Winterizing with Air Pressure

[wnytaxman]

We have always winterized with anti-freeze and not really enthralled with the mess in the spring. We are thinking about winterizing with air pressure this year. We store the coach inside but it is an unheated facility. We do have it plugged in to a 30 amp outlet. Our winters can be long, basically November to April, and cold is an issue with consistent temps in the low 20’s for a week at a time. What are your thoughts with the air pressure winterizing? If I leave the basement heat on, is it electric?

[ByeTheWay]

Unless there is a power failure, you should be fine. I blew the lines once, found a broken pipe in the spring.

For myself the pink stuff gives me peace of mind.

[ditto]

Aquahot recommends antifreeze given the unit is a low point and a small amount of water can do big damage to it.

[royals1212]

The washing machine also has some vales on both the hot and cold side that can trap water inside. I found that one the hard way.

Herb

[We Be Gone]

After air pressure, fill with pink stuff and you will not have any problems. Tried the air pressure only and have busted lines two different years. Never again.

Temperature does not matter after it goes below 32 as ice is ice. I have seen car engines crack the block and heads at 32 degrees when no antifreeze was used.

Getting to busted water lines in an RV is serious matter. I also seen an RV hot water tank busted open when owner though he could wait until it was colder. That cost him $1300 to replace.

So now I love the cheap pink stuff.

[DeWat]

Originally Posted by ditto

Aquahot recommends antifreeze given the unit is a low point and a small amount of water can do big damage to it.

Fully agreed. The AquaHot manual specifically says to use food safe antifreeze, and the Entegra manual goes a step further and adds in capital bold letters that trying to blow the AquaHot out with air will not be sufficient.

[DeWat]

Originally Posted by royals1212

The washing machine also has some vales on both the hot and cold side that can trap water inside. I found that one the hard way.

Herb

Just an FYI, but the Entegra was using (may still be, but I'm not sure) newer Whirlpool washing machines that only accept cold water. The hot water is heated internally inside the washing machine from the cold side, which is why the manual states, "Chlorine or perborate bleach agents must not be used." I only say this because if you have one of these washing machines, you will not have an external hot water side.

[buddy110]

I know I am the minority here, but I have been using nothing but air for years, on 4 different coaches and never had a problem. The trick is togo through the coach opening every valve multiple time including the low point drains. I open them and close them and repeat with ridiculous repetition. The key is making sure the low point drains are completely water free. The process takes me about 2 hours. Then I just pour AF into the traps, gray and black tanks.

This year, I'm headed south and escaping the need to winterize


While on the factory tour, I thought I was told the you can isolate the AH and add antifreeze to it without introducing it anywhere else? I don't see how hat is possible, but I swear they told us that.

[DeWat]

Originally Posted by buddy110

I know I am the minority here, but I have been using nothing but air for years, on 4 different coaches and never had a problem. The trick is togo through the coach opening every valve multiple time including the low point drains. I open them and close them and repeat with ridiculous repetition. The key is making sure the low point drains are completely water free. The process takes me about 2 hours. Then I just pour AF into the traps, gray and black tanks.

This year, I'm headed south and escaping the need to winterize


While on the factory tour, I thought I was told the you can isolate the AH and add antifreeze to it without introducing it anywhere else? I don't see how hat is possible, but I swear they told us that.

Actually, that is a great point, never thought of it. My guess is if you were to run RV antifreeze though the hot water side, then use the bypass valves, you would be locking the antifreeze in the AquaHot just as the bypass valves were designed to keep fluid out of the AquaHot. I can visualize that, and it would certainly use a lot less antifreeze, but I'll stick to the safe way of doing all of the plumbing. Still, a great point.

[buddy110]

Originally Posted by DeWat

Actually, that is a great point, never thought of it. My guess is if you were to run RV antifreeze though the hot water side, then use the bypass valves, you would be locking the antifreeze in the AquaHot just as the bypass valves were designed to keep fluid out of the AquaHot. I can visualize that, and it would certainly use a lot less antifreeze, but I'll stick to the safe way of doing all of the plumbing. Still, a great point.

But how do you get AF into the AH without introducing it anywhere else?

[DeWat]

Originally Posted by buddy110

But how do you get AF into the AH without introducing it anywhere else?

You only run enough through the plumbing that you know it's 100% in the AquaHot. At that point, you can bypass the AquaHot and blow everything else out with air. The point there is that the antifreeze is not in the rest of the plumbing more than 15 minutes to a half hour, so it doesn't have the same affect as sitting in the plumbing during the entire winter season. What was blown out afterwards will also cover the traps and black and grey tanks. Again, not the way I would do it, but it does make sense.

[jestal]

There is no way on earth to completely get all the water out with just air. You only need a tiny bit in a valve or fitting for it to freeze and break.

Just because someone has done it and has had no problem is no guarantee. It is an extreme risk to rely only on air. I blow mine out with air then fill with AF. When blowing it out I go thru all the faucets and outlets several times.

I got interrupted once winterizing while using the air. I came back to finish the winterizing the next day. Since the air was still hooked up I ran thru all the devices again. Was very surprised at the amount of water I got. The wetted lines must have drained down and puddled in spots which looked pretty bad to me considering I had just blown them out 24 hours before.

Both people I know with broken hose reel fittings (that let the hose reel turn) had just blown them out with air. That is why I fill the hose and the connection from the reel to the coach with antifreeze.

It's your coach and your $$$ but I would never trust just air.

Those of us that live above the frost line that have inground sprinkler systems know about blowing the systems out with air. I blow my 14 zones out and then redo it a week later. Amazing how much more water comes through on the repeat...and I'm using three compressors running continuously each time. Air seems sufficient for the sprinklers but I occasionally have to repair a few spots in the spring from damage by freezing.

How cold the coach will get is important, too. Ours has been thru some nights that the temp was -15 to -20 with the antifreeze in it with no problems. A warmer winter would be more forgiving if only air was used.

[NITEHAWK]

I drain everything first. Then blow it out with air. Then close everything up, put 10 gallons of AF in the fresh water tank. Circulate AF to all faucets using the onboard pump. Then drain everything AGAIN. Then blow air thru the system. Then leave all drain points open until spring. Then AF in the sink and tub traps and the toilet. Also, enough in the black and grey tanks.
Have done this for 10 years plus here in Northern Wisconsin where it does get "a bit chilly" here in the winter, without any problems.
Oh, one problem I have taken care of was to remove the faucet screens in the spring because there are always some mineral deposits that can clog your screens.

[buddy110]

Originally Posted by DeWat

You only run enough through the plumbing that you know it's 100% in the AquaHot. At that point, you can bypass the AquaHot and blow everything else out with air. The point there is that the antifreeze is not in the rest of the plumbing more than 15 minutes to a half hour, so it doesn't have the same affect as sitting in the plumbing during the entire winter season. What was blown out afterwards will also cover the traps and black and grey tanks. Again, not the way I would do it, but it does make sense.

I see what you're saying. Not sure how I will approach it this year. I leave late December for warmer climates, but it gets below freezing here way before that.