Water tank drain-down for winter
We are new to motorhoming and so this will be the first winter where we need to drain the water tanks to avoid frost damage and bacterial build up over winter.
I have looked at 'floe' as an option but it seems quite complicated.
I wondered whether other members have used this system or, if not, what other suggestions members might have to ensure the water is fully drained and the system not damaged?
Comments
-
open the fresh tank drain and empty it.
open the hot water boiler drain and this will pump out the ten ltr in your combi's tank.
open the kitchen, washroom and shower taps to a position between hot and cold, the remaining water will drain out, you can even lower the shower head to aid draining....
there may also be water in the filter close to the combi, this can be emptied to avoid damage from trapped water that freezes....
once you've done it once it will seem far more simple than it reads....
good luck...
0 -
Hi Liz I use the floe on my caravan and it is very simple you need a 12 volt compressor and it removes about a ltr from the pipes
Same here, have managed to get nearly 2ltrs out of the pipes, superb bit of kit.
0 -
I pump out my system by connecting my rusty, I mean trusty, footpump to the water inlet. Pump it up to about 15 psi and then open the taps sequentially. You don't need expensive kit if you already have a pump. Actually did mine yesterday.
0 -
CY, the OP's MH wont have an inlet like a caravan does...the pressure for the water comes from the inline pump between the water tank and the van supply pipe...
AFAIK, its not easy to pressurise the system in the way you describe....
i have a separate waste tap situated at the lowest point of the van which allows the excess fresh water to drain once the tank has been drained...
0 -
Personally I would drain the system on the last site you visit. Open all taps and the shower to halfway between hot and cold and blow down them to clear any water trapped in them. You then drive home with everything open and the trip should clear any remaining
water.1 -
again, the OP has a MH which may still be carrying many, many litres of water.....not like a caravan with (apart from the aquaroll) a virtually empty system...
yes, a MH could dump their fresh water when they dump their grey, but this would mean manouvring the van a bit to get over the CC drain with two different van outlets....
however, when i get home, i can pull the plug on the fresh wothout anyone tutting over a MH dumping a large quantity of water...
0 -
Not necessarily so Wildwood. The piework on my previous van had a similar layou to present van. On site after laying van up from end of September until mid December I got on site to find no water as there was a freeze in both hot and cold pipes. Never happened
again as I found an additional drain on both hot on cold on the pipe run. Present van does not have this and so I am more fussy to blow any water out0 -
Thanks to Liz for original post as a quick search has saved me asking the same thing (also new to MHing).
My handbook instructs disconnecting pipes at HW boiler which, as a layman, I am reluctant to do as I'd consider constant tinkering every time we leave van unused for a few days over winter will loosen the seal.
I can't find a drain on my clean water tank, which struck me as being the simplest solution to draining probem, so am also considering the floe system (the power of advertising in the magazine!).
At moment I've run pump and drained what I can through taps/shower but know there will be a residue sitting somewhere.
We (the van is ours, while the tinkering is my domain) have a Chausson 510 so if anyone can offer model specific idiot guidance I'd welcome that!
0 -
I drop remaining fresh and grey at the MH service point openthe boiler drain and drive hame with it open and all taps in the van open this clears remaining water out of system. I the nkeep an eye on the weather when it it is storage and if it looks like it will be really cold for a time I go and remove the pump and bring it home.It only takes 5 mins to remove and replace. Done this for last 11 years no problems.
0 -
Dave, i cant answer your specific question but old this thread from MMM forum highlights that certain Chausson models required unscrewing a bung underneath the tank...
not really satisfactory, but also spme suggestions for modifications to make more user friendly...
0 -
Our last Pilote MH had a bung in the tank just like you get in a sink but smaller. Open inspection cover on top of tank and plunge hand into cold water. Swift had a tap on the tank that leaked. New Laika has a drain tap inside that lets out everything apart
from 20 ltrs and then another one that lets out everything. Also a frost sensor for the boiler.0 -
Thanks for replies and for useful link - I'll now get vehicle into drive so I can crawl round underneath and see if there's any handy drain.
For info, after my post yesterday I contacted dealer we bought from who also are listed as installers of the floe system, just to get an idea of installation costs. The chap I spoke to said they had only ever fitted one and he advised just opening the taps,
after draining and emptying as much as you can before leaving site, and then just let the journey home shake the remainder out.0 -
I have a 7.5 c.f.m. compressor I put my blow jet on the pipe and blow the pipes out
0 -
I recently fitted Floe to my motor home, very simply done in my view. Basically a cut off valve is fitted in line between the water tank & pump. Then between the cut off valve & pump the air injector is also fitted in line. All connections are supplied & are simple push fit. A. Search on You Tube for Floe will find a 20min video which explains the fitting & how to use the product. I have only used it twice, but have been impressed with the amount of water expelled from the pipes after going through the normal drain down procedure I previously used, peace of mind is the result. In my view a worthwhile investment.
0 -
Hi, I recently purchased one of these, I attach a piece of hose, open the drain valve, then the taps one at a time and blow through to get any remaining water out the system. This will only be compatible if you have round tap spouts, but there may be other adapters that would be compatible. I was a little reluctant to pressurise the system using the Floe system.
0
