Winterising fresh water tanks

[simonfraser]

Was just going to empty the tank and hot water cylinder

Now see one can buy ‘special’ anti freeze for fresh water tanks

Can def get all the water out of the tanks and pump by just draining the system
All the pipes are plastic, there might be some residue in the lower sections, but not a lot, what to do ?

 

[Momac]

I have a low wattage frost protection heater, with built in thermostat , that I place next to the calorifier.

 

[RichardS]

Was just going to empty the tank and hot water cylinder

Now see one can buy ‘special’ anti freeze for fresh water tanks

Can def get all the water out of the tanks and pump by just draining the system
All the pipes are plastic, there might be some residue in the lower sections, but not a lot, what to do ?

If you open the tap with the pump running it will start spluttering with air once the tank and pipework are empty. Do the "spluttering" with hot and cold taps and there is no chance that freezing can do any damage.

Richard

 

[PaulRainbow]

If you open the tap with the pump running it will start spluttering with air once the tank and pipework are empty. Do the "spluttering" with hot and cold taps and there is no chance that freezing can do any damage.

Richard

+1 but leave the taps open, turn the pump off.

 

[johnalison]

If I am ashore I do no more than pump the tank dry. More important for me is to drain the Jabsco pump.

 

[benchmark]

Automobile antifreeze is very toxic, do not use it. You can buy some special non toxic antifreeze and I have even heard that some people use cheap vodka but this is uneccesary in my opinion.
This is how I myself and most boat owners I know winterise , bearing in mind that I live in Scandinavia.

-Pump the tanks dry til pump sputters dry.
-Use the opportunity to unscrew your filter and clean the mesh.
-Unclip the hose from either the pressure accumulator or water heater or pump and leave it unattached. A few liters will now run out despite the fact that the pump had sputtered and you thought it was empty.
-Leave all taps in boat and swim platform open.

 

[neilf39]

I just pump my water tank as dry as I can. If full I disconnect the bottom hose and put another one on going out through the log sensor hole (when boat ashore obviously). Siphons it all out without running the pump. If it is nearly empty just open the tap and let the pump empty it. I do final run via the tap to get the last out of the pipe.

The only thing I put in my tank is aquasol to stop nasties. Seems to work as we have no filter and I drink the water straight out of the tap.

It has got to -6C before now in winter so with the boat out of the water I think it's worth doing to avoid potential damage.