Fresh water winterizing: "air pressure" vs "antifreeze"

Steamboat_Willie · 11-05-2012, 09:17 AM

This is our first year winterizing our 22FB. In the owners manual it explains that there are 2 methods available. One may either choose to blow out and evacuate the fresh water lines using air pressure through the outside city-water inlet port. OR one may use the 12V electric water pump and appropriate use of the bypass valves, etc. I decided to try the air pressure method. In the manual it says that use of the air pressure method "depends" on the model of your trailer. OK. Does that merely mean IF one has the city water inlet port?

So I connected my air compressor to the city-water inlet port (with an adapter AND a pressure regulator to be safe) and blew out the water lines as described in the manual. I did not add any antifreeze to the water lines. (I did add, of course, antifreeze to the p-traps & toilet.) In addition we also never used the 12V water pump during the camping season, so there was never any water introduced into the water pump itself. Can anyone else who has used the air pressure method tell me if there's anything else I need to attend to with this method? Or by some chance is the air blowout method not advised in some instances that may not be obvious? It certainly seemed easy enough and, being the first time doing this winterizing with this trailer, that's what concerns me. Just want to be sure.
Comments appreciated.
Thanks.
Ed

paflyfisher · 11-05-2012, 10:09 AM

Don't forget your outside shower if you have one. This is the one thing that first time winterizers forget. Don't set your regulator to anymore than 35 PSI.

MikeNChelle · 11-05-2012, 10:12 AM

Not sure if you have them or not, but low point drains.

OnTheGo · 11-05-2012, 10:54 AM

Another check you can make while the system is pressurized is to separately open each valve on every faucet. Obviously, you should be getting air and not water. As mentioned above, the outside shower and low-point drains shouldn't be forgotten.

I have always used a shop vac to blow out the water lines and drains on my TTs, and have never had a problem with excess pressure or freezing.

Steamboat_Willie · 11-05-2012, 11:45 AM

Good comments & suggestions. Thank you. I think I've attended to EVERY possible freshwater line/port in the trailer. (all LPD's, inside & outside shower, galley, head, hot tub, etc ...) I think I'm good to go. I also think I may want to revisit my HWH. I find that whenever I drain the HWH, after a trip, I encounter some leftover residual water still sloshing around inside the bottom of that tank. By gently rocking the trailer back and forth just a bit some of that extra water will spurt out. So I may just go back in there now with a curved plastic tube of some sort and see if I can also drain out any remaining water (if there is any) with a small utility pump. The HWH drain plug must not be actually located at the lowest point in the tank. But maybe I'm just being overly cautious.
Ed

RedHorse1 · 11-05-2012, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steamboat_Willie

I find that whenever I drain the HWH, after a trip, I encounter some leftover residual water still sloshing around inside the bottom of that tank.

Get one of the WH flush wands (a smaller version of the black tank wand) and hook it up to your compressed air source using the blow-out adapter. You'll be able to blow out almost all of the water. I read in the HW manual that after draining via the plug and remaining water will not be a factor. Since it's just a cup or so in the bottom there's plenty of expansion room should it freeze.

RoyBraddy · 11-05-2012, 02:41 PM

We use the 12VDC tankless air compressor and water inlet adapter. This is also great to always have available where ever you go in case you end up camping over night somewere where it freezes at night. My trailer just takes a coupe of minutes to blow out the lines and if the temp comes back the next morning I just go head and start using things all over again.

Dont have to worry about the pink stuff in the lines.

A great PLAN-B thing to have aboard for those unexpected freeze times.

Roy Ken

Ranger431 · 11-05-2012, 07:15 PM

If you have a black tank flush system you will need to blow that out too.

tlhdoc · 11-05-2012, 07:22 PM

Don't worry about the cold water heater. A little bit of water in it will not hurt anything if it freezes.

KMan420 · 11-06-2012, 07:32 PM

I use the pink stuff because I like the visual confirmation that flows from each water source. I'd appreciate feedback from all the air fans as to what you don't like about the anti-freeze method.

Wilcut · 11-06-2012, 08:44 PM

Since this is our first time with our TT we plan to use both methods to be sure. Ending with the pink stuff.

Don

Durasam · 11-08-2012, 07:02 PM

In mid winter I have usually been able to find the pink stuff for a $1 or 2 per gallon and I stock up on it. And I always prefer to be on the safe side so I use both methods also.

tinlizzie23 · 11-08-2012, 08:57 PM

I use the pink anti-freeze only, because it is so much easier to pump into the system (my air compressor is several hundred yards away from the camper, and an air tank takes several trips), gives reliable and positive confirmation that there will be no freezing, and only takes about 1 1/2 gallons and about 20 minutes, including external shower. In the spring, about one hour is sufficient to reverse the process. Just don't trust the air system, as air can blow over puddles of water, but anti-freeze gets it all. JMHO.

Engchase · 11-08-2012, 09:17 PM

We had a pop up for several years and I only used the air method. Never had an issue. Now that I have a TT, (a 22FB as well) I am using the pink stuff just to be safe. (Don't forget the toilet valve). I was concerned about the small amounts of water in any of the valves. We can see 0 or lower degrees here, and I wanted to make sure. This is my first winter with this one.

Wonderful Western North Carolina

Ranger431 · 11-09-2012, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KMan420

I use the pink stuff because I like the visual confirmation that flows from each water source. I'd appreciate feedback from all the air fans as to what you don't like about the anti-freeze method.

The main thing I don't like about it is that because we don't have "deep winters" I can get out and camp numerous times in the winter (if it's around 50-60 degrees) and the air method makes it very easy as you don't have to flush out all of the lines - just hook up the water and go.

Wyotraveler · 11-10-2012, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KMan420

I use the pink stuff because I like the visual confirmation that flows from each water source. I'd appreciate feedback from all the air fans as to what you don't like about the anti-freeze method.

I don't like that yuky pick stuff in all of my water lines that I have to flush out before I can use the TT. Plus living in a northern area I may winterize & de-winterize my TT 5 or 6 times a year since if the weather is nice off we go. I also use the 12VDC air compressor. I can winterize or de-winterize on the road anywhere I am at the time in 5 or 10 minutes. I just can't see making this winterizing a big project. If the temp looks like it will drop below 10 degrees I select a dump station. After I dump I winterize. I can still use the toilet with bottled water along with a little RV antifreeze in my black and grey tanks to prevent the valves from freezing.

cekkk · 11-10-2012, 11:36 AM

Don't know your location, but we had a large mobile home in the Rockies many years ago that we used in the summer. We blew out the lines ourselves, paid to have it done, it didn't seem to matter. When we opened in June there was a lot of PVC repairing to do.

Now we live on that same land and have had a couple TTs. I know many use the blow-out method with good results, but I can't be comfortable with it. You have to use the antifreeze in the P-traps and toilet anyway, why not just fill your pump's siphon tube with liquid, turn on the pump you haven't used, then drop the hose in a jug or two and be done with it? Remember to adjust your valving so you're not pumping into your water heater.

Wyotraveler · 11-10-2012, 04:13 PM

I suspect either way for winterizing works. It just takes a lot longer with antifreeze to acomplish the task. Jayco shows proceedures for both in their manual. I doubt they would recommend both if blowing out the lines didn't work.

KMan420 · 11-12-2012, 07:35 PM

Great feedback as usual...thanks for replying to my request for points of view on pink vs. air. I especially like the angle that air provides better flexibility to head out mid-winter (don't have to flush the pink stuff and then reload it when you get back). That could be the angle that makes me try the air method this winter.

tlhdoc · 11-12-2012, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyotraveler

I suspect either way for winterizing works. It just takes a lot longer with antifreeze to acomplish the task.

I have winterized both ways and find it is quicker to use antifreeze. Only about 5 minutes with antifreeze. When using air I keep each valve open for several minutes, to allow all/most of the water in the line to be pushed out of the faucet. If I will be using the water system (Like this time of the year) I will use air. When it will be very cold for an extended amount of time I will use antifreeze.

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