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10-08-2018, 11:34 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Arlington Texas
Posts: 1,519
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rridgeback
Can you please explain the black tank blow down line?
9. Blow out the black tank blow down line by using the 35 psi air.
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Many RV trailers have a sewage/black tank blow down or flush line where you can use city water to flush the tank to help dislodge solids and other waste for easier removal. This line sends water through a vacuum breaker/check valve to a special nozzle in the black tank. In the first photo the blow down connection is shown with the cap open. The second photo shows the vacuum breaker/check valve.
__________________
Ken and Joyce
2017 RAM 1500 Lone Star Quad Cab 5.7 Hemi, 8 speed, 3.21, Tekonsha P3
2018 Winnebago Minnie 2250DS Platinum, GY Endurance tires
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10-08-2018, 01:49 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,654
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I'm not sure why anyone would want to blow out a black tank. Drain and forget. Or leave 5 gallons of anti freeze treated water in there.
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10-08-2018, 02:00 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Arlington Texas
Posts: 1,519
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cumminsfan
I'm not sure why anyone would want to blow out a black tank. Drain and forget. Or leave 5 gallons of anti freeze treated water in there.
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All you are trying to do is make sure the blow down line is free of water, not the tank.
__________________
Ken and Joyce
2017 RAM 1500 Lone Star Quad Cab 5.7 Hemi, 8 speed, 3.21, Tekonsha P3
2018 Winnebago Minnie 2250DS Platinum, GY Endurance tires
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10-08-2018, 06:13 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 255
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The second time I used an air compressor, I set it for 40 lbs. and blew the check valve. No issues the first time.
Now I pump two gallons of antifreeze, one through the kitchen and one thorough the bath fixtures. I run it till it is dark pink. The excess goes into the "P" traps under the sinks.
It takes about twenty minutes. I bought the pump fittings and tubing at the farm store's sprayer section.
Disconnect the line from fresh tank. Connect the tubing and drop in into the anti freeze container.
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10-09-2018, 10:24 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,582
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I've always used antifreeze. For grins one year I did both, air first then AF. I wanted to see how much water if any was left in the plumbing so I used a measuring cup at each faucet and found there was about 2 cups of clear water that came out before the pink started to show. What I don't know however is where the water was trapped as I blew the lines out thoroughly until there was no more gurgling or spitting at the faucets. Depending on where that water was sitting it may or may not have done any damage but the fact it was there was enough to persuade me to just stick with the ten bucks of AF and play it safe. Yeah it takes a few minutes in the spring to get the AF out but so what, its my time and I enjoy puttering around the trailer getting it ready for a new season.
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10-09-2018, 12:08 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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Look at those lines. I would never attempt to used compressed air and think I got all the water out. I use the pink stuff and I know at least I have a mix of anti freeze and water.
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10-09-2018, 06:46 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Braselton, Georgia
Posts: 1,287
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I live in Georgia and have used the compressed air method for the past 3 years with no problems. We use our trailer year round because of the mild winters. I use about 1/2 gallon to pour down the p traps and in the toilet bowl. If I was putting the trailer up for those 5 month very cold winters they have up north, I would definitely fill the lines with antifreeze. If it ever gets to -50 degrees around here, they will declare a national emergency.
__________________
2016 Winnebago 2201DS Champagne
2015 Ford F-150 XLT FX4 5.0
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10-09-2018, 07:40 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Chickamauga, GA
Posts: 134
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Badlands Bob
I live in Georgia and have used the compressed air method for the past 3 years with no problems. We use our trailer year round because of the mild winters. I use about 1/2 gallon to pour down the p traps and in the toilet bowl. If I was putting the trailer up for those 5 month very cold winters they have up north, I would definitely fill the lines with antifreeze. If it ever gets to -50 degrees around here, they will declare a national emergency.
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We live in NW Georgia and also have a four-season TT. So, in between trips this winter, I just need to blow out the lines and antifreeze the traps and toilet seal? We are newbies.
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10-09-2018, 08:09 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Braselton, Georgia
Posts: 1,287
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brenwol1
We live in NW Georgia and also have a four-season TT. So, in between trips this winter, I just need to blow out the lines and antifreeze the traps and toilet seal? We are newbies.
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Yep, just follow BigBird's directions and you will have no problems in Georgia. If you lived in Michigan and I'd use the antifreeze.
__________________
2016 Winnebago 2201DS Champagne
2015 Ford F-150 XLT FX4 5.0
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10-09-2018, 08:46 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Mid Atlantic Campers Forest River Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Lynchburg, VA
Posts: 288
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Badlands Bob
Yep, just follow BigBird's directions and you will have no problems in Georgia. If you lived in Michigan and I'd use the antifreeze.
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We go out year round in Virginia. It can be a challenge at times. Be sure to open and lay out your shower wand hoses and pour AF in all traps and in toilet bowl. I also open and keep open all my faucet valves, low point drains and water heater. Just remember to close them off before you turn on the pump. In 20 years I have lost one outdoor shower head to freezing.
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My greatest asset, family and friends! They are gifts from God!
Jim and Pam
2017 Thor Hurricane 34J
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10-13-2018, 01:48 PM
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#25
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Bitterroot
Posts: 34
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Live in Montana and use the anti-freeze method, but recently realized that even after "completely" draining the fresh water tank, hot water heater, low point drains and all faucets and valves there is still a lot of water in there somewhere. I went to siphon the anti-freeze into the system and the pump picked up fresh water from inside the tank I assume for a good 10 minutes. Apparently the fresh water tank drain is not the lowest point in the tank. This was the first year I had done this one, a new trailer, and I think the take your time and go slow anti-freeze method is best in our area.
We do however blow out our lawn sprinkler lines every year. It takes over an hour with a big trailer mounted Ingersol Rand 100 cf per minute compressor running at 60 psi. I don't think I would want to subject my trailer to that, but my thinking would be unless you have enough compressor to open every faucet at once and your low point drains and maintain 60 psi for a good 20 minutes till your just blowing mist, your just pushing water around the lines in your trailer. If you knew how your trailer was plumbed you could bleed it out like brake lines in your car. Farthest to closest. But in my trailer I just don't think the compressor alone is gonna do it when we get below 0 for weeks at a time. I also believe where you live makes a difference. The colder it gets the more you need the anti-freeze. If you only get down to 30, maybe the compressor alone is enough. But anti-freeze sure gives me peace of mind. Good luck all.
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10-13-2018, 04:16 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Syracuse Ut.
Posts: 692
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cumminsfan
I'm not sure why anyone would want to blow out a black tank. Drain and forget. Or leave 5 gallons of anti freeze treated water in there.
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If you don’t blow the black tank line out, it can freeze, and in the case of my timber ridge 240rks, crack the anti siphon valve. Didn’t realize it had happened until I hooked up the tank flush later the next year. The water pouring out of the trailer was my first clue of a less than desirable situation. On the plus side, it was just fresh water, could have been worse I suppose.
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2016 Bighorn 3270RS, 2015 Ram 3500 CTD/ASIN
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10-13-2018, 04:41 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Excel Owners Club Winnebago Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 6,807
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I'm with BigSky.
I have a spare water pump that is normally used to transfer water from a bladder to the FW tank in dry camps. I use the same pump to force Af into the black water tank wash line and the city connection. I have a residential Watts water pressure regulator just inside of the city water connection that also has to get flushed. Once I do that I use the siphon line in front of the primary pump and flush all the lines some more. In some RVs the low water drains might get most of the water out. Just blowing it will leave water in any low spots.
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Fred & Denise (RVM157) New Mexico
2007 Excel Classic 30RSO & Coach House 272XL E450
2007 RAM 3500, Diesel, 6Spd Auto, SWD, 4x4, CC & LB
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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10-16-2018, 12:42 PM
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#28
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 36
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Just winterized for the first time ever. I intended to do the blowout method only, but everytime I shut off the kitchen faucet I could hear water running back down the lines. If it was enough that I could hear it, I figured it was too much to leave and risk freezing. So, I ended up running antifreeze through the lines also. I live in MN, so it's definitely important to get it right.
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