Community Forums

inthepines · 10-21-2024, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

You can, it really doesn't hurt anything. My current coach doesn't have a winterizing kit, and the manual says to add antifreeze thru the gravity fill.
I was going to put a winterizing valve in, but adding antifreeze in the gravity fill like the manual says is easy enough, and seems pretty much fool proof.
I usually fill and empty my fresh tank twice at the beginning of the season, and that seem to work just fine getting rid of the antifreeze. YMMV

you never get it completely out when you empty the tank unless you can lift the camper front to back side to side.
Takes too much water to rinse the tank out, sure you can.
it's a waste of resources. don't want that crap sitting in my fresh water tank and I don't even drink from my tank.

No diverter for winterizing the pump here either but it's worked for me for years.

To each their own. If it works for you, than it works.
My method works for me.

acdodd1 · 10-22-2024, 08:07 PM

My suggestion is to get a manual for your RV and follow the manufactures recommendations.

I blow out all the water lines including flushing the toilet while the air pressure is on.
My trailer has a hose and a T valve so I just put the hose in the pink jug and use the 12v water pump to run antifreeze through the entire system again flushing the toilet till it runs pink.
I dump antifreeze down all the drains so the P traps are full. I do that a couple of times during the winter.
I drain all tanks and give the blackwater tank an extra good flush till the water runs as clear as possible.
I do not add anything to any tank until I dewinterize the systems.

glwinger · 10-22-2024, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acdodd1

My suggestion is to get a manual for your RV and follow the manufactures recommendations.

I blow out all the water lines including flushing the toilet while the air pressure is on.
My trailer has a hose and a T valve so I just put the hose in the pink jug and use the 12v water pump to run antifreeze through the entire system again flushing the toilet till it runs pink.
I dump antifreeze down all the drains so the P traps are full. I do that a couple of times during the winter.
I drain all tanks and give the blackwater tank an extra good flush till the water runs as clear as possible.
I do not add anything to any tank until I dewinterize the systems.

Most manuals that come with an RV are generic, except for some high end units.

If it doesn't have winterizing valve, install one. And don't forget the city water inlet, black tank flush, if it has one, and bypass and drain the water heater.

DAVENCHRISTI · 10-24-2024, 04:54 PM

Tractor supply has 2.5 gallon boxes of the pink stuff for$6.99, get 2 boxes hook up to pump and fill system until it comes out the faucets, pour some in the drains. that should do it!

Dave and Christi in Texas
2003 Fleetwood Revolution

engnrsrule · 10-24-2024, 05:52 PM

I use an air blow out connector I made that has an air quick connect going to the water quick connect on the RV. Drain water first, including tank and HW heater, then connect air and blow, exercising all valves. I pour some of the orange antifreeze in the traps and toilet, and make sure some gets to the low points in the waste system and macerating pump.

herkyfe · 10-24-2024, 08:24 PM

Hello from Canada. I have been using compressed air @50PSI to blow out and DRY my plumbing. The secret is not the pressure but CFM! You need volume to push all that remaining water out. I set the water heater to by-pass, open low point drains and on my 1999 Newmar Mountaire Aire. I run my pump so that I use the water in the tank to push it out the low point drains as I simultaneously drain the tank itself. Once drained, I connect my air hose set for 50 PSI flow rate, and start on the hot side first cold. I start with the tap furthest away from the water panel, opening the tap for short bursts of air so that pressure builds up to allow that volume of air to push the water out. I do it until there is no more mist coming from the spout before doing the cold side. I also have the combo washer/dryer which gets lots of attention too. I select WARM on the rinse cycle allowing both hoses to simultaneously to empty into the tub. Once again, cycle ON & OFF to get maximum airflow to push the last bit of water and to dry the hoses and the washing machine valves. Once you are satisfied that it's blowing just air, add that good old pink stuff in the tub to allow the drain pump to pe 100% protected. Same goes with the toilet and outside shower. I then let the pump suck in some antifreeze too as I have the cold low point drain open to allow the pump that 100% protection. Close all taps and ensure all lowpoint drains and fresh water tank drain (should be all done dripping by now) are closed to keep dirt/bugs out. Your water heater will be all drained now and I shoot some air in the anode hole to get the last bit of water blown out. I replace that anode to keep dirt and bugs out (ensure your safety valve gets closed too). I don't believe in putting antifreeze in the fresh water tank or water heater as it is very hard to rinse that taste out. I've been doing this for years and never had issues with valves or taps. Our winter has temperatures drop as low as -30°C. Once again, never have had an issue.

olmsteaj · 10-24-2024, 09:55 PM

Domestic refrigerator ice maker freezes first. Blowing won't empty it unless the electric valve is open, or feed line disconnected.

permitwriter · 10-24-2024, 10:09 PM

Same thing with my Newmar. Air first then antifreeze. That's what the owner's manual says. The manual for my WBGO said either/or so I used only compressed air and that worked fine. I don't have a big compressor, so I got an old well pressure tank, added a shut off valve, hose and air compressor fitting to use it as an air accumulator. It works well but I have to watch the pressure because it's only rated to 75 PSI.

Regarding putting antifreeze in the freshwater tank - last year I noticed that some brands of RV antifreeze used denatured alcohol. I hadn't noticed that before but maybe it's always existed. Denatured alcohol means that it has been made poisonous or to taste really bad or both. That doesn't sound like something I would want to put in my water tank, or lines for that matter. So, I use the alcohol type in the drains and the alcohol-free stuff in the water lines. Menards has both, the alcohol stuff is cheaper.

Windsurferlady · 10-25-2024, 09:21 AM

I just winterized my 35U Winnebago and it takes 6 minutes if you have the winterizing hose right at your water pump and one 9.46 litre jug. I just open the drain on the fresh water tank and empty it first and turn the drain at the water pump and allow whatever to come out then shut those both off again.Then put the winterization hose in the jug in the compartment. Turn the winterization valve on to be able to by pass fresh water tank and turn the by-pass valve for hot water tank. Only wish there was a switch there so I don't have to run in and out of the RV. I put the small hose into the jug inside the compartment then go in and turn the water pump switch on. When you turn the water pump on it sucks the antifreeze into the system and stops when the system is full and you just open each tap cold and hot individually and the antifreeze pushes the water in front of it. When you see red come out of the tap you know that line is full. Do the toilet and sprayer as well and then the outside shower too. Before you start you turn the hot water tank by pass on or you will end up filling the hot water tank. If you don't have that winterization kit on your unit I would suggest you put one in as it's so easy. The only problem I had this year was that the top check valve was stuck open so my antifreeze jug was going down so quickly and the pump wasn't stopping so I knew it was going somewhere it wasn't supposed to be. Had I had a switch right there I could have shut it off right away. Next year I'll make sure i have someone at the switch to shut it off right away if it doesn't stop after the jug is down by half. After I took that top check valve out and replaced it with the spare one I went and got two more jugs of antifreeze it only took 6 mins. to do and half a jug of the new antifreeze. Home Depot price matched with Wal-mart who had it on sale and I made 1.50 on top of it so bonus. Now I have all my antifreeze for next year. I've been doing this every year by myself now for 23 years and never had a problem. Winnebago has thought of everything to make your RV'ing enjoyable.
Windsurferlady
35U 2001 Adventurer
Kingston, Ontario

Cajun 143 · 10-25-2024, 09:31 AM

To winterize, I park in the shed, lock the doors........We live in the swamp.

DT4452 · 10-25-2024, 01:09 PM

I’ve always blown my rv water systems but I had an elbow in a low spot in a line freeze and break so started using antifreeze after blowing the lines out.
My newest Motorhome has a winterizing system and water heater bypass so I blew the lines out with 50 psi air before pumping the pink stuff through the lines. The next spring I couldn’t get water through the water heater, a cheap plastic check valve buried in behind the water heater had the disc pop off of the plastic stem inside of it, blocking the flow. That check valve was probably easy to install before sliding the water heater in but it was a real pain to change without taking the heater out. It would have been a lot easier to access if it had been installed in the same line on the other side of the Motorhome close to the bypass valve. Now I just drain all the water I can then antifreeze it, a little to the water heater before bypassing it.

Unplanned Tourist · 10-26-2024, 09:42 AM

I have always just blown out everything and just put antifreeze in the drain P traps and washer/drier. I have a little 120 volt cord that I hook up at a solenoid valve for the ice maker to be sure it's blown out as well.

Just make sure EVERY valve has been blown out! Ice will break any ball valve with water left in it! I have a couple friends that found that out the hard way.

It dropped down to minus 40 here last Winter and everything was watertight and working in the Spring on our first outing.

We drink and cook with the water in our fresh tank, so no antifreeze goes into anything but the P traps, grey and black tanks and washer/drier.

BTW, I would also suggest putting 2 or 3 of those air dryers around to remove the moisture from the air. Your rig will be happy to head out next year.