Best way to drain down 270 Heat exchanger for Freeze protect

H

Hotlanta

New Member
Oct 15, 2006
91
Alpharetta GA
Boat Info
270 SD 2005 -
Engines
496 I/O
This past weekend I drained down the fresh water tank and the head. I also used the hand pump to empty the heat exchanger for a short winter nap. (I'm praying for a indian summer)

How do I know when the exchanger is actually empty if the boat is in a wet slip? The water seems to continue until I release the pressure.

Suggestions?
 
anyone else heard of this

Has anyone elso had this issue?

Also I got a call from my marina today,they said the Army corp specs that I have to put my trickle charger in 10 Gage extention and a GFI between the cord and the trickle charger.
Sounds extreme. $$$$$ :smt100
 
Wire should be sized so that it is protected by the circuit breaker that feeds it.
A 15 amp breaker will protect #14 or larger wire.
A 20 amp breaker will protect #12 or larger wire.
A 30 amp breaker will protect #10 or larger wire.

So if you are plugged in to a 30 amp breaker, you need 10 gauge wire to make sure the breaker protects the wire from over current.

When connected to shore power, you would normally have the boat end plugged into the shore power connector of your boat, which will have the safety protections built in.

If you are just plugging in an extension cord to shore power, with a normal outlet on the other end, then you don't have that protection. If you plug a defective charger with some current leakage to the case into the end of an extension cord, and hand it to your friend Joe standing in his aluminum fishing boat, you could both get fried on the spot. The GFI protects you in this case, same as it does with you and your hair dryer by the bathroom sink.

Not sure my above situations are what you are really doing, but if so, I think what they are asking for is warranted.
 
Hotlanta, That is one of the reasons I had true shore power added to my 240. Was told by Bald Ridge that the CORE and their insurance would not allow any power plug ins unless it was with a standard shore power setup.
 
Hotlanta, what I posted above is just why I think they are asking for those requirements. I don't mean to imply it will work for you. Depending on your trickle charger (whether the safety ground has any connection to the charger output) and any stray currents that may occur from time to time at the marina, it may be possible that ground current would flow that would trip the GFI. Then you would be without power.

Before I invested in such an endeavor, I would try and find out if it is working for others at that location, or whether there is any history of it working.

Let me try and be a bit more specific. The charger output current that goes to the battery should be provided by the hot and neutral leads into the charger. But if it has a third safety ground on the plug, and it is not totally isolated from the DC output, then when the boat becomes part of a current path in the marina with other boats, that current could go through the ground safety wire and trip the GFI. I don't have real life experience with this situation, but tripping the GFI would not surprise me. I think that the way the GFI units are built, it will normally only sense an imbalance of AC current, not DC. So maybe I am being a bit alarmist here, as I think most marina current flow problems are DC. Just a heads up, something to consider.
 
Great topic about the shore power issue going to start a new thread in the General area to see if we get more hits on.
 
Hotlanta,
I can understand fogging or fuel stablizer because lack of use. I gotta ask why you need to drain any of these? I checked your average temperatures for Alphretta and the the mean temp is around 40 degrees. Lows dip below freezing but you mention you are wetslipped and I can't imagine the water getting below freezing.

Just wondering!
 
That is a good question.
Even though it only freezes for a few weeks in Feb. Several years ago I lost a block due to freezing. Lucky insurance picked it up since I did pay the shop to winterize it. This new boat has a closed loop anti freeze system but the heat exchanger is above the water line and does not gain much from the warmer lake water effect.
Having been burned once I am over sensitive I guess.
 
oh, I understand your concern/caution!

Ever consider investing some money in a compartment heater instead of winterization?? I know there is an outside shot the the power will be out when it freezes but if you have a prolong cold spell could you check on the boat every couple of days or so?
 
Re: Best way to drain down 270 Heat exchanger for Freeze pro

Hotlanta said:
This past weekend I drained down the fresh water tank and the head. I also used the hand pump to empty the heat exchanger for a short winter nap. (I'm praying for a indian summer)

How do I know when the exchanger is actually empty if the boat is in a wet slip? The water seems to continue until I release the pressure.

Suggestions?
Click to expand...

Flush a little with anti freeze (pink stuff), than there is no risk.

Peter
 
IMHO the only way to go is with a bilge heater :thumbsup:
 
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