Winterizing options

[RAM 6.7 4x4]

Thinking ahead about having to winterize our GP 5'er and it seems the most popular option is to use an anti-freeze type of liquid to replace all the water in the lines. Also read it was a no-go in filling up the water heater with the anti-freeze and to drain the tank instead.

Another option being mentioned is the use of an air compressor. If going the route of the compressor, where would one hook up a line on the 5'er to purge the lines of water, both city connection and water pump? Is there an adapter required to hook up an air compressor? I would think that a PSI of 50 or less wouldn't harm the pipes/fittings/connections. Anyone have experience using this option and how difficult is the process?

Regardless of which route I take, I will be familiarizing myself with the winterizing of the RV, have a few months still to worry about that. Doesn't appear too difficult and would rather do it myself instead of having a local shop perform the work. I'm having separation anxiety about having to drop my RV off at a shop.

[Spk64]

You can by a fitting that connects to your city water connection that allows and air line to be connected. I set my regulator to around 15-20psi.
Because I am paranoid about freezing something I still pump in some antifreeze. Blowing out the lines allows me to use less AF.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-36143-B...er+air+fitting

[Rickeoni]

Super easy to do with the winterizing hose in the water pump compartment. Bypass the water heater, pull the anode (good idea to check it yearly anyway), put the by pass hose in the antifreeze jug, turn on the pump and go to the furthest tap and open the cold till pink comes out, then the hot. Repeag getting closer and closer to the pump, don't forget the outside shower and the low point drains. Take off the screen on the city inlet and give it a push. Add a cup of the pink stuff to each drain to push out the water, all done. Oh, the toilet is also a fawcet so step on the lever till pink flows. All in all it should tale less than 1/2 an hour and is a bullet proof way to winterize.

[jestal]

I blow out all the lines then fill lines with antifreeze to be sure. Don't forget things like the water line to the ice maker! That is a difficult line to blow out since the ice maker needs to cycle to blow out the water and then to fill with antifreeze.

Drop by home Depot now and pick up the RV antifreeze while it is $2.38. Come October the price jumps to 6 or 7 $$ at the places that have it around here.

[IdahoBob]

Originally Posted by jestal

I blow out all the lines then fill lines with antifreeze to be sure. Don't forget things like the water line to the ice maker! That is a difficult line to blow out since the ice maker needs to cycle to blow out the water and then to fill with antifreeze.

Drop by home Depot now and pick up the RV antifreeze while it is $2.38. Come October the price jumps to 6 or 7 $$ at the places that have it around here.

Darn, i have been looking for hours and still can't find the ice maker in our Wind River! Oh, maybe it is hidden next to our dishwasher, or winechiller?

Mr. Wonderful

[Rickeoni]

Originally Posted by IdahoBob

Darn, i have been looking for hours and still can't find the ice maker in our Wind River! Oh, maybe it is hidden next to our dishwasher, or winechiller?

Mr. Wonderful

You have a dishwasher?

[Super Thirty]

Winterizing! You gotta be kidding. Our ice maker just thawed so we have water for our dishwasher and with our recent temps and rain the only whine here is about the weather.

[brulaz]

Very good instructions Rickeoni.

And I always use the more expensive, non-flamable (non-alcoholic) anti-freeze cause I think it's easier on the seals and valves.

[RAM 6.7 4x4]

Agreed brulaz, excellent instructions from Rickeoni. Haven't looked yet so I'll go ahead and ask, where's the bypass hose located on my rig. Guess I need to break out the owners manual, forgot what that was for, and locate it before it gets too cold here in the South, somewhere's about late Dec, early Jan.

Thanks again all for the replies, learning something all the time.

[Rickeoni]

The bypass hose will be right bh the waterpump. On ours it is in the drivers side of the pass through.

[Winemaker2]

A detail but I also blow out w comp air first.
I added an airline quick connect fitting to the end of my air comp hose and all attachments to make it quick & easy to go from inflating tires to blowing out dust & dirt to blowing out wayer system.
To adapt to city water get a hose to NPT fitting and a quick connect to NPT. That allows you to hook up the air comp and then go to cycle all faucets on...both hot & cold until no more liquid only air.
I never trust the blow out completely and add pink AF to the lines not to water tank or heater.
W/o the ftg it us doable but a 2 person job.

[egwilly]

Our bypass in under the sink area in the kitchen. ORV has the valve jammed against a vertical support for the cabinets. Very hard to get to, much less turn. They must have hired some automaker engineers!

Glad I live where I don't have to winterize!

[Dtwallace]

I stopped using the pink stuff for the most part and use just the blow out method.

Not because I'm against it but I've found in my part of the country, in North Carolina, I didn't need it. However, our coach is used all year round, so I'm having to concentrate more on heating the lower compartments during overnight chills either parked at home or on the road. The coach is never really put into storage.

I would never again run the pink stuff through the ice maker, that caused us a lot of problems in the past when we first got our coach, as the ice maker trying to make ice dumped it's over flowing water into the frig.

DTW

[BornToWander]

Todd from ORV said he's actually seen freeze damage from the compressed air method but not with the pink stuff when done properly. Pink stuff for me!