I have a 1985 Catalina 30. Every year the mechanic has to crawl into the port hold to get at the water heater and reverse lines and horse around there for about 30 minutes on the hot water tank This is my thought: would it be possible to simply drill a hole in the top of the galvanized tank and suck out the remaining water instead of all the other trouble ? The wires and heater coils enter the tank from the stern but I don't know how far they go into the tank as I don't want to damage them. And afterwards put in some kind of plug. Is this a hairball idea or not ? Russ
winterizing hot water tank
- Thread starter javelin
- Start date
- Status
Probably but rather than try that scheme, you can simply empty the tank by draining it once you install a by-pass kit sold anywhere including RV stores.
Don't know your piping arrangement back there, but it would be a very simple matter to install a drain valve (bottom of the tank) which is in an "easily accessible" location and then blow out the whole system using compressed air. Far easier (and cheaper) than paying someone to crawl back there and suffer for a half hour.
And when I say compressed air, I'm talking a little cheapy 12V tire inflater from a big box hardware store (around $30.00).
And when I say compressed air, I'm talking a little cheapy 12V tire inflater from a big box hardware store (around $30.00).
Don't know why you have to drain, I just run fresh water out of the system and then use 12 gallons of marine anti freeze run through system and out of all faucets. One gallon will do engine as well 1992 C 30Ralph Johnstone said:
Twelve gallons......
Sadly even if your are mixing that much with a 6GAL tank you still may not wind up with a cold enough burst point. PG should not be diluted at all.The simple way is to by-pass it, suck perhaps 1-2 GAL into the pipes only and drain the HW tank. On a simple system the pipes can be blown out but on more complex system this often does not work well and you can still burst fittings etc..
One gallon is not going to give you a burst point much below 0-10F, if that, on an M-25.... Dilution of PG is the enemy..
I actually measure the freeze points when winterizing customers engines so I know the next year how much PG to use. I have a customer with an M-25, 3" HX and Groco 1" sea strainer and a decent sized waterlift muffler. It took 5 gallons to keep the burst point as it went in. I use a sight refractometer for testing PG concentrations. Engines are expensive PG is $3.00 - 4.00 gal...
I replaced a water heater two years ago split open by the owner dumping 2 cases of PG into his empty water tanks and sucking it through. It was not enough to protect the water heater due to dilution..
This was the split welded seam of that tank....
No that would not work well because you'd then need to plug that hole. Easiest way is to install a tee and 1/4 turn boiler drain off the cold water supply tapping to the tank. You then open the boiler drain and T&P valve and the tank drains. Then just by-pass the hot/cold supply lines and AF the system piping, unless you have access to a very large compressor..
Here is my setup. The valves at the cold in and hot out hoses would both be closed (the cold is closed in this pic...took it while preparing to winterize) and the one in the middle is on a hose connecting the hot and cold hoses. That would be opened when winterizing and closed (as shown) otherwise.
Attachments
I open the drain on the heater and let it empty into the bilge. Then I flip the bypass valve for the water heater that I installed with a kit a couple of years ago.
The kit is $29 at West Marine.
The same kit at Camping World is $19.
Next I drain my water tanks using the fresh water pump. Once there's no more water pumping through the system I add back in a couple of gallons of anti-freeze into the tanks and pressurize the system. Then I open each faucet and the deck shower one at a time until I see straight anti-freeze coming out. It really doesn't take very long to do. My hot water tank is under the aft berth right behind the steps so it's easy to get to.
I'd recommend against putting antifreeze into your hot water heater. It takes a long time to get the residual taste out of the hot water because you're mixing fresh water into the heater rather than pumping it through as you are with the rest of the system. If you're at all sensitve to the taste or smell of the anti-freeze you'll notice it.
For the engine I open the seacock after I'm blocked up, then take off the intake hose for the engine and put a funnel in. My wife starts the engine and I run three gallons of anti-freeze through and shut her down. A little more anti-freeze in the strainer and I'm done with the engine.
My final step is dryer sheets in all the cabinets and drawers and Kanberra gel in the salon and head. Makes a big difference with boat smells. The last step is putting the cover on. :cry:
Jim
The kit is $29 at West Marine.
The same kit at Camping World is $19.
Next I drain my water tanks using the fresh water pump. Once there's no more water pumping through the system I add back in a couple of gallons of anti-freeze into the tanks and pressurize the system. Then I open each faucet and the deck shower one at a time until I see straight anti-freeze coming out. It really doesn't take very long to do. My hot water tank is under the aft berth right behind the steps so it's easy to get to.
I'd recommend against putting antifreeze into your hot water heater. It takes a long time to get the residual taste out of the hot water because you're mixing fresh water into the heater rather than pumping it through as you are with the rest of the system. If you're at all sensitve to the taste or smell of the anti-freeze you'll notice it.
For the engine I open the seacock after I'm blocked up, then take off the intake hose for the engine and put a funnel in. My wife starts the engine and I run three gallons of anti-freeze through and shut her down. A little more anti-freeze in the strainer and I'm done with the engine.
My final step is dryer sheets in all the cabinets and drawers and Kanberra gel in the salon and head. Makes a big difference with boat smells. The last step is putting the cover on. :cry:
Jim
I only wish all hot water heaters had a drain valve!
My Raritan WH does not. I only drain it as recommended and use a bypass kit to run antifreeze through the rest of my system. Little space causes me to turn a few wrenches as opposed to just turning a few valves but it works.
My Raritan WH does not. I only drain it as recommended and use a bypass kit to run antifreeze through the rest of my system. Little space causes me to turn a few wrenches as opposed to just turning a few valves but it works.
I removed both water lines (inflow cold and out flow hot) and connected them together with a barbed connector. Having pumped out the fresh water prior with the on board water pump, then 3 gallons of antifreeze (-50 potable) in the water tank, ran hot and cold lines until all faucets ran pink. Opened the drain valve on the heater tank, and blew in the inlet with the foot pump that I use to inflate the dingy, dumping the water in the bilge. Like the bypass kit, on sale at camper world, thanks for the link! :dance: Will do that in the spring when I reconnect the lines, as I have to replace a connector that I broke taking it all apart anyway!:cussing:
- Status