winterizing fresh water lines - tournament 223

[suzukidave]

hi folks

looking for some help on how to properly drain/winterize the fresh water lines on my 94 tournament 223. the boat just arrived here in canada this week and it needs to be dealt with asap.

first problem, there is a live well pump switch on the dash but if i turn it on nothing happens. i can't tell if it works or where the pump would be to check it. is there any standing water in the live well system?

second problem, it has a fresh water hose coming out of the starboard seat locker and and a small faucet built into an alcove in the coaming also on the starboard side. there is a pump in the starboard bilge compartment and the water tank to feed them seems to be a white plastic tank just forward of the fuel tank in the bilge.

what i need to do is completely drain this whole water system. i think if i disconnect the feed line to the pump and drop it into the bilge that should gravity drain the main tank and feed line? however, the spaghetti from the pump into the hose and faucet looks trickier. i am thinking i will need compressed air to blow it out unless there is a low point draincock somewhere that i can't see?

any help is appreciated

 

[65aircooled]

What I do with the fresh water tank is drain it until the tank is no longer suplying water to the pump. Then I pour a gallon of antifreze in the tank and run th pump again until the antifreeze comes out. That way there is antifreeze in the tank, pump, lines and faucet.
I dont have an outside (raw water) line to the live well so I pour antifreeze in the tank and run the pump for a few seconds just to fill the sistem.
Hope that helps.

Edit: my live well drains naturally (no pump) The little pump in there is an aerator. If the tank has water then the aerator should work. I also stick the bilge pumps in a cut plastic jug with antifreezeI have and run them for a few seconds and then pour some more A/F in the bilges. Maybe overkill but I'd rather be safe than sorry and it only costs a couple of more $

 

[djohnson52]

I do what 65aircooled stated below and run all my water lines empty and then fill fresh water supply with a couple gallons of rv/marine non toxic antifreeze. I then run each faucet, transom shower nozzle, and windshield washer nozzles for 5 seconds or so and make sure they are all coming out pink to ensure the antifreeze is through the entire system.

If the livewell system is not doing anything when you turn it on, is there a water pressure switch on the panel too? Flip that on as well. I have a seacock in the rear bilge that needs to be opened to allow the system to suck in the seawater. Hopefully that should do it, or maybe there is an issue with the pump itself.

 

[suzukidave]

thanks gentlemen

i bought some rv antifreeze today and the water system flushed nice and pink. i also poured some down the scuppers.

65aircooled where exactly is your live well tank? i have three tanks in the seat lockers and a bow tank but none seem to be rigged as a live well.

 

[65aircooled]

Look at the picture below, my boat is the older version but the same layout. Some came with plumbing for raw water, mine didn't. I have to plug the drain and fill it with a bucket. The switch is on the helm, on the panel under the control. I'll take a picture of mine tomorrow so you can see the pump.

 

[suzukidave]

Look at the picture below, my boat is the older version but the same layout. Some came with plumbing for raw water, mine didn't. I have to plug the drain and fill it with a bucket. The switch is on the helm, on the panel under the control. I'll take a picture of mine tomorrow so you can see the pump.

mystery solved! i do have the dash switch but there is nothing visible in my live well but a single drain. i have three through hulls on that side, of which one is the forward scupper and the other two are drains for the live well and fish box. there is no raw water thru-hull at the stern so i assume i must have the same system as you

 

[Parthery]

Suzukidave, the port side storage cooler is the livewell....if you open it up you will see the outlet up on the side of the compartment.

Go on the GW website and download your owners manual....you will need your HIN to get into it but once you do, you get all the wiring diagrams, pump locations, etc....

Congratulations on your purchase...I'm hoping my '99 223 is ready by the end of the month.