We are still in the anticipation phase of owning our travel trailer., with about four more weeks to go. We hope to head to the southern tier states in January and February. At any rate, we will have to winterize a couple of times and figure we may as well get a air compressor. We know we need an oil less compressor and we read we need a filter. Should we consider 12v or 110v? Any suggestions? We would prefer something portable (duh ::))
Joan
Joan, I don't think you will need the filter with an oil less compressor. I would go with the 110v because it will build pressure faster and should come with a bigger tank. You will need both pressure and volume to blow out the lines. Most 12v compressors are made for airing tires and would provide neither. With our 16DB I used my 55 gallon shop compressor to blow out the lines and it did a good job clearing them. One thing I missed 2 winters in a row was the toilet valve and it froze up and cracked so make sure you pay extra attention to that area. You might even consider removing it and reinstalling as needed which is what I would have done it I had not gone the antifreeze route this year.
I am totally clueless about air compressors. Any brand suggestions to research? What is the lowest volume that would work? Am I crazy to think a portable would be an option?
Joan
Something like this would be more than enough:
[a href="http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-PCFP02003-3-5-Gallon-Pancake-Compressor/dp/B00BMUGQNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445695301&sr=8-1&keywords=air+compressor"]http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-PCFP02003-3-5-Gallon-Pancake-Compressor/dp/B00BMUGQNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445695301&sr=8-1&keywords=air+compressor[/a]
Home Depot and Lowes should both stock something similar.
With a $20 or so accessory kit, should meet all your needs:
http://www.amazon.com/Primefit-IK1016S-20-Accessory-25-Foot-20-Pieces/dp/B00IDCYGMK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1445695482&sr=8-4&keywords=air+compressor+accessories
[quote source="/post/16264/thread" timestamp="1445695423" author="@fasteddieb"]Something like this would be more than enough:
[a href="http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-PCFP02003-3-5-Gallon-Pancake-Compressor/dp/B00BMUGQNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445695301&sr=8-1&keywords=air+compressor"]http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-PCFP02003-3-5-Gallon-Pancake-Compressor/dp/B00BMUGQNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445695301&sr=8-1&keywords=air+compressor[/a]
Home Depot and Lowes should both stock something similar.
With a $20 or so accessory kit, should meet all your needs:
[a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primefit-IK1016S-20-Accessory-25-Foot-20-Pieces/dp/B00IDCYGMK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1445695482&sr=8-4&keywords=air+compressor+accessories"]http://www.amazon.com/Primefit-IK1016S-20-Accessory-25-Foot-20-Pieces/dp/B00IDCYGMK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1445695482&sr=8-4&keywords=air+compressor+accessories[/a][/quote]Agree. This combination will work just fine.
Thanks! I saw that earlier this morning, but wasn't sure.
Joan
do those pancake compressors have enough volume to blow all the lines out? i would think you would be waiting for it to refill alot.
i use a 26 gal craftsman upright, but also need it to blow out my sprinkler lines and run air tools every now and then. may be overkill for your needs though
[p]It is the flush valve that is the kicker. We also winterize a couple times per year as we have no indoor heated storage for our trailer. I installed a diverter Y at the pump intake hose down by the tank for this reason. That way I can suck the antifreeze easily up through the trailer and make winterizing less painful without disassembling anything other than the drain plug of the water heater.[/p][p]
[/p][p]I doubt winterizing could get easier than this...at the expense of some antifreeze. This method is also completely portable as if you were caught on a road trip in a cold snap. No compressor required. Some cheap potato vodka at a local package store if no RV antifreeze was available.... (rofl)[/p]
[quote source="/post/16288/thread" timestamp="1445773982" author="@whoofit"][p]It is the flush valve that is the kicker. We also winterize a couple times per year as we have no indoor heated storage for our trailer. I installed a diverter Y at the pump intake hose down by the tank for this reason. That way I can suck the antifreeze easily up through the trailer and make winterizing less painful without disassembling anything other than the drain plug of the water heater.[/p][p]
[/p][p]I doubt winterizing could get easier than this...at the expense of some antifreeze. This method is also completely portable as if you were caught on a road trip in a cold snap. No compressor required. Some cheap potato vodka at a local package store if no RV antifreeze was available.... (rofl)[/p][/quote]Same method I now employ in our 21BHS and agree it could not be easier. Did it last week and for $6 worth of antifreeze and 20 minutes no complaints. Having to wait for the compressor to build up enough volume to do the next line took a lot longer.
Quote from: @ammobob" timestamp="1445775009" source="/post/16289/thread[quote timestamp="1445773982" author="@whoofit" source="/post/16288/thread"][p]It is the flush valve that is the kicker. We also winterize a couple times per year as we have no indoor heated storage for our trailer. I installed a diverter Y at the pump intake hose down by the tank for this reason. That way I can suck the antifreeze easily up through the trailer and make winterizing less painful without disassembling anything other than the drain plug of the water heater.[/p][p]
[/p][p]I doubt winterizing could get easier than this...at the expense of some antifreeze. This method is also completely portable as if you were caught on a road trip in a cold snap. No compressor required. Some cheap potato vodka at a local package store if no RV antifreeze was available.... (rofl)[/p]
Same method I now employ in our 21BHS and agree it could not be easier. Did it last week and for $6 worth of antifreeze and 20 minutes no complaints. Having to wait for the compressor to build up enough volume to do the next line took a lot longer.[/quote][p]I scratch my head and wonder sometimes which is more harmful to humans, potato vodka or RV antifreeze?...![/p][p]
[/p][p]Also, in the process of winterizing, I pour a cup of antifreeze into the city line and manually blow it through while the low points are open just in case.
[/p]
I don't understand why you need to winterize a couple times per year? I just do it around November and have never had an issue. I use a pancake compressor and it takes me about ten minutes to blow out the lines, I make sure the pressure is set to around 15lbs, never had a need to have more then that, you don't want to risk blowing out a line.
[quote timestamp="1445949292" source="/post/16315/thread" author="@pjcd"]I don't understand why you need to winterize a couple times per year?[/quote]Cold snaps. For instance it got well below freezing here last night. It will not freeze again for quite a while now. We will use it until it makes no more sense. Then we will camp without water for the remainder of the winter.
Ok, I looked up flush valve on google and saw toilet parts. Is there a certain kind we need to look at? I appreciate your feedback!
Joan
[quote timestamp="1446186620" source="/post/16365/thread" author="@gbpack"]Ok, I looked up flush valve on google and saw toilet parts. Is there a certain kind we need to look at? I appreciate your feedback!
Joan[/quote][p]The flush valve is the valve part of the toilet attached to the foot pedal of the toilet. If the trailer is winterized properly you will not need to replace the toilet flush valve because of freezing. Apparently the flush valve retains a small amount of water when the trailer is simply drained. [/p][p]
[/p][p]If only draining the trailer of water, the flush valve needs to be physically removed from the toilet and water dumped out of it.[/p][p]If using compressed air to blow out the lines, it is best to remove the flush valve and dump the water out to be sure.[/p][p]If using RV antifreeze to winterize, flush valve can be left in place and not removed.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Flush valves, like faucets, should last for many years as long as they are not frozen.
[/p]
Thanks Whoofit! I understand now. After we receive the trailer in December, we intend on taking it South to work out some bugs. Of course we will work around the GB Packers schedule. But, our big winter trip might occur in January or February. That means we will winterize a couple of times. I like the idea of doing a combo of blowing out the lines and using a minimal amount of the pink stuff.
I'm sorry that I'm a little thick headed on the y valve, but any brass y valve will do?
Joan
Yes there are more ways than just pumping in the pink stuff. If you are starting out down south then heading north I take it you will winterize before you leave the south. Guess you will lug a compressor along for that if you will blow out the lines. Shooting the pink stuff is easier in this case in my opinion.
I made a brass barbed Y diverter (aka Three Way Valve) from piece parts at Home Depot and installed it. Camco makes a kit too but you will still need barbed fittings to cut it in under the trailer. There probably is a different area to attach this kit and the instructions probably tell you where but I have not researched it. I would guess it is on the pump itself from the looks of it. http://www.amazon.com/Camco-36543-Pump-Converter-Winterizing/dp/B0006JJ588/ref=pd_bxgy_263_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1FYE6DR8Z7VFG4672WVE
It would be helpful to those not familiar with the toilet valve to describe how to remove it from the toilet. I know it may seem easy to you, but a little more info would be nice.
Also....pictures would be a great help. In regards to installing a "Y" valve at the fresh water tank and the pump hose, is this pretty self evident?? I will get under my 21 RBS and hope it is as easy as I am reading here. It seems that being able to put a tube on the "y" below the trailer, into the bottle of pink stuff, would be a more direct installation than the Camco kit, which is installed above the floor at the intake of the pump. From what I understand, you install a tube from their valve into the pink stuff bottle and turn on the pump. Since it is that time of the season, I want to install the valve, with preference to underneath the trailer. Any further illumination regarding this is ALWAYS appreciated.
Happy Trails.....
Here is a picture of the flush valve.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41uE2tBx2cL._SX355_.jpg)
Great response David !! Thanks !! ( I didn't want to bring up the photo thing again. I'm hoping, too ). I'll do it your way. Seems like a straight forward fix to me.
[quote timestamp="1446492728" author="@david" source="/post/16411/thread"]Here is a picture and description of the flush valve (I am anxiously awaiting the ability to post these directly- hint, hint): http://www.amazon.com/Dometic-385311641-Sealand-Water-Valve/dp/B00W98ICDS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1446492437&sr=8-3&keywords=dometic+flush+valve
[/quote]
cant get much more direct than copying and pasting a link...
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41uE2tBx2cL.jpg)
thudd3r:
You are right. I forgot that this was an external image that I could just copy and paste. I fixed my previous post accordingly.
David
Quote from: @david" source="/post/16411/thread" timestamp="1446492728What I would do is make up a 3-4' long piece of 1/2" PEX tubing with a PEX nut on the end. Then disconnect the suction side of the fresh water pump (the one up stream of the strainer) screw the 3' piece of PEX on the suction and drop the other end in a bottle of pink stuff. Turn on the fresh water pump and flush antifreeze through.
david
Guys - I am trying to do this, so that we can winterize our 21BHS before we head back home from the Florida trip we are on. I bought a long piece of flexible tubing and a hose clamp to attach to the suction side of the water pump, but I am having a hard time getting the current tube off of the water pump. It doesn't just slip off and I am concerned about forcing it off. Should I just get some pliers and yank it off, or is there some trick to it?
Gregg
Never mind. I was able to get it off by tugging on it with my hands. The plastic ridges made it difficult to get it off. I should be all set now.
Thanks!
[quote source="/post/18417/thread" timestamp="1454706153" author="@gbpack"]Never mind. I was able to get it off by tugging on it with my hands. The plastic ridges made it difficult to get it off. I should be all set now.
Thanks! [/quote]You know, that would have all been unnecessary if you had just stayed in Florida. ;)
Quote from: @sandroad" source="/post/18429/thread" timestamp="1454781834[quote source="/post/18417/thread" author="@gbpack" timestamp="1454706153"]Never mind. I was able to get it off by tugging on it with my hands. The plastic ridges made it difficult to get it off. I should be all set now.
Thanks!
You know, that would have all been unnecessary if you had just stayed in Florida. ;) [/quote]
Hahaha! Actually, we are still there but getting things in order to begin our trip home next week. Maybe we should extend our trip and stay here for a while longer!!????
II recommend Aristocrat Vodka, it is real cheap, tastes like crap, so you will not mind using it as antifreeze.