Leave antifreeze in holding tank or pump out?

[MHorn0817]

I have read about people doing it each way. Leave antifreeze in, in case of any water left behind and read people put antifreeze in and have have it pumped out so antifreeze coats everything on the way out.

Which is the best way to do it?

 

[Lazy Daze]

The tank, itself, needs no antifreeze. Any residual water(ish) in there after the final pump-out won't be anywhere near enough to come even close to causing an issue. However, you're going to winterize the head and the lines TO the tank so the tank will end up having some.

The pump-out lines don't have any need to be lubricated. There's nothing TO lubricate.

 

[Skybolt]

I have read about people doing it each way. Leave antifreeze in, in case of any water left behind and read people put antifreeze in and have have it pumped out so antifreeze coats everything on the way out.

Which is the best way to do it?

I always flush a gallon or two after everything is pumped out for winterizing.

 

[Nater Potater]

I pull the line from the outlet on the bottom of the tank, allowing me to attach an adapter that then siphons any remaining water overboard through my shore fresh water hose, then go at the tank it with the wet vac. As @Lazy Daze noted, any water left at that point won't be anywhere near enough to cause problems. I hate having antifreeze in my "fresh" water lines come Springtime!

 

[Golfman25]

I usually drained everything as dry as possible. Then flush and rinse in the spring.

 

[MHorn0817]

Sounds good. I'll just blow out the fresh water lines and then dump antifreeze down the toilet and flush and leave the antifreeze in the tank.

Should I dump antifreeze down the shower drain?

I already drained my hot water heater, I need to bypass the lines. Is that just connecting the hot and cold lines together? Do I need to do anything else to the hot water heater?

 

[Nater Potater]

Sounds good. I'll just blow out the fresh water lines and then dump antifreeze down the toilet and flush and leave the antifreeze in the tank.

Should I dump antifreeze down the shower drain?

I already drained my hot water heater, I need to bypass the lines. Is that just connecting the hot and cold lines together? Do I need to do anything else to the hot water heater?

Dump some antifreeze in all the drains just to be sure. I run some down the shower until I see pink out of the side port, then use the wet vac to empty the sump pump box. As for the water heater, if it's already drained, you don't need to bypass it unless you're running antifreeze in your fresh water lines. If you are, then bypass them to save the six gallons or so of antifreeze.
By the way, let me show you a quick visual reference explaining the hot water heater nomenclature:

 

[MHorn0817]

Okay so I don't have to bypass the water heater if I'm just blowing air through?

Thank you for the tip of putting antifreeze down all the drains. When you suck out the pump, do you do it from the hull fitting or the actual pump?

Lol, thank you for the picture.

 

[Njlarry]

What about the macerator pump, should that have af pumped thru?

 

[MHorn0817]

I don't have one of those but I would imagine drained or flushed as well.

 

[sbw1]

What about the macerator pump, should that have af pumped thru?

Yes.

 

[Nater Potater]

Okay so I don't have to bypass the water heater if I'm just blowing air through?

True that. The only reason for bypassing the heater is that, if you are using antifreeze, you don't have to fill it with A/F to get the hot lines filled.

When you suck out the pump, do you do it from the hull fitting or the actual pump?

Both, actually. With my boat being stored outside in potentially sub-zero weather, I'm paranoid about leaving any liquid anywhere.

 

[MHorn0817]

That makes sense. Just want to make sure I have everything with me that I want and need when going to mess with the boat 45 mins away. I appreciate all the help.