Air pressure method of winterizing

[NevadaCamper]

I was reading about different methods of winterizing (185RB), one being using air pressure through your city water connection. I have the little goodie to do this but I am puzzled by something. The manual says that once you start the pressure it takes 5-10 minutes to clear the water. Is this right? Another thing is, What PSI should I have on the compressor to avoid damage to the system. As far as the toilet do I have to hold it open during the whole process?Looks like this is a two person job?? Bungee cord??? Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.

[mcfarmall]

Set your regulator to 30-40 psi and blow away. I simply plug my air supply into the city water fitting and step on the toilet pedal until no more water comes out. Then I do the sink faucets and then indoor/outdoor showers. No need for a helper.

[wwsmith111]

PSI = about 20 - 30 psi. I hook up the air compressor after I drain everything including the hot water tank (you may have to put back the plug). I crack open each water valve one at a time until they blow only air which is not long, maybe 5 - 10 seconds if that. Be sure to do your outside shower if you have one and low point drains. Do the toilet and dump all your holding tanks. I then put some RV anti-freeze down each drain (p-traps) and also dump some into the toilet bowl. This keeps the seal from drying out over the winter.

[us71na]

You need a compressor with a tank so that you get enough air flow to blow out the water. The little 12 volt tire inflators won't do the job.

I blew mine out this year and used half as much antifreeze as I needed last year, without blowing, to get the job done.

[Bassdogs]

The little 12 V compressors work just fine. You don't want much psi anyway. Just connect to the fresh water fill. Bypass and drain the water heater, drain the fresh water tank, open and drain the low point drains, and then close all the faucets and the low point drains. Turn on the compressor and then open each faucet one at a time. When that one blows air, do the next one. Don't forget the outside shower and the toilet. I go around for a 2nd time just for the heck of it. When you finish with the last valve, shut off the compressor. Then dump some pink stuff in each sink drain and a little in the toilet bowl. You're done. A gallon on the pink stuff will be more than enough. I keep a gallon handy just for emergencies. I use the TT as a man cave so the ptraps and toilet might need a redo.

Note: a slight bit of water in a line won't hurt anything. The lines are plastic and there won't be enough to crack them if you have followed the above steps.

[NevadaCamper]

Thanks for the helpful answers.

[jdorant]

When you blow your lines out with Air, Do you all use RV antifreeze after? I have never done the air method but thinking about it this year.

[Arefbee]

I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
I blow the system out then pump in the red stuff.
When it comes to something so important and a system that would be so hard to repair, I'd rather spend the time and money on the front end instead of on repairs later.

[Flapper]

I do, because it's Minnesota....but it is like wearing a belt and suspenders. I blow out my lawn sprinklers using air, and they never freeze and crack, same idea with the trailer. Once the water is blown out, there isn't anything to cause significant pressure when frozen.
It's actually the air pressure buildup in pipes caused by the expanding ice that makes pipes burst. Hence why you're also advised to leave a faucet open, to give the air someplace to go. So blow out the water, and then leave the faucet open where possible, and you are good to go!

[eldermike]

I drain the water heater, remove the outdoor shower hose, open all taps and blow out the lines. I only use the antifreeze in the drains. You need to make sure that all sink drains and shower drains have pink stuff in them. They have elbow traps.

I can do this in about 20-30 mins and might do it 4 or five times over the winter depending on making trips when the weather turns nice for a few days.

[qwed94]

very simple plan. At the shop we blow, and antifreeze.
Use your existing water hose regulator, screw it in to the city water connection. Screw the blow out plug to the regulator. NOW- open every faucet, every low point drain, and leave the plug out of your water heater- (do NOT) bypass the water heater. Now have one person apply the air to the blow out plug, while some else goes inside and monitors the water from the faucets, and flushes the toilet.

Now you can remove air flow. Remove plug/regulator from city hookup. Leave faucets/water heater/low points open. You are good to go.

[us71na]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

The little 12 V compressors work just fine. You don't want much psi anyway. Just connect to the fresh water fill.

You need more volume than pressure and the little 12 volt ones are sadly lacking in volume capability but can develop some really high pressures if you leave the faucets shut too long.

[NevadaCamper]

I followed the directions and everything turned out ok, Good thing because it is 32 degrees at this time. Dodged a bullet this time!

[eldermike]

I set my compressor regulator down to about 25-30psi, open all the taps in the TT and let it run air through the pipes for hours while I go do other things.

[Rustic Eagle]

I may have missed it in the replies..., but when using the air pressure method don't forget to "run the water pump dry", applying air pressure through the city water connection will not clear the water pump.

Bob

[LilBigfoot]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

I may have missed it in the replies..., but when using the air pressure method don't forget to "run the water pump dry", applying air pressure through the city water connection will not clear the water pump.

Bob

...and if you follow up with anti freeze, you'll have a nice bit of the pink stuff in your pump.

[tugboat95]

Just did mine yesterday. Took longer to gravity drain than blow the lines down. Blowing them out took about 10 minutes to do every water outlet and hot water heater. I also blew out the hot water heater. I set the psi to 30#. Quite honestly I wasn't aware of this until I watched a youtube vid from camping world, but after cawling around under the sink and bed I saw just what is used for the water lines and too much is NOT a good thing on these lines. Then I just used the pump to suck in about a gallon of the pink stuff opening one water valve at a time until pink flowed out, Did not put it in the hot water heater. Pour a little bit into each P trap drain and into the toilet. I also put some into gray and black tank to mix with any residual water left to keep from freezing. All in all it took me about 30 minutes to do everything and that including making up the air fitting and exploring the plumbing to make sure I knew the exact layout.