how to winterize fresh water system
 

I winterized my boat but almost forgot about the fresh water system (new boat to me this year)

can i simply run the fresh water out of it. add a gallon of RV (nontoxic) antifreeze, and flush till i see the pink out the sink faucet and transom shower?

I see an air line stem ( like a carrier stem) inside the engine bay in the fresh water lines. is this used to blow out the system out? is that needed if I use the "pink stuff?

tks

Ramb

I've always run the tank as empty as possible. pour in a gallon of pink stuff and run it empty again. Then add 2 gallons more pink stuff and run ALL the faucets until a strong pink color is present. (you wouldn't have AC too would you???)

I use the compressed air method THEN the pink. Might as well blow them out first, use less anti-freeze and less risk for dilution.

I wouldn't put more than 30lbs. on it though, you can just use any air chuck for filling tires.

That's what I do. When it's ran empty, there's very little freshwater still in the lines. 1 gal of the RV stuff in the tank, and within less than 1/5 of it gone, it starts coming out pink. Then just run the rest on thru to rid any dilution chances. Any more would be a waste of good AF in my application.

Just a couple extra thoughts if you have a hot water tank like mine.
Unless you bypass it after you drain the water out, It will take whatever its capacity is in antifreeze before it gets to the rest of your water system.
Also don't forget your transom showers if you have them.

Yes the hot water side is the problem. I need to pour about 8-10gals in my empty FW tank so I can fill the already drained and closed up 6 gal Hot water tank then the rest. When all fixtures run solid pink you know you are good. Flush a few bowls full of pink down the toilet as well. Done it for years, very easy and fairly cheap. I also put 2 gals in the just pumped out so nearly empty holding tank. Then flush it all out in the spring.

thanks

no hot water. just a simple sink and transom shower for me.

Ramb

If you have a plastic water tank the pink RV will stain it and it is hard to get the bad taste out of it after it sets all winter. Use a shop vac and suck out all you can at the tank. Same with water heater, Take one side off and suck it out, Leave it dry..

you could use cheap crappy vodka and just add some food dye. i had some old time customers that would not let me use anything else in their old hunks of crap boats.

I agree a dry system is best, engine cooling system, water system, anything, but sometimes it's not doable.

Try this. Buy 2-3 way valves and hook them to the in and out of the hot water heater. Run a bypass hose between the valves.
In the fall, just turn the valves to bypass the water heater. Open the drain on the water heater and leave it dry.
Been doing it that way for years.
Gary

Sometimes I just hook the cold in hose straight to the hot out so bypass tank, then just drain tank.

You should not run anti freeze through heater drain and by pass. I drain water tank and pump anti freeze through lines without adding to tank. Easier to flush pink out in spring.
Jim

I agree with jim drain your water tank pull the hose off the tank that feeds the pump and put that hose in a gallon of antifreeze run the system as normal till you see solid pink. if you have a hot water heater you must bypass it. A little water left in the bottom of the tank is fine it has plenty of room to expand.

Most of my friends and I just blow the system out with compressed air. I built a fitting to connect my compressor hose to my water intake. The process I use is this: run all of the water out of the tank, leave a faucet open, start the compressor, let air run until the faucet stopps spitting, open the next faucet, close the first faucet (do not leave the compressor running with all faucets closed - system can't handle the pressure), and so on. If your head works off of fresh water make sure to cycle the head a few times while under air pressure too. I usually take a 30 minute break to allow any remaining water vapor to settle and then repear the same. I've never had any problems (I am on Lake Erie - gets plenty cold enough to freeze!). This lets me just sanitize my water system in the spring (cup of bleach, fill and run water out 2-3 times) and off I go.

Hope this helps.