Winterizing - Antifreeze vs Blow Out with compressed air

[waggintails]

Originally Posted by DoloresW

We have a 2019 Winnebago View. This is our first winter with it. Does anyone have experience blowing out the water systems rather than using antifreeze? The manual gave directions which we followed for blowing out the systems. We do not like the after taste of the antifreeze once it has been used in the system. We are storing it along side our house for the winter and may not use it again until the Spring. When given the demo the tech recommended using antifreeze.

We live in Eastern Washington State. Our winters go to anywhere from -10F to -15. A typical winter will stay within those parameters. We also get lots of wind which exacerbates the freezing problems. I currently own a 2015 Winnebago Vista, 27ft. I use a combination of air and antifreeze. I use compressed air set at 60lbs to blow out the lines until no liquid is present, opening each faucet at a time including the toilet and shower. I might note, I drain the Hw tank before blowing out the system and put it in the bypass mode. Generally after blowing out the lines, I will let the unit set for about an hour or so, then repeat the process. Once this is complete and I show no water exiting the lines, I remove the inlet and outlet of the pump and surge it a couple of times, remove the outlet filter and drain it. I then reassemble the outlet to pump and leave it in the ready mode. I make sure the HW tank is empty then replace the plug. I do put RV antifreeze in the traps, I sleep better that way. A word of caution on the pump, no matter how hard you try, there will always be some water left in your fresh water tank. Depending on how it is plumbed to the inlet of the pump, you could get some of this into the pump simply when you move the coach for any reason. Therefore, on my coach I leave the hose to inlet of the pump disconnected so it will automatically drain if needed. Now having said all of that, I have been using basically this same process on every RV I have owned for the past 40 plus years including campers and travel trailers. Most of them were not fortunate enough to live in an enclosed building and had to share (enclosed of course) the pasture with the livestock. Knock on wood, I have never had to make any winter caused repairs.

[Bigd9]

So tell me, what difference does it make weather the freezing temperature is 32 degrees fahrenheit or - 32 degrees fahrenheit? Isn't frozen water the same?

[foundwaldo]

I am knew to the ownership of a rig, but traveled with my uncle and we always used the pink stuff. However we never drank the water. Told my wife we will just take bottled water.

[dans1999f-53]

Air only and remove any water filters first. Don't forget the toilet and sprayer

[dans1999f-53]

Drain your water heater twice a summer

[Phlyrod]

Don't trust the low point drains. Make sure you use anti freeze or blow it out. I tried the low point drains method, and it cost me a grand to replace the totally buried supply line.😡

[stuccosteve]

Originally Posted by caninecop

I have looked at all the post, unless I missed it, I haven’t seen any post from members who have Aqua-Hot system, if they use the pink or air. Until this year when we got a new to us bus with the Aqua-Hot system, I have always used the air with pink in the traps. After doing the research on winterizing with the Aqua-Hot system, I chicken out and have gone with the pink. Just too expensive to repair the Aqua-hot system if anything freezes. Also our first year with a commercial fridge.

We have owned a half dozen or more traditional propane heated coaches, the routine is straightforward, either pump a glycol solution through the system and fill the traps or develop a effective way to evacuate the water with low pressure air. With traditional systems I found the air method very effective as long as you understand the water supply lines and areas that may hold water in low points as recommended by other posters. P traps have to have antifreeze regardless, and please make sure you open the hot water tank drain plug.

Aqua Hot and similar diesel fired domestic systems are a bit more complicated, the system functions much like a domestic hot water loop in a oil fired furnace with one big difference, the hot water coils are suspended in a glycol solution that doesn’t have a low point drain typically. You either fill your hot water loop with antifreeze or maintain a above freezing temperature in your furnace by running the electric back up water heating element to maintain a 45+ temp. It is possible to drain your water lines down to the tank level and still keep some water in the heating loop in the tank. This only works if you keep the coach powered up with sufficient amperage to run the back up element.

The only reason I keep my aqua hot on standby is because it is the primary heat for the coach and the Diesel engine preheat. I keep the coach in a barely above freezing barn and check it daily to see everything is ok, we take trips to the mountains occasionally and I prefer to have everything on standby and functional in a short time. If I were to park the unit for the winter I would fill the hot water leg with glycol and be done with it.

[PaBob]

Originally Posted by Damion

Wednesday Morning 12/11/2019 and just getting started! Any extra room in your driveway?

Wow! The Mrs. was griping about 16 degrees yesterday. I showed her your post. She shook her head and said "sorry". First time for everything!
Temps supposed to go up to 40's Sat and Sun. Will be blowing out with compressor and clearing pump. Pink in the "P" traps. Just for peace of mind.
We're just below Interstate 80 In Western PA. Get that Lake Erie thing goin' on now and then.
Stay safe.

[TomKlingler]

Used antifreeze for 18 of 19 winters. Never a problem. For the one time I tried the air route, about 2/3 of the way through this 19 year period, water pump was shot in the spring from ice damage. Be sure you learn the secret of getting every drop of water out of your water pump if you’re gonna blow air. Also, I agree with the post that says you wanna bleach and rinse your fresh water tank at the start of each season no matter what. If you bleach and rinse correctly, you’ll never taste antifreeze.

[dkoldman]

I don't know that air blow out vs RV antifreeze is the right context of question, but which makes more since for you given where your RV will be?

Other notes:

1. I don't plan to drink the water regardless, but if you can safely avoid having to use RV Antifreeze why use it?
2. If RV is going to be in sustain storage with no use during interim where known sub freezing temperatures is the norm why not use RV Antifreeze?

In my case Winterization means to handle that one or at most two consecutive nights where temperature may hit 27 degrees. I will just drain the water heater, and waterlines. Because the next day when the temperature hits 60 - 70, I will be back RVing some place. For the record. I do have RV Antifreeze and it is in my coach right now; but only in the the P traps. I am in Dallas TX

[vt800c]

Originally Posted by Bigd9

So tell me, what difference does it make weather the freezing temperature is 32 degrees fahrenheit or - 32 degrees fahrenheit? Isn't frozen water the same?

depends. go outside naked when it's 32, and then again when it's -32. Ok that may sound snarky, but it illustrates my point. it also is the amount of time it's at that temp. I blow out my lines in the fall. if it gets to 30*, it'll only be for a few hours, and it should warm up and start to thaw. no foul.

About mid december, I'll see more days where the temp is below freezing, and it doesn't warm up enough to thaw during the day. we're on our way to a 'hard freeze' and I'll pump pink stuff in through the city feed line. my lines should be mostly air, so I am just putting pink in places where problems might occur.

That pink WILL freeze (get like slush) but doesn't expand when it freezes. so even if it is diluted with water, it should be fine.

better safe than stupid.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by vt800c

depends. go outside naked when it's 32, and then again when it's -32. Ok that may sound snarky, but it illustrates my point. it also is the amount of time it's at that temp. I blow out my lines in the fall. if it gets to 30*, it'll only be for a few hours, and it should warm up and start to thaw. no foul.

About mid december, I'll see more days where the temp is below freezing, and it doesn't warm up enough to thaw during the day. we're on our way to a 'hard freeze' and I'll pump pink stuff in through the city feed line. my lines should be mostly air, so I am just putting pink in places where problems might occur.

That pink WILL freeze (get like slush) but doesn't expand when it freezes. so even if it is diluted with water, it should be fine.

better safe than stupid.

That illustration was funny! Either way, if I went outside naked at 32 or -32, my wife would probably have me committed!



If all of the water is blown out of the system, as I have been doing for only about 50 years now, what difference does the temperature make? IF the winterizing is done properly, I just don't see where it matters.

We use the compressed air method so at a moments notice we can pack the coach, fill the water tank and take off to go snow skiing in the mountain tops of West Virginia. When we get back, I drain the tanks and re-blow the lines out again. We will do this several times a winter.

Once again I want to mention, do whatever method that allows you sleep at night and not worry about the RV. Just make sure whatever method you use, it is done properly and completely.

[GDSRV]

Just a couple thoughts. After reading several posts, I saw no mention of ice makers and/or washing machines. Don't forget them! Most lines will have low points which will collect moisture in them. Leaving faucets open allows humid air to enter and create condensation which will accumulate in said low points. I blow my lines out then add the pink stuff just to be on the safe side. I also make sure that I use an oil-less compressor- don't want oil in my water lines and more than a lot of you don't want antifreeze. YMMV. As was said before, do what allows you to sleep at night. It can be an expensive, trip ruining repair. Don't ask me how I know.

[DGundy]

Many people use both methods to insure there is no water in the lines to cause potential freezing. A friend of mine used both to winterize my Winnie 30T.