Winterizing with Air

[DonGarlin]

Winterizing Motorhome with Air Compressor. I always seem to forget, will write it down this time, upon comments from IRV2 forum members. I have a 6 Gallon pancake Air Compressor, I know that when blowing out lines that I should never exceed 45 lbs, my question, the Air Compressor has two gauges (1) Tank Pressure and (2) Regulator. What would be the best Tank Pressure build up pressure before I start air pressure into lines ensuring not more than 45 pounds? Question (2) Air pressure for tires, tires on Super C, has 19.5 tires, 85 LB air, I usual put in 90 lbs in all tires, when tires are cold, I am thinking that I ensure that the Air Compressor Tank is up to about 140 Lbs, does that sound right? What would the Regulator be set at? Appreciate everyone refreshing my memory, I do not want to mess up or cause damage to our MH.

[jacwjames]

Not sure if a small pancake compressor would put out enough volume to completely purge the lines when you are blowing them. I have a small compressor but use my larger one. I can hook the larger one up and start blowing and it will cycle on and off, meaning that it is keeping sufficient airflow to purge the lines. Not sure the pancake would do this, an indication would be if the small one never shuts off.



When I'm filling tires I turn the air regulator all the way up and use a gauge to check pressure.

[DRM901]

A pancake compressor works. You should put your tank pressure at the max. It's the outlet pressure that matters. I wouldn't go over 20-30 psi, because it isn't needed. It's the volume that matters (and having your tank at max gives you more volume).

Have the hose jammed tight into the water hose fitting. Keep the compressor plugged in so the tank repressures as needed.

Open each faucet, water spigot (eg, refrig) one at a time until you don't see water coming out. Do both hot & cold.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by DRM901

A pancake compressor works. You should put your tank pressure at the max. It's the outlet pressure that matters. I wouldn't go over 20-30 psi, because it isn't needed. It's the volume that matters (and having your tank at max gives you more volume).

Have the hose jammed tight into the water hose fitting. Keep the compressor plugged in so the tank repressures as needed.

Open each faucet, water spigot (eg, refrig) one at a time until you don't see water coming out. Do both hot & cold.

I set my regulated pressure to around 30psi. It just seems to do a better job then any higher pressure.

I take my time and go over the waterlines twice . Don't forget any water filter that may be installed.

[glwinger]

Originally Posted by DRM901

A pancake compressor works. You should put your tank pressure at the max. It's the outlet pressure that matters. I wouldn't go over 20-30 psi, because it isn't needed. It's the volume that matters (and having your tank at max gives you more volume).

Have the hose jammed tight into the water hose fitting. Keep the compressor plugged in so the tank repressures as needed.

Open each faucet, water spigot (eg, refrig) one at a time until you don't see water coming out. Do both hot & cold.

Adding: make sure you have the water heater bypassed and completely drained first. Open the low point drains to get rid of most of the water. Close the drains, put the air line onto the city water inlet. You can buy an adapter for the air line and inlet. Start opening the faucets closest to to the inlet first, both hot and cold. Then proceed to the next furthest ones.
make sure you do the toilet and outside shower if you have one. You can repeat the process just to make sure. Then open the low point drains again.

Don't forget to drain your grey, black and fresh water tanks. Add some RV antifreeze to all the drains, and add some to the toilet bowl.

[mrboyer]

I use a pancake compressor. The tank pressure is 150 with a fitting to air tires to 110#. The regulated fitting is set to about 45#. After low point draining, I open two faucets. Attach a male hose to air fitting adapter to the shore water input. Connect an air hose to the 150# to the adapter. After those to faucets no longer spit water, I open another faucet and close one of the first faucets. Continue for all faucets and lines at least twice around. Since I never have all faucets closed at the same time, the pressure never exceeds a excessive amount. The compressor has enough capacity to cycle during the process. Don’t forget the ice maker line. Did that once. At 11 degrees it ruptured and leaked when it thawed.

[Keith55]

I blew out the lines with a pancake compressor and then being the thorough guy that I am decided to add the appropriate RV antifreeze.

A lot of water came out before the pink antifreeze. Not sure what I did wrong. I mean I had the compressed air hooked up, turned on the faucets one at a time and blew the air until only air was coming out of the faucet. Maybe it was playing "whack a mole" inside the pipes? By that I mean some moved from pipe to pipe and therefore some was left after I blew the air through the pipes.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by Keith55

I blew out the lines with a pancake compressor and then being the thorough guy that I am decided to add the appropriate RV antifreeze.

A lot of water came out before the pink antifreeze. Not sure what I did wrong. I mean I had the compressed air hooked up, turned on the faucets one at a time and blew the air until only air was coming out of the faucet. Maybe it was playing "whack a mole" inside the pipes? By that I mean some moved from pipe to pipe and therefore some was left after I blew the air through the pipes.

May be water between the FW tank & pump inlet. City water inlet... where you likely blow out from... bypasses the pump inlet
Thats the downside to only using air... you have no way to check you have ALL the water out. Finding out the hard way is a real PITA.

[Bobby F]

Here in Minnesota, if I'm prepping for a hard freeze, I always use air first, and then antifreeze. And then I blow out the antifreeze.

I learned some expensive lessons over the years with boats and RV's and cabins, and this method saves me time and money.

[Dav L]

Note if you have a Hydro or Aquahot you shouldn't just use air to winterize. Required is RV antifreeze. The coils in the heater don't get the water completely removed using air. Better than nothing, but don't leave it to chance.

Either way, let the compressor build up to max and then burst the air into the plumbing (regulated of course). That is most effective at getting water in valleys pushed over the next hill on it's way out.

[DonGarlin]

Where is the bypass on the Atwood 6 Gallon water heater, someone said, drain water from Water Heater, which I do, then put the plug back in, and if I understand everyones comments, get by Air Tank Compressor to Max (150) and ReMax, open one faucet at a time, which we do (hot and Cold) get water out and stop when nothing but air! We put RV Antifreeze in drain traps, toilet and Black and Grey Tanks! QUESTION: How much tifreeze would you recommend putting in Black and Grey Tank??

[Dav L]

Originally Posted by DonGarlin

Where is the bypass on the Atwood 6 Gallon water heater, someone said, drain water from Water Heater, which I do, then put the plug back in, and if I understand everyones comments, get by Air Tank Compressor to Max (150) and ReMax, open one faucet at a time, which we do (hot and Cold) get water out and stop when nothing but air! We put RV Antifreeze in drain traps, toilet and Black and Grey Tanks! QUESTION: How much tifreeze would you recommend putting in Black and Grey Tank??

First, you gotta believe that the subject of winterizing an RV has been discussed a zillion times. All of your answers are easily found via a search.

You don't need much antifreeze at all in the waste and fresh tanks. The tanks need to be emptied and then only enough antifreeze to ensure the valves don't have any water around them.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Where is the bypass on the Atwood 6 Gallon water heater,

The heater bypass, if any, is not part of the heater itself. It is part of the plumbing installed by the RV builder. Typically it is right behind the heater where the cold water enters the tank, but not always.

[DonGarlin]

Appreciate everyone's comments, added a note for procedures in my iPhone, now come fall, I will be ready to winterize properly!