Fresh water system winterizing problem

[hack4alivin]

Yesterday while at the Marina two friends of mine were winterizing their fresh water systems. Both of them run the faucets until the tank was empty and getting only air out the faucets. Then they poured 8 gallons of the pink stuff into the fresh water tank. After that they opened one faucet at a time. The only thing coming out was air; it would not pump the pink stuff. Shutting off the valves and the fresh water pump just kept running. This went on for several hours.

Now if this just happened on one of the boats I would chalk it up to owner error, but two? What you keep the pump from building the pressure? Dirty filter??

I am going to do my next week, and do not want the same issues.

 

[searaycruisn]

They need to put more pink stuff in the tank. We had the same issue with a friend of mine's boat. It is a 44' Cruisers....2 heads, big hot water tank. It seems that the larger boats need more pink to get enough water in to fill the hot water tank, etc. before finally making it to the faucets.

When we had the problem, the water pump was acting just as you described. We added a few more gallons of pink, and things started to flow.

What size boats?

 

[hack4alivin]

2000 33 and a 2002 340. My fresh water tank is 40 gallons, I would think 8 gallons, or 1/5 the tank would be enough:huh:

 

[Air O'Nautical]

Hot water heater bypassed? If not, you need enough to fill it (6 or 11gal.) plus all the lines. So, 6gal. heater + 2 for the lines...prob.need more.

 

[Sundancer]

I'd disconnect the line from the tank or the pump and use that line to suck from the gallon jugs. Bypass the heater to eliminate the additional 6 - 11 gallons you'll need and it also keeps the water tasting better in the spring. There is a drain on the tank that will allow all of the water to drain out. Pull the two hoses, inbound cold and outbound hot and connect them. You'll only need a few gallons to do your whole system. The freshwater tank will drain when you disconnect the hose to the pump.

Some of the RV antifreeze has a mint flavor and it's impossible to get that out of the tanks. Using it in the lines only will make spring commissioning a lot easier!

 

[Air O'Nautical]

I will admit to being lazy.
I drain everything, then dump three cases of pink in the tank and run taps until pink. I need the extra pink in the tank because, we use the boat in the colder weeks before storage and the head works fine flushing pink.
Better to use more than less. If you ever have to trace a water leak in the spring from a little ice...you would gladly pay for a few extra gallons of antifreeze now!
Have fun,
Mark.

 

[Skuza]

Probably just didn't have enough in there to get the pump to prime. I pour in 12 gallons just to be on the safe side. I'd rather have a little too much than not enough. Like Air O Nautical said, the few extra buks on antifreeze is way better than cracked lines! I mean really the stuff is $4-5 a gallon tops so why not!

 

[quality time]

When my tank runs dry, I need to prime the pump. Try taking the line off of the pump outlet and bleeding the air out.