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 Post subject: Winterize 268 vista
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 11:27 am 
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Livin' the Dream
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Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 9:23 am
Posts: 547
Location: Pontoon Beach IL
So, found some good info on this forum (Thank you!) for winterize gentlemen the fresh water, toilet (raw water), and AC system (raw water)

What I did

Toilet
Pulled the the raw water feed at the jabsco electric conversion next to the toilet. With a funnel, I back fed rv antifreeze til full strength pink came out from the seacock under the boat. Closed the seacock , filled that line, reconnected to the pump. Filled the toilet with some pink, then flushed for a couple seconds second to cycle the anti freeze through to the Tank

Air Conditioning
I tried to backfeed rv antifreeze from the output through the unit to the intake, no luck. So I pulled the hose that feeds the ac pump, connected a funnel and turned the ac on while pouring antifreeze in the funnel til the pink came out full strength. Connected the hose then I closed the seacock...

Fresh water
I blindly bought a water bypass kit, didn't work at all, wrong fittings, so this didn't go as planned...
Drained the system as best as I could, including the water heater. Hooked some air (compressor) to the city water connection, blew the lines out, hot and cold. Then dumped 3 gallons of pink in the fresh tank, cycled through til it came out the hot and cold at full strength, at the aft shower, bathroom sink, and kitchen sink. Ran remainder out of the fresh Tank.... I also drained any pink from the water heater.
The water heater is electric, but also heats from the engine. I am assuming when I winterize the engine (the shop will run pink through the cooling system) that this part will be good, is that correct?

I am looking to get a seatech water heater bypass kit for next year. Also, I think I want to add an intake to the fresh water line to the pump and a valve to be able to pump antifreeze through the water system, without dumping into the fresh water tank...

The shop I use, will change the oil, drive oil, pull the drive, grease gimble and check alignment. I am also having them change the impeller for cooling....

Any info, suggestions, corrections are greatly appreciated
Thank you!

_________________
Current:
2000 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer "still Livin the Dream"

Past
2002 268 Vista 5.7 GXI "Livin' the Dream"
1996 Rinker 192 Captiva. "The Simple Life"
1999 Yamaha XLL 1200 Waverunner.
1976 Mercury Marquis tri hull 120 hp


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 Post subject: Re: Winterize 268 vista
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 2:53 pm 
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Joined: Sun May 20, 2012 4:31 pm
Posts: 873
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Chris,

Toilet

As long as you get antifreeze through the system, or remove the water in the system, you should be good. Be sure to get antifreeze into the holding tank(s). This might be a wild guess depending on how well the system gets emptied during the last pump out. I usually put a couple gallons of RV antifreeze through the toilet and into the tank. I have connected a hose to the toilet sea cock fitting and used the toilet pump to draw RV antifreeze into and thru the toilet. While you are winterizing the toilet, pour some antifreeze into the floor drain to protect the shower sump. I usually add enough to make the pump run twice.

Air Conditioning

That should work as long as you have antifreeze in the a/c system's water pump and plumbing. You might to look at the a/c unit to see if the drain pan has drained.

Fresh water

Blowing out and completely draining a water system is always an option. If there is no water it will not freeze and break a line or component. Getting all the water out of low spots can be a challenge. I run the water out of the tank, drain the water heater, then add 8 to 10 gallons of RV Antifreeze. I remove the transom shower head from its hose and use a 1/2" male pipe thread to male garden hose adapter fitting to connect a garden hose to the transom shower hose. I can put the other end of the garden hose in the fresh water fill fitting and open both hot and cold transom shower valves to circulate antifreeze through the water heater and most of the system. I run the galley and head faucets into a gallon jug to get antifreeze in those lines and not waste antifreeze. While you have this hose set up you may be able to use it to flush antifreeze through your a/c system. I added a small in-line valve to the end of the hose and whatever adapters so I could control flow at the end of the hose rather than going back to the transom shower valves. Keep in mind that the water heater holds 6 gallons. Add a little for the water tank and plumbing, and you might need more than the 3 gallons. Most of this antifreeze can be re-collected or drained back into containers either this fall or next spring for winterizing next year. The down side of using antifreeze in the fresh water system is the possibility of tasting it next year. Four Winns recommends using a bleach solution in the spring, followed by a vinegar solution. Repeat as needed. Another option a friend in Alaska told me about was to use a gallon (or more as needed) of the cheapest vodka you can find. Of course, next spring all the neighbors will be showing up jugs of orange juice to "help un-winterize" the water system. :twisted: 8) :lol:

You mentioned the water heater by-pass. Is that for the engine coolant side of the water heater? If your shop is winterizing the engine, make sure they know what you have done and what you have not.

To minimize the risk of not removing all the water from the engine cooling system and fill with automotive antifreeze. I drain exhaust manifolds, pull both hoses off the raw water pump, and lower the engine flush hose at the right front corner of the engine to get most of the water drained. Then I rig a 40" or longer plastic tub with a bilge pump clamped in the tub and a hose to the muffs. An old 2 wire extension cord long enough to reach the batteries with an inline switch supplies power. I tape a drip collector to the bottom of the boat stern to direct antifreeze back to the tub. I add 7 or 8 gallons of antifreeze to the tub, turn on the pump, and run the engine for several minutes to get a little coolant temperature. The antifreeze can be either removed in the fall or in the spring. I re-collect the antifreeze to use again next year. I might lose 1 or 2 gallons each year in residual antifreeze when I flush it out in the spring. Most communities recommend disposal in the house drain system.

Hope this helps. Gary

_________________
Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon


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 Post subject: Re: Winterize 268 vista
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:42 pm 
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Livin' the Dream
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Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 9:23 am
Posts: 547
Location: Pontoon Beach IL
Thanks Gary, I am a little confused (no surprise, I know) on what you are doing with the aft shower connected to the fresh water connection.

On the water heater bypass, it is similar to an rv set up. Basically it connects the cold intake to the hot output (eliminating the water heater from the system, so you don't have to use antifreeze in it.
This is the kit I ordered
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SeaTech-AquaPr ... 1936851934


Also, does your water heater also use the engine to heat the water? I am assuming it uses raw water that is cooling the boat to heat water (besides the electric element in the water heater itself. I just want to make sure I do not need to do anything extra with that part. I
When the shop winterize the boat, they run antifreeze from the outdrive through the engine til it comes back at full strength...

Thanks again for the help advice

_________________
Current:
2000 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer "still Livin the Dream"

Past
2002 268 Vista 5.7 GXI "Livin' the Dream"
1996 Rinker 192 Captiva. "The Simple Life"
1999 Yamaha XLL 1200 Waverunner.
1976 Mercury Marquis tri hull 120 hp


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 Post subject: Re: Winterize 268 vista
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 7:20 pm 
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Joined: Sun May 20, 2012 4:31 pm
Posts: 873
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Chris,

I'm using the transom shower hose to circulate the antifreeze through the water heater and the hot and cold water lines, then back to the fresh water tank. I then run the galley and head faucets until I get a good antifreeze color. This ensures I have antifreeze throughout the system. In the spring I also use this set up to flush, bleach, flush, treat with vinegar water, then flush again. This gives me a way to connect a garden hose to the system to circulate the bleach and vinegar solutions and to dispose of the solutions down the drain.

I have the same water heater system. Installing a water heater bypass may leave trapped engine cooling water in the water heater. You will need a way to drain the engine cooling water from the water heater. I don't have a bypass. I just drain most of the engine cooling system and refill with antifreeze and circulate. I usually check the antifreeze concentration afterward to make sure it isn't too diluted.

_________________
Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon


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 Post subject: Re: Winterize 268 vista
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 7:29 pm 
Offline
Livin' the Dream
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 9:23 am
Posts: 547
Location: Pontoon Beach IL
Gotcha, I understand now, thank you!

On the water heater bypass, it doesn't do anything to the engine cooling part, just the potable water system. So when the winterize the engine, they will take care of that part

Thanks Gary!

_________________
Current:
2000 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer "still Livin the Dream"

Past
2002 268 Vista 5.7 GXI "Livin' the Dream"
1996 Rinker 192 Captiva. "The Simple Life"
1999 Yamaha XLL 1200 Waverunner.
1976 Mercury Marquis tri hull 120 hp


Top
 Profile  
 
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