winterizing with air

G

gyrospiro

Member
Oct 3, 2006
307
Minnesota
Boat Info
1998 370 DA
Engines
T-7.4 310hp V-drives
I remember a post about using an air compressor to winterize the fresh water system but I cant seem to find it.
does anybody use air to winterize if so..

what psi do you set compressor to?
what about the vacu flush?

any other tips appreciated..
thank you
 
I used to winterize my 240SD's fresh water system without antifreeze. The whole idea is to drain the system first and then used compressed air to blow out any water remaining in the lines and faucets. To do that, you need a an air compressor (or large portable tank) and a rubber tip air gun. I would always open the faucets one at a time statring with the one furthest from the tank. Then I would remove the water line at the water pump and put the rubber tip tool up to the pipe and blow compressed air thru it until air was coming out the faucet end. I'd repeat that for every faucet.

On your Sundancer it will be a bit more involved than that because of the hot water tank and the fact you have hot and cold lines. I guess you will have to decide if you want to try it like that or just use the pink stuff instead. On your vacuflush system I think I would just drain the holding tank and pour pink stuff right into the toilet a few times operating the vacuflush pump each time. That way the pump gets winterized and remaining "liquid" in the holding tank is winterized as well.
 
I use an air compressor to winterize my water systems. The gage is broken so I don't know what PSI I am using but it is enough to blow water out without damaging anything. Common sense is the key.

I use it on the vaccu flush systems as well. Just keep lifting the pedal until nothing but air escapes.

Open the drain spigot on the hot water heater and let the water drain into the bilge (or a bucket if you prefer) then, with all the other spigots closed, let air blow through the hot water system.

It may sound confusing (I am not describing the process very well) but it is actually quite easy. Don't forget the sumps (grey water and A/C condensation) and I do use some antifreeze in the heads and holding tank but I am not really sure why.... :huh:
 
I actually use both air and the pink stuff. The Air works very well but I just don't want to have any problems in the spring and it's worth $20 in antifreeze. Look for a special adaptor at West Marine or online that allows you to plug you air compressor into the water inlet at the stern of your boat. Screw the adapter in, put your compressor line on the air inlet as if it were a bike tire. Dial in around 30-35 psi or so. Then let friend open each and every water facuet/outlet until no more water comes out... (I do each line twice, starting with the line closest to the street water inlet.) Hot Water heater needs a bit more work as you need to get the water out and definately leave some pink in it to help with corrosion.
 
If you push air from the fresh water street inlet, than how would you get all the water out of the line in the area between the fresh water holding tank and the faucet furthest away from the street water inlet? It seems to me that you would be "pushing" the water into the line in that area. On my current 410DA, and 380DA, that would include the fresh water pump..... :smt018

I would seem to me that if you want to use air, you would either have to pressurize the fresh water holding tank (with a fitting as decribed above in the fresh water holding tank deck cap) or break the line immediately after the fresh water holding and then pressurize the fresh water lines from that direction. IMHO....that is.

I use Pink Stuff. I break the line just after the fresh water holding tank and put about 3-4 gallons of Pink Stuff in a five gallon bucket and connect a hose from the bucket to the inlet side of the fresh water pump. Then I go around and turn on every thing until pink comes out.
 
I use compressed air to winterize my 370. I made an adapter that has a male garden hose fitting on one end and a male air QD on the other. I use a small portable compressor that I have and turn the regulator down to about 35 psi. I connect the air to the dock side connector and then go around to each water outlet and open it up until all the water comes out. To get the line between the water pump and the first valve on that end of the system (the cold water valve in the shower) I installed a 1/2" "T" on the outlet side of the fresh water pump. Connected to the "T" is a 1/2" gate valve to which a 6 foot long piece of vinyl tubing is connected. To drain this part of the system I put the end of the tubing in a bucket and open up the gate valve. I then dump a gallon or two of pink in the water tank and let the fresh water pump draw it up and pump in through the tubing to the bucket to protect the tank and the pump. To drain the water heater I installed a female garden hose fitting with a tubing nipple and another 6 foot piece of tubing to the drain valve on the water heater. With the system presurized with air I open up the drain valve and put the end of the tubing in a bucket, letting all the water come out until it is gone. These two "modifications" to the water system have been in place for years and work great. I can drain the entire system in just a few minutes and in the spring I have very little pink stuff to flush out of the system
 
J Levine said:
......... To get the line between the water pump and the first valve on that end of the system (the cold water valve in the shower) I installed a 1/2" "T" on the outlet side of the fresh water pump. Connected to the "T" is a 1/2" gate valve to which a 6 foot long piece of vinyl tubing is connected. To drain this part of the system I put the end of the tubing in a bucket and open up the gate valve. I then dump a gallon or two of pink in the water tank and let the fresh water pump draw it up and pump in through the tubing to the bucket to protect the tank and the pump. ........
Click to expand...

Nice modification, however, what about the water in the line between the cold water valve in the shower and the "T" on the oulet side of the fresh water pump?

If I may, a 3-way valve in the line after the oultlet side of the fresh water pump would offer you the ability to open "it" as the "last" valve in your system while pushing air. Then, when it's time to pump that bit of pink through the pump and into the bucket, you could turn the 3-way in the other direction.
 
Dom

The "T" is on the outlet side not the inlet side so all I have to do is open the gate valve and the water between the shower and the pump comes out the tubing. Then, while the gate valve is still open I dump some pink in the water tank and pump it though the tube. My appologies if I confused you in my description.
 
empty hot water and run fresh water dry. by pass the HWH, connect a reservoir of pink to the inlet side of the fresh water pump. run all til pink. then i fill a 1 gallon garden sprayer with pink stuff, pump it up and plug it into the dockside water hookup and pump it in. i kinda dont trust air pressure.

what's the going rate for pink stuff these days. it's a real pain sending in all those stupid rebates to west marine. :smt013
 
Inside heated storage continues to look better and better. Drain the water tank, pump the head, stabilize the fuel, change the fluids and filters, wash the boat. It's done.
 
rondds said:
what's the going rate for pink stuff these days. it's a real pain sending in all those stupid rebates to west marine. :smt013
Click to expand...

Look for the same stuff at an Ace hardware, Wal-Mart or even your local grocery store. It's usually a lot cheaper and you don't have to deal with the rebate. I've seen it for $2.99 a gallon and I usually need three for the boat and two or three for the travel trailer. After I'm done, I find the extra's that I didn't use from the previous year!
 
I just had my engine guy tell me about winterizing with air, it sounds very interesting. I guess the major benefit is not having to deal with getting the pink stuff out in the spring.... other than not doing a good job and missing some water, are there any other downsides?

Thanks in advance!

Ryan
 
The only problem I've experienced with the pink stuff is they add a "mint" flavor that is tough to get rid of after spring commissioning. After flushing the tank a few times, you still taste it. There are techniques to get rid of it, but it's kind of a pain. I don't have a compressor, but may invest in one to winterize both boats and the trailer.
 
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