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01-14-2011, 03:30 AM
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#1
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Sidney
Posts: 91
M.O.C. #9399
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Low Point Drains
We bought our 2007 Montana 2955RL in the summer of 2009, and it has either been in use in the summer months, or down south in the winter. I was told by the dealer that if you drain the water heater and then open the low point drains, that all water should drain out, including the hot and cold to the washer and dryer, which we don't use.
Any readers know this to be true, or should a person use the air compressor and blow out procedure?
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01-14-2011, 03:47 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Winfield
Posts: 7,327
M.O.C. #6846
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Definitely not true!!! Drain hot water heater and then either use compressed air or RV antifreeze methods if you are winterizing. If you look at your water lines, you can see many dips in the lines, these will hold water which can freeze and gravity draining will not address them. You also need to drain low-point drains (there should be three - hot, cold and fresh water tank) since neither air nor antifreeze will displace water in dead-ends. If you have washer plumbing and do not have a washer, they are also dead ends which must be opened or drained. If you have a washer, it should be winterized as well.
Bingo
__________________
Bingo and Cathy - Our adventures begin in the hills of WV. We are blessed by our 2014 3850FL Big Sky (previous 2011 3750FL and 2007 3400RL) that we pull with a 2007 Chevy Silverado Classic DRW CC dually.
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01-14-2011, 03:48 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,294
M.O.C. #311
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by klash
We bought our 2007 Montana 2955RL in the summer of 2009, and it has either been in use in the summer months, or down south in the winter. I was told by the dealer that if you drain the water heater and then open the low point drains, that all water should drain out, including the hot and cold to the washer and dryer, which we don't use.
Any readers know this to be true, or should a person use the air compressor and blow out procedure?
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I use the air compressor to be safe. If you left all the water valves open and drove down the road, up and down hills it might. Again I feel safer with air compressor.
Don't forget to blow out the black tank flush too and the outside shower.
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01-14-2011, 03:58 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 703
M.O.C. #235
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I hit the wrong button my reply is under drains
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01-14-2011, 07:42 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: silver creek
Posts: 1,507
M.O.C. #7770
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We do both, blow out with air and also antifreeze, remember all they do is sell them,so what ever you want to hear they will tell you. Remember the outside shower too.Even thou you do not use those items they still fill with water
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01-14-2011, 09:01 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Englewood
Posts: 3,095
M.O.C. #164
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Not true\\ I would open Low point drains and all faucets including outside shower tow 150 Miles
when I arrived home I would blow out lines I would say qt of water came out.
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01-14-2011, 09:33 AM
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#7
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Garland
Posts: 450
M.O.C. #10688
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I agree with the other comments posted here, gravity draining the line is not sufficient and you should blow out your lines, black tank flush, outside shower, and washer fittings. As an alternative you can use RV non-toxic antifreeze, but you still need to address all the same lines and connections as before.
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01-14-2011, 12:18 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Land O Lakes
Posts: 2,783
M.O.C. #10246
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by kylec2
I agree with the other comments posted here, gravity draining the line is not sufficient and you should blow out your lines, black tank flush, outside shower, and washer fittings. As an alternative you can use RV non-toxic antifreeze, but you still need to address all the same lines and connections as before.
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Agree....
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01-14-2011, 02:36 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 908
M.O.C. #7915
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Follow the directions for the washer/dryer. Blowing and/or gravity will not get all the water out of it.
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01-14-2011, 05:51 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 5,816
M.O.C. #9257
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I have a 2006 Monty where not all the water lines (hot or cold) are behind walls. Sometimes this is a good thing. For example, I see many of the lines especially the long runs have a sag to them that NO amount of gravity will drain them and water will be left where there's sag. I don't worry about winterizing but if I did I still wonder how much air compression it would take to blow out the low parts.
I'm afraid I must agree with most on what little experience I've had with these lines that one cannot depend on gravity alone to clear out the water and that the salesmen are being told to say that all is good. They also went to training that said if you can hitch up the Monty you can tow it with anything... What weight issues? They don't weigh much when they're empty.
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01-14-2011, 11:57 PM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Brownsburg
Posts: 1,186
M.O.C. #5634
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I don't use the air compressor blow out method. I use the low point drains to expedite the purge of the pink stuff. I open the low point drains to first drain what water I can, then I insert the hose attachment into the pink stuff and turn the pump on. This is after I have drained the hw tank and turned the hot water heater by pass valve on. I turn on every faucet one at a time until I get a good stream of the pink stuff including the washer and dryer water connections, and the outside shower. Then my last step is to go back to the low point drains and make sure I have pink stuff coming out of them. Been doing this for 4 Indiana winters without a problem so far. Well that is not exactly true - one year I forgot the outside shower and had to replace the faucet as it froze somewhere inside the faucet and cracked . Luckly the water line to the faucet didn't freeze and crack.
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01-29-2011, 10:32 AM
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#12
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Established Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Surprise
Posts: 23
M.O.C. #11081
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Having never done it, could someone explain exactly how to use compressed air to blow out the lines? What attachment do you use on the compressor hose and where and how do you get the compressed air in? We have a new 2010 3400.
Thanks for the help.
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01-29-2011, 01:18 PM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hartford
Posts: 144
M.O.C. #7383
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One of the reasons professional plumbers started using Pex piping (myself included) 20 years ago is it is almost impossible to break by freezing. My under floor pipes that run to the front have frozen inumerable times, Pex piping just expands.
Getting most of the water out gives the ice plenty of room to expand without even swelling the pipe. This is just my opinion with a little experience to back it up, so if anyone has a case of a burst Pex pipe from freezing, not copper or PVC, please let me know. Got to admit the water heater and faucets would burst but they are easy to get drained. Possibly the cheap plastic fittings the RV industry seems to insist on would break too if lines are left pressurized, but like the dealer said, opening all drains and faucets should do it, but I would make sure the WH is empty too. (This ought to get me flamed)
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01-29-2011, 02:58 PM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bonita Springs
Posts: 1,943
M.O.C. #6977
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Well If all stayed in the south as CamillaMichael and I do , you don't have to flush out the line///sailer
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02-04-2011, 06:44 AM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Bakers, you can purchase an air valve that screws right into the water fill pipe. It only costs a few bucks. It looks like a tire valve. You just apply air the same as you would to a tire. Just open all faucets first along with the low point drains and it will blow the water out of those locations.
If I recall, walmart carries the valve, possibly in the RV section. Camping World has it, too.
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02-04-2011, 07:13 AM
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#16
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Maryville
Posts: 178
M.O.C. #10812
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Just be sure when you blow the lines out to turn the air pressure down to 35 psi. I use a small compressor that I got at Harbor Freight for this.
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02-04-2011, 01:10 PM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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That's a very good point, trustymopars. Thanks for pointing that out.
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