Winterizing without anti-freeze
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3163
Printed Date: 25 May 2025 at 8:55am
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Topic: Winterizing without anti-freeze
Posted By: Raymondo
Subject: Winterizing without anti-freeze
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2012 at 12:05pm
Here's a little trick for voiding all the potable water out of the lines in preparation for winter without the use of anti-freeze. Air. I built a device made using standard air tool fittings and a small compressor to blow out the lines (slowly) without the fear of over pressurizing and blowing out a tap or seal. I first removed the threaded drain plug from the HWT and let drain out by gravity. Next open all water taps to vent. Attach blow-out device to R-Pod city pressure connection outside, with shutoff valve closed. Connect air line to compressor, set pressure to about 20 lbs, and turn it on. Slowly turn ball valve (yellow handle) until air flows into the water connection forcing water through the interior lines, and out through the HWT drain. Note: this does not drain your fresh water tank. You will have to pump that dry into your grey water tank, and then drain. ------------- 2011 RP-171 Hood River Edition Towed by Dodge Dakota Sport |
Replies:
Posted By: tsunami123
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2012 at 11:35pm
 Camping World has a similar air hose fitting (without the valve) (#38534) for $9. Your air hose does have to have quick connect fitting on it. I bought one...very convenient...I set my air compressor to 30psi...and the lines are cleared in just a couple of minutes. |
Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2012 at 8:37am
... or better yet, just unscrew the drain valve from the underside of your fresh water tank and let it drain onto the ground.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |
Posted By: Raymondo
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2013 at 10:09pm
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Yes T_I_Nascar. I hadn't thought of that! That would get some of the sediment out as well, if present. ------------- 2011 RP-171 Hood River Edition Towed by Dodge Dakota Sport |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2013 at 6:07pm
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We do a similar type of winterizing using air to remove the water in the lines. We use a small hand operated bicycle pump to remove all water from the lines. We first open all faucets and drain everything as much as possible. We drain the water heater manually by removing the anode
rod. Turn on the pump briefly to ensure there is no water left there.We bought a small plastic fitting that screws into the city water inlet.and has a nipple on the other end. It allows you to hook up a small hand pump. We then use the hand pump to empty all of the remaining water in the lines. Seems to be easy and simple. Vann Evans |
Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2013 at 8:41am
I'll continue to harp on this method everytime I see it mentioned. In your case, I'm even more concerned. "Draining everything as much as possible" is not good enough. I can guarantee you that, with using only a hand pump, you did not evacuate all the water from the system. You are risking major damage and expense. I continue to scratch my head trying to figure out the reluctance in using antifreeze to winterize. It's inexpensive and guarantees you'll be good for the winter. Someone once mentioned that they can still "taste" it after they sanitized, but I think that's a subconscious thing or they don't sanitize properly.
Anyway, good luck to you.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2013 at 9:16am
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A family member drains everything and removes the pump and takes it in the house rather than using anti-freeze. To each their own.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2013 at 9:29pm
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I continue to back Nascar on this. One of the biggest problem areas are the valve seats, so just taking the pump out only protects the pump from damage. You would have to remove all of the valves (all faucets and the entire toilet) to protect them.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2013 at 10:31pm
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I use antifreeze and don't worry about freezing stuff.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: tsunami123
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2013 at 10:35pm
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The first fall I had my Pod, I planned on using an air compressor to blow out my water lines, followed by pumping RV antifreeze through them. After I blew out the lines...I had a family emergency, so I wasn't able to get back for a couple days to add the antifreeze. When I did...the air compressor was still hooked up to the Pod. For some reason...I ran the compressor again (even tho' I had blown out what I thought was all of the water...no liquid spraying out). To my surprise several good blasts of water jetted out of the faucets. I think that there was a sufficient coating of water on the inside of the pipes so that after a day or two liquid had accumulated at one or more low spots. I don't know if this small volume of water would have been enough to crack a valve or not. But from then on...I always add antifreeze after blowing out the pipes. I really don't like the taste left in the pipes in the Spring so I blow out the antifreeze, followed by flushing with clean water and then I make up a couple of gallons of baking soda water and pump it into the pipes and then let it sit for a day or two. Then I flush the soda water...and the bad taste is gone. |
Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2013 at 8:41am
... and that was with using a compressor. The OP used a hand-pump, which would have push out and dried-up even less from the system. I know some feel I'm being anal on this subject. I just hate seeing someone incur an un-needed expense and inconvenience in repairs.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2013 at 1:44pm
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After reading the comments following my post, I added antifreeze to my system. That's the nice thing about forums like this-we all learn from each other. Thanks Vann Evans |
Posted By: ReddOrion
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2013 at 2:01pm
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I don't know if the picture will show up, but below is a combination of the two previously shown blowout solutions. It is the Camping World blowout hose with literally $4 of parts from Home Depot's air tool department. My mini compressor has a reg on it, so that part is covered. ------------- Jason & Kim 2013 RP-177 HRE 2005 Tahoe LT |
Posted By: ReddOrion
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2013 at 2:20pm
One more try... Below is a combination of the two previously shown blowout solutions. It is the Camping World blowout hose with $4 of parts from Home Depot's air tool department. My mini compressor has a reg on it, so that part is covered. ------------- Jason & Kim 2013 RP-177 HRE 2005 Tahoe LT |