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09-27-2009, 02:00 PM
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#1
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4 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
ARLINGTON
, TEXAS
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 335
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I'm drowning with this plumbing maze ... PLEASE HELP :)
Hello,
I am attempting to replace the copper plumbing with Pex.
I am fairly handy but, I'm stumped with this maze. Do I really need all 5 of these cut off's?
The 1st photo (left to right) has a cut off that I think comes out of the fresh water tank (?)
The 2nd goes to the sink (with another cut off) Hot or cold Im not sure. The 3rd has another cut of that goes to hot or cold?? NOT SURE
If you look below the 3rd cut off, it has a short piece of copper that slips thru a hole in the floor (pulled up for photo), on the bottom side, below the AS its an open pipe. Is this normal? If so, what is this? Also, the copper lines that appear to go to the sink faucet are different sizes. Is this normal? Im really lost. Does it really have to be this complicated or is this just pieced together? Any suggestions to simplify this with pex is so appreciated. THANK YOU ALL!!
__________________
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion...
Taylor 1/20/96 - 11/28/08
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09-27-2009, 03:36 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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The three red-handled valves are actually drain valves. All three are connected to that pipe that runs out the bottom of your Airstream. One valve drains your fresh water tank and the other two drain your hot and cold water lines. Not sure if you need to have two in the kitchen to drain your hot and cold water lines since there are also two in the bathroom. The other valves in your pic appear to be shutoffs for your hot and cold water lines running to your kitchen sink. It's up to you whether you want these there or not. I would.
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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09-27-2009, 06:38 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington
, Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,991
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The hot and cold water drain valves are installed at the low points of the water system. My 72 Sovereign, did not have low point drains in the bathroom, only by the water tank as you have. If you eliminate these from the kitchen, then you will have a few inches or feet of water pipe between the tank and the pump that may not drain completely for winterizing your trailer. Might not be an issue in Texas though... But it could be for a future owner of the trailer if they move it up North. So, I would keep the 3 drain valves.
I’m with Mike on eliminating the shut valves to the kitchen skin. That seems like overkill in a trailer, where all you need to do is shut off the pump or city water supply to replace or repair a faucet.
Chris
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09-27-2009, 06:43 PM
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#4
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4 Rivet Member
Graham
, North Carolina
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 276
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all that is good info, because I am fixing the hot and cold water lines that frooze last year from not knowing to open all three drains
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09-27-2009, 07:50 PM
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#5
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,618
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When the PO PEX'd my trailer all of the drains except for the fresh water tank were eliminated. The PO pumped antifreeze into the system and bypassed the water heater. The system is leak free.
It was 108 degrees in Phoenix today, still a little early to think about winterizing.
__________________
Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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09-27-2009, 07:57 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2000 31' Land Yacht
Central
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,489
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There is a good reason to be able to drain all besides temp, if you take on some bad water, much easier to flush system by just draining. Can also use flushing action after bleaching tanks and pipes.
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09-29-2009, 09:39 AM
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#7
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4 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
ARLINGTON
, TEXAS
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 335
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I had planned moving the 3 valves up for better access UNTIL you said they are installed at the low points in the water system. NOW makes sense to me. Thanks for the info. Im just learning about my AS. I really appreciate everyones help. Really would be lost without all the help. THANKS!!!!
__________________
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion...
Taylor 1/20/96 - 11/28/08
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09-29-2009, 10:10 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1966 22' Safari
Hilltop Lakes
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,767
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Suggestion: If you haven't already done so, draw a schematic of your entire water system, separate cold and hot, and figure the whole thing out before you cut out the copper. We replaced damaged copper with PEX in our Safari, and many times the drawings were the only thing that saved us big mistakes. You'll find places where the PEX fittings won't fit exactly where the copper ones did, and you'll have to re-design a bit to do the same thing.
Also, if you're using the crimped copper rings to secure the PEX, be sure to plan the last crimp at a place where the tool will fit and operate in the space you have. We had to pre-fabricate several assemblies outside the tight spaces and then install the whole thing together.
Lots of planning and head scratching, but it's a great system when you get it done.
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09-29-2009, 02:15 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minno
The hot and cold water drain valves are installed at the low points of the water system. My 72 Sovereign, did not have low point drains in the bathroom, only by the water tank as you have.
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That's interesting, Chris. I wonder why my Sovereign has two sets of drains in the Kitchen and bathroom? Seems like overkill to me. I think I'll eliminate one set probably the ones in the kitchen.
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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09-30-2009, 11:11 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington
, Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,991
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Hi Mike,
I'd be more tempted to eliminate the ones in the bathroom. Then you'd have your low point drains and tank drain all nicely together in one spot. My service manual shows low point drains in both the bathroom and kitchen, so maybe a PO eliminated the bathroom ones at some point before we got her. Heaven knows there were enough patches in the water system for anything to be possible!
Chris
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09-30-2009, 12:35 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
1971 27' Overlander
Central
, Ohio
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,365
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Just an added thought on the front and rear drains. We follow the manual instructions to over-kill when draining the trailer (even though I pump all the lines full of antifreeze). I have no intention of having to replace the copper with anything else.
Open all faucets - front and rear drains - and the exterior faucet the PO added next to the incoming water line and let it drain - as well as the water heater.
Fresh water tank has never had water in it until this year so it was always bone dry.
Then (per the manual) jacked the unit up until the elect. jack maxed out and let it drain. Then let the jack down as far as it will go.
Without fail we have always had additional water still drain from the front low points when the nose was lowered as the last step......
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09-30-2009, 12:51 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington
, Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,991
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganglin
Without fail we have always had additional water still drain from the front low points when the nose was lowered as the last step......
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Yup - I can see that happening. When you raise the front of the trailer, the water lines that run around the rear end are going to be lower than the drain valves in the bathroom. Once you lower the front end, then the front drain valves are lower than the rear, so the remaining water drains out the front valves.
Chris
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09-30-2009, 12:53 PM
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#13
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Patriotic
1973 23' Safari
North of Boston
, Massachusetts
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,546
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yeah, there's always more in there than ya might think. its a long, flat run of pipes from the galley to the bathroom, too. one drain point might not be enough.
might be moot if you're going to pump antifreeze...which I would do, as I've twice had damaged pumps (which aren't protected by draining, or blowing-out the pipes) from not getting the antifreeze in there in a timely fashion. you'd think once would have been enough to learn me, but NOOoooo.
__________________
Air:291
Wbcci: 3752
'73 Safari 23'
'00 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 QC
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09-30-2009, 01:34 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by azflycaster
It was 108 degrees in Phoenix today, still a little early to think about winterizing.
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Yeah, but aren't you headed to Colorado? You may need to take care of that before you leave here in a couple of weeks...especialy if you are headed up to the mountains after the rally.
You never know.
Shari
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09-30-2009, 01:48 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington
, Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,991
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It was 37 degrees this morning in Minneapolis.
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09-30-2009, 04:35 PM
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#16
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minno
It was 37 degrees this morning in Minneapolis.
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Yeah, it's been cooling off here in Phoenix, too. It was 65 degrees yesterday morning.
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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09-30-2009, 05:21 PM
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#17
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,618
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Quote:
Originally Posted by InsideOut
Yeah, but aren't you headed to Colorado? You may need to take care of that before you leave here in a couple of weeks...especialy if you are headed up to the mountains after the rally.
You never know.
Shari
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We will keeping a eye on the temperatures on our return trip from Fort Collins.
__________________
Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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12-02-2009, 05:48 PM
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#18
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4 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
ARLINGTON
, TEXAS
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 335
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OK, another question when winterizing. Where are you putting the antifreeze (scary) and how are you blowing lines?
__________________
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion...
Taylor 1/20/96 - 11/28/08
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12-02-2009, 06:34 PM
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#19
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Site Team
1974 31' Sovereign
Ottawa
, ON
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 11,219
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To blow out lines, there is a little adapter (less than $2) that screws on where you connect your water hose (in). It has a Schraeder valve, so you can put an air hose on it. Let it blow for a while, 40 lbs is plenty of pressure.
Then some people use the water pump to suck up antifreeze and fill all the lines, but I personally think that's overkill. If the water's gone, what's to freeze?
It IS necessary to displace all the water in the "P" traps with antifreeze. Those are the sideways P-shaped drain pipes under each and every sink, and tub and they trap water to stop sewer gases from coming back up the drains.
There are a lot of threads on winterizing, use the Google choice in the airforums.com Search menu, they'll pop up. Ferinstance, the terlet needs a bit of extra care, and make sure the black tank is empty!
By the way, the antifreeze for RVs is NOT poisonous, so no worries, dollinks!
__________________
“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ...John Wayne...........................
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12-02-2009, 06:37 PM
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#20
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4 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
ARLINGTON
, TEXAS
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 335
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aage
To blow out lines, there is a little adapter (less than $2) that screws on where you connect your water hose (in). It has a Schraeder valve, so you can put an air hose on it. Let it blow for a while, 40 lbs is plenty of pressure.
Then some people use the water pump to suck up antifreeze and fill all the lines, but I personally think that's overkill. If the water's gone, what's to freeze?
It IS necessary to displace all the water in the "P" traps with antifreeze. Those are the sideways P-shaped drain pipes under each and every sink, and tub and they trap water to stop sewer gases from coming back up the drains.
There are a lot of threads on winterizing, use the Google choice in the airforums.com Search menu, they'll pop up.
By the way, the antifreeze for RVs is NOT poisonous, so no worries, dollinks!
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See...there you go teaching me again....Thanks a Bunch Mr. Man
__________________
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion...
Taylor 1/20/96 - 11/28/08
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