obsessive
New Member
I have a 99' 240DA with the 6 Gallon (Atwood?) water heater. This year, I winterized in late October (well before freezing time) with the 'pink' -50 antifreeze. I DID NOT hook up a bypass for the water heater, but DID run approximately 11 gallons through the system.
First, I emptied the fresh water tank as far as I could with the pump, then proceeded to fill it with 9 gallons of antifreeze. I first ran the farthest (from the tank) cold side of the faucet until it turned pink, then ran the cold side of the head faucet, then ran the sprayer on the transom.
I turned my attention to the hot side of the farthest faucet, followed by the hot side of the head faucet. (Yes, I remembered the head and the shower sump, and all drains).
I ran the hot side until the pink color matched the fresh stuff in the remaining container I had (took probably 8 of the gallons through the hot side). I then drained the water heater with the draincock.
My question or concern (your pick) is if I was able to get enough water out of the system doing it this way. I do know the previous owner used the blue stuff, and filled the entire system, as it took forever to flush it in the spring.
The heater maybe only spit out a gallon or so once I opened the draincock (yes, it was the darker pink), but for a 6 gallon, I was suprised to not see much. I stuck a wire up in the drain to make sure it wasn't plugged with sediment (which it wasn't, because no more water came out with the wire in there). I did leave the valve open for the winter.
I do want to mention that I did run the system as DRY as I could with the antifreeze (i.e. I ran pump until no antifreeze left in tank).
Will it empty the water heater running it dry like this (i.e. will it empty all but that gallon of antifreeze from the heater?) I'm unsure what level the pickup tubes are at in the heater. It DOES have a mixer valve for the temperature. It just seems odd that it wasn't very full. It worked fine during the season, but I didn't really 'test' its capacity, as we don't use the hot water much.
I guess I'll end this 'book' and ask. Is this normal? And, did I take the appropriate steps? (I followed a recommendation on this board from others who winterized)
Eric
First, I emptied the fresh water tank as far as I could with the pump, then proceeded to fill it with 9 gallons of antifreeze. I first ran the farthest (from the tank) cold side of the faucet until it turned pink, then ran the cold side of the head faucet, then ran the sprayer on the transom.
I turned my attention to the hot side of the farthest faucet, followed by the hot side of the head faucet. (Yes, I remembered the head and the shower sump, and all drains).
I ran the hot side until the pink color matched the fresh stuff in the remaining container I had (took probably 8 of the gallons through the hot side). I then drained the water heater with the draincock.
My question or concern (your pick) is if I was able to get enough water out of the system doing it this way. I do know the previous owner used the blue stuff, and filled the entire system, as it took forever to flush it in the spring.
The heater maybe only spit out a gallon or so once I opened the draincock (yes, it was the darker pink), but for a 6 gallon, I was suprised to not see much. I stuck a wire up in the drain to make sure it wasn't plugged with sediment (which it wasn't, because no more water came out with the wire in there). I did leave the valve open for the winter.
I do want to mention that I did run the system as DRY as I could with the antifreeze (i.e. I ran pump until no antifreeze left in tank).
Will it empty the water heater running it dry like this (i.e. will it empty all but that gallon of antifreeze from the heater?) I'm unsure what level the pickup tubes are at in the heater. It DOES have a mixer valve for the temperature. It just seems odd that it wasn't very full. It worked fine during the season, but I didn't really 'test' its capacity, as we don't use the hot water much.
I guess I'll end this 'book' and ask. Is this normal? And, did I take the appropriate steps? (I followed a recommendation on this board from others who winterized)
Eric
