Quote:
Originally posted by Antique Pedaler
Then are you blowing out the water system with compressed air? That's what my wife and I do. It takes two. I handle the air and she opens the faucets, sharting in the kitchen. Finally we pour a little RV antifreeze down each drain |
Good point. I didn't mention the water heater but I assumed he was going to take care of that. Remember to turn the valves for the bypass. I blow out the lines prior to the bypass being opened up. To open up the bypass (and close off the water heater based on the three valves on my trailer) the top valve is turned clockwise (closed), the middle is counter clockwise (open), and the bottom is clockwise(closed). This should bypass the water heater.
You can blow out the lines with only one person. Normally I open the valves, turn on the compressor then go inside the trailer turning all the valves off except one. Once that valve is dry, I open the next one, turn off the previous. Works great and you can do it alone if you don't have help.
One additional idea if you wish is to blow out the traps prior to pouring in additional antifreeze. Just reverse your shop vac and put the hose in the drain. You might need a rag to close it off. That way you know for sure that the trap has pure antifreeze in it.
My dealer recommends using antifreeze in the lines when you blow out the lines with lower pressure 12 volt compressors.
One other winterizing thing I do is to flush the water heater. I bought from Camping World, a long thin copper pipe and valve assembly that screws on to the end of a garden hose. The tip of the copper pipe is angled down. I insert the pipe through the drain plug opening of the heater tank and then turn the valve on full blast. The sharp stream of water scours the tank and removes all the white scale and mineral buildup within the tank. It will add years to the life of your tank.
Jack