Draining sea water from system. How much!!

[pcatterall]

Thanks to forum help I was able to identify the sea water drains on my TMP gearbox and the Perkins heat exchanger.
Although I am not winterising just now I thought I'd better make sure I could free all the drains ( a trial run) I was suprised at the amount of water which came out ( and would still be coming out if I hadnt shut it off)
Is it water being syphoned back from all the exhaust loops and traps?
I can say that there is definatly no water getting in via the sea cock nor is the engine coolant being affected.
Would it be an idea to shut the sea cock and run the engine for a minute to clear water from the system THEN drain the bits in the gear box and exchanger?

 

[sailorman]

Thanks to forum help I was able to identify the sea water drains on my TMP gearbox and the Perkins heat exchanger.
Although I am not winterising just now I thought I'd better make sure I could free all the drains ( a trial run) I was suprised at the amount of water which came out ( and would still be coming out if I hadnt shut it off)
Is it water being syphoned back from all the exhaust loops and traps?
I can say that there is definatly no water getting in via the sea cock nor is the engine coolant being affected.
Would it be an idea to shut the sea cock and run the engine for a minute to clear water from the system THEN drain the bits in the gear box and exchanger?

as long as any ice that "might" freeze has room to expand it will not be a problem

[Quote
great lakes USA winterising..
we have no choice but to winterize each fall. think of replacing each bit of h 2 0 on the boat with antifreezeAF). pump the hotwater and freshwater supply tank drys, add 10 gallons pink rv antifreeze into the freshwater tank, pump that thru all hoses and spigots and shower fittings both hot and cold. catch this AF in sink in bottles to re-use. let some AF flow from each sink or floor drain down thru the exit seacocks of the sinks/drain then close the seacocks. close engine raw water intake seacock, pour antifreeze into raw water filter, start the engine to suck AF from raw water filter thru raw water pump to engine, and thence out the block by running the engine til you see exhaust water is pink with AF. .(2 or 3 minutes.) (you've now filled the raw water seacock filter with antifreeze, so leave it closed.) then run AF thru any freshwater, seawater , or airconditioning pump by closing its seacock , detaching its supply hose, and sticking the supply hose into a bucket filled with AF. be sure to winterize h 2 0 supply into the heads by shutting its raw water inlet and using the toilet's pump to force antifreeze thru that heads system and into its exit seacock which you then close.. get a pump out for any holding tank. then let AF from the heads flow into the holding tank to winterize those lines.. let AF flow out from holding tank thru its seacock, then shut the seacock. if you have a holding tank with macerator , you'll switch heads outlet to holding tank, then pump antifreeze from the heads thru the macerator and into the holding tank, and then get AF into the lines from the holding tank out to its exit seacock. don't forget any cockpit washdown systems or transom shower hoses. dump remaining AF into the bilge and run it thru each bilge pump...the whole process takes about 3 hours and costs us about US $20.00. the marinas charge about $400...
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[pcatterall]

Thanks for that.. In previous years and boats I have used the system described to get antifreeze into the sea water system. I thought I would try the draining method this year. I guess that flushing with anti freeze THEN draining would be a variation on that theme. Any pockets remaining should be an antifreeze mix.
My question was and is that when draining sea water from my gearbox where is all the water coming from I can only think it is syphoning back from the exhaust traps.
Cheers

 

[sailorman]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328980

Dupe questions

 

[ffiill]

Just a comment-my engine gearbox heat exchanger calorifier have spent the last seven years full of water.
Despite day temps up here in the Highlands regularly of minus 5 to minus 10 as I said elsewhere my only problem ever was a burst copper calorifier pipe.
Not sure you really need to do all of this in UK.
Neither in 6 years did I drain anything on my old boat on The River Wyre nr. Fleetwood despite very frosty days..

 

[Hoolie]

I think you're being over-optimistic about mild temperatures in England.
I believe our calorifier suffered frost damage last winter and the spray gun on the hose was certainly destroyed by frost - we are based in the Western Med and it can get really cold ... ...

 

[pcatterall]

Thanks all. We are overwintering in mid France. It was -15 last year. 2 boats sank at their mooring ( Australlians.... probably open sea cocks plus heavy frost)
Our home port was Conwy or Fleetwood, we suffered an iced up and ruined domestic water exchanger and some burst domestic fittings. Not winterising is a risky business in my opinion.
BUT I am not filling my domestic water tank with antifreeze as per above ....some cognac perhaps!!

 

[Steve_N]

Thanks to forum help I was able to identify the sea water drains on my TMP gearbox and the Perkins heat exchanger.
Although I am not winterising just now I thought I'd better make sure I could free all the drains ( a trial run) I was suprised at the amount of water which came out ( and would still be coming out if I hadnt shut it off)
Is it water being syphoned back from all the exhaust loops and traps?
I can say that there is definatly no water getting in via the sea cock nor is the engine coolant being affected.
Would it be an idea to shut the sea cock and run the engine for a minute to clear water from the system THEN drain the bits in the gear box and exchanger?

I once went to change the sea water impeller when afloat and after filling 4 or 5 buckets with sea water realisation dawned that I was trying to empty the ocean into my bucket, despite the engine inlet seacock being closed.

The builder or previous owner had fitted a narrow vent pipe between the stern tube and the engine inlet seacock, but the pipe was tee'd into the engine inlet just inboard of the seacock so closing the engine seacock when leaving the boat was in fact doing nothing..

Perhaps you have something similar going on?

 

[pcatterall]

Steve N...... you little beauty!! XX.......

Water is fed under pressure from my sea water system to cool my new stern gear.
Good system but another way for water to get into the boat!!
There should be a valve at the stern gear.

Thanks again ( sorry I got carried away with the kisses!!)

 

[Trop Cher]

as long as any ice that "might" freeze has room to expand it will not be a problem


Not always the case, for example, one night there's a frost and the top couple or so inches of the water freezes. There's no thaw during the day and then there is a harder frost, freezing the water below the previous nights frozen water, this now has nowhere to expand and therefore you get a burst.

I have a house in central France (not far from the op boat) which I winterise each year, this includes mopping out the toilet pan for the reason given above. As already said it can get very cold and remain cold over a period of time. I've seen the local canal frozen over in November.