Winterizing with compressed air question.

[rneal55555]

Originally Posted by SuperGewl

A Cresent Hammer will also work.
But yes, you should get socket or actual plug wrench and keep it in the MH.

I knew there was a Bubblehead talking as soon as I read Crescent Hammer.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by sandwip

I replaced the hot water plug with a stubby 90 degree ball valve, no wear and tear on tank threads, a quick twist and you are drained. Every thing else mentioned usually applies. I use air but also pump antifreeze through all taps and then blow with air, greatly reduces chance of low spot freezing and takes less to flush in the spring.

I made up a short garden hose extension with a valve and short. (8-12") pie e of 1/4" tubing. It works great for flushing WH as the excess flow can drain while you continue to stir up & flush the sediment.
Can't do that with a ball valve in place.
No issue messing up threads with a nylon plug.
I dont like to blow out AF after filling... small amounts can/will dry on and be more difficult to flush clean in the spring. I sanitize each spring so it gets a good flush after treating with bleach.

To each his own, I guess, many methods will work and doubts there is one best for everyone. Just need to understand +/- and make your own decisions.

[skifishvail]

To avoid multiple winterizing/dewinterizing procedures when we use our MH in Colorado freezing conditions(below zero), we winterize when needed in October. Then we put a porta potti in the shower stall. That way we have "facilities." We can then empty at any rest stop, service station, home, etc. We put a 3-5 gallon jug in kitchen sink to wash and cook with and throw water out and keep water bottles in fridge for drinks. This makes short trips-or long-doable.

[burgmark]

I'd take out the drain plug in the water heater just to be sure. I thought that most RVs (you don't mention your type) were designed to not freeze as long as the furnace or Aquahot is running to maintain a comfortable temp and then some have heat pads on the water tanks.

I first use my jacks to tilt my motorhome opposite of my low point drains (i.e., raise the right side). I take the plug out of the water heater, drain the fresh water tank and open the low point drains until water stops draining. I then close all drains and replace the water heater plug. Then attach an adapter to my city water hookup and attach my compressor, which has a regulator so I set that to 50 psi. Then pressure up the system with air and run all the faucets, showers toilet, washer, low point drains, etc. until all water is purged. I shut off the air and open up the low point drains again and let it sit for a few hours. Then take off the lines at the water pump and run the pump for a few seconds to make sure there is no water in the pump. I also unscrew the wire mesh filter and drain out any water there. Then I pour 1 qt of antifreeze in the washer and run the drain cycle. I also dump some antifreeze in all the drains so the traps don't freeze.

So far, no problems at temps down to 15 degrees.

[m.elliott63]

Originally Posted by 1stimerveer

After 4 winters winterizing, This winter I finally discovered the easiest way for me to winterize our TT.

I first make sure the water pump is turned off.

Open all of the faucets, and shower head

Then opened the low point drains, (Mine has a hot and cold low point drain)
A little over 5 minutes later I found that all my pipes and HW tank were empty. It seems this siphons just about all of the water from the water lines.

I verified this by removing the HW tank drain plug, and using compressed air to blow down the lines. There wasn't enough water left in the lines to cause freeze damage.

While blowing the lines down with compressed air, I only noticed a few drops and bit of a spray from any of my faucets.

I then proceded to bypass the water heater turning the apropriate valves, and finally pump in the antifreeze.

Can't figure why I hadn't thought of this sooner...

The point is if your concerned about pipes freezing, see if there is a quick simple way to empty your water lines.

It may be as simple as opening your low point drain valves.

Why would anyone put antifreeze in lines that are blown out is beyond me. I winterize with vompressed air, use a shop vac to blow out the traps, then use 1/4 gallon of the pink stuff to fill each trap and in the toilet bowl. No need to flush it out to dewinterize.

[MrMark52]

Considering the nastiness (dust and particulates, especially the organic ones) that lives in most shop vacs - I’d rather connect the vacuums suction to the drain port than to blow the nastiness into the lines - keeping in mind air volume into the vacuum = the air volume being blown by the vacuums discharge.

[burgmark]

But he is just using the vacuum to blow out the drain line traps, not the water supply lines. Also I use a filter and a dust bag in my shop vac (not used for water) so the blow is pretty clean.

[MrMark52]

Originally Posted by burgmark

But he is just using the vacuum to blow out the drain line traps, not the water supply lines. Also I use a filter and a dust bag in my shop vac (not used for water) so the blow is pretty clean.

Aghh - my bad - yeah, drain traps I wouldn’t be too worried about with a shop vac.

[Bigd9]

I use my battery powered leaf blower to blow out the drains. Easier to carry it into and out of the RV.

[Bigd9]

When winterizing, I hook up the garden hose to the city water connection leaving it turned off, then remove the water heater drain plug, then turn on the garden hose water. The pressure from the city water blows out any build up inside the water tank. I have found this to work extremely well. I also use this once a year to flush out our homes hot water tank.

Just be careful the bosses car isn't parked next to the discharge or you will be finding your self washing and waxing her car!