Fresh water tank

[Golfman25]

It’s after Labor Day so I can post this winterization question. Boat is stored inside, heated. I usually run the fresh water tank empty and leave it at that. This year I have a fresh water pump that is acting up and I’ll be working on it and possibly replacing it over the winter. Plan was to do it early, say November/December, And then run the tank dry once everything is fixed. Any issues? Should I put some form of water treatment in? Thanks in advance.

 

[mrsrobinson]

Not sure if you're concerned about it freezing, or odor or other issues. If you trust the place won't lose electricity and it's heated, I don't see any issues. You can always drain it now then take 5 to 10 gallons of water with you when you're ready to do the repair, put that into water tank to do/test the repair.

 

[DaleM]

I always just run the pump until the faucets sputter. That's it for the tank. I don't put pink in the tank itself as there's plenty of room for any expansion. As far as winterizing the FW system itself I put a gallon of pink right to the pump with a short section of pex and then run it through like that after bypassing the HW tank.

 

[Fill Ess]

I would run it dry and leave it. The first year I had a Sundancer, it was the end of the season so I had the marina winterize it and they just poured some pink in the tank and left it all winter.

In the 3-4 years I kept the boat, I was never able to get the water back to normal -- even with countless different treatments I tried. Eventually it seemed fine to me, but my wife and daughter always complained about the water until I sold the boat.

 

[Skybolt]

It’s after Labor Day so I can post this winterization question. Boat is stored inside, heated. I usually run the fresh water tank empty and leave it at that. This year I have a fresh water pump that is acting up and I’ll be working on it and possibly replacing it over the winter. Plan was to do it early, say November/December, And then run the tank dry once everything is fixed. Any issues? Should I put some form of water treatment in? Thanks in advance.

If your inside and heated, then I would think you will be fine until you replace the pump. But Where you are heated or not, I wouldn't leave any amount of water in the tank late December on.

I never put anything in the tank ever. Even when I use to use rv anti-freeze in the water line it was never from the tank. Now I just use compressed air to evacuate the system.

 

[Creekwood]

For the first time last year I used a compressor to blow out all my water system. I left the water tank empty and didn't use any antifreeze. I expect there was a tiny bit of water in the bottom, but I didn't worry about it. I still do the bleach tank and system flush in the spring to make sure any stale water is sanitized. I wouldn't want to add bleach in the fall because it probably will deteriorate some things in the system like seals in taps and maybe the plastic fittings and pump parts. I think the PEX is probably bleach-safe. Not sure about all the rest though.

 

[Shaps]

I bypass the Hot Water Heater, blow the lines out with air and pour a couple of gallons of cheap-ish (80 proof) vodka into the tank. Figure any residual water will mix with the alcohol and not freeze as well as somewhat sanitizes the bottom of the tank.

 

[DaleM]

Creekwood - I do the same thing by hooking up to the dock water inlet after I run a gallon of pink through the FW system and leave all the faucets open. We put filtered water from the dock in the FW tank during the season and actually drink it. With the very little pink it takes to winterize and then using compressed air after the water tastes like our home water.

 

[Stee6043]

I leave my tank half full each winter so I can wash my hands, rinse stuff off, wash the topside, whatever else I want water for over winter. I use this stuff in the fall and then bleach the tank in the spring. Works for me.

 

[b_arrington]

I like the suggestion to drain the tank, then take down some water when you want to replace the pump. You could opt to not connect the outlet side of the pump when doing your testing so that you don't put water though the system. Just let it run out into the bilge to test it.

You do have to have high confidence that your storage facility won't loose power/heat. Lots of damage occurs because of unexpected cold/power failures.

I gave up using anti-freeze in the water system. Its expensive, and leaves a horrible odor/taste in the system. I've been using my air compressor to blow out the water lines for years. It works really well.

I made a video of how I do it on my current boat.

 

[mrsrobinson]

100% compressed air for me now as well. Did it last year for the first time, happy with the results. I connected the air compressor to the dock fresh water line on the stern of the boat. Learned this from @SKybolt

I like the suggestion to drain the tank, then take down some water when you want to replace the pump. You could opt to not connect the outlet side of the pump when doing your testing so that you don't put water though the system. Just let it run out into the bilge to test it.

You do have to have high confidence that your storage facility won't loose power/heat. Lots of damage occurs because of unexpected cold/power failures.

I gave up using anti-freeze in the water system. Its expensive, and leaves a horrible odor/taste in the system. I've been using my air compressor to blow out the water lines for years. It works really well.

I made a video of how I do it on my current boat.

This! Good video

And don't forget your sink drains. My head sink has a P Trap, which I never thought about until I recently replaced the faucet and had to remove it for elbow/arm room. I will drain it this year.