Winterizing AC

YYZRC

For my old boat, I left winterizing to the marina. Last year I stored indoors and heated so no issue. This year the old girl is going to get chilly. 

I am going to tackle the water system and AC winterizing myself. I remember reading about someone adding a tee at the AC thru hull to draw in antifreeze. Could someone please point me to the tee that I need? Thanks!

Liberty44140

Neat idea. I just pull the hose off the thru hull, stick a funnel in the hose and pour antifreeze in the funnel after the admiral turns the system on and it gets pumping. 

YYZRC

For some reason I think it might have been @reneechris14 who did this tweak. I like the idea of being able to do it solo. 

J3ff

I always just run antifreeze through it backwards.   Valve side in the pink bottle of antifreeze, exit side of hose in the hole on the side of the boat with some tape around it, https://www.amazon.com/Just-Shake-Flow-Siphon-Hose/dp/B00BNTZD54. takes 5 mins or less.. usually run 2 gallons through it on a 270

YYZRC

I have the Camco winterizing kit so it would be easy to adapt a hose as you’ve posted above. I guess the benefit to backfilling is not needing 120v power. 

J3ff

yeah, makes it super easy.. just wrap some tape around the end of the hose to make it match the size of the AC exit hole. 

First I flush it with a regular water hose... to get the salt out... then it's easy to see when it changes from clear to pink coming out of the bottom of the boat.. 

aero3113

If you have a pump, just push antifreeze backwards through the outlet on the outside of the boat.

YYZRC

I don’t have a pump. Could buy one of course but was hoping to get away with gravity feed and the Camco

J3ff

Yeah that'll work fine

Cableguy Greg

J3ff said:

I always just run antifreeze through it backwards.   Valve side in the pink bottle of antifreeze, exit side of hose in the hole on the side of the boat with some tape around it, https://www.amazon.com/Just-Shake-Flow-Siphon-Hose/dp/B00BNTZD54. takes 5 mins or less.. usually run 2 gallons through it on a 270

This is what I do, but I use a small bilge pump to force it through.

skennelly

Same as @Cableguy Greg super easy

boatman37

I do the reverse method too. I have a drill pump and the Campco kit and pump it through backwards until all pink comes out the bottom of the hull. We do store in an underground mine so no need to winterize but this year we pulled it mid-March and it got pretty cold after that so glad we winterized

Mercury2005

Here's what I did.
New pump, new strainer, new fittings, new hose.
Mounted all on a 1/4" thick starboard.
Hose goes from thru hull ball valve to fitting at pump. Added a garden hose connection with cap, then filter then pump then to A/C.
Close the thru hull ball valve, attach garden hose to fitting on pump, put other end of hose in bucket of anti-freeze, turn on A/C, when bucket is empty, done.

YYZRC

That is living room display worthy!

luvinlife

Just did mine in about 10 minutes. First I blew the water out of it by using my wet vac in reverse through the outlet hole. Then I bought this $10 pump at Home Depot and to pump antifreeze  through the outlet and down out to sea strainer. The pump hose fit the outlet hole perfectly. Very easy.  I’m pretty sure that’s all I need to do

 

aero3113

@luvinlife , you’re correct, that’s all you need to do.

PickleRick

I took the hose off my thru hull,  then stock a small hose extension into a jug of antifreeze.  I then plugged my circulation pump into a 110 drop cord.  I ran until pink shot out the thru hull.  Then I opened the bleeder valve and ran until the catch basin bilge turned on.  

boatman37

As long as you got straight pink out the other end you should be good. I do mine the same way but use a pump that attaches to my drill and pump through the outlet thru hull