Drainage taps

[joebo]

Hi just exchanged caravans now got a coachman acadia 660 extra . When setting up yesterday the water was going through the drainage tap I pulled the seat up and there was two yellow taps I turned them both up to stop the water which it did . Before in my elddis van it only had one tap .Does anyone know why there are two taps and what they are for ? Thanks

 

[joebo]

As below

 

[Hutch]

One hot water, red pipe and cold water,,blue pipes

 

[Jcloughie]

You probably have an onboard tank. Therefore there are two drainage outlets. Lift the yellow tab up and the pipes will drain out below the caravan. When lifted, the taps won’t work as the water has drained.

John

 

[Jcloughie]

One hot water, red pipe and cold water,,blue pipes

They both look blue to me. But it’s a posh Coachman. Always have to have extra. 🤓

John

 

[Buckman]

On our previous caravan one was for the water to the hot water boiler and the other was for the ALDE Continuous hot water cylinder.

 

[IanB1485]

if the pipes are red to one and the other blue , then it's one for the hot water and one for the cold water. If the pipes are both blue then you have an onboard tank , in that case you should also have a three way valve somewhere or a non return valve.The tank may have its own pump and on the control panel a selector switch to select the relevant pump

 

[Hutch]

They both look blue to me. But it’s a posh Coachman. Always have to have extra. 🤓

John

On both of my "posh Coachman" ( Thank you) caravans, a 560 VIP and a 545 VIP
One with the Trauma Ultra store and the other with the Trauma Combi, they had two drain valves hot and cold as did my Sterling Eccles Jewel.
How else will you drain water from the water heater and cold system.

 

[RogerL]

On both of my "posh Coachman" ( Thank you) caravans, a 560 VIP and a 545 VIP
One with the Trauma Ultra store and the other with the Trauma Combi, they had two drain valves hot and cold as did my Sterling Eccles Jewel.
How else will you drain water from the water heater and cold system.

My Lunar Clubman, with Alde wet heating, only has one drain point, on the cold input pipe - but seems well able to drain both the cold pipes/taps and the hot tank/pipes/taps

 

[Dustydog]

I have two. The second was a modification by Chipping Sodbury caravans . The yellow taps are part of the hot water tank , cold feed. Previously it would a take a while for cold water to exit the cold tap. It’s basically a bypass bleed system. I’ll post some pics tomorrow

 

[Hutch]

I sit corrected.

 

[ProfJohnL]

On both of my "posh Coachman" ( Thank you) caravans, a 560 VIP and a 545 VIP
One with the Trauma Ultra store and the other with the Trauma Combi, they had two drain valves hot and cold as did my Sterling Eccles Jewel.
How else will you drain water from the water heater and cold system.

Trauma ? Was it a deliberate misspelling?

 

[Hutch]

Trauma ? Was it a deliberate misspelling?

I think , Predictive text, understands the system more than I do.

 

[Dustydog]

Here's a pic of my two yellow tap mod

 

[DaveA1]

I think , Predictive text, understands the system more than I do.

I used to blame predictive text, until I realised it wasn't switch on.
My Swift Elite has one drain tap.

 

[Dustydog]

I used to blame predictive text, until I realised it wasn't switch on.
My Swift Elite has one drain tap.

Just think what PT could do with your nickname🤪

 

[Beardy]

I couldn't cope with two drain taps. At least half the times I've pitched up I've forgotten to close the one I have and stood there wondering why it's taking so long to fill the system. 🤦‍♂️

(Please tell me that I'm not the only one to make this mistake over and over again)

 

[IanB1485]

@Hutch

How else will you drain water from the water heater and cold system.

err, the cold water goes into the boiler at the bottom , hot water comes out the top. Open the cold drain and water drains back out of the boiler( air inlet valve fitted on hot outlet allows air to replace water draining back out of cold inlet . Same thing happens in domestic and industrial hot water systems. Opening a hot tap speeds up the process .Thats why modern caravans only have one drain down valve , unless they have an onboard tank.

 

[Hutch]

@Hutch

err, the cold water goes into the boiler at the bottom , hot water comes out the top. Open the cold drain and water drains back out of the boiler( air inlet valve fitted on hot outlet allows air to replace water draining back out of cold inlet . Same thing happens in domestic and industrial hot water systems. Opening a hot tap speeds up the process .Thats why modern caravans only have one drain down valve , unless they have an onboard tank.

Well you live and learn, I suppose it save weight and keeps cost down.

 

[birdman101]

I always fit an extra drain tap in the Hot pipe. When you drain down, the cold pipes drain, but the water heater drains as the Red valve allows air in, for it to empty. But the Red pipe for the hot water comes out of the top of the heater so this does not drain. By fitting another drain in this pipe at floor level leaves this to drain. Therefore no need to use these pumps to blow out system. As the water heater is approx 12” high this water remained in the hot pipes which can freeze if not drained or blown out.

 

[Dustydog]

@Hutch

err, the cold water goes into the boiler at the bottom , hot water comes out the top. Open the cold drain and water drains back out of the boiler( air inlet valve fitted on hot outlet allows air to replace water draining back out of cold inlet . Same thing happens in domestic and industrial hot water systems. Opening a hot tap speeds up the process .Thats why modern caravans only have one drain down valve , unless they have an onboard tank.

Ian
What do you think of the Chipping Sodbury Caravans mod #14?

 

[IanB1485]

@Dustydog seems a bit of an overkill they are literally 150mm apart on the same line, but that tubing has a smaller bore than the more modern 12mm John guest pipework so as you say it speeds up the drain down.

 

[Dustydog]

@Dustydog seems a bit of an overkill they are literally 150mm apart on the same line, but that tubing has a smaller bore than the more modern 12mm John guest pipework so as you say it speeds up the drain down.

From memory Ian we had a problem with a delay in the cold water coming through the cold tap cold! It was slightly warm! Don’t forget she’s 17 years old. Their mod has certainly worked well for us and solved at that time what was apparently a very common problem

 

[birdman101]

@Dustydog seems a bit of an overkill they are literally 150mm apart on the same line, but that tubing has a smaller bore than the more modern 12mm John guest pipework so as you say it speeds up the drain down.

Agree Ian would let it drain a bit quicker, But I found years ago after a drain down unless the system is blown out some water remains in the hot pipe, When I first started to fit thermostatic valves in our caravans for the shower,I had drained system. When releasing a connection in the Hot pipe to install valve I was surprised the amount or water that come out and had to quickly push joint back together. I then blew the system out with air pump before carrying out my mod. So fitted drain in hot pipe on all our caravans since.