Help with a built-in air blowout system for winterizing

[pandu]

Hey Coachmates,

I no longer want to use the chems for winterizing. My '84 Dolphin has what looks like a custom-built system whereby you can take an inflator hose for tires and blow out all the water.

So, for you of a plumbing intelligence let me tell you my setup and maybe you can help me do this right.

I never use my water heater and it's very hard to get at for putting a bypass on. Instead, I drained the WH and even sucked it out with a vacuum. Then I took off the hot water knobs so I wouldn't draw any water into it.

I want to use this air system to blow things out. What should I have on and off to clean out all the lines and not put any new water into the WH?

tanx,

Jim

As part of this, should the cock on the WH be closed to create resistance to any water getting into it? Would that be enough?

[fred heath]

#1 Make sure you disconnect the power to the water heater. Power to a dry tank will burn out the element.

#2 Open all drains, remove any traps and dump the water out of them. If not able to remove, pour some antifreeze into them. Same with the toilet bowl. Leave the faucets wide open. Gravity will do most of the work.

#3 Blow out as much water from the pipes as you can. Remember, a small amount of water left in the pipe even if it freezes will not displace enough area to break the pipe. Only fully charged lines will break. The water freezes, expands and has no place to go except out.

[pandu]

<p>Ya Baby! That's what I was looking for. Thank you so much, Fred. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>WH is gas so I just have the knob set to OFF. </p>

[fred heath]

Disconnect the line that goes into the hot water tank and cap it off. OK so its a pain to get to but it is only a one time pain right? Plus it is a lot less of a pain than having a leak or replacing a tank.

As long as all valves are left open including that to the water heater there is no danger of anything freezing. Once water is drained, the system can sit all winter with no problems. No need to make it more difficult than need to be.

[WME]

Blow out the lines one at a time. Use the vacuum to suck the water out of the p-traps.

To keep the stinkies at bay pour a bit of vegetable oil in each p trap to seal it, same with the toilet seal.

When you use it next year the oil will flush out and help lube the seals in the dump system.

[pandu]

Mine seems to have no traps in the sinks. This system that was installed - an airline to blow out the water lines worked great! I had the faucets open and the WH valve open and when I attached the air hose water just shot out of everything. I think that took care of the project and it was simple. I like the idea though of putting oil in the toilet and lubing the seals.

[linda s]

Mine seems to have no traps in the sinks. This system that was installed - an airline to blow out the water lines worked great! I had the faucets open and the WH valve open and when I attached the air hose water just shot out of everything. I think that took care of the project and it was simple. I like the idea though of putting oil in the toilet and lubing the seals.

No traps means fumes from the waste tanks can enter the coach. Very bad, even grey water has food particles in it that rot and stink pretty bad. Karin posted a pic of a trap that doesn't have the conventional curve a while ago. Lets hope you have one of those things in yours.

Linda S

[waiter]

You can buy an air fitting that connects to the city water connection and do similar. I would caution to keep the air pressure below 30 psi so as not to damage any valves, fitting, etc. After blowing out the system, remove the air, open all the faucets, and then open the low point drains to drain any remaining water.

Here is a link on how I do mine with an aftermarket air fitting. READ HERE


ALSO, consider there will be water in the lines that feed the water pump. Also,the water heater has loops of copper tubing that may not get completely drained.

I would recommend, after blowing the water out, dump 2 gallons in the fresh tank, then run the water pump and turn on the farthest cold water faucet. In my Dolphin, the farthest cold water item is the toilet. I turn it on until I see pink. Then I simple turn on each cold facet until I see pink come out.

If you do not use your water heater, I would recommend bypassing it. But make sure you winterize it before bypassing, that way it will have a little antifreeze in the bottom of those copper loops. this will prevent freezing AND corrosion. Then either make a bypass hose or buy one,

Here is how I bypassed my water heater READ HERE

After the water heater is bypassed, you can winterize the hot water the same as the cold water. simply turn on the farthest hot faucet and wait until you see pink,

Water System Drains - After you've shot rv antifreeze thru hot and cold lines, open all the water valves and open the low point drains. Close the drains (so bugs won't camp out for the winter) and facets for the winter.


There are drain "P" traps in the Kitchen and bathroom sink, After I winterize the hot and cold, I dump a cup of RV antifreeze into each sink to make sure the P traps have antifreeze in them.

Drain both the black and gray tanks. Then dump a cup of antifreeze into the toilet (black tank) and the shower (gray tank)

I open the toilet flush valve to allow the antifreeze into the black tank.

i then dump a 1/2 cup into the toilet and it just sits there all winter.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[Maineah]

Here is a very simple one I just plug it into the regulated air line.