Winterization

[shemandr]

I have a few questions regarding winterizing my H356 which has a Yamar 3gm30 diesel which is "Fresh Water" cooled. Does the same coolent which cools the engine also heat the hot water tank? If so, then all I need to do to winterize the hot water tank is drain it - right? Do I need to winterize the cold water supply to the tank? My boat has AC/Heat which has a seawater supply. My plan is to take that off the ball valve at the thru-hull and dip it in the bucket of antifreeze and run the AC for a bit. Will that be adequate?The engine instructions from Yanmar are fairly clear and shouldn't present a problem. The fresh water system seems pretty simple but with the addition of Hot water over what I've done before. I assume that I just run the antifreeze through the hot lines just like the cold - right? Why not leave antifreeze in the tank rather than drain it?Thanks for any tips.

 

[nick maggio]

Don't Drain

You only need to drain the fresh water system cold and hot,drain the hot water system do not drain the two hoses coming from the engine into the hot water heater they have coolant from the engine coolant closed system and do not get touched.The fresh water system hot water side runs through the hot water heater and the engine runs into the heater heating the water,you need to drain the fresh water valve and open the relief valve also.I bypass the hot water heater after draining,rather than putting all that antfreez in the hot water heater,I also blow everthing out with air instead of using antefreez but that's me.

 

[Pete]

What Nick said

For the engine and water systems is correct. Your plan for the a/c is also correct, there is no need to take off the ball valve however just the hose and use a bucket or pour the antifreeze into the strainer and then drain the thruhull when on land. You could also blow the system out with air if you wanted too. There is a hot water bypass kit available (got mine at an RV store) that has a by pass hose and valves so that all you will need to do is turn two valves and drain the water heater for the winter and turn the valves back and fill the water heater in spring to recommision. Took about 1/2 hour to install kit and cost about $25. Makes it about a one minute job to do the water heater each season and will pay for itself in the first season as you will not have to buy the antizeeze to fill the hot water heater.

 

[John T1594]

Additional thoughts

Nick and Pete are corerct and offer good advice. As long as your engine coolant is in good shape, your engine and the plumbing that heats the water in your tank are protected from freezing. However, the fresh water side of the water heater must be drained completely. I install a temporary by-pass hose between the incoming cold and outgoing hot hoses, then flush the fresh water system with the "pink stuff" antifreeze. This saves filling the heater with ~ 6 gallons of antifreeze. The water heater should be drained into the bilge and opening the pressure valve will help with this. I have found that there is a significant amount of water that remains in the heater, so I add about a gallon of antifreeze to the tank through the cold water hose and let the excess run out.I made up a 5 gallon bucket with a 3/4" hose barb near the bottom. I fill this with antifreeze and use it to flush the raw water from the A/C unit and the engine. On my boat, (2000 H340) I need about 1.5 gallons for the A/C unit and 2 gallons of the -100 "blue stuff" for the engine.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Pete & John...

I'm echoing what you both have said, and adding something additional. Just installed the RV store water heater by-pass kit and it is a great thing to do. Added a "T" on the bottom connection and added a boiler drain valve to make emptying the heater that much easier.I use John's bucket system for the engine and A/C system. Also picked up a siphon and valve kit at the RV store to aid in putting antifreeze into the water lines. I fitted it between the tank valve and the water pump. Attach the siphon hose to the valve, stick the end in a jug of pink stuff, turn the valve and turn on the pump. Flip the valves on the water heater by-pass then open each faucet one at a time and you're done in short order. Run the shower into the head and you can protect the discharge side too when you empty it. Two gallons for the engine, 3/4 of gallon for the A/C, one gallon for the water system, and one gallon dumped into the head, bilge, and shower sump.

 

[John T1594]

Water Heater Drain

I had a 6 gallon water heater (could have been a Seaward - but I don't remember) on my previous boat that did not have a drain valve. To winterize it, I would remove the fresh water hoses and let it drain. I found that I could pump out an additional gallon of water using a drill mounted pump and searching around with the pump suction tube. I still added a gallon of pink stuff antifreeze to make sure I had the tank protected. What a pain! In the spring, I would flush the entire fresh water system and then separately flush the inside of the water heater tank with a garden hose before I connected it back to the fresh water system.

 

[Tom C5878]

water heater on 356

Sherman, our 356 is as described by others here. A "hose bib" valve is on the lower front corner to drain the water heater. I have always taken the tubing out of the whale connectors (as noted earlier -- push the tubing, hold the flange into the body of the connector, pull the tubing out)and by-passed the water heater. After draining the heater, I use a funnel and put a quart or so of "pink stuff" into the water heater. The rest is a matter of pink stuff in the water tank and open each faucet, one at a time, until the pink stuff comes out. Don'f forget the swim platform spray.

 

[chuckwayne]

356 water system

Sherman,I forgot to explain that instead of the bypass kit I made my own with a piece of tubing and two whale connectors-that let's me pump af thru the hot water plumbing without having to fill the hot water tank.

 

[shemandr]

Still at it

Chuck,I am hoping to do something like that. I was checking the Whale connectors on the West Web site. I think I could use two "T" connectors to put in the existing lines with a shutoff valve inbetween and a length of hose. It would cost a bit more than the kit I purchased but I can return that. The connectors still evade me. I hope to find some at a store to play with before I try to remove them. Did you have to buy their cutter or could you cut the hose with something else?I did find the drain plug.

 

[chuckwayne]

easy water heater bypass

Sherman,you really don't need the shutoff and all the complexity-since the connectors disconnect easily, just buy a short piece of tubing and two connectors-you can use a piece of the 15mm tube and two whale splices, or a piece of regular tubing and two whale to 1/2 tube connectors-whichever is easier to find. I just got the [arts at wm. you can use a standard tubing cutter for plastic tube from home depot, or even a knife-you just need a clean, square cut.

 

[Richard Bryer]

Easy and cheap by pass

I bought a connector at HD that works just fine. It was inthe plumbing section and is for water line that is same as the boat- check the measurment which is printed on the lines.nThink it cost $2.50

 

[Joe Wienecke]

winterizing

If I just put enough AF into the freshwater tank and run it through the system will that winterize the system and the water tank. I know if will take more AF but if I put 9 gallons in the fresh water tank and open up each outlet until they run pink haven't I also filled the hot water heater with AF? For the engine don't I just heat the engine up (maybe 15 minute run time) then close the engine fresh or sea water thru hull disconnect the line put it into a bucket of pink stuff and restart the warmed engine until the pink comes out the back. Maybe 4 to 5 gallons of AF to insure the engine is well winterized won't this do it. The the head needs to be done the same way disconnect the fresh water hose put it into a bucket of pink pump this thru the head pour the rest into the holding tank maybe two gallons. Put a splash of pink into the bilge areas to help if water comes in, a little under the engine for the same reason.So will this do the job or am I missing something?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Winterizing plumbing (fresh water and sanitation)

FRESH WATER SYSTEM1. Drain the water tanks completely (just turn on all the faucets).2. Drain water heater. Most have a drain petcock; follow manufacturer’s instructions to find it and use it. Remove both the inlet and outlet hoses, and if necessary use a shop vac to be sure of gettting all the water out of it.3.Connect water heater inlet and outlet hoses together. Bypass kits for this purpose are available from boat stores and RV supply stores. 4. Add non-toxic antifreeze ("the pink stuff") and pump that through the system until all outlets--hot and cold in the galley, head, shower, and any deck wash--run only antifreeze. Or, drain and bypass water heater, then blow ALL the water out using compressed air. If there is no water in the system to freeze and expand, antifreeze is not needed. 5. Leave all the faucets open to make sure there is no pressure in the system. SANITATION SYSTEM1. Pump holding tank out, then rinse thoroughly by completely filling with fresh water and 1 gallon of white vinegar twice. Be sure to also run plenty of clean water through the overboard discharge line and pump.2. Close toilet intake through-hull, disconnect inlet hose and stick it in a gallon of non-toxic ("the pink stuff") antifreeze. Pump the whole gallon through the system into the holding tank. Do not reconnect head intake hose to the through-hull.3. Pump the head 50 times to get as much fluid out of the system as possible.4. After the boat comes out of the water, open all the sea cocks to drain any trapped water.Do not use antifreeze in a Lectra/San or PuraSan. Follow manufacturers instructions to winterize all Type I and II MSDs.