OCC Forums - Technical, Gear, and Maintenance - Pressure fresh water system/winterization - Messages https://forums.oceancruisingclub.org/messages.aspx?TopicID=2364 OCC Forums - Technical, Gear, and Maintenance - Pressure fresh water system/winterization - Messages en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Jitbit AspNetForum Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:35:12 GMT Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:35:12 GMT https://forums.oceancruisingclub.org/messages.aspx?TopicID=2364 Message from Dick Pex is, in many ways, a good way to direct water around a boat, RV etc.: certainly as a backbone. But, it does not lend itself easy manipulation. For example: on my RV where the plumbing is pex, there is one area where the designers knew that the owner would need to access regularly to winterize. So rather than use pex, the builder T’d in a piece of hose with a ¼ turn on/off valve whose flexibility allowed it to get into anti-freeze bottles. Many pex installs have hose where a bit of flexibility is wished for.
On Alchemy, hose connections, both putting on and taking off, are easy using a heat gun.
So, with 2 connection hose changes I isolate my water heater while retaining pressure integrity and allow it to drain.
Both tanks have T’s which allow them to drain into the bilge.
I then take the hose off the domestic water distribution manifold going to the pump and plop it into the anti-freeze bottle and run water at the sinks and shower until pink shows.
A variation on this should work for you, but will likely entail using a piece or 2 of hose.
Come back with questions.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy]]> Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:35:12 GMT https://forums.oceancruisingclub.org/messages.aspx?TopicID=2364 Message from Dick j2matthews wrote:
Our boat Grayce,1989, Niagara 42 #20. Reaching out for ideas re: the pressure water system. The plumbing is pex pipe with various appropriate connectors & fittings. Specifically we are looking to streamline/simplify the section between the water tanks and accumulator tank. (Note we are able to access our two water tanks, manually clean, and leave empty/dry for the winter haul out season). We currently have a collection of twist fittings that allow the system to be opened to winterize the pressure side without involving the 2 water tanks, a plus. However, the twist fitting section is cumbersome. Our goal would be to have a system that would allow for draining and winterization without breaking the connection as has been done for years. We are thinking of using a T connector and a 1/4 valve arrangement. We would welcome any input and creative solutions. Regrettably, no pictures as the boat is in a different location.
Jim/Joanne Matthews
]]> Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:34:59 GMT https://forums.oceancruisingclub.org/messages.aspx?TopicID=2364 Message from j2matthews Jim/Joanne Matthews]]> Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:19:27 GMT