First time owner may have to winterize while on the road seeks advice

[curru]

Hmmm, scratch the tire compressor idea, I guess. I will not be winterizing for storage, only for temporary situations if I find myself in cold weather for a few days. I'd hate to have to pump several gals of pink stuff into the system, only to have to flush it out again in a week or so. With the heater on in the trailer, will it be warm enough to keep lines near the outside walls from freezing, should the temp get down into the mid 20s, say, for the night, then warm up during the day?

[gbaglo]

Should only take a couple gallons of the pink stuff if the water heater is bypassed and fresh water tank is empty.

[Vermilye]

It is best to use an oilless compressor, or, if it is a oil lubricated compressor, have a oil separator in the line. Even a small amount of oil in the fresh water system can taste terrible, and be difficult to remove.

I use an inexpensive 1 gallon tank Harbor Freight oilless compressor set at 40PSI and have not had any problems with well below freezing winters. I do use the pink stuff in the traps & to seal the toilet. I dislike the case of it in the water lines.

Of course for the last couple of years I've had a better idea - head south!

[flatpick]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Do you have a low-point drain? ETI stopped installing them after Thetford changed a toilet valve. I have one on my 2008. It's the vertical pipe at the far left of the picture. The tap just drains the fresh water tank.

I guess not. oh well, it worked just draining the main tank down. Like I said, I did forget to open the outside shower so it did get cold enough to do damage. Guess I better get a air valve adapter!

steve

[padlin]

FWIW, I asked Reace about the plumbing, tells me it's tested by them to 100 psi, suggests we keep water pressure no higher then 50.

[float5]

Originally Posted by flatpick

doesn't all the water drain out of the trailer to the low point drain? Last winter that's all we did and had no problems. We just opened the water tank drain, drained the hot water tank, opened all spigots, ran the pump 30 sec. and put a touch of non-rv anti-freeze in the drains.

we did forget to open the outside shower valves and did have an issue. still have to fix it. small leak when it's on.

steve

As said, no more low point drains but, no, water being drained out and the rest of what you did does not cover it. The toilet valve can be ruined which is common. We run anti-freeze through it, either by hand pump as Glenn uses or by water pump as many Escapes use now.

Also need to get a little water out that is past the city water screen.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by padlin

FWIW, I asked Reace about the plumbing, tells me it's tested by them to 100 psi, suggests we keep water pressure no higher then 50.

That's what Reace told me too. I am also very cautious of campground water pressures. I have encountered 100 PSI pressure in a campground in the past. We are fortunate to have the low point drain. I drain and leave it open a couple days. Then I pull the hot water anode and open the pressure relief valve. I installed the winterizing valve and after isolating the drained hot water tank, I use about two gallons of pink stuff while Rita runs the valves and the pump. I catch the fresh water inlet and shower hose and I'm done. I bleach the system in the spring and flush about three times. For $5.00 for pink stuff for each year I'm good to go. It gets to -20F here each winter and this works for us. I have about 4 feet of hose on my winterizing valve so dropping it in the bottle is no hassle. Tubing is cheap. In my professional life I used to winterize outdoor city swimming pools, restrooms, Irrigation systems and restrooms, fountains, and municipal park water systems. Just takes logic and confidence.
Iowa Dave

[flatpick]

OK. so in the winterizing instructions for anti-freeze only:

1. Turn the pump switch ‘ON’ and open the cold water side of all faucet fixtures. Leave the faucets open until the antifreeze, (generally pink in color), flows out of the faucets and shower heads. Repeat for the hot water side.

In repeating on the hot water side, won't the hot water tank need to fill before any liquid comes out the tap?

1. Flush toilet until antifreeze is visible inside the bowl and pour one gallon of antifreeze down the toilet to winterize the black holding tank.

why a whole gallon? seem excessive??


steve

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by flatpick

OK. so in the winterizing instructions for anti-freeze only:

1. Turn the pump switch ‘ON’ and open the cold water side of all faucet fixtures. Leave the faucets open until the antifreeze, (generally pink in color), flows out of the faucets and shower heads. Repeat for the hot water side.

In repeating on the hot water side, won't the hot water tank need to fill before any liquid comes out the tap?

The Whole proses takes a little over a gallon on our 19' because you are filling all the water lines.

1. Flush toilet until antifreeze is visible inside the bowl and pour one gallon of antifreeze down the toilet to winterize the black holding tank.

why a whole gallon? seem excessive??


steve

Close the 2 valves on the water heater before you do anything and that will bypass the water heater. Then do your blow out or run antifreeze through the system. Remember to remove the anode rod on the water heater and drain it.

[gbaglo]

You need to bypass the water heater so that isn't filled with antifreeze and you have to have removed the anode to drain it.

As for pouring a gallon into the toilet, I think that is so that the drain pipe is filled with antifreeze.

[Iowa Dave]

There are two valves in the pex lines to the hot water tank one on the top line and one on the bottom. These isolate the previously drained tank. The flipper need to be perpendicular
to the line to shut it off. If instructions call for a gallon I use a gallon. $ 2.50 does
not mean much to me when it comes to avoiding heartache in the spring. I only bet two quinnellas instead of three on one race the next spring when I visit the track. Not gonna hit anyway.
Dave

[float5]

Originally Posted by flatpick

1. Flush toilet until antifreeze is visible inside the bowl and pour one gallon of antifreeze down the toilet to winterize the black holding tank.

why a whole gallon? seem excessive??

steve

I think that I last came across the instruction to use two gallons in the black tank. It could be that they are not making the assumption that when you drained the tank, you actually did get it all drained. So saying to use plenty of anti-freeze. We are using about 3 1/2 gallons in recent years including for all drains and lines.

[rubicon327]

A couple of pointers after reading this thread:

-The winterizing instructions from the Escape website that were linked in post #5 indicate 4-6 gallons of antifreeze. This much would only be needed if you were putting enough of it in the fresh tank for the pump to get suction. This should generally be avoided with the use of the winterizing T-valve or a tube attached directly to the pump suction to draw the antifreeze into the system. Only a couple of gallons total should be needed. Just did a class A motorhome for my neighbor and we only used 2.5 gallons (none in fresh tank and water heater bypassed).

-An original training video I found online produced by Escape has a winterizing section (see link below - starts at 19:23). Some parts are outdated for newer trailers without low point drain and those with a permanently mounted winterizing T-valve/hose, but the basic details are still valid especially the antifreeze directions starting at 20:48. This video also only indicates 0.5 gallon for the black tank. If you are drained well this should be plenty. Enough should get into the outlet pipe but there is little risk of an actual freeze issue with all the room for expansion

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ4gMV7g8f8

-if using compressed air don't try a small tire inflator. You need a decent volume of air (CFM) to be effective. As far as pressure, make sure you are regulated between 30 and 50 psi and you'll be fine.

-If you are traveling in some sustained cold you can blow out lines or winterize plumbing with antifreeze and still use the trailer. Keep some fresh water inside in containers and don't use the supply water plumbing. When stopped to camp you can use the sinks with the bottled water but just leave the gray tank outlet open to continuously drain to sewer and add antifreeze to the black tank with any waste. Drain black tank before leaving and add a small amount of antifreeze to sinks to protect the traps.

And just for some perspective, modern PEX plumbing is more forgiving regarding freezing than most people think. My father picked up a Scamp in January and came up the east coast from Florida. Some water froze in the lines before he got the chance to drain. We thawed it out and winterized it with no problems.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

All that is needed is to cut the vinyl hose before the water pump and install one of these 3 way valves. They are compression nuts and very easy to install. Add a piece of 1/2" vinyl hose to the branch side of the valve long enough to reach a gallon jug of antifreeze. Total job is about 10 minutes.

The one in the picture has a cap on the branch and that's where you add the hose that goes to the antifreeze jug.

Flair-It RV Water Line 3 Way Valve, All are 1/2" pex. | eBay

THANKS Tom

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by flatpick

OK. so in the winterizing instructions for anti-freeze only:

1. Turn the pump switch ‘ON’ and open the cold water side of all faucet fixtures. Leave the faucets open until the antifreeze, (generally pink in color), flows out of the faucets and shower heads. Repeat for the hot water side.

In repeating on the hot water side, won't the hot water tank need to fill before any liquid comes out the tap?

1. Flush toilet until antifreeze is visible inside the bowl and pour one gallon of antifreeze down the toilet to winterize the black holding tank.

why a whole gallon? seem excessive??


steve

Actually you keep all the faucets closed until the system builds pressure with the antifreeze, you then go around and open each faucet, hot and cold until the pink stuff flows, turn off and go to the next faucet, flush the toilet and remember to pour some into the drains and shower floor drain. Also release the outside fresh water pressure valve. Be careful, it will spit out at you.
Once done, you can use the trailer in below freezing temperatures by merely hooking up a bottle of antifreeze and use the toilet by flushing antifreeze. You will need fresh water for other purposes.

[flatpick]

thanks!!!

steve

[canyonrider]

I think the effectiveness of a small portable air compressor for blowing out the lines depends upon the compressor, not all are created equal.

Last week I used a small Viair portable unit (model 88P?) to blow out our lines on the road for the drive home through the mountains. It's a model that attaches directly to our tow vehicle's battery with clamps. I blew out one line at a time. After we arrived home, I used our larger home compressor to check and see if there was any water remaining. I did have a few drops sputter out of the bathroom sink, but everything else--toilet, kitchen sink, and outside shower--was still completely dry.

Based on this experience, I'm comfortable using this portable unit on the road. But I would be wary of smaller inflators that rely on a 12V lighter connection or regular batteries, I don't know if they would have enough oomph. I also think it helps to do one line at a time as others have described if you're using a portable unit.

[SFDavis50]

Originally Posted by canyonrider

I think the effectiveness of a small portable air compressor for blowing out the lines depends upon the compressor, not all are created equal.

Last week I used a small Viair portable unit (model 88P?) to blow out our lines on the road for the drive home through the mountains. It's a model that attaches directly to our tow vehicle's battery with clamps. I blew out one line at a time. After we arrived home, I used our larger home compressor to check and see if there was any water remaining. I did have a few drops sputter out of the bathroom sink, but everything else--toilet, kitchen sink, and outside shower--was still completely dry.

Based on this experience, I'm comfortable using this portable unit on the road. But I would be wary of smaller inflators that rely on a 12V lighter connection or regular batteries, I don't know if they would have enough oomph. I also think it helps to do one line at a time as others have described if you're using a portable unit.

I'm interested in looking into a portable inflator used to inflate air mattresses and/or boats. They put out a lot of volume at lower pressures.

[luckyone]

I just winterized my trailer using a bike pump and the optional t-valve for the RV antifreeze. I did notice not all water is drained from the hot water tank. Should I funnel some antifreeze into it or leave alone? Is there another trick to not leave any water in the hot water tank?

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by luckyone

I just winterized my trailer using a bike pump and the optional t-valve for the RV antifreeze. I did notice not all water is drained from the hot water tank. Should I funnel some antifreeze into it or leave alone? Is there another trick to not leave any water in the hot water tank?

It will be okay with a little, if full and it freezes then it can burst, but with just a little, any freezing liquid should do no harm.