Getting ready for the freeze-Winterize

[CruizinDux]

Silvr_Bullet, IMO you will need a constant flow of air. Here is a link to an inflator thread/ They are very inexpensive and work fine...it just takes a bit longer.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...ml#post2031022

I have a dual tank Rigid that is my preference and I'm home, But acquiring it, have used the 12VAC inflator that I keep in the TT for such events while on the road and also a 110VDC when at home. All work fine, just some are simply faster.

Seems I've reached my limit of pics to post. If you send me a PM with your email and I'll forward a few pics of the air attachment and also my checklist.


I only use air in the lines and AF in the traps/toilet, tho I have installed a diverter valve at the pump inlet and have a hand pump in the pump house...both just in case.
Bob

[GettinAway]

Going to be 23 on Thursday night. Maybe I better get this done..

[SSquared]

Originally Posted by Silvr_Bullet

Is it necessary that the water lines be blown out with compressed air when antifreeze is pumped through each water fixture, galley, bathroom, shower fixtures and some pumped through low point drains? Secondarily antifreeze added to each waste trap and added to toilet fixture?

Keep in mind that if you use the antifreeze in the usual way (feed it at the input of the pump) you will miss the pipes from the city water inlet and the black tank flush inlet. Those are probably small enough to easily blow them out with something as small as a bicycle pump, if you have the right fittings to make the connection.

I should also mention that I once forgot my black tank rinser, and suffered no damage.

[FishByFly]

SSquared, last fall I️ picked up a hand siphon pump at Home Depot. After I️ blew out the city water inlet and black tank flush inlet, I was able to pump antifreeze into these inlets. Just another preventative step to protect these areas and backflow valves.

[FishByFly]

Sorry for all the “I️ “. It is an Apple problem

[Earth2Wendy]

Thank you for your careful documentation of the winterization process! We bought a 2018 BaseCamp this fall--our first Airstream. I've made up my own cheat sheet based on information gleaned from our owner's manual and guidance from technician Jimi at Airstream of Utah, who gave us this version of winterization as an alternative to going through the compressed air blow-out routine.* I'll copy it below. I'd really appreciate the benefit of others' experience in reviewing what I wrote and making corrections and/or additions.

(*In all fairness to Jimi, this is what I THOUGHT I understood of what he explained to me. Any mis-interpretation of his instructions is my fault, not his.)

I did notice that after running antifreeze through all your faucets you still add more to the P traps. Could be your Airstream is different enough from ours that this is more important for you than for us. I've wondered about it, but our technician said so long as we'd run it through the faucets we'd be okay, as there would naturally be some left behind in the P traps. I'd appreciate knowing your thoughts on this.

Thank you!
Wendy (& Tim) B, 2018 BaseCamp

- As the saying goes, "Someone who knows more than I will correct me if I'm wrong, and someone who knows less will correct me if I'm right."

My cheat sheet for...

De-winterization & Winterization Instructions for 2018 Airstream BaseCamp

De-winterization:

1. IMPORTANT: Verify that bypass valve is still open and Truma Combi is isolated (intake and outflow valves closed), and low-point valve open. These four valves are under left (port side) bench seat. The four valves from back to front should be: closed intake, open low pt. drain (yellow flipper), closed outflow, open bypass.
2. Drain RV antifreeze from fresh water and low point drains (the 3 valves behind left trailer tire) into a bucket or other receptacle. Close these valves again. RV antifreeze is non-toxic and may be disposed of indoors by pouring down a drain.
3. Position trailer within available potable (white) water hose-length of a potable water source.
4. Rinse water lines: use trailer’s city water intake port to connect potable water hose from water source to trailer. Turn on water source faucet, then run kitchen and bathroom faucets both hot and cold, and flush the toilet until the water no longer looks pink and frothy or feels slick.
5. Move hose to fresh water tank inlet and fill with potable water plus 1/2 cup of bleach. Turn on pump and run all faucets until you can smell bleach. Turn off faucets and pump.* If possible, allow 24 hours soak time.
6. Turn on pump switch and open kitchen and shower faucets to empty the fresh water tank. Simultaneously drain all water again, using the same valves as in Step 2, plus black water drain. When fresh water tank has been completely emptied, close faucets and turn off pump.*
7. Reclose low point drain valves, and reverse Truma Combi isolation valves: open Truma Combi intake and outflow, close Truma Combi low point drain valve (yellow flipper), close bypass valve.
8. Refill fresh water tank with potable water, no bleach. Turn on pump, run kitchen and bathroom hot and cold faucets until air pockets have cleared from the lines (no more sputtering), turn off pump.* Go camping. Enjoy.

*Remember during the de-winterization/winterization process, while camping—or any time that pump switch has been turned on to flush toilet or run faucets—to turn pump off again whenever faucets/toilet are not currently in use.

Winterization:

1. At a dump station, empty black water tank, then turn on pump, run faucets and drain the water system until no more water runs and fresh water tank registers completely empty. If sufficient water remained in the system, this will effectively flush and clean the black water tank.
2. Before leaving dump station, open low-point drain valves under the trailer (the 3 valves located behind left trailer tire) and the Truma Combi low point drain valve (inside port-side under-seat compartment, yellow flipper). During the drive home remaining water in the system will slosh around and drain more completely.
3. IMPORTANT: Open bypass valve and isolate the Truma Combi by closing intake and outflow valves located under port side bench seat as described in de-winterization step #1 at top. Truma Combi low point valve should remain open.
4. Add two gallons of RV Antifreeze (Camco) to fresh water tank using a funnel and short length of hose to direct antifreeze into the tank.
5. Turn on pump, flush toilet and run each faucet—one at a time, both hot and cold, in both kitchen and shower—until each flows ‘antifreeze pink.’ This will ensure that the pump, water lines and P-traps under kitchen sink and shower all contain anti-freeze during storage. Detach shower head and store indoors in a heated area to protect from freezing.
6. Park trailer in storage building, connect shore power.
7. Plug in Battery MINDer to a power source (interior outlet in the trailer). Activate the battery disconnect switch (silver switch on exterior of cabinetry below kitchen sink) and connect the AGM Battery MINDer to the two AGM in-series batteries located under cabinetry below the kitchen sink—black clamp to black terminal, red clamp to red terminal. Alternatively, if convenience plug-style connector has been installed, insert the small black plug into the pre-wired Battery MINDer terminal.
8. Place Air Dryer on a hard surface in the trailer’s interior and plug it into an active outlet to keep interior air dry during winter in order to prevent mold.

[Silvr_Bullet]

Cold weather on the horizon. I am looking to purchase a portable air compressor to blow out water lines in my trailer as well as other uses. Does anyone have experience with Viair 400-P RV

https://www.amazon.com/40047-400P-RV.../dp/B004B68XGC

Any suggestions are appreciated as well.
Thanks!

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Silvr_Bullet

Cold weather on the horizon. I am looking to purchase a portable air compressor to blow out water lines in my trailer as well as other uses. Does anyone have experience with Viair 400-P RV

https://www.amazon.com/40047-400P-RV.../dp/B004B68XGC

Any suggestions are appreciated as well.
Thanks!

Hi

For a lot less money the big box stores or Harbor Freight will sell you a 120V compressor that can move more air at pressure. Unless you are planning on blowing out all the lines while boondocking, the 120V versions are better for this application ( = they get the job done a lot faster). If you *are* boondocking, the 30A that the 12V job pulls will take out your battery in less time than I typically take to blow everything out ....

Another concern with *any* compressor is duty cycle. The one you listed is ok for 40 minutes of run time. Various models each have their own time limits .... often buried deep in the fine print.

Bob

[Silvr_Bullet]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi



For a lot less money the big box stores or Harbor Freight will sell you a 120V compressor that can move more air at pressure. Unless you are planning on blowing out all the lines while boondocking, the 120V versions are better for this application ( = they get the job done a lot faster). If you *are* boondocking, the 30A that the 12V job pulls will take out your battery in less time than I typically take to blow everything out ....



Another concern with *any* compressor is duty cycle. The one you listed is ok for 40 minutes of run time. Various models each have their own time limits .... often buried deep in the fine print.



Bob

Thanks, I understand that the max pressure to use is 40 lbs. I assume this is used with the tow vehicle running utilizing its battery not the trailers, which your right wouldn’t last too long. The version of the ‘Automatic’ moves less air per minute 1.8 CFM verses 2.3 CFM but has 1 hour run time. I have a Harbor Freight nearby so I will check it out. I appreciate your response, I kind like the idea of the portability factor.

[OTRA15]

First -- thank you for taking the time to post in the correct sticky topic thread, instead of starting a new topic. Well done!

The Viair 450 has a 100% duty cycle, I believe, but we have not set ours up yet for on-the-road use. With our home/shop compressors, we aim for 40 PSI even though Airstream allows a slightly higher pressure IMO.

After draining all the lines manually by gravity, we blow out all the individual faucets/low point drains/water heater/etc. one-by one, so there is no need to max out the air pressure. We go around the trailer twice to make sure each line is empty. Pump and water tank require their own procedures.

No antifreeze, except in the traps and holding tanks.

Good luck,

Peter

[Silvr_Bullet]

Last year my first winterizing I used antifreeze, I thought I had it all out d-winterizing but it took much emptying and rinsing of the fresh water tank. We used bottled water for drinking and cooking as a matter of procedure anyway. I don’t want to use antifreeze again opting to use Otra15 method. Thanks

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Your plumbing is good to well beyond 60 PSI. The bigger issue is the flow at something below max pressure. When you have the faucet open, there (hopefully) is a bit less than max pressure at the compressor. Lots of CFM at 20 PSI is what you are after. Better to get a lot of flow without a bunch of "pressurize / depressurize" cycles.

Bob

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

First -- thank you for taking the time to post in the correct sticky topic thread, instead of starting a new topic. Well done!

The Viair 450 has a 100% duty cycle, I believe, but we have not set ours up yet for on-the-road use. With our home/shop compressors, we aim for 40 PSI even though Airstream allows a slightly higher pressure IMO.

After draining all the lines manually by gravity, we blow out all the individual faucets/low point drains/water heater/etc. one-by one, so there is no need to max out the air pressure. We go around the trailer twice to make sure each line is empty. Pump and water tank require their own procedures.

No antifreeze, except in the traps and holding tanks.

Good luck,

Peter

We also blo-dry...👍
35psi with one outlet at a time open.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Moflash]

I purchase the Stanley combination Jump box and compressor. ($45 at Sam Club)set the auto pressure shutoff to 35psi then open each faucet and repeat until no water remains.Works great for the last 7 winters.I also fill system with RV antifreeze after blowing out the water.

[LilBigfoot]

A little late to the party...but need some help. I have a 2016 26U. First two years of winterizing it, all went well. Now, when I blow lines out I get weak pressure and when I suck antifreeze in using the Camco kit, antifreeze spills out of the hot water tank even though bi-pass valve is closed. Is it possible for the valve to go bad and not close. Have an odd valve set up in the 26U. Looks like this...

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by LilBigfoot

A little late to the party...but need some help. I have a 2016 26U. First two years of winterizing it, all went well. Now, when I blow lines out I get weak pressure and when I suck antifreeze in using the Camco kit, antifreeze spills out of the hot water tank even though bi-pass valve is closed. Is it possible for the valve to go bad and not close. Have an odd valve set up in the 26U. Looks like this...

Hi

It's certainly possible for a valve to go bad. More likely is that you got a load of crud into the system and it's blocking things up. The big question would be just where that crud happens to be. Working that out generally involves seeing what happens at each faucet in the system both on hot and cold ....

Bob

[LilBigfoot]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

It's certainly possible for a valve to go bad. More likely is that you got a load of crud into the system and it's blocking things up. The big question would be just where that crud happens to be. Working that out generally involves seeing what happens at each faucet in the system both on hot and cold ....

Bob

Thanks Bob. I can see where crud would gum up a tap, etc. But how would that affect the hot water shut off that is the last line of defence before the HW tank? I understand that that valve could be blocked open by crud. Only way to know would be to take it off and clean it or replace with a new one. Correct? Don

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There are a lot of different things that can block pipes. Your local plumber can tell you a lot of great stories if he comes over for a beer.

Indeed, the ultimate solution likely will involve disassembly. Fresh water lines pretty much never get clean out access ports in them. Having a plug is incredibly rare. Pulling (or disassembling) the suspect valve is the normal approach. With a lot of RV valves, it is not at all clear how you might tear them down for repair. On typical residential stuff it's pretty simple ....

Bob

[Eeziter]

Thanks for the write up. I also have a basecamp. I did use compressed air for the lines and I am planning on using my Basecamp here in Utah this winter so I will just put antifreeze down the p traps and if it’s warm enough for water or we go south to st George area. I can be plugged in to shore power and have solar so I am not pulling my batteries and can use the tank heaters as needed.

[JJTX]

Very informative thread on here. I live in south TX so its not a big deal here, but my 19CB is going back to BUDA soon to sit for several weeks, so I decided to put a few gallons of antifreeze in the fresh tank.

I know some people say it takes a while to get it out, but I'm on a bit of a time crunch here and was really the only practical option vs trying to bypass the fresh tank.

I dumped in a couple gallons, than ran the pump to push it through the lines, into the drains as well and I'm going to leave it like that.

It will sit at BUDA for most of NOV and I dont trust the weather here. Next week they might get down to the low 30s and I have no reason to believe the dealer will go winterize my trailer for me while it sits.

So When I get it back sometime in the next several weeks, I will drain the fresh tank of all the antifreeze and fill the fresh tank several times to flush out the antifreeze.

IMO better safe than sorry. I believe they will be working on the fresh tank anyway at some point, as my sensors dont work.