Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-24-2020, 08:23 AM   #1
3 Rivet Member
 
2023 27' International
Waynesville , Missouri
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 168
Partial Winterization?

Has anyone else done this? We have one more trip scheduled at Thanksgiving. We’re getting into 20’s the next couple of nights. I believe I can blow out the fresh water lines, double check the water heater tank is empty AND pour some RV antifreeze down the three grey drains to make it all safe from freezing. This way the fresh system remains readily useable and the deeper grey & black system get protected. After the trip to Texas the whole system gets pinked. Is this doable & safe?? Thanks!
DAVSCH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 08:32 AM   #2
Rivet Master
 
Rich W's Avatar

 
2006 23' Safari SE
I'm In , Kentucky
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,251
Images: 5
I found a thermometer on Amazon that shows the lowest, highest and current readings for the last 24 hours. Until the weather gets cold and stays cold, it doesn't get below freezing inside our AS if the outside is above the mid-20s. Sunny days really warm up the inside and all of the furniture etc. to well above freezing.

I would think that if you just open the low point valves and blow out all the lines you will be fine. I know that some on here do just that and never put AF in the lines, just a cup in the drains.

I have also pumped AF into the lines on the road without blowing them out when we have been traveling and had no problems in the spring (or next trip).
__________________
-Rich
Rich & Yvonne
2006 Safari SE -Dora-
2004 4Runner SE 4.7L V8
Rich W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 08:35 AM   #3
Rivet Master
 
2018 25' International
Slidell , Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
If you have access to shore power you could leave the water heater on, and a little portable heater in the trailer set at 45F. Drain the tanks and add a splash of pink to each. Check each night that the heaters are functioning.

No shore power and your plan is good, or use propane for the water heater and furnace set at 45.

If you have an outdoor shower, that is an issue. I would remove the hose and head and stuff the compartment with bubble wrap or some insulation unless you drain the fresh water as you planned.
BayouBiker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 09:25 AM   #4
The Aluminum Tent 3
 
pcskier's Avatar
 
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Park City , Utah
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,157
Your partial winterization plan is my full winterization plan, and it gets well below zero here. Never a problem and no need to flush lines in the spring. If the water is fully blown out, including black flush, outside shower, and low points, and water pump purged...there is nothing to freeze. (Pink in the traps of course). I just make sure to go around to each fixture and low point countless times until virtually nothing comes out but a hardly perceptible mist.



That's just me.
pcskier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 11:46 AM   #5
Rivet Master
 
Rich W's Avatar

 
2006 23' Safari SE
I'm In , Kentucky
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,251
Images: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by pcskier View Post
...and water pump purged...there is nothing to freeze.
Do you just run the pump with an empty water tank or use air line to blow out the pump?
__________________
-Rich
Rich & Yvonne
2006 Safari SE -Dora-
2004 4Runner SE 4.7L V8
Rich W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 12:20 PM   #6
The Aluminum Tent 3
 
pcskier's Avatar
 
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Park City , Utah
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,157
Quote:
Originally Posted by richw46 View Post
Do you just run the pump with an empty water tank or use air line to blow out the pump?
Rich I disconnect the input and output lines from the pump and run it several times for a few seconds with a towel under the outlet while it burps out remaining water. That insures no leftover in the fresh tank is pulled in to the pump.

After that, I pressurize the system with air again, with my thumb over the pipe that connects to the outlet side of the pump, let the pressure build, then remove my thumb to make sure no water is left in the pipe.
My preference is to then leave the connections off the pump for winter. No real reason to, but I do. Same for low points.
pcskier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 01:55 PM   #7
2 Rivet Member
 
2021 23' Globetrotter
Somewherein , Pennsylvania
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 60
For many years I never used anti-freeze I just blew the lines out with air and drained the tanks in below zero winters. Never had a problem.
Wheelshed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 05:18 PM   #8
Rivet Master
 
Rich W's Avatar

 
2006 23' Safari SE
I'm In , Kentucky
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,251
Images: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by pcskier View Post
Rich I disconnect the input and output lines from the pump and run it several times for a few seconds with a towel under the outlet while it burps out remaining water. That insures no leftover in the fresh tank is pulled in to the pump.

After that, I pressurize the system with air again, with my thumb over the pipe that connects to the outlet side of the pump, let the pressure build, then remove my thumb to make sure no water is left in the pipe.
My preference is to then leave the connections off the pump for winter. No real reason to, but I do. Same for low points.
Thanks, Peter. I have not done either of those things because I have always used AF, but I think I will just use air next season. We get about as cold as you do so if your system doesn't freeze there, ours won't here. I'm really tired of the taste and foaming that never seems to go away, especially in the hot water line. (yes, I empty the water heater and put it in bypass before adding the AF. )

I have the intake switch on the pump for putting in the AF. If I switch that to open and disconnect the outlet hose, is that the same as what you're doing? (When I remove the filter screen on the inlet pipe it's always dry, we don't use the water tank and I just sanitize and drain it in the spring.)

When you pressurize the system after bleeding the pump, air comes out of the outlet pipe? I guess the check valve to prevent city water from flowing back through the pump is in the pump?

Other than the pump I'm sure I'm clearing out the lines with air pressure. It's just a fog that's coming out.
__________________
-Rich
Rich & Yvonne
2006 Safari SE -Dora-
2004 4Runner SE 4.7L V8
Rich W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 06:21 PM   #9
Rivet Master
 
2017 28' International
Jim Falls , Wisconsin
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,294
Blog Entries: 1
The only thing I would do if you blow out the lines is make sure no water is in the pump. Also if you live in Missouri I wouldn’t worry about AF. I put AF in but I live in WI (we can see -30) and I don’t like taking the fitting off the water pump to drain it. Had problems in the past when I did that. It had a slight leak and really had to crank it down.
Daquenzer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 06:48 PM   #10
Rivet Master
 
2018 25' International
Slidell , Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
I agree, maybe unscrew the inlet screen cap or open the winterizer valve if you have one but leave the pump fittings alone. I once lost a gasket. Not fun.
BayouBiker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2020, 09:51 PM   #11
The Aluminum Tent 3
 
pcskier's Avatar
 
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Park City , Utah
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,157
Quote:
Originally Posted by richw46 View Post
Thanks, Peter. I have not done either of those things because I have always used AF, but I think I will just use air next season. We get about as cold as you do so if your system doesn't freeze there, ours won't here. I'm really tired of the taste and foaming that never seems to go away, especially in the hot water line. (yes, I empty the water heater and put it in bypass before adding the AF. )

I have the intake switch on the pump for putting in the AF. If I switch that to open and disconnect the outlet hose, is that the same as what you're doing? (When I remove the filter screen on the inlet pipe it's always dry, we don't use the water tank and I just sanitize and drain it in the spring.)

When you pressurize the system after bleeding the pump, air comes out of the outlet pipe? I guess the check valve to prevent city water from flowing back through the pump is in the pump?

Other than the pump I'm sure I'm clearing out the lines with air pressure. It's just a fog that's coming out.
Yes by opening the valve you normally use to such antifreeze, and removing the outlet of the pump...basically the same as what I do.

What I meant about air coming out when the system was pressurized with air again...I mean from the pipe that connects to the outlet side of the pump, not air from the pump itself.



I agree on the AF taste, no matter how much I flushed in the spring, it would begin to taste funky if I was in hot weather, and especially the hot side like you said.
pcskier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2020, 08:21 AM   #12
Rivet Master
 
Rich W's Avatar

 
2006 23' Safari SE
I'm In , Kentucky
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,251
Images: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by pcskier View Post
What I meant about air coming out when the system was pressurized with air again...I mean from the pipe that connects to the outlet side of the pump, not air from the pump itself.
That's what I thought, just wanted to be sure. Thanks for your help
__________________
-Rich
Rich & Yvonne
2006 Safari SE -Dora-
2004 4Runner SE 4.7L V8
Rich W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2020, 09:03 AM   #13
Rivet Master
 
2018 25' International
Slidell , Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
The plastic lines absorb some of the organic alcohols in the AF. As the pipes warm, it is released. Kind of annoying.
BayouBiker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2020, 10:34 AM   #14
Rivet Master
 
Silvr_Bullet's Avatar

 
2017 16' Sport
N/A , N/A
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,789
Quote:
Originally Posted by BayouBiker View Post
The plastic lines absorb some of the organic alcohols in the AF. As the pipes warm, it is released. Kind of annoying.


What type of RV antifreeze are you referring to? Thanks
Silvr_Bullet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2020, 12:48 PM   #15
Rivet Master
 
2018 25' International
Slidell , Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
All formulations will more or less do the same but the Ethanol based products are much more prone to giving back unpleasant tastes. Propylene Glycol is the other popular non-toxic alcohol and the molecule is much larger so it is less likely to have this issue.

FYI, Automotive antifreezes generally use the toxic ethylene glycol.
BayouBiker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2020, 01:28 PM   #16
Rivet Master
 
Silvr_Bullet's Avatar

 
2017 16' Sport
N/A , N/A
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,789
I use propylene glycol, I rinse it never noticed any taste, needs to be rinsed well, water is cheap compared to a burst pipe. Any time temp gets below freezing for any length of time is enough to do it, no safe temperature below 32 F.
Silvr_Bullet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2020, 06:13 AM   #17
3 Rivet Member
 
2023 27' International
Waynesville , Missouri
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 168
Partial Winterization

BayouBiker - Thank you on the outside shower reminder. I ran outside and disconnected it yesterday, as well as opened the valves to allow them to drip out. Everyone else - Thank you for the confirmation on my thoughts! I followed along on your conversations and am confident I'm getting everything.
DAVSCH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2020, 12:22 PM   #18
The Aluminum Tent 3
 
pcskier's Avatar
 
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Park City , Utah
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,157
Quote:
Originally Posted by DAVSCH View Post
BayouBiker - Thank you on the outside shower reminder. I ran outside and disconnected it yesterday, as well as opened the valves to allow them to drip out. Everyone else - Thank you for the confirmation on my thoughts! I followed along on your conversations and am confident I'm getting everything.
Don't forget to hit the black flush with compressed air for a couple seconds to clear the anti-siphon valve that's back there. Common freeze failure point.
pcskier is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Space Heater for Winterization jjagnew Winterizing, Storage, Carports & Covers 6 09-18-2010 01:38 PM
Southern Illinois 'One Last Rally Before Winterization' TinLoaf WBCCI Rallies & Events 55 11-10-2009 10:56 AM
Compressors and winterization luckydc Winterizing, Storage, Carports & Covers 7 11-28-2004 10:06 AM
What to do for winterization? FarHarley General Interior Topics 1 11-25-2004 05:25 AM
Winterization Blues - Water Heater Question BrianRegan Water Heaters, Filters & Pumps 0 06-13-2004 11:36 AM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:51 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.