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Old 06-10-2012, 09:06 PM   #1
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2010 27' FB Flying Cloud
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Pumping anti-freeze thru water lines

Hello, this is my first post and I have a question about winterizing my 2010 Flying Cloud. Last year my dealer performed this using an electric pump connected to a car battery, with a hose in a large barrel of anti-freeze. Does anyone know where to purchase a pump like this...appreciate your help.
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Old 06-10-2012, 09:34 PM   #2
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RV dealer will see you pump for about $100 bucks You can buy a kit that comes with a hand pump for about $15-$25 from a RV store.
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Old 06-10-2012, 09:35 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by FredV View Post
Hello, this is my first post and I have a question about winterizing my 2010 Flying Cloud. Last year my dealer performed this using an electric pump connected to a car battery, with a hose in a large barrel of anti-freeze. Does anyone know where to purchase a pump like this...appreciate your help.
You already have a pump.

Disconnect the intake hose at your water pump, and feed the anti-freeze to that intake.

Andy
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Old 06-10-2012, 10:33 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FredV View Post
Hello, this is my first post and I have a question about winterizing my 2010 Flying Cloud. Last year my dealer performed this using an electric pump connected to a car battery, with a hose in a large barrel of anti-freeze. Does anyone know where to purchase a pump like this...appreciate your help.
You can also get an adapter to put on the suction side of the pump in the trailer. There is a suction tube you put directly into a 1 gallon jug.
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Old 06-10-2012, 10:51 PM   #5
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Hi, FredV. Welcome to the forums.

Like Michelle said, you can use your own water pump to accomplish the same thing. That's how I do it, too. I made the adapter to go on the water pump from commonly available parts from a hardware store for less than $5 bucks. By draining and bypassing the water heater, I use less than 2 gallons of anti-freeze. Your Airstream is bigger, so it may take a little more than that.
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Old 06-11-2012, 09:30 PM   #6
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Thanks for all the replies. Andy, where is the intake hose for my water pump?
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Old 06-11-2012, 09:57 PM   #7
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Sometimes a picture helps. Here's one I just snagged after doing a quick search.

I also have a 27FB and my pump is located under the closet between the fridge and the shower. The kit is available at most RV supply stores. It consists of a "T" valve, a piece of vinyl tubing and a couple of adapters to install it between the pump and the water inlet line. As another noted, you could make your own from stock hardware store parts or you could find the kit for about $15. Once installed, it's left in place. With the valve one way, the pump draws water from the FW tank. Turn it to draw the antifreeze from the jug. With the WH bypassed, I use less than 2 gallons to flood all the lines, the traps and the toilet bowl.
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Old 06-11-2012, 10:01 PM   #8
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Another alternative is to blow your lines out with compressed air. It is quite easy and saves buying 3-4 gallons of of rv anti freeze. Works for me in Colorado where temps get to -40.
Steps are as follows:
1. At rv store such as camping world buy a cheap little adapter that goes into your city water hookup on one side and has an air pump adapter on the other.
2. You need an 120 volt inflator, cost about $40. It is also quite handy for keeping vehicle tires inflated. An air compressor can be used if you have one. Set the pressure at 40 lbs. So called experts have posted saying that an inflator is not sufficient. I have been winterizing for 10+ years with an inflator and have never had a freezeup.
3. Drain water tank and hot water heater as well as both holding tanks. The water tank is drained by taking out the plug in the bottom. When you are done, put the plug back in.
4. Hook up the inflator to your city water line and turn on the compressor and let it run for about a minute. Go into your airstream and start turning on faucets leaving the inflator on. Let each one run until you get nothing but air. Don't forget the spay hose on your toilet or/or sink if you have one. I turn each faucet on twice to make sure I have gotten all the water leaving the inflator on at all times when I am turning on faucets. The advantage with an inflator is that air pressure is so puny that it won't over pressurize the system.
5. Turn off the inflator. Find the water pump (mine lives under the street side closet) Disconnect both the inlet and outlet hoses and run the pump for about 20 seconds to run all the water out of it. Turn the inflator on for a moment to blow the last bit of water out of the check valve.
6. The last step is to put rv anti freeze in all the traps (sinks and shower). Also put rv anti freeze in the black and grey tanks. I use one gallon total of rv anti freeze.
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Old 06-11-2012, 10:03 PM   #9
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Thanks for all the replies. Andy, where is the intake hose for my water pump?
It's attached to the water pump, where ever it's located.

I do not know where your water pump is exactly located.

Andy
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Old 06-11-2012, 10:17 PM   #10
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I do both... blow out the lines, then run antifreeze until I see pink coming out of everything. Since the system should be flushed each season anyway, I don't think clearing out the antifreeze is too big a deal.
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Old 06-12-2012, 09:22 AM   #11
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Another alternative is to blow your lines out with compressed air. It is quite easy and saves buying 3-4 gallons of of rv anti freeze. Works for me in Colorado where temps get to -40.
I'm glad to hear someone say that, especially someone that uses it in very cold weather. I use it, too, but our temperatures don't get nearly that cold. I used to do the antifreeze method, but I'm much happier in the spring with the air-only method. No annoying taste for the first few trips. (My prior Airstream didn't have a water heater bypass, which made the antifreeze method especially annoying - nothing like needing to pump in 7-8 gallons of the stuff. That's what led me to the air pressure method in the first place.)
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Old 06-12-2012, 09:28 PM   #12
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Thanks again to everyone who took the time to help me figure this out. I think I am really going to enjoy being part of the Airstream Forum...
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Old 06-14-2012, 07:19 AM   #13
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Another vote for the compressed air technique. It's simple, effective and no mess. When done I disconnect the inlet and outlet connections on the water pump. Not sure that this is necessary but I do get a little water out of them that would freeze if not attended to.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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Old 06-15-2012, 08:36 PM   #14
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I do have a compressor with variable pressure...I like the idea of not having to buy anti freeze every year...
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Old 10-04-2012, 05:42 PM   #15
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Water Pump Access

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Originally Posted by SilverRanger View Post
Hi, FredV. Welcome to the forums.

Like Michelle said, you can use your own water pump to accomplish the same thing. That's how I do it, too. I made the adapter to go on the water pump from commonly available parts from a hardware store for less than $5 bucks. By draining and bypassing the water heater, I use less than 2 gallons of anti-freeze. Your Airstream is bigger, so it may take a little more than that.
Not sure if this is the way to respond and/or aska question, but here goes. I up-rooted the closet floor of my 2007 Classic 27FB (new to us) and found the water pump. However, it is located such that the inlet is only about two inches from the wheel well cover - not enough room to install a flush kit attachment. How did you make your adapter? dana
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Old 10-04-2012, 05:51 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by CLDuthie View Post
Not sure if this is the way to respond and/or aska question, but here goes. I up-rooted the closet floor of my 2007 Classic 27FB (new to us) and found the water pump. However, it is located such that the inlet is only about two inches from the wheel well cover - not enough room to install a flush kit attachment. How did you make your adapter? dana
Relocate your pump so you have room to install. It's only 4 screws.
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Old 10-22-2012, 02:55 PM   #17
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I too share the problem of having a water pump that is located in a hard to reach place. I have a 2012 23D Serenity. Its under the closet next to the frig. I open up the access panel and I can barely see the pump. Not sure I can handle this job myself. I will probably take her to the Airstream factory and have them install a three way valve for the future.

In the meantime, I'm leaning toward the hand-pump route. I assume that with the hand-pump you connect the hose to the city water inlet and pump the antifreeze in there? Do these hand pumps work adequately? Any drawbacks besides needing two people to do the job (1 to pump and one to run around inside and open the taps)?
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Old 10-22-2012, 03:08 PM   #18
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Hand pumps do require two people, but it is a very easy, five-minute job. For very cold climates like here, though, I recommend using an air pump to evacuate as much water from the lines as you can beforehand. That actually takes quite a bit more time than the addition of the pink stuff with the hand pump.


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Old 10-22-2012, 04:07 PM   #19
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Thanks Lynn. I do plan to do the full air pressure blowout first!
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Old 10-22-2012, 04:24 PM   #20
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I thought about putting in one of the valves shown above. But my pump is in a really tight spot and I do not want to deal with the installation of the valve or to spill antifreeze in the floor or closet. So I just pour 3 gallons of antifreeze into the water tank and winterize away. Drain the excess back out into a catch pan and pour it into the toilets. Easier than cleaning out the closet each time to lift the floorboard to get to the pump. I do run the pump dry and blow out the lines with the air compressor first, then fill the lines with the pump.
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