meadelz
Wellsville, NY USA
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Joined: 09/11/2002
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Unfortunately in my neck of the woods, winter will fast be approaching. Hence the need to Winterize our 5th wheel. In the past, I had the dealership do it. Instead, this year I am reaching out to you folks to tell me how simple it is to do. Now, I understand the concept..... Pressurize the system to flush most of the water out. Put a respectable amount of anti-freeze in the system and voila. Right?? I have access to an air compressor. My big question is what type of attatchment does one need to actually hook air up to unit???
Thanks in advance for everything!!!
Meadelz
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Chickie
Slatington,Pa USA
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Joined: 03/14/2002
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Meadelz, I use a water line pressure reducer and a blowout plug. Screw the pressure reducer in at the city water hookup then screw the blow out plug onto it. Hook air line to the blowout plug and air will go in. Next I open my spigots one at a time until only water mist comes out. Finally I pump antifreeze in the lines. I also blow the anti freeze out right away and catch it at the spigots. By doing this with the antifreeze I get no bad taste come spring. Some people leave it in all winter but I have had no problems doing it the way I do it.
chickie
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cmoehle
San Antonio, TX
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Joined: 02/14/2001
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I'd like to understand this a little better. I simply drain water before pumping antifreeze into lines. I'm seeing more and more where people use an air compressor to blow out the lines rather than drain them. May be I should too. What is the advantage of doing so?
CampfireSoapbox.com
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PapawFor2
Az
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Joined: 09/19/2002
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Any RV supply store has a fitting to screw in your water inlet where you attach a garden hose. The fitting has a schrader valve on it so you can place the air chuck right on the fitting. Make sure your interior water spickets are open before you apply air pressure.
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nebtex
Small Town, NE USA
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Joined: 07/26/2002
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We find that if you blow out the water lines before adding the anti freeze, it takes less anti freeze. We don't trust just blowing out the water lines with air so we add the anti freeze.
GMC 250 extended cab pulling 28'American Star 5th wheel w/slide
Winter Texans from NE
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NewmarGuy
Canada
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Joined: 03/15/2002
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One added point - even if you blow out the system with air and add antifreeze to the traps you still have the pump to deal with. The pump will have water trapped inside. RV dealers sell an adaptor kit to attach to the pump which sucks up antifreeze from your container and replaces the water inside your pump. Some rv's use a pump that pumps air for pressurizing the system and some use a pump that actually pumps the water in which case the antifreeze must be put into the pump to protect. Also make sure the water resivour and water heater are fully drained - that may take several times of pressure and blow out of the system. My rig has drains on the water tank, hot water tank, and 4 drains on the system lines ( I am thinking that they may be low spots intended for draining putrposes. ) Also my pump is equipped with the adaptor for sucking antifreeze into its system. Hope this helps.
Newmar Mountain Aire Fifth 33'CKSA - Ford F250 Camper Spec. SC - Hijacker Hitch
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camper guy
New Hampshire
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Joined: 04/04/2002
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I use a portable air pump that I keep for the tires, not a compressor, although I don't think it matters unless you have too much pressure in the compressor and it blows the lines apart. It's good for adding air to the tires if needed between trips too rather than try to get next to the pump at the gas station.
First I take out the drain plug in the water heater and let that drain. I drain the fresh water tank at the same time. Then I screw in the reducer, (Wally World), to the city water intake and turn on the air pump. When I'm sure most of the water is out of the water heater I shut off the air pump and put the drain plug in and then open the closest faucet to the intake and turn the compressor. From there I open and close all faucets until I get the mist, including the toilet and outside shower.
Once all that is done I use hose at the fresh tank to suck in the antifreeze, first I put about 1/2 gallon in the water heater, (tank is big enough to expand, but $1.00 is cheaper than a new heater), by turning on a hot water faucet. Once that is done I bypass the water heater and starting at the closest point to the intake I make sure I get antifreeze out of each line, hot and cold including outside shower and toilet. I usually go through about 3 gallons total after I put a cup down each drain and 1/2 gallon in each holding tank, (probably not necessary, but again for a few $$ feel better).
I leave the antifreeze in all winter and in the spring when I de-winterize it I flush the whole system with a bleach and water solution from the fresh tank anyway which replaces the sugary taste with chlorine.
I probably go way overboard, but i've done enough plumbing of busted pipes the first weekend out that I never want to do it again. Haven't had a busted pipe due to winter since copper.
2001 Sprinter 380BWS in a seasonal park.
Friend of Bills.....
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camper guy
New Hampshire
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Newmar Guy makes a good point about the pump. I think if you don't have the adaptor you can pour the antifreeze into the fresh water tank after it's empty and run it out of there.
I also take out the batteries. Then I stuff the electric outlet with steelwool, put garbage bags behind the water heater, furnace and refrigerator outside vents to help keep critters and spiders out.
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cmoehle
San Antonio, TX
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Joined: 02/14/2001
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OK, so if you blow out lines with compressed air you need only get antifreeze to low points like ptraps?
(Yes, my 5er has water pump that can syphon out of antifreeze bottle.)
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Johnsbo
Somewhere,
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Joined: 04/18/2001
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Drain the low points first. Screw the blow-out plug into the city water connection. Start at the faucet closest to the city water connection and have the wife (significant other, or whatever) open one faucet at a time. Apply short bursts of air to the blow-out plug WHILE THE FAUCET IS OPEN. When no more water comes out move to the next faucet until no more water comes out of any faucet. For good measure we start all over. Then put about 1 cup of RV anti-freeze down each trap. Then you are done. I have been following this procedure for about 30 years and have never had a problem.
Bob and Linda
2008 Navion 24H
Cedar Hill, TX
My worst day camping was better than the best day I ever had working.
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