Directions For Winterizing Marine Engines and Water Systems (Using Anti-Freeze)

Directions For Winterizing Marine Engines

1.) Make all necessary repairs to cooling system prior to treatment.

2.) Follow engine manufacture's procedure for draining old coolant.

3.) Fill engine cooling system with:
-50 Deg. Fahrenheit Anit-Freeze - DO NOT DILUTE
-100 Deg. Fahrenheit Sea Safe Winterizing Anti-Freeze
-200 Deg. Fahrenheit Sea Safe Winterizing Anti-Freeze

4.) When engine is put back into service, drain the anti-freeze. Dispose of used anti-freeze properly, according to government regulations.

Anti-Freeze Directions for Water System Winter Lay Up

1.) Drain entire water system as thoroughly as possible. Open the hot and cold water faucets as well as all other outlets. Blow out as much water as possible with air pressure.

2.) Drain hot water tank - leave petcock open after draining. By-pass hot water tank by disconnecting the inlet and outlet lines and connect them together with fittings or hose and hose clamps.

3.) Add anti-freeze to potable water system.

4.) Pressurize your system or turn on demand pump.

5.) Staring with the furthermost faucet, open each faucet and allow the anti-freeze to flow until colored liquid appears, then close faucet.

6.) Repeat step #5 at each fresh water outlet.

7.) Flush toilet several times to unsure complete drainage. NOTE: Make sure holding tank is thoroughly drained.

8.) Activate the pump valve several times to be sure there is sufficient anti-freeze to protect waste system.

Then in Spring

Flush the entire system thoroughly with fresh water for 15-20 minutes until all of the colored anti-freeze is removed from system and not visible. The keep fresh water system clean and free from algae, bacteria, scale and sediment use Starbrite Aqua Clean (STR-32300). NOTE: Ethylene gycol testing equipment will not give accurate readings on this product.

NOTE: This Anti-Freeze contains Corrosion inhibitors, which protect against rust and corrosion of aluminum, copper solder and brass. It will not harm rubber or other hose and gasket material.

Burst vs Freeze Protection

All winterizing products by industry standards are rated by burst protection and not freeze protection. So, what's the difference? When we say that an antifreeze fluid protects to -100 Deg. Fahrenheit, it means that a copper pipe filed with that product will burst at -100 Deg. Fahrenheit. The actual undiluted solution will start to form ice crystals at approximately -60 Deg. Fahrenheit. The temperature at which ice crystals start to form is called the freezing point. As the temperature drops, the solution continues to form more dense ice crystals and expands. As the solution expands, it puts pressure on the pipe and at -100 Deg. Fahrenheit the copper pipe will burst. A PVC pip will burst at about -80 Deg. Fahrenheit since it is not as strong as a copper pipe.

The information provided here has been reproduced courtesy of Starbrite. Wholesale Marine reproduced this information on 10/06/08.