Winterizing

Refrigerator, stove, furnace, water pump, air conditioner, microwave, water heater, fans, lighting
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skater
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Posts: 2569
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:00 am
B190 Year: 1991
WBCCI: 13270
Location: Annapolis, MD

Re: Winterizing

Post by skater »

marko wrote:I also can't find my white plastic drain cap -instead I have a metal pipe - which seems to just leak any water i put into the tank -

How do I fit a hot water cut off valve? IN the back under the closet? - is it just a matter of putting shut off valves on each of the water pipes going to my tank?
There are usually three valves, although some kits do it with fewer. Basically, you put a valve on the cold incoming line, another on the hot outgoing line, and then run a line between the two (as a bypass), with a third valve. In normal operation, the cold and hot valves are open, and the bypass line valve is closed. When winterizing, you reverse it - close the cold and hot valves, and open the bypass. This allows the RV antifreeze to flow past the water heater so you don't have to buy 6 gallons to fill it. I use the bypass when I'm blowing out the lines in our trailer to save some headache (I don't use the RV antifreeze).

However, it's not as easy to install as you might be thinking: The issue is that the B190s were built with polybutelene pipe, and it was pulled off the market years ago after a bunch of homes had major leaks followed by a major class-action lawsuit (which resulted in homes, but not campers, all being replumbed with something else). So, to get room to install the bypass, you'll have to cut the polybutelene, then use Sharkbite fittings to connect to Pex or another kind of pipe. This introduces a bunch more connections in the system; i.e., new points of failure. It wouldn't be that hard to entirely re-plumb a B190, but that might be more work than you're willing to tackle at the moment.

I have one of the bypass kits sitting at home that I bought for my B190 but never installed after I realized the issue above. I think it's this one, which only uses one on-off valve, along with a check valve, to function - not exactly as I described above, but the concept is the same, just a little less valve-turning. If you have to pull the water heater, I'd definitely try to install one, and perhaps replacing the plumbing back to the next fixtures in the lines if possible (trying to minimize those extra connections).
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
marko
Weekend Camper
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Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2014 2:12 am
B190 Year: 1989
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Re: Winterizing

Post by marko »

Thanks for that detailed reply - so when I pull the heater I should try replace all the pipes there?
Mir is an issue with our pipes because things don't fit into them anymore? What size are they and what should I now order in to replace pipes and install new valves ?


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User avatar
skater
Site Admin
Posts: 2569
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:00 am
B190 Year: 1991
WBCCI: 13270
Location: Annapolis, MD

Re: Winterizing

Post by skater »

marko wrote:Thanks for that detailed reply - so when I pull the heater I should try replace all the pipes there?
Mir is an issue with our pipes because things don't fit into them anymore? What size are they and what should I now order in to replace pipes and install new valves ?
Correct - the polybutelene (gray) pipe was discontinued, so you can't pop down to the hardware store and buy a new fitting to replace one that broke. I'm pretty sure the pipe in my trailer is .5" OD (outside diameter); the B190 is probably the same.

The most popular replacement for the polybutelene is the Pex tubing. You can get adapters like this; it slips on to the polybutele on one side and Pex on the other (it's called a Sharkbite fitting). I found ours at Home Depot; Lowe's didn't have it. But instead of ordering the tubing and parts online, I'd just pop down to Home Depot and buy it. Ordering it online seems more trouble than it'd be worth. Note the pipe should slip into the fitting a full inch, so be sure to plan for that when you start cutting.

You also need to buy the correct Sharkbite fittings (which are easier to use and can be disassembled), or the crimp tool and crimps (cheaper in the long run, and take up less physical space than Sharkbite, and weigh less too). You'll need at least two of the adapters I described in the paragraph above, perhaps more if you also have to replace a tee fitting, for example. It all depends on how much room you have for the pipes in the area behind the water heater. I don't recall my '91 having much space back there, but it's been a while.

Or, if the polybutelene is in good condition, you could ignore the bypass and just deal with needing more antifreeze (if you use it). Be careful handling it - by now it's probably brittle, so it might be easy to break it or crush it unintentionally, making your job that much bigger.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
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