low drain points

Raptorrider2001 · 11-04-2002, 07:15 PM

I am preparing to winterize my 25' twin bed. I am not sure where to find all of the low drain points. On the door side of the trailer, just behind the front wheel, there is a white drain spout with a handle on it. When I opened it, only a small amount of water would stream out. It looks like this hose goes under the trailer and into the water heater area. Just behind this valve are two drain valves like on a car radiator and are located side by side and protrude from what looks like and enclosed tank. The manual talks like there is one also located in the left rear compartment where the water pressure regulator is located but I can not see any thing else under the trailer that comes close to looking like a drain. Any ideas would be appreciated.

**jcanavera** · 11-04-2002, 09:17 PM

On my 27' Safari the white spout on the curb side is the fresh water tank drain. The two smaller valves, like radiator drains just to the rear of the fresh water tank drain, are the low water drains for the hot and cold water lines. The other drain you are looking for may be in the streetside rear hatch. You reach in the hatch and if facing it, on the far right side of the compartment (towards the rear of the trailer) is a valve which drains the water that is in the line just upstream from the water pressure regulator.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Jack

Raptorrider2001 · 11-05-2002, 06:21 AM

Thanks Jack. I bet that is the one I am looking for. It sounds like the description in the manual. As to the white one, I filled the tanks and added chlorine to sanitize them and when I went to drain it from this valve, only a very, very small trickle would come out. I will try to check and see if it is stopped up but at the rate it was coming out, it would have taken a week to dump that much water. I finally emptied the tank by using the sink, lavatory and shower. Thanks for your help.

Antique Pedaler · 11-05-2002, 11:36 AM

Maybe I'm getting in late on this.....but in addition to opening the drain plugs mentions, I also drain the water heater and open the bypass valves. 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. During the past two winters, we've had no problems...even with temperatures going below minus 20. We do not fill the water lines with RV antifreeze...on the recommendation of the Airstream Factory. Many dealers, including our closest Airstream one do recommend it though.

We usually head south in February. So I called the factory to ask about dewinterizing and filling the water tank before leaving here (Wyoming). The tech said the Safari is a four season trailer. Keep the furnace set on its lowest temp and the water system is safe to 0 degrees.

**jcanavera** · 11-05-2002, 01:22 PM

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

Antique Pedaler · 11-05-2002, 01:43 PM

Now, Jack, that's a good idea......flushing out the water heater the way you mention. I've been on the lookout for a simple way to do it.

To blow out the water lines, I use a 110 volt Coleman compresser I found on special at a local auto parts house. Not as powerful as service station variety, but quite adequate. I figured the price was cheap compared to repairing burst waterlines.

**jcanavera** · 11-05-2002, 02:14 PM

My dealer told me that the key to using air only was the pressure of the compressor. If you get enough air pressure through the line it won't hold any residule dropplets. Those dropplets accumulating in low spots in the line are the trouble makers. I can guarantee you that my 12 volt compressor isn't going to generate enough force, hence the antifreeze.

Jack

Antique Pedaler · 11-06-2002, 10:05 AM

Don't know what an accumulator might be...perhaps someone does. Look behind the outside hot water heater door for a by-pass system. It would be three open/close valves connecting/bypassing water lines from the outside top to bottom of the heater.

**jcanavera** · 11-06-2002, 01:01 PM

"Hello, all:

I've been reading winterizing with great interest as this my first winterizing. Martha Stuart mothballs and all. When I bought the 84 Excella last Feb it had been winterized and had compressed air in the water lines. It looks to me like something called an "accumulator"

Neal,
I moved your question to the General Repair Forum. There is a topic called Winterizing which gets much more exposure to the forum members. I'm sure there are others with your trailer that may have some answers. The newer Safari's don't have these tanks.

I think the purpose of the tanks are to even out the water flow coming from the water pump. The older pumps tended to pulse which annoyed some folks. The valve may be a method of pressurizing the tank to force out any water in it.

The water heater bypass valves are usually found very close to the heater itself. Usually there are three valves.

Jack

Rick Gillis · 11-06-2002, 05:01 PM

There is a lot of good advice for winterizing, so I’ll try to not repeat too much. First off, on my ’99 Safari the white drain spout when opened only dripped a few drops as well. Knowing that the fresh water tank had quite a bit of water left, I proceeded to see if the spout was plugged up. I undid the two small screws holding it to the plastic tank protector, and as I pull it out slowly, the spout began to stream water. The hose had been kinked from the factory, thus blocking the water flow. I would recommend you try the same process when you winterize.

I am of the anti-freeze school, which took me about 45 minutes the first time around with no help. Bypass the hot water tank (discussed in previous posts), drain the hot water tank (white plug) and connect a line to the water pump (in your closet under the removable panel). The line I used was a 20 inch sink line which I got at Home Depot. Put the other end of the line in a bottle of RV anti-freeze and turn on the pump. One at a time, turn on the kitchen sink, bathroom sink and the shower until you see pink. Run both hot and cold and flush the toilet as well. Pour a bit of anti-freeze down each drain (kitchen, bathroom, shower, toilet) and you are done. It took two gallons, being generous pouring anti-freeze down the drains.

I would also recommend removing the battery. I left mine in last year and it was stone dead in the spring. The experts say if a battery is dead it can freeze and crack. Luckily, it took a charge in the spring and worked fine all summer.

Rick

**jcanavera** · 11-06-2002, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rick Gillis
and connect a line to the water pump (in your closet under the removable panel). Rick

Rick,
This is an issue that many of us have had since the floor panel in my twin closet in my 27' Safari is not removable. It appears to be one piece across the twin closet floor with a wooden brace that helps divide the floor into two sections. My manual gives me the impression that the panel to remove is the verticle panel just below the closet doors across from the bathroom entry. The problem is that panel is framed with wood trim which stretches from the floor to the ceiling. I removed the screws that secure the panel but found that there was no way to get the panel out without modifying that trim (removing it or cutting it just below the door level). How have you handled this situation?

Jack

Bud Brown · 11-07-2002, 04:22 AM

Jack,

Thanks for the help with this. I slowly pulled off the molding on the right side of the wardrobe (no glue was visible), removed both doors (future discussion) via the quick release latches and remove the 4 screws in the closet floor, along with the 4 screws on the face of the access panel. I inserted the right angle hook end of a 15" Craftsman flat section pry bar between the carpet and access panel (very tight fit) and pulled out the right side. This initially required more force than I liked to apply the first time, since I had no idea what I was getting into, but the panel slid out easliy once it started moving. Again no glue was visible and nothing was marked or damaged.

All of us who have Safari 27 should think about modifing the panel for easier access to the water pump. My first thought was to cut out a 5" x 8" section and cover it with a vent register backed with additional sound insulation. This may also quite the pump a little. However before I cut I would like to listen to other ideas.

rcaldwel · 11-07-2002, 05:20 AM

Folks,

How much air pressure should you use to blow out the lines? I have a compressor that like most can be set at various pressure settings. I am concerned that to much pressure might harm fittings etc. Can I have some experienced airstreamers reply to this before I goof up and possible blow something up.

thanks,

Bob Caldwell

**jcanavera** · 11-07-2002, 08:25 AM

My dealer said his air pressure system supplies 90 psi., but he knows what he is doing and advised us not to do this with the pressures he uses. Most RV in-line water pressure reducers bring city water pressures down to 40 psi so you can be safe at this level. Personally I open an outlet then turn on the compressor and go through one by one. When I hit the last one I leave the outlet open and go out and turn off the compresssor.

Jack