First time to winterize my 1998...

[Proppy]

First time to winterize my 1998 290 Sundancer, single engine.  Hardware store person said NOT to run RV antifreeze through the water heater as it would ruin the electrical heating element.  I could not find this anywhere else, so I'm asking if anyone has heard of this.  Thanks.

[wingless]

The water heater in my 2000 380DA lays horizontal under my mid stateroom sofa / bed.

As such, all the fittings are on the end, leaving a layer of water on the bottom when the heater is drained.

When I needed to setup the boat for winter storage, that ~gallon of water caused problems. If / when I ran pink / potable water antifreeze through the water heater, then that diluted the mixture, providing less protection for the hot water pipes and fittings.

The winterization that I found to work best was to swap the plumbing so that pink antifreeze poured into the empty potable water tank would NOT go into the water heater because my modified plumbing bypassed the water heater and instead go directly through the hot water plumbing and fittings.

This modification gave proper 100% protection, not only for the cold water circuit, but also for the hot water circuit.

To protect the water heater I have tried several methods and didn't like any method.

One method was to run pink into the "drained" water heater, resulting in a diluted mixture w/ less protection.

Another method was to remove the salon sofa, the water heater and stand it on end, to fully drain the tank. That was as huge a butt pain as it sounds, but the water heater was bone dry, w/ no freeze damage possible.

My water heater still has the original element.

FWIW, I made a check list to ensure I didn't forget any winter setup steps, because there were so many things that needed to be properly completed.

Now that I boat in the tropics, all that fun is history for me...

[drsteves]

I’m glad that I live in Florida and do not have to winterize my boat.

[Bobo1]

You may try to blow out the minimal water remaining in the hot water tank with compressed air

[Callies_Choice]

Obviously an uninformed salesperson. The anti freeze does not make dontact with the electric coils. You will not have a problem.

[Proppy]

Thanks!

[drsteves]

Also, you can check the manual that came with it. If you don’t have it, it may be available online from the manufacturer.

[ATICA_II]

use a small shop vac to suck out all the water from the heater and the entire system. Just hook up a shop vac to a small piece of hose attached to the heater drain. You will be surprised about how much water you pull out. After that pour anti freeze into the entire system and run it thru hot and cold outlets. Or you could suck out all the anti freeze and still be fine.

[Captn__Henry]

I bypass my water heater and leave it empty for the Winter

[270SDASE]

I have a 1998 270DASE and always winterize both the engine and the water heater heat exchanger with marine antifreeze (the good stuff that doesn’t corrode engine & metal exchanger components). I’ve never had an issue, but I run between 5 to 7 gallons through the system via a 5 gallon bucket tied to lower unit “ears”. Make sure the engine is previously run to operating temperature so as the thermostat is open and full engine circulation is occurring. Then shut down the engine, change owner to the marine antifreeze bucket, and refits the engine until 5-7 gallons of marine antifreeze are circulated throughout the engine & heat exchanger. If you’re talking the actual water heater tank, definitely don’t run antifreeze through that!!! Open the water heater drain valve, disconnect the hot water heater cold water inlet, open all hot water receptacles (galley & bath room) and use an air compressor with blower attachment to blow out the water heater and hot water loop by pushing compressed air at the water heater cold water inlet until all outlets blow water free.