[C320-list] easy way to winterize the raw water and conform toABYC code?

[Jeff Hare]

Be *super* careful here. :-) Al Ahlman used a brass cap on his prestone flush T fitting and it developed a pinhole corrosion leak within one season, and went back to the prestone cap. Never use brass in a marine setting below the waterline. He's since sold the boat and passed survey with flying colors. 

For what it's worth, I've had the prestone T installed with double clamps for going on 10 years and it's still in perfect shape, so i'm not sure about the clamp problem mentioned.

I suspect the Y valve will be quite a production to install securely in the available space I believe, and then you'll have to find additional fittings to get it to connect to a standard garden hose. 

Cheers!
Jeff

Chris Descher <cdescher at cedtulsa.com> wrote:

I don't have any specs, but I'll get some pictures the next time that I'm
there. I can move the tube from one bottle to the other with no problem.

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com]On Behalf Of Fred
LEcuyer
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 4:13 PM
To: Catalina320list Catalina320list
Subject: Re: [C320-list] easy way to winterize the raw water and conform
toABYC code?



Chris:

Do you have the specs on the T valve and siphon hose? Can you move the
siphon tube from one bottle to the other while runninig or do you have to
pour them into a bucket?

Fred
First Light
Hull #926


> From: cdescher at cedtulsa.com
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:33:14 -0500
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] easy way to winterize the raw water and conform
toABYC code?
>
> I think that I've got something like what you're describing. It's a brass
T
> valve installed between the through hull and the engine. In one position,
> it lets raw water pass through. In the other position I can feed
> antifreeze. When I want to winterize, I take a couple of gallon jugs of
> antifreeze to the aft cabin. Then I put one end of a 6' section of vinyl
> tube on the empty hose barb of the T valve and the other end of the hose
> goes in the antifreeze jug. I start the engine, turn the T valve to the
> antifreeze position, and by the time I've run two gallons of antifreeze
> through, it's done. I can assemble, winterize, and disassemble in well
> under five minutes. This allows me to easily use the boat throughout the
> winter with minimal hassle. I don't know about ABYC code, but it works.
>
> Chris Descher
> #500
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com]On Behalf Of Alan
> Goodman
> Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 3:26 PM
> To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] easy way to winterwise the raw water and conform
> toABYC code?
>
>
>
>
> I recently was looking through the Forespar catalog
> (http://www.forespar.com/pdf/M20-marelon-plumbing-product-chart.pdf) for
> head vent parts, and while doing so a thought occurred to me. I have been
> seeking a permanent way to provide easy addition of antifreeze to flush
the
> raw water side of the engine. I looked at adding a Prestone radiator
flush
> kit into the water supply hose after the raw water intake seacock, but I
was
> concerned about (i) inability to properly double clamp the hose as per
ABYC
> standards for below water line fittings, (ii) whether it was wise to trust
a
> screw on type cap to seal the flush kit (leaks or failure would be very
bad
> !!), (iii) would I pass a marine survey when I sell the boat in the future
> or (iv) would I jepordize my insurance coverage in the event the
> 'non-marine' part failed and flooded the boat. A standard Forespar 'Y
> valve' (such as part number 902001 MF 853 found at
> http://www.forespar.com/pdf/M20-marelon-plumbing-product-chart.pdf) would
> provide a two source supply to the raw water system and meet all ABYC
> requirements. One leg provides fresh water from the thru-hull and the
other
> leg of the Y valve allows the antifreeze supply line to be directly
plumbed
> into the raw water system. Which supply stream (either raw water or
> anti-freeze) proceeds through the strainer and into the engine block is
> controlled by appropriate positioning of the Y valve handle. Thoughts?
> Alan Hull 67 Holland MI
>
>