Winterizing-gctid400788

[Guest]

I know, I know....Who can think of winterizing in the middle of summer?

I just wonder if anyone has any pics of exactly where to place Y valves in order to ease antifreeze into the tanks/toilets/water heaters and AC.

I want to do it while its warm, but not sure where or how they should be positioned.

If anyone has any pics for a 3288...please post :worth

[RinnyBeth]

Aimhii wrote:
I know, I know....Who can think of winterizing in the middle of summer?

I just wonder if anyone has any pics of exactly where to place Y valves in order to ease antifreeze into the tanks/toilets/water heaters and AC.

I want to do it while its warm, but not sure where or how they should be positioned.

If anyone has any pics for a 3288...please post :worth

we added the anti-freeze directly into the toilets and flushed.. then closed the valves... we did the same with the sinks added it to the water tank and turned on the faucet and waited for it to turn pink.. then shut it off and didnt use it till spring.. then flushed the heck out of it..., and also added it to the holding tanks...

this is what works for us on our boat.. we went through 15 gallons of the RV anti-freeze.. good thing is, about using so much.. you can reclaim it when done in the water system....... our tanks completely drain

[Guest]

Hi Rinney....

Yes thanks...However, I have not done the winterizing myself yet...but I understand to flush the water heater, you have to pull some hose because if you don't, you would go through about 15 jugs of antifreeze before it hits the water heater through the water holding tank...so I am more concerned with the water heater, and AC hose...other than that not too worried...Just wondering if anyone has added these Y valves?

I am also afraid of doing what you mention as I have read on here that when you drain the water tank...you have not really drained it as the drain valve is not at the very bottom and therefore 5-8 gallons of water will always remain in the tank? Same with water heater...

You are also in a much milder climate and the anti freeze would at least prevent any freezing even with that much water were still left...Here when we get a good solid month or two of -20 - 30*c, we won't be so lucky.

SO I have not been able to determine where exactly it is on our 3288....I am trying to do my homework now before it gets too cold.

[JimMc]

Our marine water heater is designed to completely drain. Attwood says the bottom of their cube shaped water heater is V shaped with the drain at the bottom. I have verified this with the manufacturer.

I bypass the water heater when winterizing and just drain it and leave the drain open. My thought with leaving the drain open is that if any water does reamin when the boat is lifted and moved the last bits of water might dribble out.

I have detailed winterizing instructions for my boat I have written and would be happy to send you. It's a 305 but it might be helpful.

Not everyone uses the pink antifreeze on water systems, some blow them dry. The same with the engines.

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Here is an excerpt from my write up I use every fall.

Winterizing the 305s hot and cold water system.

NOTE - Attwood the maker of my water heater recommends not running anti-freeze through the water heater. They say allowing it to drain is sufficient by design.

1) Turn off 115Vac power to the water heater at the breaker. Tag this to stay OFF.

2) Disassemble the water pump input assembly and clean the wire mesh filter.

3) Turn on the water pump. Open the taps at all locations and allow the system to run until all water is pumped from the system / it runs dry. Close the taps.

4) Shut off the water pump.

5) Open the drain on the water heater. This drain is left in the open position.

6) Disconnect the (INPUT) blue pipe from the water heater and disconnect the (OUTLET) red pipe not at the heater but at its "Tee" in the hot water (Red) piping system. Then connect the blue pipe which is free into the open "Tee" on the red system.

(Now you have one side of the water heater with no pipe and one side with a loose red pipe connected. The blue piping and the red piping systems have been connected together.)

7) Pour 3 gallons of antifreeze into the fresh water holding tank.

8) Turn on the water pump.

9) Open each cold and hot tap one at a time until a solid stream of antifreeze is present.

Open the taps in this order, closest to the pump to farthest,

Bath faucet

Kitchen faucet

Cockpit sink

Swim / Cockpit shower.

Repeat once.

10) Shut off the water pump.

11) Leave the taps open to relieve the wear on the valves.

[JimMc]

As I mentioned this is what I do for our boat. It works for us.

Water, Waste and Air Conditioning

Needed per system

3 Gallon - Water system

1 Gallon - A/C

2 Gallon - Toilet & Waste Holding tank.

1/3 Gallon - A/C sump.

1/3 Gallon - Shower sump.

NOTE - Empty waste tank before winterizing.

Seacocks

Lubricate and manipulate the handles.

Close the seacocks while in the water. Open seacocks once out of the water.

A/C

Clean the air filter in the cabin.

Clean the intake water strainer.

Remove the A/C intake water hose from the seacock and put the hose into a gallon of pink RV -50 antifreeze.

Turn on the A/C and watch for a good flow of antifreeze out the thru hull. Shut A/C off.

NOTE - If working alone, control A/C by turning on & off shore power. Use heater blowing on thermostat to force A/C into cooling if temperatures are too low. Or set thermostat for heat and set high enough to force A/C to run.

Make sure the strainer is flushed with antifreeze and drained dry.

Reattach hose to seacock. Open seacock once out of the water.

A/C Condensate sump

Slowly pour antifreeze into the air conditioning condensate pan. The antifreeze will flow to the sump.

Pour in enough antifreeze to make the pump run twice.

Toilet

Remove the raw water intake hose from the seacock and put the hose into a gallon of antifreeze.

Pump the toilet until the bowl has filled and flushed several times with the antifreeze.

Waste holding tank

NOTE ÔÇô Wash and empty waste tank before winterizing.

Pour a gallon of antifreeze in through the toilet.

Shower sump

NOTE - Turn on shower floor pump/sump.

Slowly pour antifreeze into the shower floor drain.

Pour in enough to make the pump run twice.

Seacocks

Flush the seacocks with antifreeze.

Reattach all hoses. Double clamps for all hoses below the water line.

(Out of the water) Open and close the seacock to drain any possible water from the valve.

[Guest]

We put our boat up in dry dock in Skagway Alaska ... We use compressed air to blow out the fresh water system and then open the drain on the hot water tank .. If you put RV antifrreeze anywhere in the fresh water system , your water will taste awfull next summer ... We also blow out the airconditioner water lines and the raw water wash down lines . The only thing we have had an issue was the fresh water pump .. It had a tiny amount of water left in it but that was enough to bust the plastic parts so last winter we just took it out and it went home with some of the other parts ..

[Guest]

Thanks much to all who responding to my thread...

However we drifted off my main concern...

Does anyone have these Y valves installed? If so , any pics?

Thanks again

:worth

[JimMc]

No extra valves for winterizing on mine..

Try looking for a MARINE WATER HEATER BYPASS kit.

[RinnyBeth]

Aimhii wrote:
Thanks much to all who responding to my thread...

However we drifted off my main concern...

Does anyone have these Y valves installed? If so , any pics?

Thanks again

:worth

we have them in our 3888.. I believe open it aimed to left, and closed to the right.. sorry dont have pics of it.... when you winterize it, they have to be closed positions.... and yes you can recycle 50% of what rv anti-freeze you put in....we did then stored it away for next year...

as for putting it in the fresh water tank, if you flush well its fine.. we bring our own water on board anyway.. dont like water from the docks... we only use it to wash dishes and shower