While winterizing the A/C system on my 41DS, I ran coolant through the system like I normally do with a garden hose inlet on the pick up near the pump. But the coolant only ran out the port discharge through the hull, not the starboard aft discharge. When the system ran last on seawater, both discharges were working fine. I have two A/C units and ran them together and separately and got the same result. Any advice? Thoughts? Thanks.
Winterizing AC on Hunter 41DS
- Thread starter twenger
- Start date
My guess is that while connecting your hose to the pump, air got in and migrated to the aft A/C feed line. These pumps are just circulating-type pumps with no real pressure so the air is stopping the flow.
For now you can put a cork into the port discharge thru-hull so that it will force the antifreeze out the starboard one with the air.
On my setup I installed a quarter-turn ball valve in each line after the pump and I fill with antifreeze separately. It also uses a lot less antifreeze too- less waste.
For now you can put a cork into the port discharge thru-hull so that it will force the antifreeze out the starboard one with the air.
On my setup I installed a quarter-turn ball valve in each line after the pump and I fill with antifreeze separately. It also uses a lot less antifreeze too- less waste.
Rich thank you. I did shut off the port side to force out the back but was running out of coolant and suspect it didnt run long enough. I will re-do and run water through until I get both streams, then add the coolant. Appreciate the post.
You could just drain the lines and leave the thru hull closed. Just take the hose off the thru hull, and both sides of the pump. Then blow air into them till you get most of the water out.
I installed a "T" fitting on the hose near the pump. I blow out the line with compressed air. Has worked fine for the past 5 winters.
Blowing out the lines is fine for the water system, but I think having antifreeze in the pump and the A/C compressor lines is beneficial for the corrosion protection.
I had an old Atomic 4 that the PO told me to just drain the seawater for the winter. In the Spring the exhaust manifold was choked with rust. Thereafter I always filled the engine with antifreeze and I never had that problem again. I know that the metal parts in the pump and the A/C compressor are not cast iron and steel, but nevertheless I still think it is better to fill than to leave empty and exposed to the air in the lines.
I had an old Atomic 4 that the PO told me to just drain the seawater for the winter. In the Spring the exhaust manifold was choked with rust. Thereafter I always filled the engine with antifreeze and I never had that problem again. I know that the metal parts in the pump and the A/C compressor are not cast iron and steel, but nevertheless I still think it is better to fill than to leave empty and exposed to the air in the lines.
In a thread posted on here previously I described the method our yard uses and I've subsequently adopted for my own use.
Get a 5 gallon bucket and mount a fluid transfer pump purchased from Harbor Freight (12 volt) on the lid. Get plastic tubing and attach to the pump output side.
Put a couple of gallons of antifreeze in the bucket
You stick the pump hose in the air conditioner discharge and pump antifreeze until it comes out the intake
Then do the same with the other AC discharge.
No disconnecting hoses, no air locks, priming pumps. Takes about 5 minutes to do both AC units.
Some people don't believe it can happen but you can push the antifreeze backward through the system very easily.
If you pull up the previous post I even gave the link to the item description in Harbor Freights catalogue
Get a 5 gallon bucket and mount a fluid transfer pump purchased from Harbor Freight (12 volt) on the lid. Get plastic tubing and attach to the pump output side.
Put a couple of gallons of antifreeze in the bucket
You stick the pump hose in the air conditioner discharge and pump antifreeze until it comes out the intake
Then do the same with the other AC discharge.
No disconnecting hoses, no air locks, priming pumps. Takes about 5 minutes to do both AC units.
Some people don't believe it can happen but you can push the antifreeze backward through the system very easily.
If you pull up the previous post I even gave the link to the item description in Harbor Freights catalogue