Carver Owners Forum

I am very lucky that I have the original documentation for my 94 CPMY. However, still a bit puzzled as to the winterization process. The book(s) say how many gallons of antifreeze to use, it is a ridiculous number! Mostly it states to dump somewhere in the neighborhood of 65 gallons of pink stuff into the storage tank and distribute to the different systems.Has anyone ever done this?:

Drain the water supply tank that is under the aft cabin bed

disconnect the tank water out line that goes to the pressure pump, use compressed air to allow the remaining water in the lines to be blown from the lines, opening all faucets one at a time to drain until spitting air.

disconnect and drain the water heater, use by pass hose if necessary, or connect the feed and supply lines together

take the pump supply line from the water storage tank and stick it into the gallon of pink antifreeze. Then turn on the pump and run each system as normal until the pure pink antifreeze comes out of each outlet.

Now, vacu flush toilets, flush each toilet using same procedure, until pink flows regularly into the bowl. Then dump and additional gallon or so through the toilet. Turn on waste pump until pink (well, brownish pink!) comes out the thru hull

dump pink stuff in each drain until it comes out the thru hull, and run shower drain pumps until pink stuff comes out

Dump a gallon of pink stuff into the outlet that is outside to hook pressurized marina water to, letting it flow to the storage tank

Open sea strainer to A/C and connect fresh water to A/C units and flush the salt water out. Then run units as I dump pink stuff into the feed lines until it is pumped out the thru hull.

Once at storage lot, open thru hull sea cocks and let any of the antifreeze back flow out through these devices.

Generator: Marina to winterize

Mercruiser Thirsty 7.4's: Marina to winterize

By using the above system, I believe that I will get any standing water out of the lines and also have the protection of pink non toxic. Also will be easier to purge than just dumping the pink stuff into the storage tank. I am also going to take the inspection plate cover off of the storage tank and let it dry out, so perhaps I can clean the crud from the inside. I will also dump some pink tuff into the bilge where any standing water has accumulated even though it will be all pumped out.

ANY suggestions, feedback or comments will be welcomed!

Tony

tonyiiiafl wrote:Source of the post....Mostly it states to dump somewhere in the neighborhood of 65 gallons of pink stuff into the storage tank and distribute to the different systems.....

What storage tank are they talking about? Your fresh water storage tank? If that's the case, I wouldn't. I don't put any antifreeze in that tank. Certainly it should be emptied though. I use a barrel full of antifreeze with a pressurized system to pump it through all systems; water, AC, engines, genny, raw water wash down, heads, etc. Makes it really easy and fast. You take one hose into the boat and do everything with it.

I don't see mentioned that everything should be drained first including strainers before adding antifreeze. Drain the hot water heater, by-pass as mentioned. I'll pour in a little antifreeze in the heater because it's nearly impossible to get all the water out of it.

tonyiiiafl wrote:Source of the post....Dump a gallon of pink stuff into the outlet that is outside to hook pressurized marina water to, letting it flow to the storage tank....

This is not the case. You must blow air through the fitting from the outside or use a pressurized system as I mentioned above to push the antifreeze through. You can't simply pour it in, and it will not end up in your fresh water storage tank. You can also winterize the fresh water system from this fitting with a pressurized system as I mentioned. If you go this route, you must also winterize the fresh water pump separately.

If you have a raw water wash down that draws from the lake/ocean, it must be winterized as well. Same goes for windshield washers, laundry machines, ice makers, dishwashers, etc. Anything that had water in it needs to be done.

Ahhhh, so for me the best way would be to drain the freshwater storage tank, and run some pink stuff through the line to the pressurization pump. drain and by pass the water heater. THEN hook up to the outside fitting and wit a pressurized source, bring up the pressure and go and operate each water system until pink is flowing from each faucet, toilet, ice maker, shower outlet and make sure the drains and sumps get some.

tonyiiiafl wrote:Source of the post Ahhhh, so for me the best way would be to drain the freshwater storage tank, and run some pink stuff through the line to the pressurization pump. drain and by pass the water heater. THEN hook up to the outside fitting and wit a pressurized source, bring up the pressure and go and operate each water system until pink is flowing from each faucet, toilet, ice maker, shower outlet and make sure the drains and sumps get some.

Many ways to skin a cat they say.

First off you want to bypass the water heater. This involves connecting the intake and output lines of the heater together physically or by installation of valves to achieve the same thing.

Next step is to evacuate the dock water inlet since it has a check valve and the only way to do this is from the outside pumping in. Personally I use a drill pump with a male hose connecter and piece of hose. Insert the hose into the pink stuff, open any faucet and run drill until you have maybe a quart or so pumped in. This is more than enough to fill the line that connects the inlet to the main cold water line. The rest is taken care of in the next step.

Next step is to drain the potable water tank by simply turn on any facet until it sputters. Turn off the water pump switch at the panel. Make a fitting/hose assembly that you can attach to the suction side of the potable water pump. Insert hose into the pink stuff, turn on pump switch and open each faucet one by one in the hot position and cold position until they run pink.

I would assume the vacu flush toilets get their water from the main/freshwater side and this will also charge them with the pink antifreeze?

tonyiiiafl wrote:Source of the post I would assume the vacu flush toilets get their water from the main/freshwater side and this will also charge them with the pink antifreeze?

Yep, just make sure you have pumped out prior and then flush a few times while sucking up the pink stuff as I described above

I guess there's all kind of ways to do the water system. My carver manual says drain fresh water tank. Then I hand pump antifreeze thru the fresh water shore line until pink comes out the farthest faucet. Then I put 6 gallons of antifreeze in the fresh water tank and run the 12volt pressure pump until pink flows from all the faucets hot and cold. I do believe that's what the manual says to do, however I think they call for 12 gallons. Oh, and as the shower faucets are higher than the head sink faucets. I open them and let them gravity feed back to the sinks, then apply the pink. I too blow out the lines with compressed air at the shore fitting. Then I do a visual inspection, since all the lines are semi clear I can see pink in all the water lines. Yes I bypass the hot water heater and funnel some pink into the cold water side just in case. Pump out black water holding tanks and dump 2 gallons in each holding tank. Hey RV antifreeze is less than $3.00 a gallon at Wal-Mart!

I just do not like adding antifreeze to my potable water tank as I do drink my water and take great care to keep it sanitized. Would be a pita to drain all of it from the tank come spring.

Ah the joy of year round boating for me in tennessee bilge heaters for engines and cabin heater Athough we are 10 minutes away to the boat i still monitor the temperature and condition with 2 ip cameras when we're not there. I can say whatever you do if you do add the pink stuff to the water heater make sure you flush it throughly before using the water heater in the spring. I would also suggest not letting it sit in the ice mold (where the ice cubes are made) of you icemaker seems the antifreeze can damage the coating

Midnightsun wrote:Source of the post

tonyiiiafl wrote:Source of the post I would assume the vacu flush toilets get their water from the main/freshwater side and this will also charge them with the pink antifreeze?

Yep, just make sure you have pumped out prior and then flush a few times while sucking up the pink stuff as I described above

+1
Try not to leave water in the bowl above the ball.

Don't forget about the transom shower. If the boat is new to you, go through it thoroughly, you never know what the previous owner installed such as a faucet in the engine compartment, some have faucets at the bow, transom compartments, etc.

Now is when you want to exercise that pressure relief valve on the hot water tank. Often overlooked but so important. Open it (lift the lever) when draining the tank as it will allow air in and aid in draining faster. You can open one of the faucets on board but getting into a habit of opening the pressure relief valve instead offers the opportunity to exercise the valve every year. If you can't move the lever, replace the valve before putting the unit back into service next season. If the valve leaks after putting it back into service, replace it. This valve is a safety feature.