Warning! Water Heater Line may still Freeze!

[Aronious]

Here is the meat of the long post I had tried to post when the site timed me out and I lost the whole thing so not spending the time to redo the long version.

If you winterize following Dutchman’s procedure you could still have freeze up and leakage in the spring. On our 2012 Voltage the water heater bypass valve in mounted below the level of the top fitting it is connected to on the water heater. If you follow Dutchman’s procedure you switch the bypass valve before pumping the system full of pink stuff. The line between the valve and the water heater will not gravity drain so stays full of h2o. Got cold enough for us to freeze (-17) this winter and that water cracked the bypass valve on the water heater port.

Bypassed with a handful of plumbing parts from Home Depot and then spent 12 days looking for a replacement part at local dealers.
This fall I will drain the water heater and blow out the lines with compressed air before switching the bypass valve and pumping any pink stuff.

(No pic’s with this post)

[Wanderer]

I always use compressed air but remember to tune down your compressor to about 20-25 psi. Compressed air is different than water pressure so you don't want to use high air pressure in the RV system.

[Aronious]

In the past I have always used compressed air on my RV's, ( regulate mine at about 35 psi,) but as the Voltage had a feature lacking on the previous ones, mainly the outside sucker hose connection, I thought I would try it that way. Sorry I did! Actually, it probably wouldn't have made a difference as I bypass the water heater before applying the air and would still not have blown out the line to the water heater. From now on I'll shoot some air thru that line before I throw the bypass valve.

[Wanderer]

Once you pressurize the system be sure to turn on a hot water tap so that the water in the supply line feeds air into the hot water tank. Only after purging all lines do I turn the bypass valves.

I also would not advise using 35 psi, that is too high for RV plumbing. Remember that air pressure is not the same as water pressure.