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What's the best way to get RV anti-freeze out of system.

mrad
Explorer II
Explorer II
What is the best way to get rid of all the RV anti-freeze from the system? Last year when I winterized, I drained the water heater and had the antifreeze bypass it. this spring I opened both low point drains and opened the faucets in the upstairs bathroom of the 5th wheel. I then hooked a hose up to my city water connection and ran all spickets (except washer dryer connections) until clear.
We have now spent 3 days in it, and are having the pink stuff come out of faucets and toilets when we first turn them on, along with the odor.
23 REPLIES 23

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
Sjm9911 wrote:
LouLawrence wrote:
Don't use anti-freeze next time. Drain the fresh water tank, and black and grey tanks. Use an air compressor to blow the fresh water lines and then just throw a bit of anti-freeze in the P-traps to get rid of or dilute the water enough to prevent freezing. Next year you are good to go by just filling the tanks and heading down the road.

I had another guy sware by this , untill his water pump broke. It depends on the climate your in. And while blowing out will work 90 percent of the time, its the other 10 percent that gets ya.

Sounds like he forgot to drain the water pump. You will always have failures if you aren't thorough. The water pump must be drained separately from blowing out the lines. I know someone who always winterized by pumping RV antifreeze through his system. One year, he forgot to do the outside shower and it broke. That doesn't mean that RV antifreeze is a bad choice. It only means he wasn't thorough.
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

dougrainer
Nomad
Nomad
Lantley wrote:
Sjm9911 wrote:
LouLawrence wrote:
Don't use anti-freeze next time. Drain the fresh water tank, and black and grey tanks. Use an air compressor to blow the fresh water lines and then just throw a bit of anti-freeze in the P-traps to get rid of or dilute the water enough to prevent freezing. Next year you are good to go by just filling the tanks and heading down the road.

I had another guy sware by this , untill his water pump broke. It depends on the climate your in. And while blowing out will work 90 percent of the time, its the other 10 percent that gets ya.


Exactly Anti freeze is foolproof, other methods are not


IF you know what you are doing Blow out is 100% effective. I have over 42 years and thousands of RV's I have winterized by using air to blow out and have NEVER had a failure. The ONLY places I install Antifreeze is in the Clothes washer drain pump and the Dishwasher drain Pump which are not connected to the fresh system. Doug

LouLawrence
Explorer
Explorer
Nothing is foolproof if done improperly, air or antifreeze. This applies to blowing out your lines as well. Done properly it is foolproof as their is no water left to freeze.

Lantley
Nomad
Nomad
Sjm9911 wrote:
LouLawrence wrote:
Don't use anti-freeze next time. Drain the fresh water tank, and black and grey tanks. Use an air compressor to blow the fresh water lines and then just throw a bit of anti-freeze in the P-traps to get rid of or dilute the water enough to prevent freezing. Next year you are good to go by just filling the tanks and heading down the road.

I had another guy sware by this , untill his water pump broke. It depends on the climate your in. And while blowing out will work 90 percent of the time, its the other 10 percent that gets ya.


Exactly Anti freeze is foolproof, other methods are not
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Sjm9911
Explorer
Explorer
LouLawrence wrote:
Don't use anti-freeze next time. Drain the fresh water tank, and black and grey tanks. Use an air compressor to blow the fresh water lines and then just throw a bit of anti-freeze in the P-traps to get rid of or dilute the water enough to prevent freezing. Next year you are good to go by just filling the tanks and heading down the road.

I had another guy sware by this , untill his water pump broke. It depends on the climate your in. And while blowing out will work 90 percent of the time, its the other 10 percent that gets ya.
2012 kz spree 220 ks
2020 Silverado 2500
Equalizer ( because i have it)
Formerly a pup owner.

JimK-NY
Explorer II
Explorer II
Something is wrong. It has never taken me more than a few gallons of water and a couple of minutes to completely remove the antifreeze. Best guess is there is antifreeze in the hot water or main water tank. Any antifreeze in the lines or faucets should rinse out quickly.

LouLawrence
Explorer
Explorer
Don't use anti-freeze next time. Drain the fresh water tank, and black and grey tanks. Use an air compressor to blow the fresh water lines and then just throw a bit of anti-freeze in the P-traps to get rid of or dilute the water enough to prevent freezing. Next year you are good to go by just filling the tanks and heading down the road.

docsouce
Explorer II
Explorer II
Is there an on board water filter that might be holding some anti freeze? Just a thought.....
2020 JAYCO 26XD
Just right for the two of us!

philh
Explorer II
Explorer II
Mine trapped pink stuff leading to hot water tank. That trapped pink stuff contaminated the system until it finally flushed it out. In retrospect, I should have left the hot water tank drain valve out and flushed that trapped pink stuff.

Sjm9911
Explorer
Explorer
I think its the one by one that does it. That way it clears that line, and the back pressure prevents the antifreeze from moving around in the system.
2012 kz spree 220 ks
2020 Silverado 2500
Equalizer ( because i have it)
Formerly a pup owner.

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Sjm9911 wrote:
I go faucet by faucet, and then do the bottem drains last. I do not open them all at once. I start closest to the pump and work out.


Interesting. I do the opposite order starting farthest from the pump, but open only one at a time.

I blow

install pink

blow again saving what I can.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

ferndaleflyer
Explorer III
Explorer III
I don't winterize, just keep heat on and hot water heater on

Sjm9911
Explorer
Explorer
I go faucet by faucet, and then do the bottem drains last. I do not open them all at once. I start closest to the pump and work out.
2012 kz spree 220 ks
2020 Silverado 2500
Equalizer ( because i have it)
Formerly a pup owner.

Yosemite_Sam1
Explorer
Explorer
I turned on all the faucets and water outlets after filling up the fresh water tank and then run the water pump.

I also connect the municipal water supply line.

Killed a few grasses on my lawn with some spillage.:S

Too much work with anti-freeze for this lazy as$ while compressed air is such a simple process and worth the investment in entry-level Craftsman air compressor.