Winterizing

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Hey Uncle Bob,

I've got an idea to MacGyver my MacGyver system for those who insist I need to AF the lines...Put the hose in the AF and blow it into the lines...😂

not entirely a joke



Bob
🇺🇸

Hi

Indeed one *could* spray (just like spray paint) the anti-freeze into the lines. It's not that much thicker than paint so air will carry it along. Just how long it will take to move a gallon of anti-freeze that way ... who knows. Equally, Camco will sell you a jug of antifreeze concentrate. It's thicker than the mix, but might still spray. You could play with mix ratios and maybe blow less of a concentrated version.

The gotcha (at least to me) would still be that you are missing the "full line" of anti-freeze flushing things out. You still are rolling the dice on just how much water is left where rather than pushing it all out ....

Bob

[gbroyles]

Bob, I am an airstrem newbie - how do you hook up the compressor. I've done step 1 (drained freshwater, low point drains, water heater.

I see how to hook it up on the freshwater tank.

Thanks
gb

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi




Ok, at least how I do it:

Start off with everything open. Let it all gravity drain to the degree it can.
Hook up the compressor and blow out whatever more you can with it all open.
Close everything up (water pump still hooked up through all this)
Open a hot water faucet and blow out what you can through it, then close the faucet.
One at a time open / drain / close the other faucets, first hot then cold.
Open, drain, and then close the hot water overpressure valve.
Open, drain, and then close the hot water dump valve (red line through the floor).
Go back and re-do the faucets.
Re-do the hot water heater.
Now switch the valves to "store" mode on the hot water heater.
Run the dump valve on the water heater.
Re-do the faucets.
Open the output switchover valve on the hot water and run the dump valve
Close the output valve
Re-do the faucets.
Pull the compressor off the city water inlet
Blow out the black tank flush
====
Haven't done this yet:
Rig a gasket on the fresh water input (I use a trash bag folded up)
Pressurize the tank to about 20 psi
Blow out the fresh water tank dump valve and then close it
Open the low point drains
Turn on the fresh water pump
Blow the pump out through the low point drains.
=====
Go back to the compressor on the city water
Re-do all the faucets (which includes the toilet flush)
Dump anti-freeze into the toilet and two other drains.

That's the process plus the plan !!

=====

What's the objective?

You want any residual water to be in the plastic pipes. They can freeze / thaw just fine. 28 degrees of freeze is no different than -28 degrees in this respect. I ....errr ... happen to have frozen plastic pipes in the past. There are only a handful of "vulnerable" items on the trailer.

=====

Why all this silly work?

Well, last year we spent two days flushing the trailer (that's 48 hours running water through the system). After that there still was anti-freeze taste / odor in the water. We moved on and all (including the dogs) suffered the consequences. We flushed for another couple days but still got the taste/ smell. Eventually we gave up went with bottled water. After about 16 weeks of camping out, we still could get a whiff of anti-freeze from time to time.

Lots of fun !!!

Bob

[SSquared]

Gb,
I think what you are asking is how to connect the air hose from your compressor to your Airstream. You need to buy an adapter. You can find one at an RV accessory store such as Camping World, Walmart, etc. The one I have is a six inch length of hose with one end threaded garden hose and the other threaded air hose.

[gbroyles]

Thanks for the help!
gb

Originally Posted by SSquared

Gb,
I think what you are asking is how to connect the air hose from your compressor to your Airstream. You need to buy an adapter. You can find one at an RV accessory store such as Camping World, Walmart, etc. The one I have is a six inch length of hose with one end threaded garden hose and the other threaded air hose.

[gbroyles]

Are you then connecting that to the freshwater tank inlet or city water.

Originally Posted by gbroyles

Thanks for the help!
gb

[billrector]

Originally Posted by gbroyles

Are you then connecting that to the freshwater tank inlet or city water.

You are going to want a connector like this if you have a quick connect fitting on your air hose:

https://www.amazon.com/Brand-New-Val...=Camco+RV+blow

It connects to the city water inlet.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by gbroyles

Are you then connecting that to the freshwater tank inlet or city water.

Hi

It screws into the city water input to blow out the lines in the trailer. You also should grab a filter for the compressor and (ideally) not use one that is set up for oiled air.

Bob

[gbroyles]

You guys rock. THanks for the help!

gb

Originally Posted by billrector

You are going to want a connector like this if you have a quick connect fitting on your air hose:

https://www.amazon.com/Brand-New-Val...=Camco+RV+blow

It connects to the city water inlet.

[OTRA15]

On page 8-17 [PDF p. 85/114] your owner's manual probably says:

"10. After the water has stopped running from the drain
lines, apply at least 60 lb. of air pressure at the city
water inlet. An air-to-city water adapter is available
from your dealer’s RV accessory store. Be sure
the toilet valve, all drain valves, and faucets are
open and pump outlet hose is disconnected. This
can be done at a service station and will force any
remaining water from the water heater and remove
any water that may be trapped in low areas"

Reading the manual is a worthwhile task.



https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...gcloud2014.pdf