Using Air Pressure to help winterize

[RKassl]

We have a 2006 Montana. I want to blow out the residual water before I add antifreeze this year. When I screw the adapter into the city water connection will the air pressure force its way through that one way valve at the connection or do I have do something else? I would guess to have all the water faucets open when I pressurize it, how PSI should you use to accomplish this?

Thanks!

[BB_TX]

Set your pressure regulator to 40-45 psi. Too much pressure can damage your lines/fittings. Close all your faucets and then open one until water stops coming out. Close that one and move to the next and repeat until you get them all including toilet, outside shower, low point drains, washer if you have one.
The air pressure will push thru the check valve at the water connection.
Don't really see a need to blow first if your are going to follow up with antifreeze. The antifreeze will push all the water out.

[dieselguy]

Yeah what Bill said ... that check valve in the city water connection is pretty wimpy ... you can push it open with a toothpick. When you blow things out, be sure and flip all the related valves in the convience center (if you have one) as in the fresh water fill. Just for conversation ... I used to be a staunch "pink stuff" user. I now just blow out the lines and only add pink stuff to the traps. Never had an issue here in Kansas. Until recently brought to our attention in another post, I've never attended to the black tank flush line for the past 9 years on two different Montanas. This year I will. You may have a tiny bit of water still in any one line, but the water lines themselves are pretty hardy and take winter in stride.

[Charli]

I just finished winterizing our Mountaineer for the first time. I've used both the air pressure and pink methods (but not at the same time) to winterized in our previous Cougar and never had a problem. This year I used the pink and followed the instructions but it took a long time for the pump to suck the pink in to all the taps. Lots of air sucked through but not a lot of pink. Next time I take it in to the dealer I'm going to have them check it out. The process in the Cougar was less sophisticated but worked much better. Seemed like there was an air leak somewhere and not enough suction was created to suck the antifreeze through the system.

[bncinwv]

quote:Originally posted by Charli

I just finished winterizing our Mountaineer for the first time. I've used both the air pressure and pink methods (but not at the same time) to winterized in our previous Cougar and never had a problem. This year I used the pink and followed the instructions but it took a long time for the pump to suck the pink in to all the taps. Lots of air sucked through but not a lot of pink. Next time I take it in to the dealer I'm going to have them check it out. The process in the Cougar was less sophisticated but worked much better. Seemed like there was an air leak somewhere and not enough suction was created to suck the antifreeze through the system.

The usual solution is do put an extra hose washer in the connection for the winterizing. Prevents loss of suction.
Bingo

[racerjoe]

we blow ours out first also. use 35-40psi and do the faucets one at a time like others. I also blow out the black water spray line.you can hear it when all water has come out. Uncap the drain lines to get low water points out. Then I pump pink through. That way pump gets protected. put a cup of pink in all drains.Thats my story and I'm sticking to it

[DQDick]

Like Diesel guy, before we went full time we only blew the lines out and put the pink in the traps. One year it was -10 and still never had a problem. I did blow the black tank flush every year as well as everything else. Made it very easy the first year we did half a winter. As soon as we got where it was above freezing we just hooked up to the water and were good to go. Still carry the air connector, but not sure why.

[BB_TX]

For those that only blow the lines. Do you have a washer/dryer? And if so, how did you get all the water out of those lines? And pink stuff into the washer drain trap?

[DQDick]

Good question. Our washer stand pipe doesn't have a trap so no problem there. I just blew the lines out to the washer (drained the hoses in a bucket and then used a short hose I had to fill watering cans etc to hook to the water lines and then blew them out into a bucket) and never did anything with the washer and got away with it. The last load I did in the washer I always used the dryer for about 80 minutes, but the washer does use water in the drying cycle so like I said, we got away with it.

[gmstrom]

Speaking of Winterizing, I'm doing that now but I'm having a problem with a couple of water lines. I have been able to get the pink stuff to come out of all the faucets, toilet, washer and outside water lines.

The problem I have is the bathroom sink area. I have 4 water lines going up into the bathroom sink area. One line is the hot, one line is the cold but the other two lines are connected together by an anti-siphon valve (I think that's what it is) and it still has clear water in the line (I can see those lines in the basement).

How can I get the pink stuff in those lines?

[7.3Ford]

quote:Originally posted by gmstrom

Speaking of Winterizing, I'm doing that now but I'm having a problem with a couple of water lines. I have been able to get the pink stuff to come out of all the faucets, toilet, washer and outside water lines.

The problem I have is the bathroom sink area. I have 4 water lines going up into the bathroom sink area. One line is the hot, one line is the cold but the other two lines are connected together by an anti-siphon valve (I think that's what it is) and it still has clear water in the line (I can see those lines in the basement).

How can I get the pink stuff in those lines?

You don't need to, that is the black water flush line.

If you are blowing the water out with compress air you don't need to put pink stuff in the lines. Just put some in the traps, and toilet. Note shower doesn't use a trap, so don't worry about that one.

For washer, with compress air hooked up (40-45 psi) start the washer on fill warm water setting, so both lines are opened. When you get only air coming out, stop the washer and start on the drain setting. Put pink stuff in side the washer, and and start drain setting again. This will treat the washer and the washer trap.

Don't forget to drain the water heater, and blow out lines with air, and also blow out the fresh water fill line with air.

After every trip, I drain fresh water, water heater, and blow out the lines with air. Once you get in the habit of it, it only takes 5-7 minutes more to unload. When temps are going to be freezing, I add the pink stuff to the drains, and washer procedure above (add another 5 minutes).

[7.3Ford]

quote:Originally posted by BB_TX

For those that only blow the lines. Do you have a washer/dryer? And if so, how did you get all the water out of those lines? And pink stuff into the washer drain trap?

For washer, with compress air hooked up (40-45 psi) start the washer on fill warm water setting, so both lines are opened. When you get only air coming out, stop the washer and start on the drain setting. Put pink stuff in side the washer, and and start drain setting again. This will treat the washer and the washer trap.

[CORattler]

I just blow out all the lines (including the washer hot & cold lines)and only add pink stuff to the traps. I do blow out the black tank flush line. Works for Colorado winters.

[Tom S.]

I do both. First air, then the RV anti freeze. Over kill perhaps, but air will not remove all the moisture in lines (unless you leave it on a long time), and gravity can cause that moisture to pool in a low spot.

[Charli]

Put in the extra washer. Worked like a charm. Thanks Bingo

[Hooker]

The Splendide manual has excellent instructions on how to get the pink stuff in the water pump.

[Mark N.]

quote:Originally posted by 7.3Ford

You don't need to, that is the black water flush line.

If you are blowing the water out with compress air you don't need to put pink stuff in the lines. Just put some in the traps, and toilet. Note shower doesn't use a trap, so don't worry about that one.

For washer, with compress air hooked up (40-45 psi) start the washer on fill warm water setting, so both lines are opened. When you get only air coming out, stop the washer and start on the drain setting. Put pink stuff in side the washer, and and start drain setting again. This will treat the washer and the washer trap.

Don't forget to drain the water heater, and blow out lines with air, and also blow out the fresh water fill line with air.

After every trip, I drain fresh water, water heater, and blow out the lines with air. Once you get in the habit of it, it only takes 5-7 minutes more to unload. When temps are going to be freezing, I add the pink stuff to the drains, and washer procedure above (add another 5 minutes).

Wow! I just looked at the pictures of your totaled Montana! What happened if I might ask?

[navybanker]

X 2 on what happened!!!

[sambam]

I just blow out the line between the hot water bypass valve and tank. That stretch of plumbing doesn't get the pink stuff once the valve is closed. I do it with the tank drained and anode rod out, of course. The rest of the plumbing gets the pink stuff, including the W/D hook-up, which we don't use.