Draining Procedure

[machighlander]

hi, i posted in another thread about setting up the water system today to test for any possible damage through the icy conditions we have had.

what i am asking is what is the correct way to drain all the water back out the system ?. i unplugged the pump ( with the power off) and opened the main drain valve under the front seat unit next to the water heater, also opened the external drain valve point. then i opened the taps, but with the pump disconnected there was no flow. i am a wee bit reluctant to run the pump when there is no water in the aquaroll, so is there a way of doing this.

cheers.

 

[trucker]

highlander, I follow the procedure in the manual for my caravan.

Flick the drain valve and open the taps, unplug the water inlet, once drained unplug the onboard pump and run pump for30 seconds or so to get water out of the pump. This is for winter only, any other time I flick the drain valve and open the taps.

Kevin

 

[vauxhall2]

open taps then open the main drain next to the water heater.the water will leave without the pump being fitted.do not forget the header tank on the toilet as this must be drained too.usually a bung inside the toilet container compartment.remove any bottles of fluid too as these can freeze and make a mess of the van if they split.

 

[JTQ]

Running your pump on air is all but useless if it is a submersible one as it will not pump air to any extent.

If its an inboard diaphragm one then its very good at pumping air and its important you do run it dry to clear any water actually within it. If can run for minutes without damage.

Taps must be left open in the centre position if they are lift and turn mixer taps.

I also use my Aquaroll filling hose to facilitate blowing back down the taps to free water slugs either to drain or lay relatively safely in the lowest bits of pipe. Not the best from a hygiene point of view I know but it helps prevent expensive problems and I purge things well when I set it back working.

If you can blow through each tap in turn with the others closed temporarily then very little water is left to do harm. You will detect the resistance of any excessive water as you blow.

 

[xtrailman]

highlander

Never run a submersible pump unless submerged in water, you will prematurely wear the seals, and burn it out.

I always slope the caravan towards the drain, use the jockey wheel, i have had the van in this position since october, also drains the rain water off the roof quicker, looks odd nose down, but so what?

Mick

I have never had the toilet sackets split to date, but perhaps i better check tomorrow,i keep a couple under the soil tank.

 

[Dave_374330759]

WE always drain down on site before we leave. Open the drain valve (flick th yellow lever)and leave it open. Open all the taps including the shower, tilt and turn ones lifted up and in the centre position. Shower hose on the shower floor. We then drive home working on the assumption that 100miles of bouncing up and down will clear virtually all the water out of the system. We dont travel with water in the toilet flush tank and the waste tank is always emptied. I can't see the point of carrying excess liquid about especially the stuff that might make a real mess if it leaked. If in real desperation (it hasn't happened yet)we needed to use the loo, then it would have to be sorted out when we arrived.