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Thread: Winterize question
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08-10-2019, 07:18 AM #1
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Winterize question
I will have to winterize the end of this month, and wondering if anybody has used the viaire compressor to blow out the lines?
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08-10-2019, 08:00 AM #2
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Yes.
However the pressure should be regulated. Our water lines are nominally recommended for about 40psi of water (they might do more, but that's the recommendation). I've been told that 40psi of air strains the system more than 40psi of water does.
I bought an inline air pressure regulator at Home Depot for something like $20 and use it to dial the air pressure down to 25psi. It seems to do the job.
Winterizing in August... yuck. Sorry you have to give it up so early!Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch
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08-10-2019, 09:01 AM #3
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Settling on a new home and won't be going anywhere till next year so thought I would just get this off my plate.
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08-13-2019, 06:04 PM #4
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08-13-2019, 07:03 PM #5
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08-14-2019, 04:40 AM #6
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After I blow the lines out the only anti-freeze I use is in the drain traps. Dont forget to drain water heater.
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08-14-2019, 05:41 AM #7
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Yes I will first winter here and just don't know how cold it may get. A/F is cheap insurance.
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08-14-2019, 07:35 AM #8
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Yes. While blowing it dry reduces the risk considerably the air doesn't actually blow the system "dry", it blows it to a point at which the air can easily pass the water and get out of the system. There's still a risk that some of the water remaining in the system could pool somewhere, then freeze and expand to damage a conduit or fixture.
Antifreeze is cheap, and if the water pump works properly (which it somewhat-commonly does not with the cheap Lippert pumps GD uses) then the antifreeze can be easily pumped through the system and into the drains in less than fifteen minutes. Seems like worthwhile insurance to me.
As @Hokensalem reminds above, draining the hot water heater is an essential part of winterizing. It is disconnected (via the Nautilus panel) from the system and drained, and is NOT filled with antifreeze. (It's a large tank / space, so any residual water remaining after draining has space to expand when frozen.)
Here's a video that helped me the first time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH4xfcXeccUMark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch
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08-14-2019, 12:33 PM #9
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What is addressed by blowing air that does not get protected via running antifreeze? I have only ever done just antifreeze and want to know if I need to do both?
2017 Ford F350 Platinum 6.7L PowerStroke DRW
2017 Solitude 379FLS
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08-14-2019, 01:45 PM #10
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The way I look at it, what bursts water lines is the line is full of water and when it freezes it expands. when it expands in a full line it has to go someplace so it splits the line or breaks a fitting. If you drain your low points and blow the lines out, even if there's a tiny amount of water left in the line to freeze then the lines wont split because air does not freeze and whats left has room to expand. I try to do things the east way and not over think it. It has worked for me and never had a problem. JMHO
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