Winterization

[Blay]

This is the first year I'm going to use compressed air to winterize.I would like to know how long to leave the taps open to make sure there is no water left.thank you

[mosseater]

I don't blow out anymore. I just open the faucets and low point drains. After that, close them all and pump in the juice till it runs pink, starting at the far point from pump and working my way back. I let some in the drain traps and put the residual in the gray and black tanks. Have had zero issues in 11 years. I use about 3 gallons total. I figure the $8 won't break me.

[aftermath]

And....I run the pump dry after the first round of the air blow out. Again, never had a problem with any of this.

[aftermath]

Blay, You accomplish that task by opening one faucet at a time. I have been doing this for 9 winters now and have not had a problem. I used to have a different trailer with a nice valve that allowed me to pump out of a gallon of pink stuff. Got my Airstream and things changed. Contacted the local dealer and they told me just to use air. They have been doing this forever and have never had a problem. I expect the Airstream clientele would let them know.
Drain the HW tank and then bypass it. Hook up the air and open up every faucet one at a time. Open the low point drains and the outside shower. Let the pressure build up again and repeat the process. Empty the gray tank and then add pink stuff to all the traps. Oh, don't forget to blow air through the toilet valve too. I take off the spray faucet on the kitchen sink and the filter from the kitchen sink faucet as well and take them inside for the winter.

[TravelinDog]

Boon Docker wrote:
I blow out a line using 50 PSI (maybe 20-30 seconds for water to stop) then turn off the faucett for 15-20 seconds then open again for 30 seconds. Then move on the next one.

I blow the water out of the lines the same way. I also make sure I drain the water heater as well.

[Boon_Docker]

I blow out a line using 50 PSI (maybe 20-30 seconds for water to stop) then turn off the faucett for 15-20 seconds then open again for 30 seconds. Then move on the next one.

[DutchmenSport]

Leave the taps open until nothing spits any more.

As stated above, if your lines have dips in them, water can remain there. If there is enough space, any residual water will have room to expand and not hurt anything. The real problem is around seals and valves. Even micro drops of water can cause seals and plastics to expand and break. Any water droplets left in your water pump could freeze and cause problems with leaking once everything thaws out.

By "pumping the pink" you are truly replacing any water droplets or low spots with RV antifreeze (which still freezes to a slush, but does not expand when it freezes).

[pianotuna]

I blow, install pink, blow again while attempting to salvage as much pink as I can with exception of the lines to the toilet.

[IB853347201]

ken56 wrote:
Ohio gets very cold. Air will not completely do the job because liquid can not defy gravity in all bends and low points in the lines. I blow mine out with air first but also use antifreeze and the water the antifreeze pushes out is quite a lot. We have our cold spells here in Tennessee too so I don't rely on air alone, you shouldn't either.

I do the same as it gets cold here too, just like Ohio

[ken56]

Ohio gets very cold. Air will not completely do the job because liquid can not defy gravity in all bends and low points in the lines. I blow mine out with air first but also use antifreeze and the water the antifreeze pushes out is quite a lot. We have our cold spells here in Tennessee too so I don't rely on air alone, you shouldn't either.

[steelhunter]

Blay wrote:
This is the first year I'm going to use compressed air to winterize.I would like to know how long to leave the taps open to make sure there is no water left.thank you

I keep the air going until the water stops flowing. It doesn't take long...Maybe 15 minutes.

I use about 35lbs and first open the hot water valves one at a time and then the cold water and toilet. I have the pump running during this procedure.
I then put in antifreeze.

Maybe the antifreeze is overkill but one morning last February I let the Labrador out to whiz and it was minus 41.