Finished winterizing

[scokat]

Just finished winterizing the air condtioners and water system. Got away cheap this year only used 25 gallons of pink. I always first blow all the lines out then put pink in the fresh tank and turn on the pump and run all faucets and showers. I'll let the marina do the three diesel for $150.00 each. Cheap insurance if one goes, plus storage and shrink wrap, total around $1800 - $2000 for storage and winterization, BUT that includes spring launch. Gotta love boating in the north east.

 

[Bob J]

That's pretty close to what I use for water system. After blowing out system with compressed air; I might use 3 gallons of pink. Use zero for a/c...just blow out thru hull discharge with pump slt'ly loosened for water in lines to drain. About 1 gallon for toilet, another for sink traps & another in fresh water holding tank. Actually less than stated amounts.

 

[awboater]

I do about the same - I do all of the winterizing myself except for the engines, which I let the marina do, since as well, I figure it cheap insurance, and I am not that comfortable with doing it myself.

After blowing the lines, I found that I had to pour at least 8 gallons back in to fill the hot water heater above both lines before anything would flow through the hot water side.

Even after blowing the lines with a compressor, I bet I got a half gallon of water through the lines before the pink stuff, so I am not sure how good the compressor does.

I am thinking of putting in a bypass system so that I can tie the hot water side to the cold water side, bypassing the water heater when I winterize next year.

For the A/C, I put in a fitting so I could put a hose on the A/C just before the pump. Turn off the seacock, turn on the A/C, and pour a gallon of pink through the hose on the fitting.

The sump, I simply poured a gallon of pink through it.

For the electric head, I filled the water tanks with a couple of gallons of pink, then ran the head until I could see pink flowing through it.

Unfortunately, this took about 14 gallons, with most used up by the heater. If I can bypass the heater, I think I can get it down to maybe 4 or 5 gallons.

Anyone have any different techniques?

 

[Unknown]

Thank God I work at a marina so I can waste a lot of antifreeze winterizing my boat ...

 

[JoeBTB]

One trick is to recover some of the pink and reuse it. Once you're reasonably sure you're getting pure pink (not diluted with water) out of the faucets, collect it as it goes overboard and reuse it for the A/C and/or head.

Definitely should put in a bypass for the water heater, or just disconnect the out and in from the unit, and connect them together.