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Old 10-03-2012, 04:13 PM   #1
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Newer AS (2008) - correct air pressure to blow out water lines

Every post I read about blowing out your lines when winterizing says to use between 35 and 40 lbs. I just ready my 2008 safari manual and it says use no less than 60 pounds pressure.

I was able to get an air to city water adapter but the max pressure it supports is 45 lbs.

What is the right pressure to use to clear the lines? Is the airstream manual correct?

So confused on what will be adequate and not destroy the lines...

Thanks.
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Old 10-03-2012, 04:18 PM   #2
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I use 60 - 65 lbs static. (That is, 65psi in the closed air line from the compressor) Once you let the air flow it is more like 45 - 50 constant flow pressure in the system.
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Old 10-03-2012, 04:28 PM   #3
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I don't think it matters much. The PEX will take more than 90 pounds at reasonable (not excessively hot) temperatures.
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Old 10-03-2012, 04:37 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by dznf0g View Post
I use 60 - 65 lbs static. (That is, 65psi in the closed air line from the compressor) Once you let the air flow it is more like 45 - 50 constant flow pressure in the system.
What kind of adapter do you use? The one they sell @ camping world only takes 45 pounds max (with the rubber hose)
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Old 10-03-2012, 04:52 PM   #5
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Well, I don't know, it's nylon, screws into the city water inlet, and has a rubber valve stem in the center. I've had it and used it as described above for ....well over 15 years, I think. I have no clue where I got it.
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Old 10-03-2012, 07:13 PM   #6
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questions:
will the water pressure regulator in the trailer regulate air pressure as well as water pressure?

would it be correct to say that the line before the regulator it subject to whatever pressure is applied? is this section any stronger?

thanks :-)
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Old 10-03-2012, 08:22 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by richinny View Post
questions:
will the water pressure regulator in the trailer regulate air pressure as well as water pressure?

would it be correct to say that the line before the regulator it subject to whatever pressure is applied? is this section any stronger?

thanks :-)
Great question!
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Old 10-04-2012, 05:11 AM   #8
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OSHA requires the use of air pressure less than 30 psig for cleaning purposes. You shouldn't need more than that to blow out your lines anyway. 30 psi is equal to 831 inches of water column in terms of pressure.
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Old 10-04-2012, 06:18 AM   #9
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OSHA requires the use of air pressure less than 30 psig for cleaning purposes. You shouldn't need more than that to blow out your lines anyway. 30 psi is equal to 831 inches of water column in terms of pressure.
Static or working?
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Old 10-04-2012, 06:24 AM   #10
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Static or working?
At the nozzle. Air tank pressure can be higher.
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Old 10-04-2012, 06:30 AM   #11
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At the nozzle. Air tank pressure can be higher.
That's not what I mean. Static = set the regulator at 30 psi with no air flowing out of the hose....or working = set the regulator at 30 psi with the air gun at wide open at hose end. That would be more like 40 or 45 psi static pressure.
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Old 10-04-2012, 06:37 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by dznf0g View Post
That's not what I mean. Static = set the regulator at 30 psi with no air flowing out of the hose....or working = set the regulator at 30 psi with the air gun at wide open at hose end. That would be more like 40 or 45 psi static pressure.
Actually, my answer IS what you meant. Set the regulator at 30 psi with the air gun wide open at the hose end, i.e. 30 psi at the nozzle.

As an engineer, I have often been accused of making my answers more complicated than they need to be, so I thought I would experiment with using non-technical terms. Guess it didn't work this time. Should have stuck with the technical term.
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Old 10-04-2012, 06:44 AM   #13
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Yeah, 30 psi working is probably OK, but I once left a drop or two in the shower faucet of my old SOB and it froze and cracked. I was using lower pressures back then. Now, whether it was low pressure, or not allowing enough "blow time" is definitely arguable, but since then, I use higher pressure. More like 45 psi working pressure.

I do keep all facets open after blowing out, adding AF and while in winter storage.
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Old 10-04-2012, 07:19 AM   #14
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Just received the official response from airstream cust support. They say 60 pounds. Indicated that anything lower would not be enough to clear the lines reliably. They said the newer piping can take more pressure than older model airstreams.
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Old 10-04-2012, 07:34 AM   #15
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Actually, my answer IS what you meant. Set the regulator at 30 psi with the air gun wide open at the hose end, i.e. 30 psi at the nozzle.

As an engineer, I have often been accused of making my answers more complicated than they need to be, so I thought I would experiment with using non-technical terms. Guess it didn't work this time. Should have stuck with the technical term.
OK - sorry for the laymen's question but this is my first time using my air compressor. Are you saying that when you set the pressure using the pressure control knob on the air compressor that you can set the pressure either 1) while the output nozzle is closed or 2) when you have opened up the output nozzle fully so no air is trapped inside the hose? My understanding is that an air compressor has a tank that fills up with backloaded air pressure and that the knob on the tank controls the pressure of the output. I did not know that you could set the pressure of the output with either the hose open or closed at the time of setting.
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Old 10-04-2012, 08:00 AM   #16
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One of the things I do is to always have a water valve open when I apply air pressure to the system. This allows me to use a higher pressure but I never completely close the water system off while the compressor is applying pressure. So once an outlet is blowing air, I move to the next outlet, open it up and then close the one that was previously opened. My dealer's air source is 90 psi and he blows out lines all the time. This was his technique that he uses. It gives you lots of air volume to get the lines dry.

Personally I have a tank compressor that has a max pressure of 120 psi. I usually set my tank pressure to 60 psi and as a safety just to make sure I've leave no residual water, I pump antifreeze through the water system via the freshwater pump inlet.

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Old 10-04-2012, 08:43 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by bonginator View Post
OK - sorry for the laymen's question but this is my first time using my air compressor. Are you saying that when you set the pressure using the pressure control knob on the air compressor that you can set the pressure either 1) while the output nozzle is closed or 2) when you have opened up the output nozzle fully so no air is trapped inside the hose? My understanding is that an air compressor has a tank that fills up with backloaded air pressure and that the knob on the tank controls the pressure of the output. I did not know that you could set the pressure of the output with either the hose open or closed at the time of setting.
There is always a pressure loss from the tank regulator to the end of the hose. Longer the hose, the greater the loss. Same principle for water pressure and electricity (pressure = voltage with electricity, however).

When painting with compressed air, you always measure the desired pressure with the gun open. (with suction feed guns) for this very reason.

IMO, this is not nearly as critical with blowing the lines....just be aware, if you set it at 40 psi with the nozzle closed, you may not have enough pressure with the nozzle open to adequately remove the water.

Jack has it right, IMO.
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Old 10-04-2012, 08:47 AM   #18
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Thanks everyone. This makes a lot of sense. Now off I go to do the job! Wish me luck.

That's one thing I love about the AS - always learning to do new things with it.
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