Winterization - Air or AntiFreeze?

[BradKirk]

This topic is always a hot button. In my opinion, either way is fine; the only wrong way is to not try, it is a simple procedure and nothing to fear. No sense paying the dealer if you have the time to do it yourself.

Don't laugh too hard but I am trying my hand at YouTube Videos again. Its just a hobby and I am not trying to monetize anything so take it easy on the hate mail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ArNTjM7kPs

[tuffr2]

I give this video a [emoji106]. I also recommend next fall you post again for all the Newbies. Actually every fall...lol.

Good job[emoji106]

[Mr Nuck]

Excellent video. ..thank you for taking the time to give us new guys some incite on winterizing options,the only thing I question is don't you want to remove can goods because of the potential of freezing and busting open?

Thanks again

[Steveo57]

Originally Posted by Mr Nuck

Excellent video. ..thank you for taking the time to give us new guys some incite on winterizing options,the only thing I question is don't you want to remove can goods because of the potential of freezing and busting open?

Thanks again

Yep anything with liquids in it that will freeze we remove. Canned goods, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, etc.

Also the black tank flush line and city water connection get blown out with air since you can't pump antifreeze through them. I blow everything out with air first and then flush with the antifreeze. Also I remove the battery and store it in the garage on a maintainer. I'm in Connecticut so we have some very cold temps during the winter. I was just outside the other day and the ground is frozen solid.

[tbos1958]

Originally Posted by Steveo57

Yep anything with liquids in it that will freeze we remove. Canned goods, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, etc.

Also the black tank flush line and city water connection get blown out with air since you can't pump antifreeze through them. I blow everything out with air first and then flush with the antifreeze. Also I remove the battery and store it in the garage on a maintainer. I'm in Connecticut so we have some very cold temps during the winter. I was just outside the other day and the ground is frozen solid.

On my rig I suck the AF in through the FW input and then pumped it though the black tank rinse too.

[60sumtin]

I've always used antifreeze but this fall I'd thought I'd experiment and try the air method first followed by AF just to see if there was any water left behind. I used a measuring cup to try and capture any clear water and found about 2 cups remained somewhere and another couple of seconds of light pink flow before full strength AF showed.

The test was solely for me so I'll continue to use AF. YMMV. It doesn't take an 'expert' to know depending on where the water was trapped it may have caused some damage especially if the trapped water was in the pump.

[tuffr2]

I looked at water lines on some of the trailers at the RV show. I can believe you could have water trapped in some of the spaghetti run lines in some of the trailers.

Look at a Gulfstream Streamlite for example.

[Blazing zipp]

For several years, we've blown out the lines. We usually open the low point drains a few miles from home, blow out, wait a few minutes, then blow again. Blow the outside shower out too. Finally, I pour enough anti freeze in the drains to get some in the holding tanks..
All good, 15 degrees below zero a couple times. In Spring, I put the plug in the water heater, close the drain downs and faucets, fill with fresh water, and head out.

[txcpl]

I use air and blow out the lines...all the lines. No water = no ice. Any residual water in the low points of lines is okay since it has room to expand as it freezes. Water trapped in a confined space, such as closed pipes, is what produces damage from freezing water.

[Varago]

Originally Posted by 60sumtin

I used a measuring cup to try and capture any clear water and found about 2 cups remained somewhere and another couple of seconds of light pink flow before full strength AF showed.

A question if I may, does your trailer have low point drains ?

Thanks Dave

[60sumtin]

Originally Posted by Varago

A question if I may, does your trailer have low point drains ?

Thanks Dave

Yes it does.

[BradKirk]

Originally Posted by 60sumtin

Yes it does.

You may have noticed in the video that at 7:48 the low point drains were located and drained. Then at 11:25 I still had some water left in the lines when I pumped antifreeze through the system.

Again, I think the air method is probably fine and the small amount of water in the sag points of the water lines won't hurt anything. Its just that of the 20 or so times I have winterized, there has always been some water left and I feel more at ease when I fill the system with antifreeze.

I camp several times per winter and usually de-winterize and winterize at the RV park so I don't freeze up in transit. I have the process down to about 20 minutes and find it more convenient and less noisy than the air method.

[BradKirk]

Originally Posted by Mr Nuck

Excellent video. ..thank you for taking the time to give us new guys some incite on winterizing options,the only thing I question is don't you want to remove can goods because of the potential of freezing and busting open?

Thanks again

Very good point. I should not have made the statement that canned food could be left in the RV. Thanks for the feedback.

[BradKirk]

Originally Posted by Steveo57

Yep anything with liquids in it that will freeze we remove. Canned goods, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, etc.

Also the black tank flush line and city water connection get blown out with air since you can't pump antifreeze through them. I blow everything out with air first and then flush with the antifreeze. Also I remove the battery and store it in the garage on a maintainer. I'm in Connecticut so we have some very cold temps during the winter. I was just outside the other day and the ground is frozen solid.

Yes, I am not sure how I forgot to mention the batteries. I do remove them.

If I had remembered, I would have included the importance of not placing batteries directly on a concrete floor. Additionally I would warn that a float or trickle charger is not a good idea, it should be a reasonable quality battery tender (maintainer).

Regarding Black Tank Flush, I used to do both air and antifreeze as well. I was never able to hear any water getting blown through the flush port. Perhaps if I lived in your area of the country I would keep up that practice.

Thank for the feedback.

Just for giggles, here is a link to my first winterization video where I did both air and antifreeze.

https://youtu.be/RNCZ6iCbzbs