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Old 10-09-2018, 03:19 AM   #1
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winterizing really necessary?

Hold with me here. We are in Utah and will be putting our trailer (Kodiak Ultra-Lite 255BHSL) away for the winter in a couple of weeks. 'Tis our first trailer. My question is this:

Is is REALLY necessary to put RV antifreeze in the water lines for winter? Yes, we get COLD (way below 32), but I don't understand the point. We have low-point drains and I would for sure blow all the lines out with a 30 psi air compressor. Doesn't that get all the water out of the lines, and if they are thus dry, why do I need pink anti-freeze in there? I ask because some of my neighbors are saying it took them 6 months to get the anti-freeze/taste out.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 10-09-2018, 04:22 AM   #2
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Blowing the water lines with air, drain hot water heater and low poiint drains might take care of about 95% of your potential freezing issue but you will never get all the water out. there will be a residual amount that may remain in the water pump, plastic pex elbows, toilet valve and P traps. Also don't forget the black water tank rinse line where water can also settle.

Unlike the old days when trailer had pvc water pipes the new pex tubing hold up to freezing quite well. It's those little plastic elbows in the pex tubing and plastic plumbing fixtures that could be a potential problem.

I use two methods. I use a antifreeze pump at the city water inlet plus I have a water pump bypass kit that will take the antifreeze right out of the bottle and into the system.

The only way to be sure is to a proper winterization. It won't take long and cost less than $10 to $15 (not counting antifreeze pump and water pump anti freeze bypass valve).

I can't say about anti freeze taste. We never use the fresh water tank for drinking or cooking.
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Old 10-09-2018, 09:44 AM   #3
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My rule of thumb...

If you are going to get sustained lows below about 20 degrees you really should use the anti-freeze. No matter how good a job you do with the blowing the lines you will always have a bit of residual water in there. There are quite a few of the fittings and they will crack very easily. The two that always seem to get damaged are the outside shower and the toilet valves. If you use antifreeze it takes that risk away.

FWIW I live in the Deep South so blowing the lines is all I do, however I do leave a small space heater running inside too. Then again we camp 12 months out of the year.

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Old 10-09-2018, 04:12 PM   #4
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Been using air only for the past 4 winters, no problems yet. I blow the lines out until there is literally just air coming out, not a hint of moisture. Even if there was a drop or two somewhere (I don't see how) there's no way it's going to crack or break a line or fitting. Be sure to blow out the spray port and black tank flush ball if you have them. I also leave my low point drains open for a day or two after the initial line clearing just to be safe. I do buy one gallon of anti freeze, I put 8 ounces down the kitchen and bathroom sink drain, some in the toilet (not good to leave the bowl dry) then split the rest between the black tank and gray tank via the shower drain.

I used to be a hardcore, antifreeze or else guy, until I bought a camper with a hidden water pump.
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Old 10-09-2018, 05:26 PM   #5
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Been using air only for the past 4 winters, no problems yet. I blow the lines out until there is literally just air coming out, not a hint of moisture. Even if there was a drop or two somewhere (I don't see how) there's no way it's going to crack or break a line or fitting. Be sure to blow out the spray port and black tank flush ball if you have them. I also leave my low point drains open for a day or two after the initial line clearing just to be safe. I do buy one gallon of anti freeze, I put 8 ounces down the kitchen and bathroom sink drain, some in the toilet (not good to leave the bowl dry) then split the rest between the black tank and gray tank via the shower drain.

I used to be a hardcore, antifreeze or else guy, until I bought a camper with a hidden water pump.
^^^ THIS ^^^

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Old 10-09-2018, 05:41 PM   #6
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I love the idea of using air. Here in Central Texas we rarely stay below freezing very long. My question is what about the water in the line from the pump to the fresh water tank? How to you get it out ? I'm thinking you can't blow that line out and you aren't suppose to run the pump dry. Maybe I'm over thinking this since never doing the air method.

Thanks,
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Old 10-09-2018, 10:08 PM   #7
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I just use compressed air. I live in Montana and we'll be well below 0F at several times during winter. I do put a gallon of antifreeze in the black water tank via toilet and a gallon in the gray water tank via all the drains. My logic is that no matter how hard you try, you don't drain those waste tanks dry during your last dump of camp season. That liquid that stays behind heads to the lowest point which is the dump valve area. I don't want that bursting over the winter, so I add the antifreeze as contingency against that.

Pumps run just fine dry. I think there was a time when that was an issue, but not any longer. I run my pump (dry) for a minute or so after finishing with air blowout. It will generally gurgle out a bit more water before just moving air.
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Old 10-10-2018, 01:23 PM   #8
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There were two types of RV anti-freeze. The cheapest had alcohol in it. The more expensive uses propylene glycol. One experienced RV'er told me the alcohol type tasted bad. The propylene glycol flushed easily and did not taste bad after a good flushing.
I have always used the propylene glycol and never had a taste problem until I got my new Kodiak Cub. It still has a residual taste if the water sits in the fresh tank a few days. I don't think it is the anti-freeze causing the problem.
Repeated flushing and chlorine treatment has reduced, but not eliminated the problem. We now drink bottled water.
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Old 10-17-2018, 09:17 PM   #9
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I lived in Idaho and never bothered putting antifreeze in the lines. I blew out the system and put antifreeze in the traps and tanks. No problems.
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Old 10-17-2018, 10:35 PM   #10
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You're talking about a whopping $12.00....
WTF!,,
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Old 10-17-2018, 10:51 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Shaun View Post
You're talking about a whopping $12.00....
WTF!,,
Do you think empty lines will freeze any faster than ones full of antifreeze? This isn't about money, it's about results when you have a camper with an inaccessible water pump.
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Old 10-17-2018, 10:52 PM   #12
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You're talking about a whopping $12.00....
WTF!,,
It's not the money. It's dealing with getting that crap out of the system when spring rolls around.
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:34 AM   #13
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I didn't read all the replies, here is my experience. I live in Idaho, so similar temps. This will be the 4th winter for my tt. First year I blew it out and used the antifreeze. The fallowing 2 I just blew it out, had no issues at all. Just got done blowing it out and using antifreeze..... I blow it out from the city hook up and use the 12v pump to fill the plumbing with antifreeze. I ordered the fitting for the pump and bought a piece of 1/2" tubing and it sucks the antifreeze right out of the jug.
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:43 AM   #14
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We use lemon flavored vodka for the pumps and tanks. It’s cheaper than antifreeze and doesn’t effect the water taste.
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:48 AM   #15
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I accidently found a troubling problem with my fresh tank. Doing some maintenance on the underbelly of my Komfort 3130, I found the fresh tank sits on side to side rails with a pair of sheet metal straps 1/3 the way from the ends. In between the straps the tank had sags that allowed water to accumulate and sit there. The tank never emptied, When I opened the drain and pushed up on the bulges I got nearly 15-18 gallons of old water out. This water smelled bad. We only use the tank for flushing on the road and never drank the water. I replaced the two straps will six 1/2 inch angle irons notched for flat installation and evenly spaced over the length of the tank. Now my tank empties fully and I no longer carry more water than I thought I was. The black tanks are made of sterner stuff and had no sagging problems.
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Old 10-18-2018, 10:58 AM   #16
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When I opened the drain and pushed up on the bulges I got nearly 15-18 gallons of old water out.
15 - 18 gallons? How big were these bulges you were pushing on?
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:43 PM   #17
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We drain the holding tanks and water heater completely, blow out the fresh water system and black tank flush, put the water heater in bypass mode then pump the RV antifreeze through the system using the water pump to pull it out of a bucket. We then pour extra antifreeze down the ptraps and some into the toilet. After a thorough flushing in the spring, we have never noticed any residual odor or taste. Blowing alone won’t get the water out of the drains (ptraps).
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:50 PM   #18
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15 - 18 gallons? How big were these bulges you were pushing on?
There were 3 bulges. The width of the tank is 38 inches and the length is nearly 60 inches. the bulge nearest the drain had the least volume. The rear next most volume, and the center section had the biggest bulge. I filled a 5 gallon bucket 3 times and it overflowed each time. So I guesstimated 15+. I always weigh on the way out of town at a Love's truck stop and did have a reduction in weight ( but can't prove that was not a reduction elsewhere in loading). I still like the idea of not carrying water I'm not using and it going stale.
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Old 10-18-2018, 01:13 PM   #19
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There were 3 bulges. The width of the tank is 38 inches and the length is nearly 60 inches. the bulge nearest the drain had the least volume. The rear next most volume, and the center section had the biggest bulge. I filled a 5 gallon bucket 3 times and it overflowed each time. So I guesstimated 15+. I always weigh on the way out of town at a Love's truck stop and did have a reduction in weight ( but can't prove that was not a reduction elsewhere in loading). I still like the idea of not carrying water I'm not using and it going stale.
Oh I believed you. Just a lot of water to have trapped that's all, never would have guessed it would be that much.
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Old 10-19-2018, 08:45 PM   #20
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Thanks everyone for the input. Sounds like I have many options. Part of the reason I asked this is that I CANNOT FIND MY WATER PUMP OR BYPASS KIT/AREA. I have opened every single service panel with a screwdriver I can find, and nothing obvious. Isn't this something I should be able to find/service/use?
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