink stuff took about 5 minutes and I have nothing to be paranoid about. It also has a lubricant in it which is good for the valves and pump.

I should say I do believe the air got all the water out. It to me is just so easy to use the pink stuff and so safe I believe that will be my choice in the future. I did spend the 6 dollars on pink stuff for two gallons. But that seems like a small cost for the ease and convenience.

Now of course I have a winterizing valve and water heater bypass. If I did not then the air would be a more appealing option.

JMHO

[covered_wagon]

mkirsch wrote:
What is this "other type" of RV antifreeze?

If you are talking about the "green stuff" that is NOT RV antifreeze.

The bad RV antifreeze is the one with alcohol, Ethylene Glycol, it dries out seals and is hard on plumbing parts. I costs a wee bit less so best to look at the ingredients first before buying. They are both labeled RV Antifreeze.

[MORSNOW]

I drain my system and fill with the pink RV anti-freeze, and pour some in each drain (water heater bypassed and annode pulled). Blowing out the lines get most of the water out out, but not all. Heck, have you ever taken a drink with a straw and blew it out? There is still residual fluid on the inside of the straw and it's a perfectly straight 8" tube, can you imagine how much is still in a RV water system? Pink RV anti-freeze is still needed unless you live in the south with only occasional freezes. I'll spend the $5.00 a gallon for piece of mind during my long winters freeze.

[mkasner]

Wont you be sanitizing the fresh water tank come spring, so isn't this whole is pink better than air / taste of water a mute point?

[Johno02]

Use the KISS method. With pump off, just open all faucets, open low-point drains, and water tank drain, then let it sit until all the water quits running out. Don't forget the toilet bowl sprayer, and the outside shower valves also. Drain and bypass the water heater. After it quits, all the water lines will be as empty as if you had blown them out. Pump in the antifreeze, pour some in the drains, and you are done. Don't forget the water heater.

[jimh406]

Theoretically, there would be oil in the air hose if it is an oil based compressor, but I don't personally believe there would be enough to cause harm. I don't think I've had to refill mine in the last 10 years and I think it started with about 2 ozs.

You could always use a bicycle tire pump. I used 1/2 gallon of RV antifreeze instead.

[Mike008]

hedgehopper wrote:
Good point! Do you have a recommendation for a compressor that would not have these problems?

I thought of another option if someone was concerned about this. A 40 cu. ft. nitrogen bottle, regulator and hose. The set up would run around $150-$200. It's dry and clean. I pay around $20 a refill. You could blow out the piping many times on a single fill.

[d3500ram]

mkirsch wrote:
What is this "other type" of RV antifreeze?...

There was a discussion that I was following in the General RV subforum HERE when a member posted THIS LINK about 2 different types of RVAF- one being Ethanol (alcohol) based and the other Propylene Glycol based. I only thought there was 1 type.

[mkirsch]

What is this "other type" of RV antifreeze?

If you are talking about the "green stuff" that is NOT RV antifreeze.

[Mike008]

hedgehopper wrote:

Mike008 wrote:
I don't think I would use a typical shop compressor to blow the water lines out if anyone is drinking the water. Small particles of oil and condensate loaded with bacteria come out of compressors. :E

Good point! Do you have a recommendation for a compressor that would not have these problems?

You can buy compressors rated for breathing air, but I imagine it would be too costly to make sense. I would say if I absolutely had to use a compressor, I would go for an oiless without a tank and I'd use a filter. Me, I just flushed mine with the food grade anti-freeze.

[willi4nd]

A Tankless

[hedgehopper]

Mike008 wrote:
I don't think I would use a typical shop compressor to blow the water lines out if anyone is drinking the water. Small particles of oil and condensate loaded with bacteria come out of compressors. :E

Good point! Do you have a recommendation for a compressor that would not have these problems?

[hedgehopper]

Flapper wrote:
Anything that has propylene glycol as the main ingredient is the one to use. It's actually a food additive (google it!). That is safe for you and everything else. Anything else is bad, and if it is automotive type, it can be really, really toxic if you ingest it.

Just because the FDA says it is safe doesn't mean that it is. The FDA protects profits not the consumer. I avoid ingesting propylene glycol.

[Mike008]

I don't think I would use a typical shop compressor to blow the water lines out if anyone is drinking the water. Small particles of oil and condensate loaded with bacteria come out of compressors. :E

[noteven]

I seem to distrust displacing water with fluid vs compressed air which could leave water in a low elbow or something ...

After normal antifreeze through the lines procedure I drain the system through the low point drains again, and dispose of that antifreeze into the holding tanks.

When un-winterizing don't forget to flush the low point drains and each and every tap. The tiniest bit of antifreeze caught in the standing side of a T will add taste to a million gallons of water seems like.

[Geewizard]

Pink stuff since 2004. Worked well in Fairbanks, AK and temps as low as -50F. Never any issues. I pump a gallon through the system and then pour another gallon in the drains to make sure the traps are full strength. Takes 10-15 minutes to winterize.
Never have tasted it after flushing it in the spring.

If you've ever had a colonoscopy and used the prep solution or used a laxative like MiraLAX, you've ingested polyethylene glycol, the stuff in Pink Stuff. It's in lubricating eye drops too. Pretty benign.