Ballast winterization

[scoot18]

If this has been posted before, I will appologize up front.

Does anyone know of any specifics to winterizing the ballast system? I am curious about what water may be sitting upstream from the fill pumps, what to do. I also still have a large amount of water still in the rear hard tanks. I thought about just taking a funnel and pouring some RV antifreeze down the discharge hose. I feel that, that water probably wont be an issue, as the tanks are hard and not completely full. Any opinions?

Anyone ever done anything special to the ballast fill pumps and PCV ballast plumbing?

[akdoc]

I use RV antifreeze, we have soft bags so I remove those. I remove 1 of the cartridge tops from the PVC manifold and fill with the RV antifreeze, then pump by pump on turn them on and wait for the RV antifreeze to come out of the hose. I put a bucket under the fill line and just repeat for all 4 pumps.

I guess with hard tanks you are not going to remove them, I would put the antifreeze thru the discharge hose so you get a little in your hard tank. I would also remove a cartridge from a pump and put the RV antifreeze in your PVC manifold.

[chpthril]

The trick would be to come up with a means to run the pink stiff into the factory mushroom thru-transom, and run all the pumps til you get a little antifreeze into each sac/tank.

With a scoop/thru-hull, you could use a fake-a-lake just like doing the engine. That is what I'll try next winter, since by ballast is not installed yet.

[Andrew]

You should be able to use the vent line and pour RV Anti-freeze in to the ballast tanks them selves. I dump a gal into each tank and turn on the drain pump real quick this should stop any problem come spring. The fill pumps should drain each time the boat is lifted out of the water. Any questions please give me a call at 325-676-7777 or see your dealer.

Andrew

[scoot18]

I use RV antifreeze, we have soft bags so I remove those. I remove 1 of the cartridge tops from the PVC manifold and fill with the RV antifreeze, then pump by pump on turn them on and wait for the RV antifreeze to come out of the hose. I put a bucket under the fill line and just repeat for all 4 pumps.

I guess with hard tanks you are not going to remove them, I would put the antifreeze thru the discharge hose so you get a little in your hard tank. I would also remove a cartridge from a pump and put the RV antifreeze in your PVC manifold.

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea.

With a scoop/thru-hull, you could use a fake-a-lake just like doing the engine. That is what I'll try next winter, since by ballast is not installed yet.

Thats a good idea also, I guess the trick would be priming the initial flow of anti freeze to the fake lake.

Thanks guys, always good help here!

[scoot18]

You should be able to use the vent line and pour RV Anti-freeze in to the ballast tanks them selves. I dump a gal into each tank and turn on the drain pump real quick this should stop any problem come spring. The fill pumps should drain each time the boat is lifted out of the water. Any questions please give me a call at 325-676-7777 or see your dealer.

Andrew

What I was thinking about was the water that would be in line in between the pump and tank or bag. Unless the pumps are always open and allow water to back flow. I believe I was told by dealer that the pumps had anti drain back valves, thus not allowing water to flow back to the transom.

[akdoc]

You need to winterize the manifold that holds your fill pumps. Our first wonderful dealer didn't do that and the whole manifold cracked. Of course it wasn't their fault, so we made a new manifold ourselves.

I'm telling you, you need to pull one of the cartridge pumps out, and fill the cartridge that is now open with the RV fluid and make sure it gets thru the whole manifold and all the fill pumps.

[Matt Garcia]

I'm telling you, you need to pull one of the cartridge pumps out, and fill the cartridge that is now open with the RV fluid and make sure it gets thru the whole manifold and all the fill pumps.

How are you getting rid of the anitfreeze?

I did not put any antifreeze in my manifolds or hard tanks and never had a problem. We had a few freezes too but nothing major. However that could change this winter. I may do this just as a precaution.

[chpthril]

How are you getting rid of the anitfreeze?

I did not put any antifreeze in my manifolds or hard tanks and never had a problem. We had a few freezes too but nothing major. However that could change this winter. I may do this just as a precaution.

It will go out the first time you fill up the sacs and then discharge. The pink RV/Marine is of for the environment.

[chpthril]

It will go out the first time you fill up the sacs and then discharge. The pink RV/Marine is ok for the environment.

Should read "ok"

[akdoc]

How are you getting rid of the anitfreeze?

I did not put any antifreeze in my manifolds or hard tanks and never had a problem. We had a few freezes too but nothing major. However that could change this winter. I may do this just as a precaution.

I just drop the boat down and turn on 1 pump at a time. I put a bucket under the fill line and wait until the RV fluid is out. I lift the boat back up and install the sacs and we are good to go.

BTW, the boat is stored at Lake of the Ozarks and it can get very cold.