How To Winterize Your Aliner Camper: A Step-by-Step Guide + Video
Winterizing an Aliner is easy, and you can save a good amount of money doing it yourself. We have an Aliner Ranger and are sharing exactly how we winterize our camper using a small pancake compressor. You only need a few tools to get the job done. This article provides step-by-step details for winterizing your camper and a video to help you do it yourself.
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How To Winterize the Aliner Camper Using an Air Compressor
There are two ways to winterize your Aliner. You can use antifreeze or an air compressor. This article shares how to winterize your unit using an air compressor. We prefer using the air compressor because it is cleaner, safer, and more environmentally friendly.
Equipment You Need
- Small Pancake Air Compressor – We purchased the 6-gallon Craftsman Air Compressor with an accessory kit from Amazon. You don’t have to buy the kit, but you will need an air hose.
- Air Hose – To winterize, you need an air hose that fits your compressor.
- Blow Out Plug – We got THIS blow out plug on Amazon. The blow out plug connects to your freshwater outlet. This allows you to join the air hose to the camper.
- 1-1/16” Socket – You need this size socket to remove the anode rod from your unit and ratchet.
Step-By-Step Video Instructions
Watch our video on YouTube to see the process in detail.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Open Hot and Cold Water Drain Plugs
Two drain plugs need to be opened—one for the hot water tank and one for the cold-water tank. These are underneath the Aliner.
While doing this, ensure you keep the caps in a safe place – because you’ll need to put them back on later! Run the water pump briefly during this step.
2. Drain the Water Heater
Remove the panel outside the unit to access the water heater area. Take the 1-1/16” socket and a ratchet and remove the anode rod from your unit.
The anode rod keeps your water heater from corroding, so make sure you keep it in a safe place.
Next, release your pop-out valve. If you used your water heater, a lot of water will come out of the pop-out valve.
3. Open the Shower Lines
You want to ensure you blow air through the shower’s hot and cold-water lines.
The shower is on the outside of the unit on the Aliner Ranger. So, turn the cold and hot water faucets open and ensure you can feel air blowing through the shower head when you pressure up.
4. Open the Sink Inside and Drainpipe Outside
Turn both the cold and hot water faucets open and ensure you can feel air blowing through the sink head when you pressure up. You want to ensure you blow air through the hot and cold water lines for the sink from inside the camper.
Don’t forget to open the drain pipe outside.
5. Turn the Hot Water Tank Knob Open
There is one more spot inside that you’ll want to be sure is open. Turn the knob on the outside of the hot water tank.
6. Turn on and Pressure up the Air Compressor
Attach the air hose to the compressor unit. Turn the air compressor on and set the air regulator to 35 psi. You have to pressure up the air compressor before you blow the lines.
Make sure you set the pressure correctly, so you don’t damage the lines in the camper.
7. Attach Blow Out Plug to Fresh Water Connection
Take the blow out plug and insert it into the freshwater connection—the blow out plug screws in with your hand.
Watch the video on YouTube to see this process in detail.
8. Attach Air Hose to Blow Out Plug and Start Blowing Out the Lines
Next, attach the air hose to the blow out plug. Once you connect your hose, air will start pushing through the water lines.
Remember, the compressor is already on and pressured up in this step.
9. Repeat Blowing Air Through the Lines 3-4 Times
If using a small pancake compressor like us, the compressor won’t hold 35 psi for long, and you’ll need to repeat the process multiple times. Continue pressuring the compressor and blowing air through the lines 3-4 times or until you feel like the water is out of the lines.
10. Put Anode Rod Back or Set Plug with a Vent
After you’re done, leave the hole open where the anode rod goes in, or add a plug with vents.
Best Time to Winterize Your Camper
The ideal time to winterize is before the first freeze.
You Can Still Use Your Aliner After Winterizing
We still use our Aliner in the winter and go dry camping!
We camp year-round in the South, and from about early November until March, we dry camp. We don’t hook up to any water sources or run water through our sink drain.
We have a collapsible wash bin and bring water in jugs to wash dishes in the winter. It works out great!
Final Thoughts
Winterizing the Aliner Ranger using an air compressor is a piece of cake! The biggest things are to ensure all the places water can run through the lines or exit the camper are open to blow air through the system.
Our Aliner Ranger has a hot water tank; some Aliners do not. We also do not have a shower system – some Aliners do. We hope this article and video help you winterize your Aliner pop-up camper.
Happy camping!
Ashlee & Pablo
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I’m so glad you guys know how to winterize your camper.
I am not mechanical!
Thank you for reading – we hope it is helpful for others.