Winterizing the Splendide Washer-Dryer

[JNMNL52]

Looking at winterizing my fresh water systems myself for the first time. All seems pretty straight forward but is there anything unique to get anti-freeze into the washer-dryer?

 

[cod]

Just did mine yesterday.. There are winterizing instructions in the manual. If you dont have it, you can download it. You need to go thru a series of steps. Put water temp to hot, set dial to regular, allow drum to fill with antifreeze, then turn the dial to the spin cycle to remove the antifreeze. Then you need to do the same steps with putting the temperature to cold. Before you do this, be sure to run antifreeze thru all your fixtures first so that you know there is antifreeze up to the manifold from which the hot and cold water lines connect to. You should also be bypassing your hot water tank so your not using all the antifreeze filling the tank.

 

[JNMNL52]

Just did mine yesterday.. There are winterizing instructions in the manual. If you dont have it, you can download it. You need to go thru a series of steps. Put water temp to hot, set dial to regular, allow drum to fill with antifreeze, then turn the dial to the spin cycle to remove the antifreeze. Then you need to do the same steps with putting the temperature to cold. Before you do this, be sure to run antifreeze thru all your fixtures first so that you know there is antifreeze up to the manifold from which the hot and cold water lines connect to. You should also be bypassing your hot water tank so your not using all the antifreeze filling the tank.

Thanks; this is very helpful. Just found the detailed instructions on line. I intend to bypass the hotwater heater. Do you empty your water tank or place anti-freeze in it?

 

[cod]

I do both...I'm not a fan of the antifreeze but realize its the easiest route for the washing machine and the ice maker in the galley and cockpit. I first empty the water tank. Then I connect a compressor to the "city water inlet" and blow all the lines out (sinks, showers, toilets, hose spickets). I then drain the hot water heater. I have permanent set up with ball valves to the hot water heater with a bypass loop with a ball valve which makes by passing the hot water heater very easy. After all lines are blown out, I shut off all the valves on the manifolds to all the fixtures except the washing machine, galley ice maker and cockpit ice maker and galley sink. I then put antifreeze in the water tank and turn the galley sink on until I see antifreeze coming out the hot and cold. That's when I go thru the steps for the washing machine and put the lever down to make ice. I leave the ice makers on until pink is coming out.
This method seems to minimize the pink antifreeze which seemed like it took forever to get rid of the first time I put it thru the entire system. I don't know if there is an easier way to do the ice makers. The cockpit ice make is easy enough to disconnect the supply line but I don't have any interest in pulling the freezer out in the galley every year to disconnect the water line.

Also, by putting antifreeze in the tank allows the antifreeze to go thru the fresh water pump and it's water lines which are separate lines from the city water inlet line. This can be blown out also with compressed air if you so desire, just another step.

 

[JNMNL52]

I do both...I'm not a fan of the antifreeze but realize its the easiest route for the washing machine and the ice maker in the galley and cockpit. I first empty the water tank. Then I connect a compressor to the "city water inlet" and blow all the lines out (sinks, showers, toilets, hose spickets). I then drain the hot water heater. I have permanent set up with ball valves to the hot water heater with a bypass loop with a ball valve which makes by passing the hot water heater very easy. After all lines are blown out, I shut off all the valves on the manifolds to all the fixtures except the washing machine, galley ice maker and cockpit ice maker and galley sink. I then put antifreeze in the water tank and turn the galley sink on until I see antifreeze coming out the hot and cold. That's when I go thru the steps for the washing machine and put the lever down to make ice. I leave the ice makers on until pink is coming out.
This method seems to minimize the pink antifreeze which seemed like it took forever to get rid of the first time I put it thru the entire system. I don't know if there is an easier way to do the ice makers. The cockpit ice make is easy enough to disconnect the supply line but I don't have any interest in pulling the freezer out in the galley every year to disconnect the water line.

Also, by putting antifreeze in the tank allows the antifreeze to go thru the fresh water pump and it's water lines which are separate lines from the city water inlet line. This can be blown out also with compressed air if you so desire, just another step.

Great procedures. Will follow the same. So if you are blowing out the dock water line, there is no need to add anti-freeze to that section water hose correct? Also, assuming you winterize your engines and genset, how many gallons do you use for each?

 

[cod]

Correct, the dock water line is where you are connecting your air compressor to. If yours is like mine, there is a hose spicket next to the dock water line inlet. Be sure to open that up to blow it out. Also, don't forget to blow out the hose spicket in the bilge if you have one and the anchor locker if you have one there too. In regards to the engines, I use 8 gallons/ engine and 3 gallons for the generator. This is more than needed (5gals. and 2 gals. respectively) but better to be safe on this issue. Another thing I did to make life easy was buy a 20 gallon pale and mounted a shower drain fitting on the bottom side with a long hose, fittings and shut-off valve. I first fill the pale with fresh water and put a hose in it and flush the engine. Then I put the antifreeze in the pale afterwards and winterize. Here is a photo of my set up.