Go with the Floe: Lippert’s Floe 636 Induratec Allows for On-the-Go Winterizing

Winterizing the plumbing in an RV involves blowing out the system with low-pressure compressed air, then — especially on larger RVs in very cold areas — drafting antifreeze into the system.

That said, blowing out the system requires an adaptor fitting, air hose and compressor, which can be difficult for some people to carry in their RV — not to mention a pain to do.

Lippert’s Floe 636 automatic winterizing system simplifies the process — a lot. First designed and distributed in Ireland for caravans, the system is basically a small air compressor system with a pressure switch and isolation valve that is permanently built into the RV’s plumbing system.

Locating where to install the system is the first step. The injector fitting should be installed in a cold-water feed pipe. In this case, the city water inlet on the Montana’s utility panel was located and the space was opened up to access the plumbing.

The benefit of the system is obvious: Open a valve, flip on the switch, then walk around and open each valve (faucets, etc) one at a time, including low point drains. The pump turns on and pressurizes the plumbing, then shuts off until a valve is opened. This pushes all the water from the system.

If you’re in a more moderate climate and only plan to blow out the system, you’re done (except for P-traps and tanks). However, if you’re in a much colder climate and/or you have powered valves for washer drains, ice makers and the like to protect, then you’ll want to follow up with RV antifreeze. The water heater should be bypassed and drained externally before you blow out the system. If the water pump is fitted with the plumbing to route antifreeze and a Floe 636 is installed, you have everything on board for winterizing.

For this installation, the Floe 636 was located on the wall of the passthrough, and carefully marked so holes could be drilled where the tubing and wiring would pass through. The switch on top operates the unit and there’s good access to the valve. An optional remote switch on the power lead allows the unit to be installed in a hidden space, but it is still necessary to reach the valve, which prevents pressurized water from entering the Floe unit.

Installation is straightforward with a few changes in the procedure depending on the RV, so we won’t go into all the details of adding this product to a 2015 Montana fifth wheel for the test. However, it’s simple, and there are videos online that demonstrate how it’s done (including one provided by Lippert: support.lci1.com/videos/floe-integrated-water-drain-owners-video). It’s entirely up to you how sophisticated you would like to get with the installation, but the basics include a 12-volt DC connection and a plumbing fitting. Everything you need is included in the kit. The system, which retails for about $200, works as advertised and is quite a convenience. It can be found at your favorite RV store or on Amazon (https://amzn.to/2ZiQyjS).

We installed the unit in the Montana’s passthrough rear wall near the back of the plumbing center. This gave us access to the switch and valve, but it is also possible to mount the unit in a concealed location. Theoretically, you could have a dedicated switch and valve installed on the plumbing panel for a complete custom, out-of-sight installation.