Visit our Popular Forums

Too tall · 10-19-2018, 06:23 AM

What Bob said.
For short money you can get something like this:
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-gall...sor-95275.html
I use something very similar.

ROBERT CROSS · 10-19-2018, 06:52 AM

The small ones will work very well, my recommendation, spend a little more and get one that will have more uses and last longer. The larger tank will help a lot.👍

Bob
🇺🇸

eagletoo · 10-19-2018, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyechip

Thanks everyone and this is great insight. It seems for no more time than it takes to wash my rig I can just do it myself on the fly when needed. I just scheduled an appointment with Colonial next week and they are going to walk me through the steps with a tech. As well, I will study the attached stuff here you all sent. I am very appreciative!

Eyechip, we just returned from Colonial where they winterized our 2018 23CB. Take notes as Chris, the hitch whisperer, will answer any questions about anything in your trailer. No rush whatsoever and an excellent opportunity to learn your trailer’s systems!

Our water pump is tough to access so we installed a camco valve so all I have to do next year is reach in and turn the valve handle to pump the antifreeze. Easy!

Daquenzer · 10-19-2018, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farafield

Can I hijack and ask about the likelihood of oil in the air compressor? How does one know if there's oil spewing out and what is the work around? Does it happen a lot? Someone mentioned this in a recent winterizing thread and it scare the bejeezus out of me! Just when I thought I was all set to do my first winterizing, along comes a hitch!

When you buy one it will say if oilless.

farafield · 10-19-2018, 09:40 PM

Ah...yes. I have a 6 gal Bostitch and I see it says oil free. Phew! Thanks guys! Back to regularly scheduled programming. [emoji3]

PatLee · 10-20-2018, 03:35 AM

Hey Eagletoo,
My water pump is hard to access as well. What is this camco thingie you mention that will make it easier in the future to add antifreeze? Would love to have some details and who installed it?
Thanks!

PatLee · 10-20-2018, 03:40 AM

When I winterized my new rig this year, I found that access to the plastic screw plug that goes into the hot water heater (exterior) was no longer possible with my handy-dandy ratchet wrench and socket I'd used with previous AS. There's 'stuff' in the way (a small steel vent cover, a pipe) with very little room to maneuver. I ended up using a small adjustable wrench to get it out and screw it back in. Very tedious, took forever. It's a 2019 25' front bedroom with twins. What do owners of this unit do to make access easy(ier)?

ROBERT CROSS · 10-20-2018, 05:06 AM

[QUOTE=PatLee;2170204]When I winterized my new rig this year, I found that access to the plastic screw plug that goes into the hot water heater (exterior) was no longer possible with my handy-dandy ratchet wrench and socket I'd used with previous AS. There's 'stuff' in the way (a small steel vent cover, a pipe) with very little room to maneuver. I ended up using a small adjustable wrench to get it out and screw it back in. Very tedious, took forever. It's a 2019 25' front bedroom with twins. What do owners of this unit do to make access easy(ier)?[/QUOTE

I did...😂

This,

I did have to move the regulator toward the door juts a tad to get clearance, totally worth it. 👍

majorairhead · 10-20-2018, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatLee

When I winterized my new rig this year, I found that access to the plastic screw plug that goes into the hot water heater (exterior) was no longer possible with my handy-dandy ratchet wrench and socket I'd used with previous AS. There's 'stuff' in the way (a small steel vent cover, a pipe) with very little room to maneuver. I ended up using a small adjustable wrench to get it out and screw it back in. Very tedious, took forever. It's a 2019 25' front bedroom with twins. What do owners of this unit do to make access easy(ier)?

We have a 2019 International. If it's like ours, I removed the metal flange that deflects the heater exhaust, makes it much easier to get to the plug. That flange on ours is hinged by two tabs on the left, and has a bent tab on the right that needs pushed in to pop the flange out.

uncle_bob · 10-20-2018, 08:10 AM

Hi

If one is out shopping for compressors, the big print on the label always talks about gallons of tank. In this case, that's not really the big deal. Instead you need to look at how many cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air it will move.

Normally there is a pressure associated with that CFM number as well (maybe 90 PSI ... maybe something else). CFM at higher pressure is better than CFM at lower pressure. How much better is a bit of a "that depends" sort of thing. We don't run 90 PSI to clean out a trailer. A number down around 20 or 30 PSI would do us more good.

It's reasonable to assume that air expands as pressure drops. In a magical world, 1 CFM at 90 PSI would double to 2 CFM at half that. Unfortunately that magic doesn't always work out. Compressors do things one way or another and that gets in the way of magical numbers.

Compressors have run time ratings on them. Good luck finding them on a typical spec sheet. Generally bigger is better in terms of run time and colder outside is better than hotter outside.

Yes, this all could get you to a compressor with a hitch on the front of it and a check of the tow capacity of your vehicle

That's not what is needed. Just understand that a smaller unit will indeed take a bit longer than a bigger one.

Bob

thiel · 10-20-2018, 09:22 AM

Am I the only one that has an actual drain fitting under the hot water heater... so I don't need to pull the drain plug itself? (I also have a "one valve" hot water heater bypass, so I consider myself lucky!)

When I winterize, I open the low point drains and let it drain for a couple hours, then I just suck the pink stuff out of the bottle using the pump. Takes like 2 minutes and uses 1.5 gallons.

ROBERT CROSS · 10-20-2018, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thiel

Am I the only one that has an actual drain fitting under the hot water heater... so I don't need to pull the drain plug itself? (I also have a "one valve" hot water heater bypass, so I consider myself lucky!)

When I winterize, I open the low point drains and let it drain for a couple hours, then I just suck the pink stuff out of the bottle using the pump. Takes like 2 minutes and uses 1.5 gallons.

I would...open the under tank one, let it drain, then the one on the heater, just to be sure. BSTS. 🤓 You will get more from the tank if you open the relief valve, but I've never gotten it all.
The one we have 'under,' drains mostly the supply lines not the tank completely.
I also blow the tank, (rather than fill with pink), just as a precaution.👍

Bob
🇺🇸

eagletoo · 10-20-2018, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatLee

Hey Eagletoo,
My water pump is hard to access as well. What is this camco thingie you mention that will make it easier in the future to add antifreeze? Would love to have some details and who installed it?
Thanks!

PatLee, I had Colonial AS (Chris) winterize and install this valve on the line side of the water pump. Now all I have to do is reach in, unroll the 4 foot of ½ clear hose, place in gallon of antifreeze, turn the valve and turn on the water pump.

When finished pumping the antifreeze I simply turn the valve so that the water pump will draw from the regular intake source come Springtime. Done!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Zil · 10-20-2018, 03:02 PM

Once a low spot in a hose or valve freezes, you will then use antifreeze.

ROBERT CROSS · 10-20-2018, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zil

Once a low spot in a hose or valve freezes, you will then use antifreeze.

G...😂 never mind

Bob
🇺🇸

farafield · 10-21-2018, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thiel

Am I the only one that has an actual drain fitting under the hot water heater... so I don't need to pull the drain plug itself? (I also have a "one valve" hot water heater bypass, so I consider myself lucky!)

When I winterize, I open the low point drains and let it drain for a couple hours, then I just suck the pink stuff out of the bottle using the pump. Takes like 2 minutes and uses 1.5 gallons.

It seems that may be possible (the "actual drain"). You're lucky--it seems so sensible. My plug is hard to get a tool around--due to other stuff in the way--and also unscrew, plus it's not at the absolute bottom so apparently gunk accumulates and needs to be flushed out with another tool in a not very efficient way (it seems to me). I'm new to all of this so I'm sure there are reasons for things being the way they are...maybe. But a drain fitting under the HWH sounds like heaven!

uncle_bob · 10-21-2018, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zil

Once a low spot in a hose or valve freezes, you will then use antifreeze.

Hi

On a modern trailer (and I assume a modern MH) the plumbing is all plastic. It's not bothered by freezing. I have (due to a problem with a previous house) done it many times with no issues ....

Bob

Zil · 10-21-2018, 08:38 AM

Wow. A freeze prof RV.

VAtom · 10-21-2018, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by majorairhead

We have a 2019 International. If it's like ours, I removed the metal flange that deflects the heater exhaust, makes it much easier to get to the plug. That flange on ours is hinged by two tabs on the left, and has a bent tab on the right that needs pushed in to pop the flange out.

This
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

(with a 6" extension)

Alumaholic · 10-21-2018, 10:33 AM

...If you cherry pick the responses to this thread with careful attention to what Robert Cross says, because his advise is always fact based and 99.9% correct.
1. Watch Colonial do it, then do it yourself from here on.
2. Next summer during warm weather, make the necessary modifications that you learned in this thread to make your 2019 winterizing simple and easy.
3. I always install a hot water heater by-pass as soon as I buy an Airstream if it is not already so equipped.
4. Also install a Pump Converter Winterizing valve as mentioned.
5. I hate the taste of even a hint of RV antifreeze, so I use a gallon of cheap vodka colored dark red with food coloring in the water supply lines. I use RV antifreeze in the sink and shower traps.
(yes, I purge the water lines with compressed air first, and yes I have PEX water lines, but I take no chances when I winterize)
By the way it's no big deal to use your winterized Airstream. Just carry water in a couple of those 7 gallon jugs with the spigot.