1987 34W - Winterized and gave her a bath
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 7:56 pm
This is a really sad time of the year............here in NW Arkansas, we can get some really cold weather, or it can be almost hot on any given day. Last night it got down to 28, so I decided it was a good time to winterize the Avion today. Finished up by giving the old girl a much-needed bath.
I had picked up a brass blowout adapter yesterday, so I put it to use today. First, I drained the hot water tank, drained the fresh water tank, and opened the low-point drains. Once those stopped dripping, I closed them, opened the faucet in the kitchen, set my compressor for 50psi output, screwed the adapter into the fresh water input, then connected the compressor hose to the adapter. Went inside and remembered to remove the aerators from the faucets, then watched until it quit sputtering and was just blowing air on the cold side, then did the same for the hot side. Also cleared the filtered water spigot (filter had been removed earlier). Then, I moved to the bathroom and cleared the sink faucet, then the bath faucet and shower head. Also cleared the water line for the toilet.
I remembered that our Avion has a pretty good size accumulator tank. I had closed the valve on it earlier, so I opened it and made sure that was cleared of water by letting it drain through one of the low-point drains. Next, I poured a cup or 2 of RV antifreeze in each trap. I made sure the holding tanks were emptied, and left the valves for those open. (Note to self..... remember to close those later!!!!)
I had never winterized with compressed air before. I usually drained everything, bypassed the hot water tank, then filled the lines with RV antifreeze via a valve/hose near the water pump. I think I like the air method better...... should make it easier to use during the winter months if we get a chance to take it out (which we will do in early December), and next Spring when we are preparing for a new camping season.
How do you do your winterizing?
I had picked up a brass blowout adapter yesterday, so I put it to use today. First, I drained the hot water tank, drained the fresh water tank, and opened the low-point drains. Once those stopped dripping, I closed them, opened the faucet in the kitchen, set my compressor for 50psi output, screwed the adapter into the fresh water input, then connected the compressor hose to the adapter. Went inside and remembered to remove the aerators from the faucets, then watched until it quit sputtering and was just blowing air on the cold side, then did the same for the hot side. Also cleared the filtered water spigot (filter had been removed earlier). Then, I moved to the bathroom and cleared the sink faucet, then the bath faucet and shower head. Also cleared the water line for the toilet.
I remembered that our Avion has a pretty good size accumulator tank. I had closed the valve on it earlier, so I opened it and made sure that was cleared of water by letting it drain through one of the low-point drains. Next, I poured a cup or 2 of RV antifreeze in each trap. I made sure the holding tanks were emptied, and left the valves for those open. (Note to self..... remember to close those later!!!!)
I had never winterized with compressed air before. I usually drained everything, bypassed the hot water tank, then filled the lines with RV antifreeze via a valve/hose near the water pump. I think I like the air method better...... should make it easier to use during the winter months if we get a chance to take it out (which we will do in early December), and next Spring when we are preparing for a new camping season.
How do you do your winterizing?