To empty onboard water tank in a Bailey Cordoba?
We have just bought privately a 2016 Bailey Cordoba. Just reading all the manuals re the systems (previously had a Bessacarr motorhome so not totally new experience for us).
Query is - how is the onboard cold water storage tank emptied?
Have found the valve which needs to be opened to fill until it overflows and then close it (blue pipe left of offside bed box). It's currently turned in line, so believe it will fill if we wanted it to.
Found the valve which needs to be opened to drain the Alde hot water tank (yellow switch at right of the offside bedbox by the heater) current in the 'up' mode so believe the drain is open so will empty if we tried to pump water into it.
Can't find any other valve to drain directly the cold water storage tank - so in order to drain it, does the yellow switch need to be 'up' and the internal pump turned on to drain the cold water storage tank until the water stops running under the van? - or will just using the yellow switch by the pump drain that also?
We were told there is no water in the van, but just want to make sure van is empty of water for the winter, and for future reference.
Any help appreciated.
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I should have said does the yellow switch by the heater (not the pump) drain that also?
Sorry for any confusion!
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My Bailey is a good bit older but the drain for the inboard tank is outside, underneath, and quite a way back from the tank. Have a look for a pipe from under the tank leading to a valve hidden somewhere.
You can use the yellow valve and a running pump to empty some of the water, but not all. There will be some in the bottom of the tank well, and in the drain pipe. There will also be water in the other pipes in the caravan, as yellow valve does not deal with any water that is "over the hill" from it as pipes wind about inside. I have drained my caravan using air pressure and get about another two litres out that way.
When sterilising, remember to deal with that length of drain pipe as well.
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That’s strange as there are several hits on Google for filling the onboard water tank, including this old CT thread -
It's no help to the OP I’m afraid but looking at the Bailey spec it looks as if maybe only some models have the onboard tank.
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The Cordoba does have a 40 litre water tank. It's a black plastic one at left side of the offside bed box. Can post a photo if anyone needs it.
Filled via normal supply, but valve has to be switched on, until it overflows to outlet outside (meaning the tank is full) and then switched off. So water will be to top of tank.
Another David - Don't think there is access above the tank to get to any screw on cap as that is the front of van, with no access as far as I know. Don't know where exactly the internal pump is located.
Navigateur - I have found a pic of where the outside drain is and will see, when we get some dry weather, if there is a valve there. Person we bought off said they had put a hose on the end of taps and blown back through them to drain the water.
Think I will have to clarify with previous owner re the onboard tank. Don't know if they ever used it anyway, but it is recommended for winter use rather than the aqua roll.
Can't understand why there is no diagram of how it all works and which valve is where - jobs for the boys comes to mind! :0)
Thanks for all the replies
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Ha! The pump and valve diagram. The one in my van is on the inside of one of the locker doors, but not where the pump and valves are located.
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Just found this video regarding a Bailey Unicorn 4 - but the valves appear the same as on my Unicorn 3 - at least the two I found.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_eujrwb6XUThe one on the blue pipe I thought was for filling the onboard tank is actually the drain down valve - and that is open (with easy access from the front of the bed box). The other I found is indeed the yellow one for the Alde heater which needs access via the top of the bed box.
It seems the bed box also needs to be open from the top to find the valve to switch from using the water hog pump to feed the taps, to it filling the onboard tank. Once the tank is full (check for water overflowing under the van) turn off the valve used for filling the onboard tank, and switch to internal pump in van to take water from the internal tank to the taps..
I hope the youtube video is useful for others.
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Anne
I have a 2015 Cordoba. The above is correct. If you are using water from the onboard tank, you need to switch the pump from external to internal at the control panel. Its all fully explained in the handbook.
Its a real pain having to open the bunk from the top to switch between aquaroll direct use, and filling the onboard tank.
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NutsyH
Many thanks for the confirmation.
I'm happy regarding switching from external to internal pump. I just couldn't find anything how to fill and (more importantly) empty the internal water tank and where the valves were. - still there's a lot to read.
The van was only delivered to us by the person we bought it off last Saturday so we haven't actually used it yet.
Is it possible to leave the valve switched to the onboard tank, so it can be topped up easily if needed, and can it be topped up with a watering can as well as using the waterhog? With a watering can as that's what we used to do with out Bessacarr Motorhome.
Haven't even had time to look at the water inlet yet, as been too busy removing carpets, bedding and covers and lifting seats and beds to air during the winter!
I'm happy now that there is no water in the van anyway which was my main concern.
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I reckon a 4" diameter hole in the front panel of the seat would allow a hand to reach in to move the valves. Unfortunately I can't do that on my caravan as where the hole would need to be is already filled by a double 13 amper socket.
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Thanks for the suggestion Navigateur.
I haven't actually located the valve to switch from via water hog to taps, and via water hog to inboard tank yet.
I believe though, on viewing the video it will be near the Whale pressure accumulator (?) which is at the back of the bed box directly behind the Alde heater which is right against the front of the bed box.
I'll check it next time I visit the storage place, and if it's where I think it is, whether it would be possible to reach diagonally across to the value from an opening in the bed box.
Actually though I'm now thinking the drop down flap on the left of the bed box to get to the onboard water tank may mean that the valve I need to get to may also be reachable without lifting anything!
Many thanks to all again. Replies have been really helpful.
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We have a 2010 Bailey Pegasus with the same arrangement. I would suspect you would have to close the yellow drain down valve and turn on the taps to drain out the water from the onboard tank into the kitchen sink. You can then drain down the whole system by opening up the yellow switch again.
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Unless Bailey has moved to microswitch operated taps, all one needs to do is open the yellow valve and the pump will start and whatever source is set empty it out without a tap involved. Just remember to close the yellow valve when starting to use the system again!
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Nav, is the internal pump built to be run for an extended length of time, sufficient to ensure that any excess water in the system that has not drained off is expelled, without any water running through it?
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The pump is between the Aquaroll/tank and the yellow dump valve/taps. It will empty the tank, but once tank is empty not shift the water in the pipes leading up to the taps. It will, however, build up a pressure of air if the taps are closed. It gets switched off by this pressure build up. If the pump in my caravan is the original it is 15 years old, and understandably there is a slow leak back through the pump seals. Hence it starts occasionally, runs for a few seconds, and goes back off. No problem as we sleep at the other end of the caravan.
To do a decent job on clearing the pipes I got another pipe and plug that goes between Aquaroll and inlet socket, removed the filter, and fitted a Schrader valve. I can use this adaptor to blow through the pipes with an air compressor, remembering that many joints are push fit and ( I think ) 5 p.s.i. is a safe maximum. Certainly enough to blow lots of un-drained water through the taps!
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Section 36 in your handbook appears to explain the system and how to operate it.
We have a Swift, the system is similar but different, our valves are accessible just behind the bed box drop flap.
I would think you need to set the valve for the mode you wish to use, i.e........fill tank........use from tank.....use from outside tank, and that the only way to fill the tank will be by pumping in water from the external tank, as there is only one water inlet.
You do however have 2 pumps, so you need to select the correct pump as well.
(our system has one pump but 2 separate valves)
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Um. Section 36 in the original owners manual we received with the van is 'Side Dinnette Top Bunk Assembly' !! We don't have that anyway on our version of Bailey Unicorn Series 3 Cordoba - which is twin single beds.
I'll keep looking. So far all I've read is about the standard water system via the Waterhog, but I'll look again to see if there is anything specific regarding the onboard tank.
Shame if we can only fill the onboard tank via the waterhog as I've read the onboard tank is useful to use during the winter.
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Page 36 I should have said. .......in the above manual.
Handbooks vary according to year, and often cover several different models.
You need to find the section on "twin axle water system"
There does need to be some way of bringing the water to the van to start with, hence filling via Waterhog/Aquaroll.
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Thanks for the update KjellNN. It's not page 36 in our 2016 manual but have found it on page 40.
It's 16b Unicorn III Twin Axel Water System.
First I obviously had too much going on to find any reference to the on board tank, but even the instructions I've found are not as clear as they could be - it assumes you know where the heater compartment is - though to be fair if you were buying from a dealer it would all be explained.
I don't mind a bit of research to try and find things out, but my concern right now was to be sure there was no water in the van over this winter - which I am now sure about. :0)
Actually here in Pembrokeshire we don't really get low temperatures (except during the beast from the east when we were staying in our motorhome in Milford Haven boatyard in Jan 2018 while trying to buy the place we are in! - we had no water in the van thank goodness and used bottled water and waste water draining straight to water collection outside. Even the fresh water tap in the boat yard froze so we had to go to the shower block to collect fresh water and there were icicles on the bottom of the van!)
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Thanks ADP1963. I now know which valve is the inline valve/tap to drain the onboard tank and happy that is open.
Previous owner had only used the van once (wife is now ill hence the sale), without using the onboard tank so wasn't sure it was all set correctly, as when I asked them about it they just said they had never used it. I just wanted to be sure for this winter. :0)
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Have you had Alde heating before?
If not, read the instructions carefully, and maybe download the full thing from the Alde website. What colour of fluid does it contain? Blue should be changed every 2 years, pink every 5 years. If you need to change, put in pink.
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Thanks, Nav, it was just for future reference that I asked my question. We use the van all year round, but leave the taps and valve open during the winter when parked up between trips. I've never tried running the pump after letting out all the water by way of the yellow valve outlet prior to heading home at the end of a trip.
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Annegp......glad that I could help if yours is a similar system. I will just add that as my holding tank is situated in the wardrobe at the nearside rear of the caravan I do make certain that I do drain down every time I travel, otherwise the stability would be horrendous.
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That's where it was on my Lunar. One year I filled it & the hot water tank with a sterilising solution .... it was only when we got to our site and I went to fill u with water that I realised it was still there. I'd thought it had towed a bit odd!
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I was towing with a 3.0 Omega at the time. The tail wasn't particularly wagging the dog, but I was aware that things were a little different. We'd not gone too far from home and travelled on small A & B roads so the caravan was jiggled about anyway. 😉
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