[C320-list] Winterizing - Hot water heater bypass // Regarding concerns about using antifreeze in the water system

[Rick Sulewski]

Rough Draft,

The answer to your question is" No, there is no concern about running water
system antifreeze through your entire system. 

Given the cost and hassle of replacing a hot water tank in the spring, I
spend the extra dollars on antifreeze and the extra 30 minutes to do the
job. I experienced no water system freeze problems over our 15 seasons with
the 320 up here on the south shore of Lake Erie.

If you are in a climate where it often reaches a hard freeze you can be sure
that doing using antifreeze will ensure the greatest level of protection. In
fact, you can recover much of your antifreeze if you first run the tanks dry
and then winterize the cold water side first beginning with the longest run
to the stern shower. 

Note: Recovering the antifreeze is a matter of pushing the remaining water
out of the lines and faucets and then recover the antifreeze by emptying the
water tanks and then draining the remaining antifreeze from the hot water
tank.

Tips: Do not drain the hot water tank until after the cold side has been
winterized. After winterizing the cold side, drain the hot water tank of
water and then run antifreeze from your water tanks to the hot water tank
and winterize the hot water side. Lastly, run all of the antifreeze out of
the water tanks and recover it for another season's use. I add a couple of
gallons of -100 degree pink antifreeze to strengthen what was diluted from
the remaining water in the hot water tank will not drain. I purchase the
-100 degree antifreeze at Tractor Supply and I am good to go with the
recovered antifreeze for the next season. 


Spring Launch Note: Flushing the hot water tank of any residual antifreeze
can be addressed by filling the hot water tank and then draining it into the
bilge a couple of times to eliminate the pink antifreeze from the water
system.

Hope this explanation serves to answer your question.

Rick
My-Ria #277


-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of pjaarch
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:54 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] [SPAM] Re: Winterizing - Hot water heater bypass

I will be winterizing my 320 for the first time.  Is there any concern of 
running the antifreeze through the system and then running it all back out 
through the faucets?

Rough Draft
C320 #722

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Hare" <catalina at thehares.com>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:18 AM
Subject: [SPAM] Re: [C320-list] Winterizing - Hot water heater bypass


> Brad,
>
> In my opinion, it isn't worth the effort to rig a bypass.
>
> It only takes about a half hour total to winterize the water system (more 
> the first time you do it).
>
> Even if you bypass the water heater,  you'll still have to disconnect the 
> hot water outlet line and use a shop vac or compressor to empty the HW 
> tank. It still has nearly 2 gallons in it after it stops draining on it's 
> own.
> It literally takes only a few min to vac out all the water lines from the 
> varous faucets and no antifreeze needed.  Don't forget the stern shower.
>
> -Jeff H.
> ------Original Message------
> From: Brad Kuether
> Sender: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> ReplyTo: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] Winterizing - Hot water heater bypass
> Sent: Oct 6, 2009 8:06 AM
>
> Hearing from listers and even the broken when I bought the boat, 
> apparently there is a way to "bypass" the hot water heater when running 
> the antifreeze through the water lines.
>
> I spent about an hour with a flashlight trying to understand what fed what

> and I think I might understand how its done.
>
> Cold Line
>
>  a.. The cold line comes in from under the pan
>  b.. T's up towards the sink and water heater
>  c.. T's again to split between the sink and water heater.
>  d.. The end that goes towards the water heater goes through a very short 
> metal pipe.
>  e.. Then goes through a fitting an into the water heater.
>
> Hot Line
>
>  a.. The hot line comes out through a reinforced rubber hose.
>  b.. The rubber hose has two hose clamps on each end.
>  c..  It then T's off to feed the sink, head, and cockpit shower.
>
> I am thinking, taking the hot water line off (easy due to the hose clamps)

> and attaching it to the cold line somehow.
>
> Here are the questions:
>
>  a.. Can lines from the T's be removed taken apart whatever, and then be 
> put back together and not leak?
>  b.. Do you need another short line to do the bridging?
>  c.. Any other wisdom I should know about?
>
> Thanks in advance for any all advice.
>
> -Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
> "Independence"
> 2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
> Middle River, MD
>
>
>
>