Adding antifreeze to 2021 Minnie Winnie 22M

[arthur145]

I have been winterizing my RVs for years by putting a hose in the antifreeze and pumping it through the plumbing system with the water pump. My new Minnie Winnie 22M, class C has no hose to connect to the water pump. I want to connect a hose directly to the pump but not sure if I know where the intake is. See sketch.
Dealer told me to hook a hose to the city water connection, but that doesn’t work. I later found in the manual that the water pump only pumps from the fresh water tank and I don’t want to fill that or my water heater with antifreeze.

[Winterbagoal]

Why not just get a piece of hose and a fitting that matches the one on the filter/intake side of the pump, and use it to draw AF through the pump? If that's the goal?

[Morich]

Filter side is the intake but it will also need a valve to cut off the flow from the empty fresh water tank or it will simply suck air from that direction. In other words, a diverter valve, as one wich switches from one source to the other.
Something like this but the correct size to fit your tubing:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/FLAIR-IT...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[arthur145]

Originally Posted by Winterbagoal

Why not just get a piece of hose and a fitting that matches the one on the filter/intake side of the pump, and use it to draw AF through the pump? If that's the goal?

That is exactly what I want to do, just wanted to make sure I can do this and have identified the intake side of the pump correctly.

[Morich]

I think you have it but I made a little change to your drawing to make clear where and why to add the valve. When the valve handle is turned one way the normal flow is like the blue line but when turned the other way, the blue is cut off and antifreeze comes out of the jug and into the filter and pump.
I should have used pink instead of green antifreeze???

[arthur145]

Originally Posted by Morich

I think you have it but I made a little change to your drawing to make clear where and why to add the valve. When the valve handle is turned one way the normal flow is like the blue line but when turned the other way, the blue is cut off and antifreeze comes out of the jug and into the filter and pump.
I should have used pink instead of green antifreeze???

Thanks. I never thought of adding a permanent winterizing hose with a valve. I’m gonna try it.

[Eagle5]

Hi Arthur,
A new 2021 22M; very nice. I am sure the pink antifreeze works very well. It would be good to see a photo of your valve, once installed.
I winterize my 22M with the blow-out method. My neighbor four doors down always winterizes with the pink stuff, but he says it takes a long time to get the taste out of the lines.
I wonder if they make the pink stuff in bubble-gum flavor? (ha-ha)
Welcome to the Forum.
Eagle5

[rarebear.nm]

We have a 22R. I added a siphon hose to winterize the rig. I could have used a three way valve or two valves with a Tee. Add the Tee and a valve on both intake sides of the Tee. Other Tee end goes to the pump. Same function in the end. Works great for most of the water system. However this method does not get AF into the line segment between the city water inlet and where it Tee's into the cold system after the water pump. Since there is a check valve in the city water connection the water already in that has no place to go. You maybe able to depress the check valve from the outside to vent water and then A/F out the inlet. Or setup a pressurized system to pump A/F into the city inlet. I have a spare water pump that I use for that purpose. You might do this with a hand pump, not sure if it works.

I have gone to a hybrid solution. I run the A/F as normal and then use compressed air to blow the A/F out of the system so it does not sit in the lines all winter. Once the A/F has pushed all of the water out. it has done it's job. This way the A/F has only a short time to build up any residue taste.

[arthur145]

Originally Posted by Eagle5

Hi Arthur,
A new 2021 22M; very nice. I am sure the pink antifreeze works very well. It would be good to see a photo of your valve, once installed.
I winterize my 22M with the blow-out method. My neighbor four doors down always winterizes with the pink stuff, but he says it takes a long time to get the taste out of the lines.
I wonder if they make the pink stuff in bubble-gum flavor? (ha-ha)
Welcome to the Forum.
Eagle5

Thanks Eagle5. I’m about ready to buy an inexpensive air compressor at Harbor Freight. In the meantime I’ll be looking for a T fitting and some hose when I want to use antifreeze.

[arthur145]

Originally Posted by rarebear.nm

We have a 22R. I added a siphon hose to winterize the rig. I could have used a three way valve or two valves with a Tee. Add the Tee and a valve on both intake sides of the Tee. Other Tee end goes to the pump. Same function in the end. Works great for most of the water system. However this method does not get AF into the line segment between the city water inlet and where it Tee's into the cold system after the water pump. Since there is a check valve in the city water connection the water already in that has no place to go. You maybe able to depress the check valve from the outside to vent water and then A/F out the inlet. Or setup a pressurized system to pump A/F into the city inlet. I have a spare water pump that I use for that purpose. You might do this with a hand pump, not sure if it works.

I have gone to a hybrid solution. I run the A/F as normal and then use compressed air to blow the A/F out of the system so it does not sit in the lines all winter. Once the A/F has pushed all of the water out. it has done it's job. This way the A/F has only a short time to build up any residue taste.

Thanks Fred, My owners manual suggests depressing that check valve. I saw a pump online at Camping World for about $15, but I’m about ready to buy a compressor and make my life easier. I have to winterize 2 or 3 times a year as we make warm weather trips.

[kcscriv]

2018 22m here, 1st 2yrs i just unscrewed intake line side of filter and attached a short hose with plastic fitting into antifreeze jug to fill lines, only took little over a gallon then put some in traps. This year did the blow out, so much easier and without all the flushing, then just added AF to traps and a little in black and grey tanks. I did have a little trouble priming the pump last year, to get it to prime I had to fill fresh water tank full before pump would prime, fine after that, anyone else have that problem? Good luck ya all, be safe, we are planning on going to Texas after first of year we figured we could isolated there as good as KC.

[Eagle5]

Hi Kcscriv,
Yes, I have also observed that you must fill the fresh water tank for the pump to prime.
Thanks, Eagle5

[arthur145]

Originally Posted by kcscriv

2018 22m here, 1st 2yrs i just unscrewed intake line side of filter and attached a short hose with plastic fitting into antifreeze jug to fill lines, only took little over a gallon then put some in traps. This year did the blow out, so much easier and without all the flushing, then just added AF to traps and a little in black and grey tanks. I did have a little trouble priming the pump last year, to get it to prime I had to fill fresh water tank full before pump would prime, fine after that, anyone else have that problem? Good luck ya all, be safe, we are planning on going to Texas after first of year we figured we could isolated there as good as KC.

Exactly what I ended up doing. Even had a piece of tubing left over from another task that fit perfectly into the filter intake line.
The Winnebago Operator’s Manual does say to fill the water tank for initial priming. Art

[JoeC]

Save yourself a bunch of time, trouble and headaches by using the recommended system for winterizing the Minnie; use the blowout method. It's been working for me for 5 years now. That's why there is no provision to put anti-freeze into the water system of my Itasca and similar Minnies. Drain your fresh water tank and run your water pump to clear its suction line. Drain your hot water heater and bypass it using the installed bypass valve (not a big deal if not bypassed). Open your faucets, shower and any other water line, like the flusher for the toilet in bursts until clear. Connect your compressor or compressed air source to your "city fill" connector on the outside of the RV. DO NOT OVERPRESSURIZE YOUR LINES. 30-40 psi is plenty and always have at least one faucet open while running the air. The volume of air is more important than pressure. It will take several minutes to get nearly all of the water out of the lines through the faucets, hot and cold. Stop the air and disconnect, shut the faucets and other water valves, return your hot water bypass to normal and you are almost done. Remove, inspect, drain and reinstall the strainer to your water pump. Nothing else to do except refill the system next spring and no off taste in your water.

This is also your opportunity to sterilize your water tank and lines with a proper quantity of bleach or other bacteria-killing water soluble product designed for the job. This procedure may not be necessary for those systems that use the anti-freeze method as that stuff MAY do the job of killing off harmful or bad tasting bacteria, I don't know for sure. Thoroughly mix sterilizer into your water tank a day or two before blowing out the system and run the water through the water lines until it comes out of the faucets and other water valves. Let this sit in the tank and lines for a minimum of several hours or as directed on the label of the product before blowing out the system. This will prevent the build up of potentially harmful, but at the very least, bad tasting bacteria in your water system.

I recommend a quick flush of the system in the spring before filling for use, but that small amount of chlorine will not likely be detected (if mixed properly) when the system gets filled completely. I do it because I am hyper sensitive to chlorinated water and take no chances with bad tasting water. And yes, I do have a carbon water filter on the cold water line to the galley sink, my drinking water, that gets changed annually in the spring. If full time, maybe twice annually would be the way to go.