Re: Winterizing with Air

[Newf]

Just read the "winterizing with air" post by RT reps and at the risk of offending someone I would like make a couple of comments with hopes of preventing problem that can occur with compressed air when used incorrectly.

As noted in the article, a regulated air pressure of 20PSI was recommended with the task. This is relatively a low pressure and obviously not an issue if they use it and it works to blow water out the lines, pump and tank etc.. My caution to "us" do it yourselfers out there is, unless you can ensure that you can regulate and maintain a low air pressure do not do it. Hoses, pumps and cylindrical tanks are designed to be pressurized. Other components such as non cylindrical tanks can be easily damaged by over pressuring so unless you know exactly what's being pressurized and to what extent, be extra careful.

Also for "us" do it yourselfers. If someone reads the article and thinks that maybe I can also use air to blow out the raw water from my engine, be very careful. I really don't have the technical expertise to say if it "can" be done or not but I know from first hand experience that things can and do go wrong when using air pressure to push fluids in equipment not designed to contain or handle the pressure. Example: At the last place I worked, a couple of technicians thought they would speed up the process of draining oil from a huge gearbox that took 3 to 4 hours to drain by adding a "little bit" of air pressure to the gearbox to "force or push" the oil out a little faster. No one will ever know how high the internal pressure got but according to the techinicans, as soon as there was a noticeable increase in the oil flow they heard a loud bang which turned out to be a massive crack in the sidewall of the gearbox. This resulted in a multi million dollar outage on a production line to replace the gearbox.

With the engine I realize our circumstances are much different (oil and water) (gearbox and engine) but I related this example with the gearbox to illustrate that unless you can control and maintain a desired air pressure and you are sure that what you are pressurizing is designed for it, don't mess with air.

Apologize for the long winded post but wanted to share it as information only given that we see a lot of winterization posts at this time of year.

[trailertrawlerkismet]

I think this is why I've always used RV Anti freeze to winterize our boats over the last 30 years. With that said I've never had a problem, but thats just me.

Jim F

[knotflying]

Sometimes the old fashioned way is best!

[Todd2]

Can someone please post the link to see the technical bulletins (or whatever they're called). I've been to the Ranger Tugs and Modern Tugs sites but can't seem to locate these. Thanks.

Todd

EDIT: OK I just saw its on THIS forum.