AAC winterization

[PicoGoss]

I have the winterization document from the factory. We have a 2010 25 classic. When I try to add antifreeze to the AC it does not draw in any fluid. Heat does come out. Is water only used for AC not heat? If so, how can I get AC to run with an air temp below 65 degrees?

 

[walldog]

I have the winterization document from the factory. We have a 2010 25 classic. When I try to add antifreeze to the AC it does not draw in any fluid. Heat does come out. Is water only used for AC not heat? If so, how can I get AC to run with an air temp below 65 degrees?

Sea water runs through system during AC and Reverse Cycle Heat Pump. It may put out a bit of heat without water running through, but it does not work properly without water flow.

 

[rick&sue]

I just spend many hours yesterday working on the AC in our 25 classic. The water pump runs when the compressor starts up. I have had intermittent water flow the few times I tried to use it this summer. I thought it was a bad water pump - but instead it seems to be very susceptible to air in the intake line. If any air gets to the pump it will cavitate and does not pull enough vacuum to overcome the air and pull water through the intake line. I have an intake strainer and a valve tee'd in which I use for winterizing. You might be experiencing a similar occurrence - air in the intake line when you added antifreeze. As of writing this I have not solved the problem :cry: I am considering turning the strainer upside down and adding a bleed valve to the bottom (now the top) of the bowl - to bleed air from the intake line.

 

[Scuffy]

Make sure to close the thru hull first and set the T-stat to make the unit cycle. I seems to take a little bit of time but it worked for us.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

In order to run anti freeze thru your air/heater you'll need to take the hose off of the sea strainer, the one between the strainer and the pump. Hold the un attached hose up above the pump, place a funnel into the opening. Have a second person start the ac/heat unit and start pouring anti freeze into the funnel until you see enough discharge from the hull fitting then have your helper turn the unit off. Make sure the thru hull fitting is turned into the closed position and reattach the hose and your system is winterized. I've had to disassemble the entire sea strainer from its base in order to get a good enough grip in order to twist the hose off of the strainer.

This is what I've done to winterize my air/heat system for the last 4 years and I've had no problems.

Jim F

 

[dwaindumas]

Last fall when I attempted to winterize my airrrrrr ac unit on my classic R-25 for my first time. It would not suck up the anti-freeze from the plunger arrangement I had purchased from West Marine, and the strainer is far forward and extremely difficult to access. I called the manufacturer and they said I could blow out the water, preferably from the highest point (which is the water egress). I did that with approximately 25 psi. As I did, the water of course came out the intake. I shrink wrapped the boat, so she was right out in the Michigan winter. It has worked flawlessly all summer and right into our current great loop trip. No fuss with disconnecting hoses, etc. It was on my trailer while winterizing of course.

Dwain Dumas
2008 R25
Lydia

 

[bakerboat]

What I have done in the past is to find a 3 gallon bucket and stick an appropriately sized barbed plastic thru hull fitting low in the side. Hook up the hose to it (and extension piece is sometimes needed) and pour a couple gallons of anti freeze in. Provides plenty of volume so you don't have to fight with keeping up with the flow into the pump and keeps the air out.

Ken

R-27 O'Meara
Maine

 

[knotflying]

Here is what I have done and it is pretty easy. Get yourself a hand pump used for antifreeze. You stick one end in the bottle and the other end has a hose fitting. I made a hose that goes from the pump that I can fit into the a/c thru hull. Open the sea cock and pump until antifreeze comes out of the sea cock end. No fuss, no muss.

 

[DBBRanger]

Here's what I do: Disconnect the hose at the pump that goes to the AC. Connect a 4' hose and funnel to that hose and pour antifreeze in until it comes out the side of the boat. Then connect the funnel and 4' hose to the pump, open the seacock and pour antifreeze in until it exits back through the seacock (it will go backwards through the pump). Reconnect the AC hose to the pump and you're done.

Previously, someone suggested just connecting a funnel and hose to the AC outlet on the hull, open the seacock and pour antifreeze backward through the system until it exits at the seacock. That didn't work for me even though I had the funnel well above the connection on the hull - it just wouldn't flow. Knotflying's pump idea maybe would solve that.

 

[coreychamness]

Make sure you run a LOT of antifreeze through the system if you have 2 A/C units - at least that is what I would recommend given my experience last winter. I did experience the cavitation challenge but I was eventually successful in keeping up with the draw by the pump while pouring antifreeze in until it discharged out the side. Unfortunately I must not have completely purged all remnants of water since the forward unit in the v-berth (R-31) experienced a rupture and loss of coolant which I discovered in the spring on first use. If a freeze/rupture occurs, the unit is shot and must be replaced. We have not used the forward unit this summer but will probably replace it after this winter. It's location below the steering station is an extreme challenge for access.