Pickling our Water Maker aboard Chicory

[@4tomop]

Very much enjoying your technical videos. Thank you!

[@boatersdivingguide]

Thank you for your kind words.

[@fendermijstrats2352]

As a non boat owner I've seen/heard the phrase a few times 'pickled water maker' and often wondered what it is and now I see what you have to do. Thanks

[@boatersdivingguide]

You bet! Thank s for your comment.

[@douglasbakker9064]

We use the same RV antifreeze to winterize our RV. In the spring when we flush the system it does take some time for the smell of the antifreeze to be gone. Your system is very complicated compared to ours with all your filters, pumps, membranes and everything. How hard is it to clean it all out so you don't smell it anymore?

[@boatersdivingguide]

Thank you for your question. We do a fresh water flush for about 15 minutes and then a sea water flush for about 10 minutes. This seems to work.

[@jmsask]

Are you leaving the boat for a while? I always wondered how it was done. Thank you for sharing 🍻

[@jmsask]

Will you make a video showing how to reverse it?

[@boatersdivingguide]

Thank you for your question. We stay at the dock during hurricane season and do not make water, so we decommission the water maker to save the weekly fresh water flush requirement.

[@boatersdivingguide]

Yes, we will.

[@dadejazzba402]

So what are the criteria for pickling?...certain amount of downtime?...starts to get smelly? How often in a year do you do it?

[@boatersdivingguide]

Thank you for your question. We do it to avoid the requirement of a weekly fresh water flush to keep the membranes free of growth. We will be at the dock for hurricane season and it's just easier this way.

[@rod272727]

antifreeze is ethylene glycol.....pickling solution is propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is not toxic to humans, whereas ethylene glycol is. Definitley need to get all that ethylene glycol out of the system.....but it is much easier to find and cheaper.

[@boatersdivingguide]

Thank you for your comment. We used freshwater system antifreeze, which is propylene glycol.

[@rod272727]

@@boatersdivingguide i looked at my Walmart Supertech RV and Marine bottle which is the one you are using, and it says ethylene glycol as the first ingredient....just be careful.

[@markdedionisio]

Do not use that product to pickle your watermaker. Use food grade propylene glycol.