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Old 11-04-2017, 07:11 PM   #1
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Angry Winterizing 2005 Minnie Winnie 27P Nightmare

Just failed miserably in my first attempt to winterize my new (old) 2005 Minnie Winnie 27P. The instructions were horrible, and didn't match anything I found online as far as YouTube University goes. My plan was to only use a blow-out plug, and not deal with the antifreeze other than in the drain traps.

But no matter what I did I could not get my 35-40 psi of air from the compressor thru my fixtures. I attached the plug and compressor to the City Water inlet in the back area. My owners manual said to open all the lines including the fresh water tank low point drain and then blow air. Nothing at all came out of the fixtures. No water, no air. I tried closing off the drain valve and then all the air was coming out my dumb fresh water fill port on the passenger side (which has no cap, just the locking door). I tried jamming a cork in this opening but it still didn't help.

What finally helped was giving up on the air and just running the water pump, but I didn't want to do this too long and run it dry.

I then decided to give up on the air blow out and do the antifreeze thing (I did locate my siphon hose and valve). However I could not access FOR THE LIFE OF ME the back of my water heater and it's apparent bypass valves. I could not remove "the access panel under the galley cabinet" as the @&$ instructions so happily said (it was wedged behind the fresh water purifier). So I have no idea how to get to the backside of my water heater without destroying the galley.

So since I didn't want to put 6 gallons of antifreeze in my HW heater, I gave up. Hopefully it won't get too cold here in Seattle!

I never did find a bypass plug for my purification filter, but the little spinning valve handle seemed to work. I also gave up on the ice maker since nothing else worked.

Hopefully somebody has a '05 27P Minnie and is laughing right now. If anyone has some tips about how to use the blowout method, or how to access the stupid back of the water heater, please let me know!

Wet and cold in Seattle!
-pete
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Old 11-14-2017, 11:29 AM   #2
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Update 11/14/17:


So the main problem I had was a small valve on the aft plumbing panel. It's a two way (90 deg) valve that directs city water either to the fresh water tank, or to the overall system. After reading the plumbing drawings I figured out that this valve must be in the wrong position.


Looking at the valve, it was pointed at the right place, but as it turns out the valve was installed 90 degrees out of alignment. So while it was pointed to "fill system" it was actually filling the fresh water tank. Hence all my air blowing out of my gravity fill. When I turned the valve AWAY from the label for fresh fill, it worked like a charm. Ugh. So much time wasted. And of course, none of the instructions or YouTube videos talked about this little demon valve.








Additional details: I never did find a HW heater bypass, but the drawings say there is one (only one, not three, which is weird) but I know it's behind the panel that was blocked by my fresh water filter system. So again I elected not to go with the antifreeze.


I was able to order the appropriate bypass valve for my Shurflo QL3 filter system. Pressurizing again with air I was able to blow out the little fresh water tap on the sink. I then did some research and found the correct jumper points on my icemaker (also fed from the Shurfuo filter) and energized the fill solenoid, and air came out of there too.


So now I'm reasonably happy with my winterizing. I've installed a trickle charger and I'm also running an oil-filled radiator set at about 45 degrees for those really cold nights. Also got a boatload of DampRid around.


It's amazing how much you learn by doing.
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Old 11-14-2017, 04:38 PM   #3
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glad it worked out for you, frustrating for sure. We blow our system out as well, I operate the air and wife turns on the faucets one at a time starting at the farthest point. This is after emptying the system using the low point drains and draining the water heater. The water heater bypass (electric) failed on ours several years ago so air is our best option. We do not use supplemental heaters and as long as you take your time and get all the water out it shouldn't be necessary. Antifreeze in the drain traps and we call it "good to go". Always a nervous time next spring putting water in for the first time though ....did I forget something? So far so good the last several years.
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