I bought a 2002 456 last November and am winterizing for the first time this season. I'm almost complete except my air conditioning unit is not pulling in any anti-freeze into the system. I have the intake hose in a bucket of antifreeze, but nothing. I took the cover off the pump and watched it run (spin) when it clicked on. it worked fine over the summer when the boat was in the water. There's no obstruction in the intake and the filter is clean. I'm now anxious about any water that might be in the two AC units (aft and FWD) as it's getting cold, and thinking about blowing out the lines while I figure out the pump issue. Will compressed air blow out the lines?
Winterizing the A/C
- Thread starter Semper Sailor
- Start date
Marine AC pumps do not pull water ( not self priming ) they push water.. with the hose removed from the thru hull hold above the pump and pour the antifreeze into it this will flood the pump and it will push the antifreeze thru the unit. Good luck
I always have trouble priming my AC pump to pull antifreeze through. It's especially tough when working alone, because it's nearly impossible to open the bleed valve on the pump while pouring antifreeze down the input hose. I've resorted to using a spare pump to boost the antifreeze through the circuit. I put the output of the boost pump onto the input hose, then I can pour antifreeze into the boost pump and run the AC to pull the antifreeze through. Much easier and faster that way.
I have used a 5 gal bucket with a drain installed to winterize both my engine and my AC. I place the bucket on a seat or box set well above the pump, add the needed amount of antifreeze and activate the pump. Gravity feeds the pump.
I don’t involve the pump itself at all, except for it‘s use as a pump for the AC system.
I bought an additional cover for my Groco Strainer. Drilled out a 3/4 Inch hole in its center and epoxied in a garden hose fitting.
With the strainer being before the pump, I replace the solid cover with the “hose adapter fitted” cover, connect a “washing machine” hose to it and the other end to a 5 gallon bucket with the same fitting I epoxied into that.
I fill the bucket with fresh water to rinse out the system and then pour my antifreeze (the pink stuff) and simply pump that through.
When done I top off the strainer with antifreeze, replace the solid cover and thats it.
Like “JohnT“ stated, just put the 5 gallon bucket on the seat above the AC Unit and let gravity and the pump do their jobs.
The washing machine hose is a smaller diameter hose, so I don’t use it for the engine winterizing. But for the AC Unit it has enough flow.
Here are pictures of my set up….hope this can help you out.
I bought an additional cover for my Groco Strainer. Drilled out a 3/4 Inch hole in its center and epoxied in a garden hose fitting.
With the strainer being before the pump, I replace the solid cover with the “hose adapter fitted” cover, connect a “washing machine” hose to it and the other end to a 5 gallon bucket with the same fitting I epoxied into that.
I fill the bucket with fresh water to rinse out the system and then pour my antifreeze (the pink stuff) and simply pump that through.
When done I top off the strainer with antifreeze, replace the solid cover and thats it.
Like “JohnT“ stated, just put the 5 gallon bucket on the seat above the AC Unit and let gravity and the pump do their jobs.
The washing machine hose is a smaller diameter hose, so I don’t use it for the engine winterizing. But for the AC Unit it has enough flow.
Here are pictures of my set up….hope this can help you out.
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Thanks Sailors. I'll try to gravity feed the system. I haven't checked yet, but I assume this implies the AC pump is below the waterline when she is in the water?
I agree.
It’s very simple.
I have a fitting & a valve at the bottom of the bucket to turn the flow on & off
In the years I lived in New england it never even occurred to me to winterize my air conditioning.
I just disconnected the inlet and exhaust at the unit and used a shopvac to pull and push all the water out of the system after the boat was hauled. Has worked for a number of years, simple and quick.
on my ac system, to make it much easier for winterize I installed a Tee fitting on the intake between the seacock and the water strainer with a shut off valve with a hose long enough to be placed into the sink or a five gallon bucket.
Now when I need to winterize the system all I need to do is
1) simply turn the system on,
2) fill the sink or bucket with antifreeze
3) prim the hose with antifreeze and submerge the end of the house in the antifreeze to avoid any air lock
4) shut off the seacock
5) open the valve on the Tee fitting
the antifreeze will then be drawn thru the system just as if it were operating normally,
When you see pink stuff exiting the discharge, shut down the system and your done
Usually only takes a minute or two to winterize
hope this helps
Now when I need to winterize the system all I need to do is
1) simply turn the system on,
2) fill the sink or bucket with antifreeze
3) prim the hose with antifreeze and submerge the end of the house in the antifreeze to avoid any air lock
4) shut off the seacock
5) open the valve on the Tee fitting
the antifreeze will then be drawn thru the system just as if it were operating normally,
When you see pink stuff exiting the discharge, shut down the system and your done
Usually only takes a minute or two to winterize
hope this helps
Thanks, Sailors! I used a small sump pump in the bucket to push the antifreeze into the system. Worked great. Appreciate the inputs. Now how to access the darn raw water impeller... 