Winterizing Ballast Pumps and Bags...

[Hana]

Anyone have a diagram of the ballast plumbing for the 242x? I was looking for a way to add some antifreeze to the bags and pumps just to be on the safe side. I thought of removing the vent caps on the bags adding antifreeze and then trying to drain the system through the pumps but I wasn't sure if that would work. Not sure if you would need to fill the bags through the pumps in order for the boat to know that there is something in the ballasts. Any suggestions?

 

[KXCam22]

The bags dont need winterizing, just draining. I remove the drain fitting on the pump and s blow my lines out with compressed air. Cam

 

[Hana]

Thanks!!

 

[KXCam22]

Keep in mind that water only damages stuff by freezing when it is contained. Anywhere that it has room to expand, or is not trapped, then is does no damage. A full pipe breaks and and half-full pipe does not. Cam.

 

[Hana]

We drained the ballasts the last time we were out which was at the end of September. My main concern wasn't the bags themselves but the pumps and the lines. I wasn't sure if they held water or not.

 

[KXCam22]

I added fittings in my lines to make them easy to drain. Regular pvc plumbing fittings work great. The pumps usually have 1 or 2 drain fittings. Mine are Johnson with 2. I leave them out for the winter. Cam

 

[OperationROL]

In my former SX230 with plumbed in ballast, I would disconnect each bag and store inside the house. I would also pour antifreeze down the disconnected hoses and run the pumps in reverse to allow the antifreeze to be ingested into each pump. That seems to work well and relieve any concerns.

 

[buckbuck]

Years ago I cut the pump inlet hose a few feet from the pump and inserted a coupling. Then in the fall I disconnect at that coupling and stick the hose in a gallon of RV antifreeze. Turn on the pump and suck the antifreeze into the system. This protects the pump and hoses thru out. The pump is what I am most concerned about.