Icemaker winterization

[Zorba]

I really hate posting here but in one short month OPA will be out of the water. I've never had an icemaker before and i'm not really sure how to go about winterizing it. Good with all of the other items but I'm a little stumped on this one.

If there is antifreeze in the tray how do I get it out in the spring... since it won't freeze?

 

[JOHN R.316]

Alex,
I winterize my water tank as normal procedure (pink). simply let your ice maker go through cycle and make pink slush. the water line to ice-maker now has pink antifreeze. One tip for water system don't forget every faucet run to pink also galley sink sprayer.

 

[Zorba]

Alex,
I winterize my water tank as normal procedure (pink). simply let your ice maker go through cycle and make pink slush. the water line to ice-maker now has pink antifreeze. One tip for water system don't forget every faucet run to pink also galley sink sprayer.

Thanks John, I was hoping it was as simple as that. What do you do in the spring to rid the ice tray of pink?

 

[Someday Lady II]

The way I do it is I shut the valve to the icemaker and take the line off before I begin running pink through the system. I let the ice maker run for awhile to let the water in the machine dry up and run out and leave the line off for the winter. I don't put pink in the water tank, I just run the water system until it all runs dry and then hook up a separate container to the pressure pump and run it through everything but the ice maker and the hot water tank.

 

[JOHN R.316]

Alex,
You have to De-winterize it! Like the rest of your water system. After you flush the water tank, make about three or four batches of ice-cubs. no more pink.

 

[Zorba]

Thanks guys. It's not quite time to do it yet but want to be prepared come November.

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

You can also skip the "pink" thing totally.

I disconnect my water hose (once running the holding tank dry) just AFTER the water pump. Next, connect an air hose (I made one with a garden hose type fitting on one end and the quick connect compressor fitting at the other) to the disconnected water supply hose fitting and pressurize it to 20lbs using a small electric compressor. Simply begin to open each tap until the water runs out and compressed air begins to escape, then turn off the taps. Remember to flush your Vacuflush toilet repeatably too since it uses potable water too.

Open the icemaker's cover and manually turn the gears with an appropriate sized socket to start the "harvest cycle". The unit will open its water valve at the end of the cycle to refill the tray with water. Repeat the cycle until you hear compressed air - just like will all the hot/cold water taps.

Lastly, open the manual water valve on your hot water heater which will get most of the water out of your tank to prevent freezing damage. This is easier than bypassing the HWH in my opinion.

To be absolutely safe, you can repeat the purging process numerous times to ensure that you've gotten almost all of the water out of the system and it only takes a few more minutes. Any remaining moisture will not damage the lines since there will be ample air gaps into which it can expand as it freezes.

The best part is that in the spring there's no flushing of pink, or flavoured ice cubes!

 

[electricaldoctor]

It's n icemaker. Not to worry if there is water left in the tray. Just disconnect the water line at the solenoid valve, run the pink out of the supply line and you are done.