Winterizing your a/c
- Thread starter samuel
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2004
- RO Number
- 15168
- Messages
- 350
When I bought my boat 10 years ago, for both the gen set and ac seacocks, I cut a brass T fitting just downstream in the hose. I then close the seacocks,screw out the plug in top of the tee, screw in a hose connected to my antifreeze kit,,and I'm off to the races.
I did mine the other (old) way earlier this week, but I rigged up a manual pump to use on my manifolds and heat exchanger through the intake hole in the gimble housing so while I was there I decided to give the method a try on the AC.
I had a piece of clear tubing that wedged in the dicharge hole nicely and manually pumped AF in to it. It came out of the pickup in no time. It couldn't be any easier.
I think I just found a new way to winterize my AC from now on.
I had a piece of clear tubing that wedged in the dicharge hole nicely and manually pumped AF in to it. It came out of the pickup in no time. It couldn't be any easier.
I think I just found a new way to winterize my AC from now on.
You don't need the pink stuff, you could do the same as the video shows but just hook up compressor and blow out the lines.
I have a "thoro-flush" cap on my strainer. I like to run the AC with fresh water to clear out the salt, then use the pink stuff. Next year I will run the fresh water to clean, then blow it out with air.
I have a "thoro-flush" cap on my strainer. I like to run the AC with fresh water to clear out the salt, then use the pink stuff. Next year I will run the fresh water to clean, then blow it out with air.
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2002
- RO Number
- 10265
- Messages
- 9,958
I definitely use too much pink in mine.
He doesn't run ac. I thought it had to run to get into systems.
He doesn't run ac. I thought it had to run to get into systems.
I was wondering when you have 2 ac units with 2 outlets and 1 pump if you would have to do both outlets. Unless when you do 1 outlet it comes out of the other outlet and pickup together. But I don't think so. This is a easy way of doing when you are waiting for your boat to be pull out of the water you can use it until it comes out. Then it will be the last you do when on land.
nope, just push it thru--either backward or forward. The AC is probably the easiest systm to winterize on our boat. No need to run the pump. The antifreeze displaces all the water in the entire system. Pump and strainer too. If you have two AC discharges, you have to flush both of them, still only one raw water intake.
Another trick: I have one of those electric 12 volt air pumps to blow up rafts etc. It came with several sizes of adapters to fit into whatever toy I'm inflating. Those adapters are great to attatch to the hose coming out of the 12 volt pump I use for antifreeze. Makes a good seal in all sizes of thru hulls.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2004
- RO Number
- 13885
- Messages
- 2,973
This method does not work for me, my boat has 3 AC units w/4 air handlers- But only one pump and water system.
Single pick-up, raw water runs through all 3 systems and dumps into the starboard discharge trough in the ER and then out one of the 2 discharge holes.
I just take the hose at the sea strainer off, stick it in a bucket of pink and turn the ac pump on until pink comes out.
Top off the seacock cylinder with pink and I’m done.- I do use a air compressor for the house water system
Single pick-up, raw water runs through all 3 systems and dumps into the starboard discharge trough in the ER and then out one of the 2 discharge holes.
I just take the hose at the sea strainer off, stick it in a bucket of pink and turn the ac pump on until pink comes out.
Top off the seacock cylinder with pink and I’m done.- I do use a air compressor for the house water system
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2004
- RO Number
- 13885
- Messages
- 2,973
Doc
With the exception of the Main’s & GenSet, all of my overboard discharges go to a common discharge trough of either side of the boat, each trough(Glassed in chamber) has a manifold of hoses from the sinks bilge pumps, scuppers etc that dump into the chamber and exit via a couple of glassed holes-
So the few discharge holes(2 starboard & 1 port) are for multiple system drains.
Now I could find & remove the AC discharge at the manifold and then pump in the pink from there, but and it’s easier from the pickup side
With the exception of the Main’s & GenSet, all of my overboard discharges go to a common discharge trough of either side of the boat, each trough(Glassed in chamber) has a manifold of hoses from the sinks bilge pumps, scuppers etc that dump into the chamber and exit via a couple of glassed holes-
So the few discharge holes(2 starboard & 1 port) are for multiple system drains.
Now I could find & remove the AC discharge at the manifold and then pump in the pink from there, but and it’s easier from the pickup side
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2001
- RO Number
- 4024
- Messages
- 479
The filter housing on my boat is glass - wouldn't want to trust AF in that over the winter. Similar to others - I remove the the hose in the bilge at the seacock, run AF through the system using the AC pump and done. Works for me - can do in water. Seems the guy in the video let's it go into the environment.