Winterizing Ballast Pumps

[rockymtnsurfer]

A few optionsI have seen out there, but I thought I would ask. low 40's and mid to low 30's at night here now and time to winterize.

What the best way to winterize the Jabsco pumps?

thanks

D

[watsoc08]

A few optionsI have seen out there, but I thought I would ask. low 40's and mid to low 30's at night here now and time to winterize.

What the best way to winterize the Jabsco pumps?

thanks

D

Completely drain the ballast system and then suck antifreeze up into the pumps themselves and you should be covered. The antifreeze is for peace of mind. I have simply run my Jabsco system dry and never had an issue with my pumps but since you are in Steamboat and have really cold winters it is probably best to use antifreeeze in the Jabsco pumps.

[MJHSupra]

Do you have easy access to your pumps? If so, another option is to remove the impellers and put them in a plastic bag with some grease. You can leave the covers off too.

I did that on my last Supra each winter - impeller, screws, brass cover, and rubber gasket all went into a zip-lock bag.

[rockymtnsurfer]

thanks all for the options......rears are accessible very easy, but the mid ship are in the center drain compartment and sort of seem like pain to get to. Maybe I do the rear impellers and just anti in the mid ship.

Do you all drain the anitfreeze so its coated, or leave in? If I remember right on my old Nautique I left it in places.

[watsoc08]

thanks all for the options......rears are accessible very easy, but the mid ship are in the center drain compartment and sort of seem like pain to get to. Maybe I do the rear impellers and just anti in the mid ship.

Do you all drain the anitfreeze so its coated, or leave in? If I remember right on my old Nautique I left it in places.

You leave the antifreeze in the pump. It shouldn't take very much since you just want it into the pump housing itself.

[rockymtnsurfer]

You leave the antifreeze in the pump. It shouldn't take very much since you just want it into the pump housing itself.


Thank you!

[Branden967]

I also pour a little anti freeze down the drain lines exit holes just to make sure it mixes with any water that may be in a bend I cant see.

[jason1973]

I also pour a little anti freeze down the drain lines exit holes just to make sure it mixes with any water that may be in a bend I cant see.

are you talking about the exit holes on the side of the boat? my boat drains from underneath. you talking about the overflow i believe

[tre]

In the past, I left the pink antifreeze in my pumps and each spring my impellers seemed like they were worn out. The pumps would be super slow in the spring to the point where they would trip and turn off as if they were running dry. When that happens, I replace the impeller and the pumps are fast and have no issues. Each year it seemed the impellers were fine in the fall and bad in the spring so now I'm thinking the pink antifreeze hurts the impellers somehow. I may simply drain the system and try it without antifreeze this year.

[Branden967]

are you talking about the exit holes on the side of the boat? my boat drains from underneath. you talking about the overflow i believe

Sorry my boats older and mine drain out the side of the boat. I live in a high altitude cold region. Pour that stuff in anything that may have water.....

[DOCDRS]

I have been running plumbing antifreeze thru the pipes n pump on drain first then pull hose out of solution and run the pump on fill till the clear line is empty. Going on 11 years with same impellers.

[rockymtnsurfer]

Being that I store it in my shop and it never gets below 32.....I think it might run anti-freeze through it until it stops coming out. More like coating everything and and mixing any water that might still be in there. I would hate to mess with my impellers considering I just changed them a moth ago before a big trip. I guess it would be flush with anti-freeze vs a store. Any thoughts let me know. Its in my shop now and won't freeze, but want to get it off my tick list soon. Thank you all for your suggestions!
D

[jnr4817]

18 Mojo here. What's the best way to flush with antifreeze, since our boats fill and empty from the bottom. I wasn't planning on taking my bags out, but I can. I will probably store outside, but have the potential to store inside heated hangar.

[jcredible]

1) Empty your bags with any water
2) Pour some RV Antifreeze into them
3) Run the pumps on empty till pink comes out the drain hole

Your raw water cooling also cools the transmission and exhaust manifold...you will want to drain those 5 points(3 x plastic plugs, impeller, and hose disconnect. If you have the water strainer...you can connect Antifreeze to that via a garden hose....otherwise you can disconnect at the transmission and plug a hose into there to run Antifreeze through it as well.

Your engine block and heater should be a closed coolant system.

[jnr4817]

Excellent.

[MJHSupra]

18 Mojo here. What's the best way to flush with antifreeze, since our boats fill and empty from the bottom. I wasn't planning on taking my bags out, but I can. I will probably store outside, but have the potential to store inside heated hangar.

If you are storing outside, why not take them out? Fittings are easy to disconnect. Dry out the bags and store them in a plastic container in the garage.

Even if you did not use antifreeze, most of the water in the pumps/lines would eventually evaporate if left open.

[jnr4817]

I really don’t know. First year owning a surf boat. It makes since what you said. I guess I’ll do what you suggested. Thanks homie.

[jimmsch]

thanks all for the options......rears are accessible very easy, but the mid ship are in the center drain compartment and sort of seem like pain to get to. Maybe I do the rear impellers and just anti in the mid ship.

Do you all drain the anitfreeze so its coated, or leave in? If I remember right on my old Nautique I left it in places.

On the Max the midship pumps looked like a pain also, but once I got a screwdriver bit for my 1/4" ratchet it wasn't nearly as bad as it looked. That being said I noticed on the Craz that midship access hole was MUCH smaller than the Max, if that's the case with the Mojo, use the antifreeze.

An easy way to get the antifreeze into the system is using a funnel dump it into the through hull vents on the sides of the boat, then use the pump to empty the bag and when you see pink coming out the drain under the hull you should be good.

I actually cut the vent hose under the bow seat and installed a tee with a threaded plug on the middle port of the tee because the way it was plumbed the antifreeze would have to go higher than the vent fitting on the side of the boat, and this would be impossible due to the limitations gravity causes.

Antifreeze is cheap, use a gallon on each bag, and disconnect electric from pumps so you run one at a time to be sure you get some pink stuff into each pump.

I'm not sure about you guys, but I am in no way going to try to crawl under the boat on a trailer. WAY too tight for my skinny arse!!!

[rockymtnsurfer]

On the Max the midship pumps looked like a pain also, but once I got a screwdriver bit for my 1/4" ratchet it wasn't nearly as bad as it looked. That being said I noticed on the Craz that midship access hole was MUCH smaller than the Max, if that's the case with the Mojo, use the antifreeze.

An easy way to get the antifreeze into the system is using a funnel dump it into the through hull vents on the sides of the boat, then use the pump to empty the bag and when you see pink coming out the drain under the hull you should be good.



I actually cut the vent hose under the bow seat and installed a tee with a threaded plug on the middle port of the tee because the way it was plumbed the antifreeze would have to go higher than the vent fitting on the side of the boat, and this would be impossible due to the limitations gravity causes.

Antifreeze is cheap, use a gallon on each bag, and disconnect electric from pumps so you run one at a time to be sure you get some pink stuff into each pump.

I'm not sure about you guys, but I am in no way going to try to crawl under the boat on a trailer. WAY too tight for my skinny arse!!!

Some good ideas there.....I will look again at the midship....I just remember doing some work on that center bag wall support, and it was a pain:) Anti-freeze is cheap, so I am just going to try what you were talking about. My vent holes have the check valve on them now for mid ship and rear.....was sort of curious if I could have my fake a lake tube in a container of anti freeze and just suck it in and push it out. Im a skinny a#$ and can fit under no problem. That was just a though that was crossing my mind. Thank you for all these suggestions! First time with this max and don't want the thing to cause me issues in the spring.......My wife is sick of me spending cash on it all the time:) Accessories etc.
D

[jnr4817]

Does anyone know which side is the drain versus fill on the bow bag for 2018 Mojo?

[jason1973]

All this being said, i think you can just remove the air valve and pour some in the bags. Then run your pumps on drain until you see it come out. Completely drain it all if you can. I don't like that stuff sitting in the ballast bags. If you ever used this stuff to winterize your toilets in a cabin you will see it scum up over time. I let it sit in the traps, but don't like it sit for long. Not sure if its good for rubber long term.

[Zog]

If you are using Jabsco pumps, the manual indicates that winterization consists of simply loosening the screws on the cover plate of the pump to allow the water to drain. Of course, this doesn't cover the lines or ballast bags, but since those are flexible tubing, the likelihood of damage due to freeze in that tubing is minimal. You could have damage to the hard fittings on the ends though if you don't get the water out.

[rockymtnsurfer]

Thanks Zog

[rockymtnsurfer]

If you are using Jabsco pumps, the manual indicates that winterization consists of simply loosening the screws on the cover plate of the pump to allow the water to drain. Of course, this doesn't cover the lines or ballast bags, but since those are flexible tubing, the likelihood of damage due to freeze in that tubing is minimal. You could have damage to the hard fittings on the ends though if you don't get the water out.

Who would have thought to look at the manual LOL

[MJHSupra]

Who would have thought to look at the manual LOLThat's cheating.

Sent from my P00I using Tapatalk

[Zog]

Who would have thought to look at the manual LOL

The only reason I looked was because I needed to replace an impeller and just happened to see the winterization recommendations. Good timing, I guess!

[rockymtnsurfer]

The only reason I looked was because I needed to replace an impeller and just happened to see the winterization recommendations. Good timing, I guess!

LOL thanks!