[C320-list] Winterizing the Air Conditioner

[Dean Vermeire]

I forgot to mention that I was winterizing with the boat in the water, 
in case you are wondering why I didn't just open the thru-hull and blow 
out the water.
Dean

On 11/10/2014 9:55 AM, Dean Vermeire wrote:
> 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)
>
>
>