Winterizing fresh water system
- Thread starter Lainie J
- Start date
Only reason to bypass hot water heater is to save on 5 or 7 gallons of antifreeze. If you drain your hot water heater of all water in it, then bypass it, you don't need to waste antifreeze filling it up. Trouble is if you fill it up with antifreeze you often get a lousy taste in the spring when you start up your system .
If you have a dock fresh water inlet on your boat, my advice is to take an air compressor, rig up a 3/4 inch male fitting onto a brass pipe with an adaptor on the other end to fit in your air compressor hose. Run the compressor, now attached to the fresh water inlet fitting, and open up each faucet, both hot and cold, and allow the compressed air to blow out all the water in your lines. Now you are ready for winter and you haven't used any antifreeze! No bad taste and no money spent on antifreeze.
This works for me, but every system is a little different, so be sure and check it out.
Gradyrod
If you have a dock fresh water inlet on your boat, my advice is to take an air compressor, rig up a 3/4 inch male fitting onto a brass pipe with an adaptor on the other end to fit in your air compressor hose. Run the compressor, now attached to the fresh water inlet fitting, and open up each faucet, both hot and cold, and allow the compressed air to blow out all the water in your lines. Now you are ready for winter and you haven't used any antifreeze! No bad taste and no money spent on antifreeze.
This works for me, but every system is a little different, so be sure and check it out.
Gradyrod
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I don't bypass the hot - I drain the hot water tank then pour 7 gallons on anti freeze in and run the faucets hot first and then cold until the pink flows through. In the spring I flush it all out for a few hours and then run some bleach through the system to clean it out. I don't use the water for drinking so I'm not concerned with the taste
Thanks everyone for your opinions. I think this year I will "not" by pass the hot water heater and just drain and add more of the pink stuff. It is a real pain to by pass the hot water.
fwiw, when i did my water heater last year (first year with one) i asked GW about bypassing. they were very specific in recommending AGAINST bypassing the heater. so, i don't bypass. ron
Gman25
GreatGrady Captain
why only 20 psi from compressor?
I am curious why you stated that it's prudent to only allow 20psi from the compressor when blowing out the fw system. Dockside city water pressure is often up to 60 psi, and the pressure reducers many of us install bring the city pressure down to about 40 psi. So why only 20 for the compressor?
Thanks!
Gradyrod
I am curious why you stated that it's prudent to only allow 20psi from the compressor when blowing out the fw system. Dockside city water pressure is often up to 60 psi, and the pressure reducers many of us install bring the city pressure down to about 40 psi. So why only 20 for the compressor?
Thanks!
Gradyrod
Gman25 said:
no, but i would venture a guess that they have experienced a good number of owners forgetting that they bypassed and frying their heaters in the spring or bad results from the bypass itself. it's good enough for me when an mfg recommends against something.
i did just have a :doh moment this morning. this year i will winterize the fresh water system, then drain some of the antifreeze left in the water heater and use for the head tank, sump tank, drains etc. no need to leave a lot of antifreeze in there once it dilutes any water left in the system (i use -100 anyway). ron
I use a male PVC fitting that screws into fresh water filler pipe. You have to remove the chain from the cap for this to work. Then blow the system out with a Shop Vac. Quick and simple without too much pressure on the water system. I open each faucet until they clear then close them and open the drain on the Hot Water heater. Lastly, I pour 3 gals RV antifreeze into the tank and run the pump until I see pink comming out of the hot water drain.
I also unscrew the fittings on the washdown pump and drain the washdown hose so that the nozzel does't freeze and split, like mine did 2 years ago:-(
I also unscrew the fittings on the washdown pump and drain the washdown hose so that the nozzel does't freeze and split, like mine did 2 years ago:-(
update.
winterized yesterday. i paid close attention to the water heater and noted two things. first, the drain is not flush with the bottom of the heater. i don't know if the internal tank is flush with the drain (accounting for insulation?). second, i have an aft tilt so not all water is completely drained from the heater.
these may be why they recommend against a bypass. however, maybe if you put a bypass in and also a "T" in the water intake line, you could just add a gallon of antifreeze directly to the water heater? i'm going to look into it in the spring. ron
winterized yesterday. i paid close attention to the water heater and noted two things. first, the drain is not flush with the bottom of the heater. i don't know if the internal tank is flush with the drain (accounting for insulation?). second, i have an aft tilt so not all water is completely drained from the heater.
these may be why they recommend against a bypass. however, maybe if you put a bypass in and also a "T" in the water intake line, you could just add a gallon of antifreeze directly to the water heater? i'm going to look into it in the spring. ron
I think bypassing also means draining the HW heater with it's own drain valve. Then using the pink stuff to only fill lines and faucets via main FW tank and running hot faucets same as cold faucets.
If bypassing, and you forget to refill HW heater and after turning it on in spring, self destruction.
Much professional advise is based on keeping it simple to avoid screwups. Here, another 6 gal case of pink stuff is cheaper than 300 bucks or more for new heater install.
I'll save the pink stuff xtra cost and place a piece of marked blue tape across the open HW heater breaker on the panel, which reads "STOP". I'll get the message in case I didn't remember.
I do the same with motor VST tanks not to prime until spring, with tape across key sws.
If bypassing, and you forget to refill HW heater and after turning it on in spring, self destruction.
Much professional advise is based on keeping it simple to avoid screwups. Here, another 6 gal case of pink stuff is cheaper than 300 bucks or more for new heater install.
I'll save the pink stuff xtra cost and place a piece of marked blue tape across the open HW heater breaker on the panel, which reads "STOP". I'll get the message in case I didn't remember.
I do the same with motor VST tanks not to prime until spring, with tape across key sws.