Winterize using air?

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by ChicknKathy

Ive never posted more than twice anywhere, I don’t know what’s come over me.

In the early 70’s We lived in Soldotna Alaska in a 31’ Airstream for three winters and we never froze up. I put a string of 100w light bulbs under the trailer and then I lowered it as much I could without crunching the bulbs. I put a couple of bulbs in the utility compartment. I skirted the trailer with 2”x2’x8’ pieces of foam. I did do some sculpting on the insulation to make fit snugger. After the first snow I would shovel the snow up against the insulation to help hold the it in place. We left cabinets door open whenever possible. Once, when temperature hit 25 below everyone in the park froze, the cast iron sewer pipe had to be thawed out using welding machines. So light bulbs and skirting work well.

Okay - if you do it this way and work at it things might work out. But you've got to admit that a string of 100w light bulbs, insulation, lowering the trailer, skirting, and snow used as additional insulation is doing lots more than throwing a couple of 60w bulbs in a few cabinets of an unused RV. I assume if you were living inside the trailer you also had some degree of heat going in there.

What we're talking about in this thread (I think) is how to keep the plumbing from freezing/bursting when you're not living in the RV over the winter.

[Kluffinator]

Some use air. Some use Anti-freeze. Myself i prefer to use a gas mixture comprising of almost 80% nitrogen and 20% oxygen. You can get the components from Air Liquide or you local welding supply and then it's just a matter of evacuating the lines and blending in the gas.

A mass spectrometer is very helpful in determining the proportions are correct.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Kluffinator

Some use air. Some use Anti-freeze. Myself i prefer to use a gas mixture comprising of almost 80% nitrogen and 20% oxygen. You can get the components from Air Liquide or you local welding supply and then it's just a matter of evacuating the lines and blending in the gas.

A mass spectrometer is very helpful in determining the proportions are correct.

Could use CO2. That way the water freezes and gets blown to the airators and melts out.

[Kluffinator]

True. and you could use the carbonated water to make spritzers.

[IC2]

Originally Posted by Kluffinator

\comprising of almost 80% nitrogen and 20% oxygen.

80/20?? You are kidding aren't you? That's approximately ordinary breathing air. If you want something inert, 100% N2 is what is needed though really doubt that it will prevent H2) from freezing at 32F/0C

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Kluffinator

Some use air. Some use Anti-freeze. Myself i prefer to use a gas mixture comprising of almost 80% nitrogen and 20% oxygen. You can get the components from Air Liquide or you local welding supply and then it's just a matter of evacuating the lines and blending in the gas.

A mass spectrometer is very helpful in determining the proportions are correct.

That's like me saying the only thing I put into my gray and black tanks to keep them smelling sweet is dihydrogen monoxide.

[dfuelman]

I have always used air to clear the water out of the system before adding Antifreeze. I keep the air pressure below 30 psi. (it doesn't need much to push water out). and try to open every valve to clear as much water as possible before adding the pink stuff.

I also "Purify" my fresh water system every spring. I just add a little extra chlorine to the water tank and run it through the system until it comes out EVERY fixture. Let if sit about and hour then run it all out, re fill tank with normal water and chlorine mixture (or city water if available) and we are good to go for the season. This takes the smell out and kills any bacteria that could be present.

Good luck.

[Kluffinator]

Originally Posted by IC2

80/20?? You are kidding aren't you? That's approximately ordinary breathing air. If you want something inert, 100% N2 is what is needed though really doubt that it will prevent H2) from freezing at 32F/0C

[emoji6]

[Kluffinator]

Originally Posted by Bigd9

That's like me saying the only thing I put into my gray and black tanks to keep them smelling sweet is dihydrogen monoxide.

I wouldn’t know. Mine doesn’t stink. 🤣

[Winemaker2]

To be safe...
Use AF and blow it out after filling.
If air clears it 100% you have no taste /smell to worry about.
If it doesnt get it all out... you are way better off with a little AF than water that could be a real issue.
Just connect to shore water and flush everything.
Dont add AF to WH or FW tank.

[CMore]

I blew out the lines of my Tiffin first then added the antifreeze. However, I failed to get antifreeze into the ice maker and lost the $25 valve. Twice. Yeah, darn, I obviously didn't learn to do it soon enough the second time. After that, I just removed the valve (after blowing it out) and drained the residual. Put it back in the spring. Seven years later, and now a full-timer, I use the "Point south, make the wheels turn until I see palm trees" method.

[lightsluvr]

You might get more information in the Tiffin Owner's forum.


Tiffin Owner's Forum - iRV2 Forums


Good luck with your new coach.


LL

[GarnettFalls]

My Splendide washer / dryer has a procedure to get internal water minimized for winter and includes a bit of RV antifreeze. Additionally, a procedure to flush out the RV antifreeze in the spring.

[Spadman]

What is the best low pressure (40-50 psi) air compressor to use when blowing out the water system of a Winnebago Adventurer 37F coach? From what I've read, you cannot use a tire inflator for this purpose because they do not pump the volume of air needed to blow out the pipes.