I didn't see a response to the Water Heater Question. Does the Suburban Water Heater need to be drained or is it blown out when you turn the facets to hot and blown out? Also any answer re: the water pump?
Sorry about that. The WP manufacturer never got back to me. I did call a couple more times. However, I spoke to two Airstream tech, both lead techs and both said, "Once you drain the fresh water tank, turn the water pump on for two seconds. The impeller will push any water out of the pump.. I hope to have one to dismantle to demonstrate how this makes sense. As for the water heater, it is drained through the low point drain. Having said that, I send compressed air through the water heater every time I blow out my system. I hope that helps.
@@StreamDreamin Re: The water heater... are you referring to the exterior low point drains or the drain on the unit under the bench. I am trying to avoid getting into the bench as I want to keep the bed with a 14" mattress at all times. But I would like to go on a few winter trips if it is easy to re-winterize! I must say I have learned more about my new BC 20X from your videos than I have found from any other source ..... AND I have owned a Classic 30' for 5 years. Keep' me coming!
@@tjc5109 no the low point valve is outside the trailer. There are two of them and they’re right next to the water tank drain valve. On mine they are brass. You shouldn’t have to get into the cabinet. I drained the tank, then open my kitchen faucet, that cancels the vacuum that will be created in the waterlines when you open those low point drains. That gets rid of almost all the water. Then I hook my compressed air up and blow out all the lines.
@@StreamDreamin GREAT GREAT GREAT. That opens up a whole new world. Weekend Harvest Host visits in the cold weather are awesome. But re-winterizing the Classic for 1-2 nights made it much more difficult. Thanks so much.
I’ve done this on my 2017 BC and it worked perfectly. I have a plastic air adapter but there are metal ones available. The only thing I added was a splash of RV antifreeze in the toilet seat to protect the rubber seal from drying out. Thanks for your videos! They’re really helpful. Especially the window adhesive fix 👍🏽
@@MichaelHoulden you can close the hot water heater bypass valve. It’s the same valve you would close if you were filling your system with antifreeze. With that valve closed no air will enter the hot water heater. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe there’s a lot more to come.
We have 2 airstreams. One is the Basecamp 2018 BC16 and the other is a vintage 75 Excella. We never use antifreeze in either of them and we live in Canada. The only additional thing we do with the basecamp after we blow out the lines is remove the water pump. We dry camp in the winter so no need for the pump and we had an issue with it the first year after winterizing and had to replace. Not sure if it was due to water freezing but we did not want to take the chance so easier to remove it. Love the videos, thank you!
@@michellestuck1785 hey thanks for watching! And for the comment. Next fall I’m gonna do another winterizing video and incorporate some of these thoughts in that video. Thanks again.
your welcome. you almost convinced me to rethink the basecamp. I'm back forth with the caravel I don't like crawling out the bed. Just wanna swing my legs over and get up out the bed. But I like the bathroom in the Caravel and food prep space. Hate to buy one and wish I got the other. I live in Jersey and east coast not to much ruff terrain. Skyline drive in VA ain't like the BLM's in Nevada or Utah. No what I mean. the only ruff ground are rodeo ranches I attend.
Not all Basecamps winterize the same. Please identify what model, what year it is. On mine a 2019 16X requires to drain the Truma Combi of its water, in addition.
That’s a good point. Thanks for taking time to comment. My Basecamp 20X is a 2022 model. The Truma system has a drain lever on the inside and as I recall, it’s a little bit hidden and easily missed. Thanks for watching!
Spent the last five hours trying to make this work on my 16 base camp. It sure looked easy so I tired it over the pain of the anti freeze system. Rented a good compressor, got a good fixture, drained all the water. I got air through the hot water in the sink, the toilet and the shower...but the cold water in the sink is still spiting up an 1/8 to a 1/4 cup of water spiting every time I put pressure to it and then open it up. Tried it for 5 minutes at a time for maybe 20 times and it still is spitting water. I cannot figure out where it is coming from. Am I doing something wrong?
@@tapadog1941 I have a 20x but the plumbing layout is similar. Does the water come out on the hot or cold side? My suspicion is the hot water tank is not fully drained. And, I believe on the 16 you should close it off before blowing it out. It’s a gravity drain.
@@tapadog1941 Here’s an idea. With the compressor hooked up, open your tank drain valve. At one point, mine was obstructed. To clear it, I opened the valve and rushed air in through the exit as it were. This cleared the obstruction and I haven’t had it since. If you hear hissing and no water comes out, you’ll know the tank is empty. There’s only three places that water can come from: the tank, the lines, or the hot water heater.
The Truma system has a drain for the hot water heater. It’s kind of hidden under some of the other pipes, but it’s a yellow tab that you lift. There’s also a bypass for that trim my hot water heater. Make sure the hot water heater is drained and then you can shut the flow off to the hot water heater as well.
Thanks for the video. This fall will be the first time I winterize the BC. Not sure which method I'll use but this was a good tutorial for the air method.
@@Mike-tr5eb glad you liked it. It it has worked very well for me. If you haven’t already subscribed, please do there’s a lot more to come. Thanks for watching.
That's a valid question. I reached out to the manufacturer on Thursday--prior to your question posing--but the tech guy hasn't gotten back to me yet. I will follow up with an additional response next week. In the meantime, I did used this method all winter last year without any issues. Yes, it could be a series of happy coincidences. Which is why I reached out to the manufacturer but my sense is the water pump is mounted on a slope which sets it up to drain naturally once the line is clear. More to follow.
@@toolonthehill no. Darn it. In fairness though, I’ve been traveling a lot and haven’t had cell service for much of my travels. I’ll be back on Monday and I’ll reach out to him again.
@@StreamDreamin ok. Thanks. I’m new to this trailer, just saw stuff about a propane heater back up to the pump so it won’t freeze up, on an antifreeze winteriza tion video. Was concerned about that. Safe travels!
I didn't see a response to the Water Heater Question. Does the Suburban Water Heater need to be drained or is it blown out when you turn the facets to hot and blown out? Also any answer re: the water pump?
Sorry about that. The WP manufacturer never got back to me. I did call a couple more times. However, I spoke to two Airstream tech, both lead techs and both said, "Once you drain the fresh water tank, turn the water pump on for two seconds. The impeller will push any water out of the pump.. I hope to have one to dismantle to demonstrate how this makes sense. As for the water heater, it is drained through the low point drain. Having said that, I send compressed air through the water heater every time I blow out my system. I hope that helps.
@@StreamDreamin Re: The water heater... are you referring to the exterior low point drains or the drain on the unit under the bench. I am trying to avoid getting into the bench as I want to keep the bed with a 14" mattress at all times. But I would like to go on a few winter trips if it is easy to re-winterize!
I must say I have learned more about my new BC 20X from your videos than I have found from any other source ..... AND I have owned a Classic 30' for 5 years. Keep' me coming!
@@tjc5109 no the low point valve is outside the trailer. There are two of them and they’re right next to the water tank drain valve. On mine they are brass. You shouldn’t have to get into the cabinet. I drained the tank, then open my kitchen faucet, that cancels the vacuum that will be created in the waterlines when you open those low point drains. That gets rid of almost all the water. Then I hook my compressed air up and blow out all the lines.
@@StreamDreamin GREAT GREAT GREAT. That opens up a whole new world. Weekend Harvest Host visits in the cold weather are awesome. But re-winterizing the Classic for 1-2 nights made it much more difficult. Thanks so much.
good stuff
@@brianbprice3693 thank you! And thanks for watching. There’s a lot more to come.
I’ve done this on my 2017 BC and it worked perfectly. I have a plastic air adapter but there are metal ones available. The only thing I added was a splash of RV antifreeze in the toilet seat to protect the rubber seal from drying out.
Thanks for your videos! They’re really helpful. Especially the window adhesive fix 👍🏽
PS. GO UTES! 🙌🏽
@@rmsanche thanks for your kind words. And thanks for wanting!
Go Cougars!
Just curious about using air, the Truma manual specifically states not to blow out with air when winterising?
@@MichaelHoulden you can close the hot water heater bypass valve. It’s the same valve you would close if you were filling your system with antifreeze. With that valve closed no air will enter the hot water heater. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe there’s a lot more to come.
We have 2 airstreams. One is the Basecamp 2018 BC16 and the other is a vintage 75 Excella. We never use antifreeze in either of them and we live in Canada. The only additional thing we do with the basecamp after we blow out the lines is remove the water pump. We dry camp in the winter so no need for the pump and we had an issue with it the first year after winterizing and had to replace. Not sure if it was due to water freezing but we did not want to take the chance so easier to remove it. Love the videos, thank you!
@@michellestuck1785 hey thanks for watching! And for the comment. Next fall I’m gonna do another winterizing video and incorporate some of these thoughts in that video. Thanks again.
your welcome. you almost convinced me to rethink the basecamp. I'm back forth with the caravel I don't like crawling out the bed. Just wanna swing my legs over and get up out the bed. But I like the bathroom in the Caravel and food prep space. Hate to buy one and wish I got the other. I live in Jersey and east coast not to much ruff terrain. Skyline drive in VA ain't like the BLM's in Nevada or Utah. No what I mean. the only ruff ground are rodeo ranches I attend.
Not all Basecamps winterize the same. Please identify what model, what year it is. On mine a 2019 16X requires to drain the Truma Combi of its water, in addition.
That’s a good point. Thanks for taking time to comment. My Basecamp 20X is a 2022 model. The Truma system has a drain lever on the inside and as I recall, it’s a little bit hidden and easily missed. Thanks for watching!
Spent the last five hours trying to make this work on my 16 base camp. It sure looked easy so I tired it over the pain of the anti freeze system. Rented a good compressor, got a good fixture, drained all the water.
I got air through the hot water in the sink, the toilet and the shower...but the cold water in the sink is still spiting up an 1/8 to a 1/4 cup of water spiting every time I put pressure to it and then open it up. Tried it for 5 minutes at a time for maybe 20 times and it still is spitting water. I cannot figure out where it is coming from. Am I doing something wrong?
@@tapadog1941 I have a 20x but the plumbing layout is similar. Does the water come out on the hot or cold side? My suspicion is the hot water tank is not fully drained. And, I believe on the 16 you should close it off before blowing it out. It’s a gravity drain.
@@StreamDreamin most of the water is coming out of the cold side. A little out of the hot but just a dribble. Thanks
@@tapadog1941 Here’s an idea. With the compressor hooked up, open your tank drain valve. At one point, mine was obstructed. To clear it, I opened the valve and rushed air in through the exit as it were. This cleared the obstruction and I haven’t had it since. If you hear hissing and no water comes out, you’ll know the tank is empty. There’s only three places that water can come from: the tank, the lines, or the hot water heater.
The Truma system has a drain for the hot water heater. It’s kind of hidden under some of the other pipes, but it’s a yellow tab that you lift. There’s also a bypass for that trim my hot water heater. Make sure the hot water heater is drained and then you can shut the flow off to the hot water heater as well.
Thanks for the video. This fall will be the first time I winterize the BC. Not sure which method I'll use but this was a good tutorial for the air method.
@@Mike-tr5eb glad you liked it. It it has worked very well for me. If you haven’t already subscribed, please do there’s a lot more to come. Thanks for watching.
what about residual water in the pump?
That's a valid question. I reached out to the manufacturer on Thursday--prior to your question posing--but the tech guy hasn't gotten back to me yet. I will follow up with an additional response next week. In the meantime, I did used this method all winter last year without any issues. Yes, it could be a series of happy coincidences. Which is why I reached out to the manufacturer but my sense is the water pump is mounted on a slope which sets it up to drain naturally once the line is clear. More to follow.
@@StreamDreaminany updates yet? Thanks
@@toolonthehill no. Darn it. In fairness though, I’ve been traveling a lot and haven’t had cell service for much of my travels. I’ll be back on Monday and I’ll reach out to him again.
@@StreamDreamin ok. Thanks. I’m new to this trailer, just saw stuff about a propane heater back up to the pump so it won’t freeze up, on an antifreeze winteriza tion video. Was concerned about that. Safe travels!
we remove our water pump each winter.
It also sounds like you are just blowing air through the heater also and not draining it ?
Traps need a cup of antifreeze.