[C320-list] Fresh Water System Winterizie

[Jeff Hare]

Yea, good point on the shower sump and fridge drain.  I think I used to run a bit of RV antifreeze through those.  Somewhere along the line I switched for no reason I can remember now.

-Jeff  



-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of John Meyers
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2018 5:37 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fresh Water System Winterizie

Jeff,

Thanks for this procedure because, even though I have been using a shop vac to suck out my fresh water lines for years, I did not think to use it to suck out the bilge lines (Thank you for that suggestion) or the frig/shower drains. In those I pored in antifreeze and run the pumps. Next year I will save some antifreeze.

Also, for the head, I suck a gallon of antifreeze using the head pump. I disconnect the hose from the head pump mechanism the comes from the thru hull. There I attach another hose and stick the other end in a gallon of antifreeze and suck all of that in and still pump for another minute or two to get as much into the holding tank as possible.

John Meyers
Muskegon, MI
1997 #406



On Mon, Oct 29, 2018 at 2:45 PM Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> I used to use compressed air and you had to pay much more attention to 
> the sequence.  Much easier I think to use a shop vac.  I use a small 
> Stainless Steel shop vac with the smaller diameter hose because it's 
> easier to move around and seal around the pex.  Note that I just use 
> my hand and a wash cloth/small towel instead of trying to get vacuum 
> seal.  Doesn't need to be a good seal at all when you're sucking the 
> water out of the lines!  Doesn't take all that much suction to do the 
> job so don't bother trying to make it anything special.
>
> My current process is this:
>
> - drain both water tanks and use the shop vac to drain/dry the 
> remaining water and leave the caps *off*.
> - remove the drawers below the galley sink
> - remove the 5 screws holding that drawer frame in and remove/set 
> aside the drawer frame
> - turn on the hot water in the galley sink and open the hot water 
> heater drain with the shop vac hose over it.  When water stops 
> draining out freely, LEAVE the valve open and go on to the next step.
> - unscrew the fitting on the water heater to the line that enters the 
> water tank about mid-level below the overflow valve.  This has a brass 
> check valve in-line and is KEY to draining the water tank properly!
> - with the above line off put your shop vac over that water heater 
> fitting.  You'll get about 4-5 gallons of water out now and really quickly.
> When no more water is coming out, and you've run about 60 seconds or 
> so longer, the water heater is now empty.
>
> - The next step is to simply drain the pex lines.  I like to continue 
> working under the sink since I'm set up there already.
> - if your water pump has a filter/screen assembly, open that up also 
> make sure both tank valves are in the open position in case they're 
> located there.  I also unhook the outlet line from the water pump.
> - open the galley sink valves (or put the faucet in warm position if 
> it's a single handle)
> - Open the stern shower hot  and cold valves and unscrew the shower 
> wand (don't lose the rubber washer).
> - Open the Head faucet valves and just unscrew the stream/sprayer head.
> - Under the sink disconnect the most convenient hot and cold pex lines 
> (one of each) and put the shop vac hose over them one at a time until 
> no more water is coming out.
>
> Then reassemble everything.  This year I was done with this part in 40 
> min.  The next part took another 20 min or so, but all in all, the 
> whole thing was about an hour and a couple beers.
>
> Don't forget the SHOWER/FRIDGE drain lines, drying out the muffler or 
> the Bilge Pump lines.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------------------------
>
> Remove the shower sump's water pump's intake filter and use shop vac 
> to suck out the water from the shower sump and fridge drain.  You'll 
> need to flip the "Y" valve when you go from the shower sump to the fridge drain.
>
> Next, you have 2 Sump Pump lines to deal with.  The electric bilge 
> pump and the manual bilge pump.  The shop vac works for those also.  I 
> typically put the shop vac hose over the side into the bilge pump 
> thru-hull opening on the starboard stern quarter.
>
> If your aqua-lift muffler has a working drain valve, open that up and 
> put the shop vac hose over that and see how dry you can get the muffler.
> (Which reminds me, when you're running winterizing antifreeze through 
> the raw water system, run the engine for 10 or 15 seconds after all 
> the water stops coming out of the exhaust to blow as much out of the 
> lines as
> possible.)
>
> That was a bit rambling and sounds like a lot of work, but it's the 
> process I use and our water system stays clean enough to drink from if 
> needed with no smell.  If you reconnect everything tight, you can just 
> fill the water system in the spring and you're good to go.
>
> You could put "T" fittings with terminators in the places you 
> separated PEX fittings and just be able to open valves instead to do the whole job.
> I just haven't.  That would probably save me 15 - 20 min per year and 
> make the process feel easier.
>
> Good luck!
> -Jeff Hare
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of 
> islgirl3 at aol.com
> Sent: Monday, October 29, 2018 1:50 PM
> To: c320-list at catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] Fresh Water System Winterizie
>
> Can anyone explain the procedure for using compressed air to blow out 
> fresh water system? Including water heater?
> Thank You,
> Rich Nuzzolo#897
>
>