Fresh water system Winterization....anyone drain system for winter storage?

[crazy charlie]

I have done same procedure for 30+ years without an issue.Drain system and add 4-5 gallons of pink water system AF and run through the faucets until all faucets pour pink.
Always leave system pressurized.Our area here in NY have plenty of below freezing days and nights and sometimes a few weeks straight.While checking the faucets after a weeklong cold stretch a few weeks ago, my wife asked me why I was checking .....Since I winterized and I explained that I prefer to be over cautious. Her reply prompted my question....she asked "Why don't you just drain all of the pink AF and leave the system dry and then you wouldn't have to check" That was a damn good reply that had me scratching my head. As always I will forever drain the system and run pink af thru the entire system but why not run it dry after that?? Hmmmm ...Charlie

 

[dingbat]

No need for a corrosion inhibitor in plastic lines.
Just drain and forget it.

 

[airshot]

If you dont use AF then blow it out, opening all valves !! Water can and will get trapped in valves, nooks and crannies where just draining may not get it all out!! Those sneaky places can freeze, expand and damage/ cause leaks.....ask me how I know .....

 

[JimS123]

My only water system is on an RV, not a boat. So, my advice may not apply.

You never put AF in the fresh water tank. Takes too much flushing and sterilizing to make the water drinkable in the Spring.

Also, if you have a water heater, you never allow AF in it because of the mess it can make.

We drain the tank and heater and then bypass them. A bypass line is entered into the top of a gallon of AF, and then the pump is turned on, allowing the flushing of all the lines. In the end, the drains are opened to flush anything remaining.

Never leave the system pressurized. Too much stress on the gaskets.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Get the adapter to blow out the system with your air compressor.

Run the RV AF thru the sink and shower traps and drain the grey water tank

Flush some RV AF into the black water tank

 

[tpenfield]

My current and previous boats have/had the fresh water system. Enclosed head, 2 sinks, water heater, water supply tank, waste water tank.

I do a combination of purging the water and adding AF.

Although I drain everything and blow out the lines as best I can, it is difficult to say if there is any water remaining in 'the system'. (i.e. pressure pump, toilet, water strainer, water heater, lines, drains, etc. ).

I run some AF through things just to be sure. It does take a lot of water to purge the system during the pre-season preparation, and I would not advise using the fresh water system as drinking water regardless.

If your procedure has been working for many years, then I wouldn't abandon it.

 

[Ned L]

I simply drain mine & forget it (but mine is a pretty basic system).

 

[airshot]

I never used my system for drinking either, no matter how much cleaning you do, it still has a funny taste !! For cleaning, cooking everything but drinking, while the water is perfectly safe, don't like the taste, even for my morning coffee. The mrs and I only need a gallon of fresh drinking water each day, so carrying a few extra bottles is not an issue.

 

[crazy charlie]

I will keep the same procedure that has worked for me for a looooong time.

I was just curious what you guys were doing since my wife very innocently made
a pretty good suggestion.Charlie