Floe Gadget

[BernardinTring]

Sorry if this infringes any forum etiquette and certainly have no connections or vested interests in the firm that makes them. But recently !splashed out' on one of these Floe gadgets. Now not sure if like Mr Dyson part of the satisfaction is seeing the result in a clear container, or I am a mug for 'toys' but certainly impresses by results and quantity of water blown out. Bit tedious having to climb in the van six times to purge each of the taps hot and cold supplies but I suppose the exercise did me good.
Have always open taps etc during periods of non use and felt this was ok, well the new toy certainly improved on the open tap method! Expensive at £42 .00 odd, for what it is and what you get, but simple to use and effective.
Thought others might like to know based on a members actual use.
Bernard

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Have you read this thread on the Forum?
http://www.practicalcaravan.com/forum/equipment-accessories/using-air-obtain-fresh-water

 

[Surfer]

Seems it is money wasted as all we do is remove the shower head and blow down the tube while all the taps are open. All water is removed. If the filter is not removed this may cause issues if it freezes Floe or not. Either way even with a Floe droplets of water will remain but are of no consequence as there is plenty of room for expansion.

 

[BernardinTring]

Oh dear. Thanks Woodland Camper did miss this one.
Still my worry was not on the basis of the water quality as i do the sterilisation stuff on a fairly regular basis, but with more emphasis on avoiding pipe splits in the winter thinking the system was empty. Not sure if I have the puff to blow down the shower head as put forward as an alternative!
Again many thanks for pointing me to the Accessories and this 'exchange' of views! Always nice to see what other members think.
Bernard

 

[Sproket]

Bernard
Not everybody has lungs capable of blowing up hot water bottles.
Still there is a lot of hot air expelled on here quite frequently

so who knows .......
If it works for you & you are happy with it

It's Money well spent in your mind......

 

[carper2]

I have got one as well, it gets at least 2 extra pints out which means less worrying for me. The only way to improve the quality of your water is to clean out the pipes.

Les

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

Seems it is money wasted as all we do is remove the shower head and blow down the tube while all the taps are open. All water is removed. If the filter is not removed this may cause issues if it freezes Floe or not.

I agree Surfer, blowing down shower pipe works for me

if you don't have enough puff one of these would do it, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-GELERT-ELECTRIC-AIRBED-PUMP-LILO-AIR-BED-INFLATOR-/370501725661?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item56439faddd
.darn site cheaper than a Floe kit.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I agree Surfer, blowing down shower pipe works for me

if you don't have enough puff one of these would do it, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-GELERT-ELECTRIC-AIRBED-PUMP-LILO-AIR-BED-INFLATOR-/370501725661?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item56439faddd
.darn site cheaper than a Floe kit.

And has other caravanning and domestic uses as well.

 

[otherclive]

I've had vans with several different layouts with rear kitchens, mid / end showers etc and never had an issue with damage caused by freezing water. Like others all taps are left open in the mid position and the system drain opened during its journey to store. This routine applies summer to winter. It's hard to see where water could reside where if it froze it would cause damage. I must have some residual water left in the lower pipe work and in the base of the water heater and it must freeze in winter. But as taught at school if ice is not constricted it just expands without causing damage. My outdoor tap regularly freezes in winter but because the ice expands back along the pipe work through the house wall it then meets water which given the length of the internal pipes allows for a measure of expansion and no damage ensues to the external tap. Thus proving my old physics teacher correct! At home and at work I have used ice- plugs to repair water systems without the need to drain down. These were used on copper pipe work by CO2 injection into an insulated jacket. The plug lasted about 25-40 minutes and when the jacket was removed the copper pipe is completely unaffected by the freezing of the water within as the ice expanded longitudinally not radially.

 

[ValA.]

We always drain our system, and leave the taps open, but have twice had problems with the residual water freezing. One episode was in the vanity unit tap, where the plastic insert between the flexible pipe and the tap split through the middle. The second was in the same component (the plastic insert) in the shower valve. We replaced the tap with a different model and haven't had a problem since. We didn't replace the shower valve as we never use the shower, but have disconnected it from the water supply and blanked off the supply pipe. It still looks just the same but doesn't function.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi, Clive,
if there is residual water in the pump. ie on top of the diaphram or lower body (dependant on wether the pump is vertically or horizontally oreintated) freezing water cannot expand through the pipes, it is restricted inside the pump body and could crack the housing, most of these type of pumps are one way, that is why it is important to back blow (via the shower pipe) to remove all water.
a similar situation got me first year we had the van, normal drain down taps left open, drain left open, blew down the shower pipe, fine untill I cleaned and serilised the system in the spring connected up started the pump to flush out, next thing the front bunk was wet through the filter housing had cracked, because me like a joey had forgot to remove the filter, which of course was still was full of water, it froze and cracked the housing, now I allways remove the filter and leave it out, during lay up.
dont forget pumps and housings are plastic, not copper or brass as on a outside tap,

 

[otherclive]

Yes I based my comments on the fact that we'd never had fixed pumps all these years ours have been external pumps which get brought into the van when we are away in cold weather. Guess I also must be lucky with the filters in my vans as they drain out when I open up the vans drain valve(s). So I can understand how different configurations may be affected.