Once and for all--need to blow out City Inlet and Black Flush?

[Len n Jeanne]

One thing to keep in mind are your average-extreme winter temperatures. (Meaning the average may look OK, but then that means about half the temps are lower, and can get extremely lower.) In the southern states, with a lot of winter days above freezing, blowing out the system may not be such an issue as it is in places where you can count on consecutive days that do not get above freezing. Bits of moisture in couplings will freeze-- and expand.

Park City sits at around 7000 feet. It has several ski resorts. Meaning it stays cold. Daytime average temps in Jan/Feb hover around the freezing mark, and night time temps are seriously low-- like around 10F.

On the vodka thing, we enjoy the occasional vodka martini (dry, straight up, shaken not stirred, with an olive.) We heard about storing vodka in the freezer for that perfect chill. In went the bottle. When we returned to make that perfect vodka martini, the entire bottle had frozen solid.

Not trying to worry the OPer, but yeah-- if it were our AS in your location, we'd go for a complete winterization. Hopefully that's possible for you.

[Adam Geuss]

Originally Posted by pcskier

I've emailed Airstream and waiting on a reply. I've heard conflicting thoughts on this....but also understand that it *could* depend on the year of the trailer perhaps.

Mine is a 2014 FC 23FB.

This year I winterized by draining tanks, low points, etc, and then pumped antifreeze through all lines and fixtures via the water pump using a bypass to avoid putting antifreeze in the fresh tank.

Question: Does the city water inlet pressure reduction valve, and the anti-siphon valve on the black flush, need to be blown out, or would any residual water have drained out?

If it's an issue, would using a funnel and some antifreeze put into both inlets provide a margin of safety? It's snowing all week and getting her out of storage and back home to blow out is not really an option.

Has anybody had problems with either item experiencing freeze damage? I'm in enclosed storage but non heated and it's going to be single digits this week in the mountains of Northern Utah.

Thanks.

I am sure that I spend less time and effort than many winterizing my trailers/units. Our 2014 23' International survived two winters in the North East with my: draining all the water carrying/containing components, adding antifreeze as you describe and keeping the unit "plugged in" to shore power. I never "blew out" the lines etc., although I could have. No problems thus far with regards to post winter water line/ pipe damage. I've prepared the same way for this winter.

I do admit that doing more can't hurt.

Cheers and best of luck.

Adam Geuss
2014 23' International Serenity
2016 16' Sport/Bambi
2017 Dodge Durango
2011 Ford 250 6.7L TD

[m.hony]

Blowing out the lines with air is overkill if you are running pink antifreeze through everything anyway, but I am OCD.
Here in the south blowing out the lines is probably enough.
I also have the trailer plugged in, heater on, and cabinet doors open.


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[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by polarlyse

I blow my black tank flush with compressed air but recently I was speaking with an Airstreaming friend and mentioned that. He said he's never even thought about doing that in his winterization plan. I think I got his gears turning for the next time. So in the end, I do it because it's easy and makes me feel better. He's never done it and has never had a problem. So maybe you should but then again maybe you don't need to.

I'm like your friend, I foolishly never thought about it when we got our AS.

We rarely use the backflush as we only use the RV toilet for peeing anyway.

Thinking bout it, I would be pretty sure that here must be some sort of vacuum breaker in the back flush connection, but having never blown the line out, I do believe that ours still works ok.

As of next season, I'll probably add it to my winterisation list!

I do usually blow the system (apart from the backflush connection up to now!) and then fill with antifreeze.

The only problem I have ever had was the first year we had the trailer when i never realised there was a toilet rinse hose tucked in behind the toilet. Of course it froze and leaked! Next year I knew about it!

Brian.

[PKI]

The best winterizing method is moving the coach to a warm weather location.

Vodka in close proximity to any project, slows progress and has the potential to stop it dead in it's tracks.

Winterizing is the only project where an empty vessel is a good thing! Pat

[m.hony]

When we retire...


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[woodytwo]

I guess that I do the minimal winterizing now. When I had the older trailers with the copper water piping, I drained the lines, blew them out and added AF.. With the pex piping now I just drain and blow out the lines, Pour AF only in the traps and toilet. Never had a problem in 18 years. I have had the water lines with pex piping and gray and black tanks freeze (about 2 gallons in each) in a M/H while traveling across the Rockies in winter (I80)(Minus 5 F)and when they thawed, there was no problem. I never never ever put AF in fresh water tank. Even after you drain the water from the fresh water tank, you still leave in a gallon or so since the tank drains from the side not the bottom. Maybe I've been just lucky but my theory is that if there is some room for the ice to expand, you're OK.
At least IMHO.

[Len n Jeanne]

Originally Posted by PKI

The best winterizing method is moving the coach to a warm weather location.

Vodka in close proximity to any project, slows progress and has the potential to stop it dead in it's tracks.

Winterizing is the only project where an empty vessel is a good thing! Pat

Now you're talking!

Solution:

1. Be retired or be able to work on-line.

2. Go to a warm weather location prior to winter setting in up north.

3. Buy some reasonably priced vodka for your happy hours.

4. Send post cards back to friends back home who dealt with all the hassle of winterizing, finding pink antifreeze in their kitchen water, &c; and are now scraping ice off their windshields.