2019 Winterization Test for Mid-west/Northern Central USA

[tpenfield]

-31F . . . I think the boat owning folks that may be in trouble are the ones who just run 4 gallons of the pink AF in through the muffs and called it good, because they saw some of the AF coming out the exhaust.

We will probably know more come May/June . . .

 

[Scott Danforth]

-31F . . . I think the boat owning folks that may be in trouble are the ones who just run 4 gallons of the pink AF in through the muffs and called it good, because they saw some of the AF coming out the exhaust.

We will probably know more come May/June . . .

that statement along with this thread should be a mandatory pop-up if someone starts typing my block is leaking starting in March

 

[Scott Danforth]

plastic and copper tube can survive the expansion of freezing temperatures

cast iron cannot.

 

[JimS123]

this thread should be a mandatory pop-up if someone starts typing my block is leaking starting in March

Not everybody does their own winterizing. I know of only one acquaintance that had his block freeze. He had it done by the marina where he bought the boat. Funny thin g is that its the largest dealership in the area. Of course they replaced the block free of charge.

 

[JimS123]

copper tube can survive the expansion of freezing temperatures

Not true!!

My old RV had copper water lines. My first Winter I followed the manual and just drained the plumbing. Come Spring I filled the tank and opened a faucet, just to find that water was spewing all over under the sink. Turned out one of the lines in the wall had a slight dip to it and the water settled there. I had to open a wall to fix it. That pipe looked like an exploded pipe bomb.

I replaced it with plastic tubing and now I fill all the lines with pink stuff.

 

[Scott Danforth]

repeated freeze/thaw cycles will damage copper like that, however a single event will not. with repeated cycles, the area balloons until the material ruptures.

we used liquid nitrogen often to freeze a section of copper pipe so we could do a repair a few feet away all the time.

 

[Scott Danforth]

someone who never lived north of DC just asked me today what happens to cars if the anti-freeze isnt mixed right..... my reply....it freezes and damages the block. they were asking because a rush order for service parts are hung up in Chicago due to weather related mechanical failure.

a 50/50 mix of EG/water is good for -32F that is what most people run in their cars. I always ran a mix closer to 70%/30% for -60

I wonder how many cracked blocks will be in the midwest due to AF freezing. I know my buddys beer fridge in his garage blew up

 

[Redrig]

There will be another batch of busted blocks in the south too.

You're right . That is goign to wreak havoc on blocks in the south. The " I dont need to winterize down here" camp has a suprise coming to them..... boats and cars alike ! Get ready for milky oil threads.

 

[SkaterRace]

You're right . That is goign to wreak havoc on blocks in the south. The " I dont need to winterize down here" camp has a suprise coming to them..... boats and cars alike ! Get ready for milky oil threads.

Is winterizing cars a serious thing? Here in Canada I have never heard of a car needing to be winterized, even old sports cards

 

[Scott Danforth]

Is winterizing cars a serious thing? Here in Canada I have never heard of a car needing to be winterized, even old sports cards

for a car - making sure the AF ratio is correct with a hydrometer tester, fresh oil change (you do not want old oil with combustion contaminants sitting in a motor for long periods of times, a quality battery tender, prevention of vermin, etc.

 

[H20Rat]

Not true!!

My old RV had copper water lines. My first Winter I followed the manual and just drained the plumbing. Come Spring I filled the tank and opened a faucet, just to find that water was spewing all over under the sink. Turned out one of the lines in the wall had a slight dip to it and the water settled there. I had to open a wall to fix it. That pipe looked like an exploded pipe bomb.

I have a season cabin that used to be all copper, I am WAY too familiar with frozen copper pipe. It actually will survive one freeze cycle, it is the second one that will split it out. It also makes repairs extremely difficult because you will have a length of tubing that doesn't fit any fittings.

Went 100% PEX 2 years ago, no more freeze worries! You can freeze pex pipe solid without issues. (fittings can still break, so minimize fittings, especially in low areas)

 

[jkust]

Interestingly, most of the lakes here in MN are in the northern part of the state. Parts of MN generally will have the coldest temp in the US any given winter day as a normal course of business. The big difference maker is the windchills are just a little bit colder and high temps are just a little bit colder as well. Hopefully the Minnesotan's have this figured out already as most boats are already stored up in the norther part of the state. I noticed on our lake home association page that some folks are having their propane lines that power their furnaces freeze up. That is the one thing I have heard that I haven't heard lately that is new. I really hope the lines to our lake homes don't freeze up as we are too busy to get up there and check on things at the moment.

 

[Redrig]

Is winterizing cars a serious thing? Here in Canada I have never heard of a car needing to be winterized, even old sports cards

Sorry , yeah not winterized in the sense of a boat , but mainly just the AF ratio . Or possibly even no AF, straight water in the radiator! ouch . I bet there are gonna be alot or blocks and radiators that have split , espeically ones in the south who are not use to those types of temps.

 

[harringtondav]

I have a season cabin that used to be all copper, I am WAY too familiar with frozen copper pipe.

I winterize two cabins each fall. My wife's family's lake house and our river house. I adapt my compressor hose to the outdoor hose bib, and pump up the empty water heater until the compressor cycles off. Water heaters are tested to 200 psi, and make a great 50 gal pressure tank. Then I blow out the lines from close to far. Then pump up the heater again and repeat.

It sounds like mini jet engines taking off. Both places are copper, and I haven't had a broken line in 25 yrs since doing this.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Dave, a nitrogen tank does the same thing in less time and weighs less than your compressor.

 

[poconojoe]

Not true!!

My old RV had copper water lines. My first Winter I followed the manual and just drained the plumbing. Come Spring I filled the tank and opened a faucet, just to find that water was spewing all over under the sink. Turned out one of the lines in the wall had a slight dip to it and the water settled there. I had to open a wall to fix it. That pipe looked like an exploded pipe bomb.

I replaced it with plastic tubing and now I fill all the lines with pink stuff.

Back in the day when our family had three campers we used an air compressor to blow out all the lines, faucets, water heaters etc. We used windshield washer fluid in the toilets, sink and tub traps. Our campers were permanently stationed in a campground and had water and septic hookups.

 

[Grub54891]

When my grandfather built our cabin, he had the plumbers set up the copper pipes to self drain in the fall. We shut off the well pump, close the valve with a long rod like you would use in the city hookups. Open an underground drain pit valve, open all faucets, including the cold and hot water spicets outside, and a valve on top of the water tank. Drains itself, no issues. We dump a gallon of -100 blue rv stuff in the toilet, and split another gallon in the shower, bathroom sink, and kitchen sink. No problems since 1969. Well, I lied, my cousin did not follow instructions, printed out by me, burnt up the water heater and broke a pipe. Leave all valves open! And for gods sake step one is turn off the water heater!.

 

[Redrig]

Vodka can freeze in Minnesota right now
​​​​​​https://www.kare11.com/mobile/video/...1-59d689796638

Thats gotta be a hell of a test for antifreeze in all those vehicles . They better have thier antifreeze looking like predator blood

 

[harringtondav]

Well, I lied, my cousin did not follow instructions, printed out by me, burnt up the water heater and broke a pipe. Leave all valves open!

Same. I've printed up no-fail, step by step instructions for the Wife's family place, but no takers. Over a dozen users, one maintainer. Me. Everyone else thinks it's a hotel. I go there twice a year. Winterize. Recommission in the spring. When Ma in law goes toes up, I'm out.

 

[harringtondav]

Dave, a nitrogen tank does the same thing in less time and weighs less than your compressor.

Thanks Scott. I'll check with the local Airgas and Superior Welding stores. The compressor lives at our river place. The in-laws can pay for the nitrogen tank and regulator. Heck, I'll plumb it in for free. Much better than hauling the compressor 200 mi. one way.