Winterization blow out
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
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=6891
Printed Date: 29 Apr 2024 at 6:18am
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Topic: Winterization blow out
Posted By: GLBCamper
Subject: Winterization blow out
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2015 at 12:55pm
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Approaching my first winterization. I have read the forum "manual" and it says to use very low pressure to blow out the water lines. Can I just use an "inflator"? Some can be can be set between 3 & 120psi and I know you can buy a blow out attachment with the tire stem type of adaptor. Is there any reason I would need a full compressor? (I do live in a cold climate, so blowing the lines is a necessity.) ------------- Old: 2014 177 HRE 2015 Tacoma V6 4x4 Double Cab New: 2016 EVO ATS 200rd 2016 F150 4x4 Sport |
Replies:
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2015 at 2:40pm
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If you live in a cold climate I would go ahead and use the Pink stuff to run through all the lines. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: TigerPawd
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2015 at 3:17pm
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GLBCamper, we lived in Ohio about a mile from Lake Erie for 22 years. In our first TT, access to the water lines to the heater was very difficult so soon went your route. I used a tire inflator (as you suggest) to blow out the lines - VERY thoroughly - and pink antifreeze in all the drains. It only dropped below 0°F a few times. We never had any problems with freezing where it shouldn't. My inflator did not have a pressure gauge, but as long as a faucet is wide open somewhere in the line, pressure buildup was not a problem. It worked so well that I continued to do it on the next TT and now the Pod (although risk of freezing is lower down in Corpus Christi). Just don't stand close to the water heater when you turn on the inflator. ------------- Joan, Jerry and the two Pugs 2015 R-Pod 179 |
Posted By: GLBCamper
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2015 at 4:52pm
I will definitely be doing this. I just wasn't sure if an inflator style compressor would do the trick of blowing out the lines. It looks like TigerPawd has used one with success, though. ------------- Old: 2014 177 HRE 2015 Tacoma V6 4x4 Double Cab New: 2016 EVO ATS 200rd 2016 F150 4x4 Sport |
Posted By: wingnut2312
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2015 at 10:27am
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We're in MI and it drops below zero, with windchill, for about a month. The water lines are not very insulated. I would go so far as to call them exposed. We have never blown out the lines, only used the pink stuff. Never had a problem.
Just make sure you do it on time. We waited until early November last year and found ice because it had dropped below 32 for a few days. Like I said, not well insulated. ------------- 2014 rpod 182G Ford Expedition |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2015 at 9:51pm
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The inflater ought to work well enough to get the job done, but for blowing out lines I think you need more air volume all at once. Still low pressure. But blowing out lines is really probably of only limited value if you open your taps in the pod and open the low-point drains. Let everything run out, cap the low-point drains, add anti-freeze and pump it through the system until it just comes out all of the taps, including the toilet. Drain the WH and leave the anode out or in very loosely to keep spiders out. Any water in the system is going to be so overpowered by antifreeze that it won't cause any trouble. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2015 at 12:31pm
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The idea is to use the air pressure to get most of the water out, so when you add the antifreeze it isn't diluted, which could happen at the end of the line as the antifreeze pushes the water ahead of it. Trap some of that in the sink valves and you could still have damage by spring. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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