Air Vs. anti-freeze for winterization

[RamMike]

I wanted to check in with everyone to see which side of the fence you are on regarding which option to choose when winterizing? I went through a nightmare last year taking it to a dealer so I would prefer to tackle this year myself. I have an icemaker in my rig as well and really not sure how to get that line cleared either. I'm new at this process, but mechanically inclined so figure I can handle it with a little help from some folks that have been doing it a long time. Any help provided would be greatly appreciated. I'm leaning towards the air just from what I read about water taste issues.
Thanks in advance as always for your help!

[DutchmenSport]

I have been using RV antifreeze (pink stuff) on all my previous campers and my current Montana since the first winter I had a pop-up, some 25 years ago.

About the "taste". I found the "taste" of the "pink stuff" to never be an issue. The secret is to simply flush your water lines very, very well when you un-winterize. That's all you have to do.

If you put "pink stuff" in your fresh water tank, you will have a much harder time getting it cleaned out because there is always a little bit of residual in the bottom of the tank. So, the advise is to never put RV antifreeze in your fresh water tank. But, if you do, it's just a matter of flushing, flushing, and more flushing.

If you sanitize the water system in your camper, then the chlorine cleaning (in my opinion) is harder to clear the taste than the RV "pink stuff." But, even with that, sanitizing will usually eliminate any residual.

I have found it takes only a couple minutes of running the water through each faucet and then the "taste" is gone. But there is still a small amount of bubble foam, indicating there's still residual. But give it another couple minutes and all the "foam and bubbles" in the water disappear.

It really is just that simple.

There are those who blow with compressed air. I just purchased 2 days ago, a brand new Kobalt 20 gallon upright air compressor for my garage. It can get pressure up to 175 pounds. I ran a test after I received my garden hose adapter that has the quick connect for the air compressor hose. I let the compressor build up to the full 175 pounds, then flipped the handle and let it blast the garden hose. That sucker shot water like a cannon, probably 50 feet in the air. (and I'm not exaggerating). But the thing that got me was how long it continued to spit very fine droplets of water. I ran the compressor for about 15 minutes, and it was still spitting water droplets. This was a 50 foot garden hose.

It made me wonder, if I blew the lines in the trailer, how much water is "REALLY" being extracted, and how much is still in the line. Granted, there wouldn't be enough water to freeze can cause a line break, but how about faucet valves and joints? If water droplets never get out of there, a tiny speck can cause a valve to crack.

So, because of my little experiment, I'll continue using the pink stuff.... and actually, I winterized the lines today. Yesterday I spent the day flushing tanks. Today, I did the line.

I think in the end, the choice is yours. Those who blow swear it is sufficient. Those who "pump the pink" swear it's the only way to go. But one thing is absolutely certain ... if you "pump the pink", ANY water in the lines is replaced with "pink stuff." There is no residual water remaining. Water is truly all pushed out.

Which is more important to you? Making sure the pipes truly are, completely, 100%, without a doubt protected, even if that is a bit of inconvenience flushing in the spring. Or, blow the lines and face the possibility of water vapor droplets still in the lines, but have no after taste in the spring, but ... may end up with broken faucets?

Again... let me reiterate ... those who blow swear by it's success. Myself? I'll take "pink stuff" path.

[DQDick]

I've always used air/antifreeze combo. Do the whole rig with air and then put some antifreeze in the washer and run it on spin so water isn't left in the pump housing. Never had an ice maker, but some folks have a seperate drain for the ice maker line.

[bshgto]

Ive been using air for the last 3 years after using the pink goo for the past 30. Just got tired of the clean out and mess at the beginning of the season. What if you want to go camping in the winter like we have in the last couple of years. You have to redo the routine again and again. The wife never trusted using the pink stuff after I showed her what it did to the grass one year when we went camping in the spring. I cleaned out the lines with fresh water after I flushed the stuff out with air on to the ground at the low point drain. It killed the grass, and it has never grown back in that 3 ft. diameter spot. Think about that for a minute...........
I believe the problem people have with the air method is they don`t use the right compressor, The little compressors (1 or 2 gallon or no tank at all) most people have in the unit does not produce enough volume or pressure for long enough to really get all the water out before the compressor runs out of air and has to build up again and do the same thing before it`s all out then they think that`s enough. The unit I use is a 50-gallon HF compressor set at 75 lbs (if the valves are open it`s not going to hurt anything) and run each line till nothing comes out but air not even spit. I removed all my traps and replaced them with the flapper kind and have never turned on the icemaker or filled those lines. The holding tanks are run dry by raising the camper to the max to drain it ALL out then leave the valves open till the next trip. the water tank has it`s own drain and I have been successful with that not freezing, same for the water heater. We live in the northeast so it gets pretty cold at times like down to 10 to 0. That`s my story and I`m sticking with it.

[mlh]

I’ve used antifreeze and air. I’ll never go back to antifreeze. Drain the hot water heater hook up to a compressor and pressurized the system to about 40 pounds including the hot water heater. Then open each faucet let the water out. Do each a few times and dump a little antifreeze down each drain. If you leave a little water in the lines it will not burst the pipe. In order for water to expand and burst a pipe it hast to have no where else to go. To test this take a piece of plastic pipe put it half full of water and put it in your freezer. What will happen nothing.
I leave the compressor hooked up for a while so when I go by my camper I open up the faucets to see if any water comes out. None even does except for a mist.
After you unhook the compressor the system will stay pressurized for months. Not at 40 pounds but a little.
Lynwood

[mhs4771]

When we first started almost 50 years ago, I used the pink stuff. About 12 years ago started using the air method with no problems, even used that method on the Stick-n-Bricks when we started Snow Birding. Blew all the lines out and added pink to all traps and toilets, then turned off the power for the Winter, again no problems.

[Mikendebbie]

Air to blow out the lines + pink stuff in the washer.

[dieselguy]

I used to go "pink", but after trying air several years ago with "pink" added to ptraps ... I'll not go back. Cut the pressure to @40 psi and start with the farthest faucet. You do have to let it blow for several minutes, but don't worry about getting every molecule of water out because like said earlier, unless the line or fitting is completely full of water ... nothing will happen. Been there, done that, own the tee shirt. I live where it gets down to zero or a tad below. Just don't forget to put antifreeze in the ptraps.

[rvman]

Originally Posted by DutchmenSport

I have been using RV antifreeze (pink stuff) on all my previous campers and my current Montana since the first winter I had a pop-up, some 25 years ago.

About the "taste". I found the "taste" of the "pink stuff" to never be an issue. The secret is to simply flush your water lines very, very well when you un-winterize. That's all you have to do.

If you put "pink stuff" in your fresh water tank, you will have a much harder time getting it cleaned out because there is always a little bit of residual in the bottom of the tank. So, the advise is to never put RV antifreeze in your fresh water tank. But, if you do, it's just a matter of flushing, flushing, and more flushing.

If you sanitize the water system in your camper, then the chlorine cleaning (in my opinion) is harder to clear the taste than the RV "pink stuff." But, even with that, sanitizing will usually eliminate any residual.

I have found it takes only a couple minutes of running the water through each faucet and then the "taste" is gone. But there is still a small amount of bubble foam, indicating there's still residual. But give it another couple minutes and all the "foam and bubbles" in the water disappear.

It really is just that simple.

There are those who blow with compressed air. I just purchased 2 days ago, a brand new Kobalt 20 gallon upright air compressor for my garage. It can get pressure up to 175 pounds. I ran a test after I received my garden hose adapter that has the quick connect for the air compressor hose. I let the compressor build up to the full 175 pounds, then flipped the handle and let it blast the garden hose. That sucker shot water like a cannon, probably 50 feet in the air. (and I'm not exaggerating). But the thing that got me was how long it continued to spit very fine droplets of water. I ran the compressor for about 15 minutes, and it was still spitting water droplets. This was a 50 foot garden hose.

It made me wonder, if I blew the lines in the trailer, how much water is "REALLY" being extracted, and how much is still in the line. Granted, there wouldn't be enough water to freeze can cause a line break, but how about faucet valves and joints? If water droplets never get out of there, a tiny speck can cause a valve to crack.

So, because of my little experiment, I'll continue using the pink stuff.... and actually, I winterized the lines today. Yesterday I spent the day flushing tanks. Today, I did the line.

I think in the end, the choice is yours. Those who blow swear it is sufficient. Those who "pump the pink" swear it's the only way to go. But one thing is absolutely certain ... if you "pump the pink", ANY water in the lines is replaced with "pink stuff." There is no residual water remaining. Water is truly all pushed out.

Which is more important to you? Making sure the pipes truly are, completely, 100%, without a doubt protected, even if that is a bit of inconvenience flushing in the spring. Or, blow the lines and face the possibility of water vapor droplets still in the lines, but have no after taste in the spring, but ... may end up with broken faucets?

Again... let me reiterate ... those who blow swear by it's success. Myself? I'll take "pink stuff" path.

+1 Couldn't have said it better.

[Mr Pachu]

For those that have a dishwasher in your trailer, how do you blow the water out of it?

[AZ Traveler]

I use compressed air only and have not had an issue. Make sure your air pressure is not over 50 PSI.

[jimcol]

Another vote for air. I also let the pump run a while as I'm clearing the lines with air. My thought is it clears the pump of any water.

[DutchmenSport]

Um... one word about P-traps. Several years ago I failed to run enough "pink stuff" down the bathroom sink, and in the Spring I had a gusher flowing out of the new crack in the P-trap.

Ever since then, I simply disconnect the P-trap and dump it out. I take a plastic baggie and simply put it over the open pipe leading to the holding tanks and tie it off with a rubber band, string, or a fine wire to use as a twist-tie. That keeps holding tank odors from coming up. Ever since I started doing that, I've never had problems with the P-traps again.

My current Montana has the Hepvo Valve under the bath tub and for the washing machine, so putting Pink Stuff down those drains serves no real purpose, except to get some in your holding tanks if you want.

Anyway, if you have the Hepvo Drain Valves, you really don't need any "Pink Stuff" at all if you are a "blower" and not a "pumper". And if yours has P-traps and you can access them, then removing them, dumping them and covering the open drain works very well, and again ... no need for "Pink Stuff." Just a little tip for all you "Blowers" out there if you truly want to get away from the Pink Stuff completely.

[mlh]

It’s much easier to use too much antifreeze in your Ptraps than not quite enough.
Lynwood

[jimcol]

Originally Posted by DutchmenSport

Just a little tip for all you "Blowers" out there if you truly want to get away from the Pink Stuff completely.

I don't want to get away from the Pink Stuff just the taste it leaves in the water system until completely flushed. I'll stick with pouring a couple of cups down each P-trapped drain. Seems easier than disassembling and capping each trap in the fall and reversing the operation each spring. But hey, to each their own.

[Sr. Oso]

I use the air and pink antifreeze method. It worked well with my TT so I decided to do the same with my new 5th wheel. I open all low point drains first. I then put the H2O heater in bypass and drain it. I then blow the black tank wash out. After that is done, I charge the city water system with 30# of air and go faucet by faucet including the washer lines even though we won’t use them. I open the low points again to make sure any residual water comes out. I shut the fridge water valve under the sink (Since my 5er is new and we haven’t used it, I am shutting off the ice maker and fridge water. I will disconnect the H20 line in the spring - that is my only point of worry).
I now start the process again with RV antifreeze making sure all faucets run pink. Lastly, I pour pink into all drains, toilet, and even the washer drain. I even open low points to make sure a little pink runs out. I used 3.5 gal of pink but could have done it with 3. I also dumped the pink in a bucket so that the water pump would not suck air changing bottles.
I think I covered all the bases.

[Cat320]

If in doubt at all or it's going to be really cold, pink stuff is the safest.

[Chief Brown]

Originally Posted by RamMike

I wanted to check in with everyone to see which side of the fence you are on regarding which option to choose when winterizing? I went through a nightmare last year taking it to a dealer so I would prefer to tackle this year myself. I have an icemaker in my rig as well and really not sure how to get that line cleared either. I'm new at this process, but mechanically inclined so figure I can handle it with a little help from some folks that have been doing it a long time. Any help provided would be greatly appreciated. I'm leaning towards the air just from what I read about water taste issues.
Thanks in advance as always for your help!

We have a 2021 331RL Montana H/C with the ice maker. I turn the water off at the cutoff valve inside the camper (ours is in the bottom cabinet next to the refrigerator). Then we leave the ice maker own until it finishes making ice. Ours is also a braided line so I do not see a risk of it freezing and bursting.

[RETCHIEF]

Originally Posted by Chief Brown

We have a 2021 331RL Montana H/C with the ice maker. I turn the water off at the cutoff valve inside the camper (ours is in the bottom cabinet next to the refrigerator). Then we leave the ice maker own until it finishes making ice. Ours is also a braided line so I do not see a risk of it freezing and bursting.

We have the same unit and I just keep hitting the test button on the icemaker until it blows only air. It takes about 7-8 presses, but no problem for me. We have winterized 3 times and all worked well. Our 2020 HC331 was "new" in early 2019? Who knows? I guess CMSgts prefer HC 331 RLs.

[jwengermt]

i use air for the water lines and put some pink stuff in the traps and the tanks. I make sure the fresh water tank is completely drained. If you use air you have to remember to turn the freshwater pump on for about 30 seconds to clear it out.