[C320-list] Winterizing the Air Conditioner

[Dean Vermeire]

If this information is already posted, I apologize for the repetitive 
redundancy...

I had some difficulty getting the MarineAir A/C to suck in antifreeze 
from the seawater inlet hose.  I'm guessing that it needs the water 
pressure it gets through the thru-hull.  None the less I found the 
following steps to be very easy and effective.  Keep in mind that I put 
a new ball valve with a waste drain on the thru-hull.  I find it 
difficult to remove the water inlet hose from the thru-hull or the 
strainer without bloodying my hands.  However, the hoses are very easy 
to remove from the air conditioner unit, since the fittings are not barbed.

 1. Turn off the power to the air conditioner.
 2. Close the thru-hull ball valve
 3. Remove the drain plug from the strainer.  This will get quite a bit
    of the water out of the system.
 4. Disconnect the outlet (upper) hose from the air conditioner unit. 
    This is under the starboard helm seat on our boat.
 5. Blow out the water in the outlet (overboard) hose.  I use either a
    shop vac or an inflator air pump.
 6. Disconnect the inlet (lower) hose from the air conditioner unit.
 7. Blow out the air conditioner from outlet (upper) fitting, or vacuum
    out from the inlet (lower) fitting.  The water probably has already
    drained out anyway.
 8. Using the inlet hose at the air conditioner unit, blow any remaining
    water through the hose, pump, and strainer.
 9. Put the strainer drain plug back in.
10. Remove the waste drain cap from the water inlet ball valve on the
    thru-hull.
11. Again using the inlet hose at the air conditioner unit, blow out any
    remaining water.
12. Put the waste drain cap back on the ball valve.
13. Optionally, if you really want to use antifreeze, pour it in through
    the inlet hose at the air conditioner unit.
14. Reconnect the hoses on the air conditioner unit.

There you go.  Quick and easy.  No blood.

Dean Vermeire
Moonstruck II (#847)