Winterize water system

[Cool It]

hey guys it is almost that time sorry to say. I will be taking the boat out first week of Nov. this is the first boat I have owned with a water system. How should I winterize it. I was told to drain the water and add antifreeze to fill about half the tank-- then open each sink to let the antifreeze flow through each line -- then shut off and that is it. does that sound right???.how about the fill line up to the deck should I leave that open like I would a outside spigot at my house, so the moisture does not bulid up and freeze??? The head is a porta potti type with a pump out-I thought I would just fill with antifreeze and leave-- but again how about the pump out hose to the deck -leave open or closed??<br /><br />Thanks<br />Cool It

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Winterize water system

I would do the water system the way you describe, the amount of antifreeze required depends on how many sets of taps you need to do and how long the lines are. Shouldn't have to leave the fill cap off as the water tank should also have a vent line that's open. You can also put some antifreeze down the toilet incase there is some water, same thing goes about the vent for the toilet, no need to leave the cap off, never know what might crawl in there.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Winterize water system

If this vessel has a water heater (electric or otherwise) better drain it.

 

[Cool It]

Re: Winterize water system

Thanks Guys---- Should I use straight antifreeze or mix with the water????? I guess there is a drain plug for the water heater?? if so do I drain and keep open or run antifreeze through that as well ?? Thanks<br /><br />Cool It

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Winterize water system

If you are using the regular plumbing antifreeze which is normally good for -50 (pink stuff) you just put it in straight. For the hot water tank it depends if you think you can get all the water out, if not it doesn't hurt to add some antifreeze, in the spring you can flush it out before hooking everything up again. What I and several others do is remove the input and output lines from the tank and make yourself an adapter to join them together. That way when you run the antifreeze from your water tank it will take care of your hot water lines as well, you don't want to have to fill the hot water tank with antifreeze.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Winterize water system

What I have done for years is to let the water run through all of the faucets until there is almost no water left.The faucets will begin to spit air and water.At that point you should do 1 faucet at a time on either hot or cold and then switch to the other.Try to get all the water out of the system that you can.Then close all faucets and put at least 2-4 gallons of pink AF non toxic only.Then open each faucet and let the af flow through the system.When the af starts coming out of the faucets ,catch it in a container and return it to the system.It is important to let the hot and cold flow seperately.The hot always takes longer to get the pink flowing but make sure it is pink before shutting the faucet.Then I let the system build pressure until the pump shuts off and Im done.I let the system stay pressurized.As far as the water heater is concerned,it gets winterized with the motor .I use the Camco kit which lets af enter through the O/D and circulate through the entire system including the water heater.I have done this exact method for 10 years w/o a problem.When doing the head make sure to pump the af through the entire system including the evacuation route and the raw intake.Charlie

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Winterize water system

As far as the water heater is concerned,it gets winterized with the motor .

Charlie you may confuse him with this statement as this will only winterize the copper coil inside the hot water tank but not the tank itself. It still needs to be drained.

 

[Cool It]

Re: Winterize water system

the head is a porta potti -- with a line to the deck to pump out . should I fill the potti to the top and also let the antifreeze fill the entire pump out line????<br /><br />Thanks<br />Cool It

 

[swist]

Re: Winterize water system

Just one thing to add - you need to use the minimum amout of antifreeze that will do the job - someone mentioned 2-4 gals. I would start with 2 and if that gets you full flow from the fixtures, then you don't need any more. In no case would I fill "1/2 the tank" with antifreeze.<br /><br />The reason for all this is that you have to get it out in the Spring and pink antifreeze will stink/slime up your system if you leave much of it in the new water.<br /><br />I speak from experience as the first time I really loaded up on the stuff, I wound up flushing the system so many times I couldn't count and there was still a faint smell - I had to go to a water tank cleaning product (and then it took forever to rinse that out too).

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Winterize water system

Originally posted by Boatin Bob:<br />

As far as the water heater is concerned,it gets winterized with the motor .

Charlie you may c. It still needs to onfuswinterize the copper coil inside the hot water tank but not the tank itselfbe drained. [/e him with this statement as this will only QUOTE]<br />BB,if the hot water faucet is run until AF comes out ,the hot water heater is then winterized AND drained of fresh water.You dont have to actually go to the hw heater and drain it.Charlie

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Winterize water system

OK Charlie...but thats why I said above I disconnect the in/out of the hot water and join them together otherwise you will be filling the hot water tank with antifreeze (for me thats another 6 gallons). I would would just rather drain it as air does not freeze At the end of the day we all have our variations and different methods, as long as they work it doesn't matter.

 

[Stratocaster]

Re: Winterize water system

Number One: Plumbing antifreeze tastes AWFUL. It takes weeks to completely get rid of the taste and smell in the spring.<br /><br />Number Two: The best way to ensure that you won't get any freeze damage is to ensure that you have no water left to freeze. How?<br /><br />Run all your faucets until they start to spit air. Leave the faucets open and shut off your pump. Open the drain petcock on the hot water tank and drain it. It doesn't have to be drained absolutely dry, since it will be air headspace that allows ice to expand.<br /><br />Disconnect the suction and discharge ends of the fresh water pump (this takes less than a minute). Blow the system out with compressed air at no more than 50 psi (one of those portable tanks you can buy at any hardware store works perfectly and can be filled at any gas station). After only air is coming out of the taps, your system is dry. Leave the pump disconnected and run it for 5 or so seconds to ensure the casing is empty, then leave everything as is. All faucets open, pump disconnected, fresh water tank and hot water tank empty enough to be safe.<br /><br />When spring comes, reconnect the pump, fill fresh water tank, turn on the pump until air stops spitting from the faucets, then close the faucets and allow the pump to shut off on the pressure switch. Then recommission the system as usual...but this time you won't have that taste and smell in your water.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Winterize water system

Sorry guys,in my IMHO that is just a few too many steps that are not necessary.I have winterized my motor and water systems the same way for the last 15 years w/o a single problem.I winterize the motor with a Camco 5gal kit w/o disconnecting a single hose or petcock.And I winterize the water system by opening all faucets until air and water mist come out,then I close them all and re-open each one at a time which gets a little more water out of the system.4 gals of pink AF in the water tank,pressure it up and run each faucet and shower until pink comes out and done.I disconnect nothing.In the spring I stick a garden hose in the water fill and run all faucets wide open for 15 minutes.Add 1 quart of bleach to the tank at the end and let it run through.Thats it !!! We all have our own ways of doing it and to me ,my way is the easiest,fastest, and most effective.Charlie

 

[Cool It]

Re: Winterize water system

alot of good info -- sounds like it should be easy. The only line I dont know what to do with is the intake in the transom compartment that allows me to hook up directly to the water supply at tthe dock -- it runs into my sinks, shower etc without puting the pump on.that line does not fill with the pump. do I need to worry about it -- I think maybe there could be some water sitting in there and should I somehow get antifreeze into it??????<br /><br />Thanks<br />Cool It

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Winterize water system

I think if you took that dock water connection off you would find that it does fill up when the pump is on but normally there is a check valve at the connection. On my boat it happens to be the high point of the system so I do nothing with it, the line gets sucked dry when the pump is on. Some folks try to pump pink antifreeze through (need enough pressure to get past the check valve) but I've never had a problem letting it drain normally.