You have lost the prime in the A/C with the A/C I remove the strainer cap and then install a new cap that has a hose fitting attached to a tank - that keeps the prime in the system. Finalize winterizing sea cock and good to go. The A/C is less forgiving - the generator is easy.

 

What I have done is put a 3/4" T with a hose fitting and cap between the strainer and pump. I then attached the hose fitting the I use to blow my underground sprinklers out, on to the my AC hose connection... Then I attach my compressor and blow down the strainer. Then I shut off the RW intake, and blow through the AC pump, through the AC HE and out the side of the boat. It takes about 10 minutes. You can blow by the AC pump, but not the water pump. I use the compressor the water system, but don't blow through the pump...

So there is another pump in A/C unit that has lost prime?

I use the pink stuff and flush my system out reverse... meaning I hook up a pump and hose to the outlet side of the ac unit at the through hull. Run the pink reverse till you see it come out pink threw the intake and job finished... the first year I watched the marina do the ac's this way and was ticked they charged 120 bucks to do it... done it 6 years now with never an issue... just be sure it comes out deep pink...

Jason

This sounds like it could work... not sure how to connect the hose to the thru-hull though.

 

What I have done is put a 3/4" T with a hose fitting and cap between the strainer and pump. I then attached the hose fitting the I use to blow my underground sprinklers out, on to the my AC hose connection... Then I attach my compressor and blow down the strainer. Then I shut off the RW intake, and blow through the AC pump, through the AC HE and out the side of the boat. It takes about 10 minutes. You can blow by the AC pump, but not the water pump. I use the compressor the water system, but don't blow through the pump...

 

I was planning on using this same process, Do you need to have the strainer sealed? Same with running pink through the engine block, do I need a cap over the strainer before it will suck the antifreeze? This will be the first winter that Jack Frost meets my boat.:smt089

Jeff

 

According to Groco when I ordered the caps and told them what I was doing they said I needed to buy the gaskets otherwise it wouldn't work well. So it needs to be a tight seal.

 

Groco also makes a flush adapter that screws onto the top of the seacock. Makes it super easy to winterized or flush without loosing prime.

 

I use the pink stuff and flush my system out reverse... meaning I hook up a pump and hose to the outlet side of the ac unit at the through hull. Run the pink reverse till you see it come out pink threw the intake and job finished... the first year I watched the marina do the ac's this way and was ticked they charged 120 bucks to do it... done it 6 years now with never an issue... just be sure it comes out deep pink...

Jason

 

Don't forget to put some pink into your drip pan, enough so as to make the sump box fill and turn on the pump. Unless of course you want some cracked drain hoses. Ask me how I know.

 

I also pumped the pink into the discharge fitting until pink ran out the thu-hull pickup, but I found it helpful to blow the water out of the system first simply by using a wet vac to suck out the water. Too much water mixed with the pink will degrade its effectiveness!

 

I do it in reverse, as well. Just get a rubber hose off whatever pump (hand pump is fine) you want. If it's not the right size already (simply squeeze it into the thru-hull fitting), then just wrap some electrical tape around it till it's a tight fit.

 

I tried to do my A/C by running pink in at the raw water strainer but it would never take. I have a PVC fitting that replaces the strainer cap and then a large funnel attached where I pour the pink in. The pump was running but wouldn't take the pink.
This method worked great on the generator. :smt038....

The difference is that A/C pump is not self primed, so you have to feed it with some force. I use 120v water pump that I connect one end to the container with pink and the other to the hose before the A/C pump. I turn the A/C on, then right away turn the water pump to feed the pink to the A/C pump and whala...the pink goes through the system and comes out of the A/C discharge. :thumbsup:

Groco also makes a flush adapter that screws onto the top of the seacock. Makes it super easy to winterized or flush without loosing prime.

Mike, is this http://www.pyacht.com/groco-engine-flush-kit.htm what you're talking about?

 

I put 4 gals of pink into my water tank... run it through the water system after bypassing the hot water tank. I have a wash down hose on the back deck after getting pink through the hose I place it outside the boat and I made a gasket from 3/16 neopreen. It is 4x4 with a half inch hole in the middle. Take the hose with the gasket and press agains the through hull and I turn my wash down nozzel on... 30 to 45 seconds later all is good and pink and I am finished... will try and get pics this sat as its my day... hope this helps...

Jason

 

I use roughly the same process, but use a end of the hose valve with a garden hose to tubing adaptor. I believe it is 5/8" tubing. This can be inserted into the discharge hull fittings:

Henry

 

No need for my pics Henry has it going on... great job

Jason

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

If I back flush it I will probably have to come up with some sort of seal against the hull fitting. My discharge fitting has internal keys that I assume are used hold it in place as the back nut is tightened, so just stuffing a hose in won't seal up. Maybe I can do a neoprene gasket like Pyrojodge uses.

 

Stuffing it in works better than you might imagine, even with the keys. It works. This is one of those areas where too much thinking causes more work.

 

After reading this thread I did a little search in You tube for winterizing a boat and found this. I may buy one. Update.. The price is $69. A little steep for a plastic funnel. I am not buying one.

[video=youtube;E0N-9Hrw9Pc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0N-9Hrw9Pc&NR=1[/video]
[video=youtube;Luxs1NdX2Fc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Luxs1NdX2Fc[/video]

 

Is it really this easy? This is my first year with the boat and was thinking of doing some of this work myself... maybe have the yacht yard to do the engine and outdrive service and I'll winterize the H20, AC, and head systems, especially if its so easy a 10 year old can do it. I have the technical capacity of at least a 12 year old :lol: so I should be good right?

 

10yo is about the only human that would fit in most of our bilges.

And YES, it is that easy. I use one of these filled with cherry juice...

 

It is very easy to do... When spring comes you can see how well you did... I would recommend for your first time you have a friend who has successfully done his boat, help you...

 

Mor my AC, I blow Low Pressure (LP) air via a compressor back from the pee hole through the system the way Dennis recommends. After about 30 seconds of bubbles, I close the seacock.

Good idea about the condensate pan. I never thought of that.

I blow out my fresh water system the same way. Although this year after blowing it out, I may run a couple of gallons of pink through it it because of some low spots in the piping. I know of some who just pour in a couple of gallons of cheap vodka in the fresh water system to keep it from freezing.

The engines are a cakewalk as they have the air evac systems and I have an Xtreme ER heater

 

It really is that simple... make sure it is good and pink through out and no problems I've done my own water system now for 6 years and can't believe what the marinas charge. Also if you have a hot water tank bypass it and drain it with the drain screw... good luck we're here to help.

Jason

 

This would also be my first time winterizing myself (all but engines). Sounds easy but how do you bypass the HW Heater?

 

If you have the blue and red hose with white fittings, you can do the same thing without the resorting to Home Despot. The white fittings have a grey cir clip on the end. Pop that off, then push the collar down into the fitting body. The hose will then pull out. Remove one hose and fitting from the water heater (Hot) , remove the other (cold) hose from its fitting, leaving the fitting on the heater. Now just insert the cold hose into the hot fitting, pull the collar up and insert circlip. The trick is to make sure the hose bottoms in the fitting.

I know it sounds obvious, but make sure you drain the tank first and have the electric switch turned off, and have the the water pump off.

Henry

 

Make yourself one of these - all parts available at my favorite marine store - Home Depot.

 

good photo Ron..:thumbsup:

Jason

 

Disclaimer...
That is not active rust on the tank exterior. I took the whole "box" apart when I got the boat b/c the HWH wasn't getting hot. Had to replace the element and all's been well since. That rust was there then and still is, but it did NOT affect the tank itself - That box surrounds insulation which surrounds a cylinder, which is the tank (kinda like a propane cylinder).

 

disclaimer read... hope you didn't think I was trying to be a smart arse... was just glad to see I was bypassing corectly...

Jason

 

NOT AT ALL! I know there are some folks out there who will criticize all sorts of little flaws that pictures like this reveal, so I wanted to head them off at the pass! To be honest, if I saw that pic I'd be horrified. When I took the tank apart to get to the element, each and every screw was rusted and corroded beyond recognition. But I was thrilled to find the tank in perfect condition.

 

I use a water supply hose to make the bypass, I found it alot easier to work with being flexible.

 

Just back from finishing up the winterizing. I bought a 12 volt utility pump from Harbor Freight and connected it to my fitting that replaces the strainer cap... stuck the feeding end into a gallon of pink, turned the A/C on and then the pump... got the pink out of the thru-hull! Easy, worked like a champ. :smt038

I then went to finish the motors. Trying to do the HW coil, I managed to get one hose off the HW tank, the other on the engine was not cooperating. I noticed a removable brass plug right in top of the T-stat housing and figured to pour pink in there and not have to remove any more hoses. Poured about 3 1/2 gallons of pink in and it began to come out of the HW coil where I had taken the hose loose. I put that hose back on and continued to pour till the pink came out of the blue plug hole in the T-stat housing. Poured another 3 1/2 gallons in the starboard motor till it came out of the T-stat housing and called it done.

Not so bad once you learn the systems... thanks for the help! :thumbsup: