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

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > MOC Technical Forums > Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-06-2008, 03:13 PM   #1
rames14
Montana Master
 
rames14's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Livermore
Posts: 5,135
M.O.C. #1920
Winterizing with an Air Compressor

I have a question on winterizing with an air compressor. How do you blow the lines out to the pump? Or do you still run a little RV antifreeze through. And no, Glenn, I can't move to Florida this year for the winter. Stuck in Wisconsin for the foreseeable future thanks to the stock market. Thanks in advance.
 
__________________
Ron and Terrie Ames - MOC #1920/KF0NTA
2021Montana 3230CK Super Solar Legacy Package
2021 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn, BIM Charging
4x4, SRW, LB, Crew Cab, Pullrite 3900 Hitch
rames14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2008, 06:30 PM   #2
Rondo
Site Team
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,749
M.O.C. #7560
Ron-- Do you have the bypass valves on your lines for the hot water heater and the pump? If so, if I'm not mistaken, you can just open up the faucets (one at a time) while the air and compressor is plugged into the shoreline connection and it should clear the lines! I blow mine lines out and then use the pink stuff in all the lines anyway! I haave both bypass valves on my 2980. The only line I don't use the pink stuff in is the black water tank flush and I blow it out with the compressor and then disconnect the line at one of the fittings in the basement to make sure no water is in the line and reconnect it again so I don't forget to do it come spring. I think what I do is OK but if not I'm sure we'll hear about it by other posters to the thread!
Rondo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2008, 11:58 PM   #3
rames14
Montana Master
 
rames14's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Livermore
Posts: 5,135
M.O.C. #1920
Rondo -

Yes, I've always done all of the valves and everything. I'm curious how you get water out of the pump if you don't use the pink stuff.
__________________
Ron and Terrie Ames - MOC #1920/KF0NTA
2021Montana 3230CK Super Solar Legacy Package
2021 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn, BIM Charging
4x4, SRW, LB, Crew Cab, Pullrite 3900 Hitch
rames14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2008, 02:41 AM   #4
Rondo
Site Team
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,749
M.O.C. #7560
Ron- I'm no expert on this stuff but I would assume if you have air in the lines you could open the pump valve and the air would flow through the pump also. If I'm wrong then the only other thing would be to just turn on the pump and suck some air in through the tube you use for putting the pink stuff into the lines. I wouldn't do it for long since it might hurt the pump-- just long enough to clear the pump of H2O. I'm surprised some others have not chimed in on this thread also!
Rondo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2008, 02:58 AM   #5
OntMont
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Haldimand County
Posts: 2,413
M.O.C. #122
Ron,
I use the air to get rid of most of the water, but I still back it up with pink antifreeze. The pump is one reason, but if you have a laundry washer unit, as we do, you have to use some antifreeze to winterize the washer. I by-pass and drain the hot water heater (I also use a length of small plastic tubing to siphon the remaining water out of the heater). I don't put any antifreeze in the HW heater because it is difficult to get it all cleared out when you put it back in service. For me, the air stage is mostly just to reduce the amount of water in the system before adding antifreeze. I can do everything but the washer with 1 gal of antifreeze, but I need another 1/2 gal or so for the washer.
OntMont is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2008, 07:45 AM   #6
bw2
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 854
M.O.C. #5592
For those that have only used air to clear the lines, how do you get the pump to begin 'drawing' the water from the tank again, Prime the pump? If the pump is turned on, will it not be drawing air for some extended period of time to remove all of the air from the water line to the tank? Is there a concern of over heating the pump while drawing all of the air?

Thanks for the help and understanding
bw2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2008, 12:24 PM   #7
ggranch
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Kingsville
Posts: 473
M.O.C. #6588
I will not take sides on the method but will chime in with "the pumps are self priming". No special precautions need be made. In the spring, fill the tanks with water, turn on the pump and open a faucet. The runs are very short in the trailers and after a few seconds there will be a hissing, spitting monster in the sink. In a very short while the faucet will run normally. This will be true in all water outlets. Enjoy the winter, I will be winterizing ala Glenn (but in Texas). Bob
ggranch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2008, 12:45 PM   #8
HughM
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Weeki Wachee
Posts: 814
M.O.C. #7219
I second what ggranch said. Mine worked same way year after year. I never had to prime a pump. Just remember to turn on hot water and fill the hot water heater on next spring BEFORE you turn on hot water heater switch. I usually tape a sign on hot water heater switch to fill hot water heater first.
Us ole guys need notes to remind us of things that happen 3-6 months ago.
Hugh
HughM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2008, 12:50 PM   #9
1Happycamper
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Essex
Posts: 1,123
M.O.C. #6880
Hi Everyone. Blowing out the lines with air is good but I was told that by adding the pink stuff you help to keep the seals moist, good idea. The pump is self priming and everything should be OK.

I have to tell this story. My son-in laws dad purchased a used motorhome 2 years ago. He asked if I would help him winterize it and wrote everything down. This year he asked me to help him again to make sure he was doing it right. He brought out 2 containers of antifreeze and said one was left over from last year. One was clear in color ,but he insisted it was antifreeze. Knowing that the pink stuff would not change color, I opened the container and smelled what was inside, VARSOL. Boy was he happy that he called me.

Bill
1Happycamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2008, 02:21 PM   #10
rogue
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Merlin
Posts: 668
M.O.C. #7368
Regarding priming the pump, I use the air method as we get into the low 20's at the coldest. but when I am ready to camp again, I hook up the hose to the city water and turn it on, this fills the hot water tank without using the pump to pump 10 gallons. I also add water to the tank. while I have the city water hooked up I run all the faucets(sp) and make sure I get water out each of them. Once I have water (maybe 1/3 fill) in the tank, I unhook the city water and check the water pump at each faucet and toilet. Since this use of the city water adds water to the lines, it takes much less to prime the pump.
My opinion and process, your experiance may very.
Bob
rogue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2008, 06:28 AM   #11
swanny
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bangor
Posts: 770
M.O.C. #8816
what about the black tank cleaning system? how is that winterized? did everything today but that.
swanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2008, 08:11 AM   #12
Rondo
Site Team
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,749
M.O.C. #7560
Kevin-- I just hook up the compressor to it also with the same connection I use for the shoreline/city water connection. It's like a small valve stem that I bought at CW. When I blow my lines out, I do reduce the air pressure to about 40 lbs and blow out the lines that way. It reduces the risk of blowing out a connection. Always remember to open a faucet before connecting the compressor also so not to blow out a fitting. On my 2980, one of line connections is right by the driverside basement door for the blacktank flush line and I also disconnect that after I blow out that line to make sure I got all the water out of it!
On second thought after I posted this-- I don't put any pink stuff in the blacktank rinse line.
Rondo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2008, 08:11 AM   #13
kdeiss
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Englewood
Posts: 3,095
M.O.C. #164
No need to blow out or use pink stuff self draining
kdeiss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2008, 12:29 PM   #14
rames14
Montana Master
 
rames14's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Livermore
Posts: 5,135
M.O.C. #1920
We have always used the pink, but this is our first year camping past November 1st. We always get a period of cold followed by some nice camping weather. We have some beautiful campgrounds in Wisconsin that are open year round. We hope to take advantage this year. Thanks for the info.
__________________
Ron and Terrie Ames - MOC #1920/KF0NTA
2021Montana 3230CK Super Solar Legacy Package
2021 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn, BIM Charging
4x4, SRW, LB, Crew Cab, Pullrite 3900 Hitch
rames14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2008, 03:07 PM   #15
kmh3212
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Buford
Posts: 285
M.O.C. #6735
I tried blowing the water out of my water lines in my previous trailer and had a problem after a cold snap. When I hooked the water back up the next time I went camping the toilet valve had frozen and was ruined. I have used the pink antifreeze ever since. I camp all year round and I especially like the winter with the campgrounds to ourselves. We winterize on Sunday and on Friday flush the pink stuff back into the jugs and reuse the same antifreeze all winter long. We do loose a little each time and go through maybe 3 additional gallons all winter from the sink and tub drains and a little waste.
kmh3212 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2008, 05:54 AM   #16
WorkerB
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Milford
Posts: 434
M.O.C. #8202
Don't forget your traps at the kitchen, bath and bathtub. I take a gallon of the pink antifreeze and slowly pour one cup of anti freeze into each trap so the clear water standing there dosen't freeze.
Hope this helps,
John & Roxanne Shepphird
WorkerB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2008, 08:35 AM   #17
beakyfudd
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Reading
Posts: 135
M.O.C. #8751
Someone I work with told me he uses windshield washer fluid to winterize. It's alot cheaper than the pink stuff and it also is non-toxic.
beakyfudd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2008, 09:28 AM   #18
HughM
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Weeki Wachee
Posts: 814
M.O.C. #7219
I've always used windshield washer fluid to winterize since we don't drink from the fresh water tank. Beware, I just bought some from Walmart and they had two kinds of fluid.
32 degrees and 0 degrees. It won't do you any good if you get the wrong kind and get the 32 degrees.
Hugh
HughM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2008, 01:58 PM   #19
Glass Guy
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ottawa Lake
Posts: 307
M.O.C. #321
Make sure if you only use the air to winterize that you flush the tiolet a couple of time to get the water out of the lines that supply the tiolet and don't forget the outside shower, A little anti freeze in the j traps is also a must. Good luck Roman
Glass Guy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

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
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Winterizing with the pump and winterizing switch? jfaberna General Discussions about our Montanas 23 03-01-2014 03:50 PM
compressor c214dick Additions & Improvements 6 02-12-2012 12:42 PM
Air compressor grooving grandpa Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 7 03-24-2010 10:51 AM
Air Compressor mail2us Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 33 04-11-2009 11:23 AM
air compressor illapah Maintenance 15 11-05-2006 03:58 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:57 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.