How to winterize A/C?
 

This is the first time that I have had a/c in a boat. What's the best way to winterize it?

I had someone tell me to:

-close the sea cock
-open up the sea strainer
-poor the antifreeze in the sea strainer
-turn it on real quick

Is this a good way to do it?

I have a bronze tee in the line from the seacock to the strainer. I close the strainer, unscrew the plug in the tee and screw in a hose barb connected to a length of garden hose. I suck a 50/50 mix of -50 pink antifreeze and water out of a bucket until pink runs out of all 3 discharge fittings.

I've also got similar setups for my genset and engines (won't work on freshwater-cooled motors, only closed cooling motors).

Don't use automotive antifreeze. If your strainer has a polycarbonate jar on it, the antifreeze will make it brittle. Even if yours is glass, there are fittings in the loop that automotive antifreeze is hard on.

If you have a "pumpout box" in the bilge to take care of the condensation fro the pan, you should also pour some of the mix into it...

I have a T in mine too, with a garden hose connector, I used compressed air. Then a little antifreeze.

Thanks for your replies. We took the lid off the sea strainer and my buddy poured antifreez (the pink stuff) in the sea strainer while I turned the a/c on. We ran it until I saw the pink stuff coming out the drain hole on the side of the boat.

Do you guys think that was good enough?

yes that is fine.

BN,
Been doing mine that way for years. Remember to do your FW system the same way...remember that head also bro!