We're on a seasonal pitch and intend on visiting every couple of weeks or the occasional night, should we drain the water down each time, or just at the end of the season.
Thanks
Thanks
Seasonal pitch, going home
- Thread starter Richtee180
- Start date
I can't think of a good reason whether it's better to drain down or not during the warmer months but, definitely when it gets colder.
It also depends what heater you have, Alde say you should drain off about 20 seconds of water every (I think) 3 weeks to maintain the air cushion in the fresh water side of the heater to stop hammering as the air cushion gets reduced, I would guess it would/could probably be a good idea if you have a Truma combi to 🤔
Unless there's a possibility of it freezing I certainly wouldn't bother. You don't drain your house down if you go away for 3 or 4 weeks do you?
Hi, I'm not sure which heater/boiler it is I forgot to look, it is a truma controller.
Draining down is not a long job. At the very least turn off the water mains / aquaroll feed and pump. Leave all taps open.
I’d go further and drain the onboard hot and cold tanks, three simple lever taps. Also the toilet flush.
Caravans are not as well insulated as home, the plumbing is no where as robust. Water will freeze at zero degas. The plastic in our taps and pipes will fracture.
If you are certain the temperature will not drop then don’t bother
I’d go further and drain the onboard hot and cold tanks, three simple lever taps. Also the toilet flush.
Caravans are not as well insulated as home, the plumbing is no where as robust. Water will freeze at zero degas. The plastic in our taps and pipes will fracture.
If you are certain the temperature will not drop then don’t bother
Thanks all, I did drain down both times I've left, I stayed overnight while I puricleaned the pipes I left it in the system for about 17 hours, and then we stayed 2 nights over Easter, I was just surprised how much water came out of the drain down pipe, is it best to capture this in the wastemaster or just let it hit the turf.
If it’s got steriliser in it I would capture it. But plain water can drain onto the turf without detrimental effect.
Thanks, it was plain water, all the puriclean went into the wastemaster.
The fact you have asked the question suggests your possibly concerned about the safety of water left in the system, and that is a wise concern.
There definitely important reasons to drain down in winter conditions, as freezing can seriously damage parts of the water system. However at other times of year, whilst the danger of freezing has gone, there can be other legitimate concerns:
It's not a fair to compare the conditions in a normal domestic house and a touring caravan. The mass of the bricks and mortar of a house tends to moderate internal temperature swings, whereas the mass of a caravan is far less so thermal gain and loss is still several times greater leading to quicker and bigger temperatur swings inside the caravan. This will affect the pipe work.
Also the type of pipework is very different and being flexible it means the internal surface is not as impervious as the harder PVC piping used in domestic installations. The softer/flexible wall construction can become a breeding ground for contaminants.
Normally contamination is not a major issue in touring caravans, but you have to remember most caravanners will drain the water system before travelling, and certainly reduces the risks.
Leaving standing water in for a fortnight I think could be tempting fate. I advise draining.
There definitely important reasons to drain down in winter conditions, as freezing can seriously damage parts of the water system. However at other times of year, whilst the danger of freezing has gone, there can be other legitimate concerns:
It's not a fair to compare the conditions in a normal domestic house and a touring caravan. The mass of the bricks and mortar of a house tends to moderate internal temperature swings, whereas the mass of a caravan is far less so thermal gain and loss is still several times greater leading to quicker and bigger temperatur swings inside the caravan. This will affect the pipe work.
Also the type of pipework is very different and being flexible it means the internal surface is not as impervious as the harder PVC piping used in domestic installations. The softer/flexible wall construction can become a breeding ground for contaminants.
Normally contamination is not a major issue in touring caravans, but you have to remember most caravanners will drain the water system before travelling, and certainly reduces the risks.
Leaving standing water in for a fortnight I think could be tempting fate. I advise draining.
Thanks good advice, with a house the water is coming in off the mains open the tap let it run and there is no standing water issue.
Wastemaster? I mistakenly thought your seasonal was a FSP.. Agree with Clive , not on the turf!
You've misunderstood what I meant, when I did the puriclean all the water went into the wastemaster.
When I leave on any given stay should I capture the water from the drain down pipe into the wastemaster or just let it hit the turf.
It's a grass seasonal pitch.
We let the water from the boiler drain onto the turf. The boiler would have been switched off in the morning. On board tank water goes into drain, but could go onto the turf as it is clean however then the next person using that pitch would have a soggy pitch.
Leaving the pitch the water in the system is just clean water so you can discharge it onto the gravel or turf without detriment. As you said earlier your sterilisation water went into the Wastemaster which is correct practice.
It’s a grass seasonal pitch for the OP. Soggy pitch through draining the water down isn’t really an issue to be concerned about.
I was referring to our circumstances as I am aware that you are on a seasonal pitch.
I assumed as a seasonal you had a fully serviced pitch and wouldn’t need the Wastemaster. I agree run the puriclean into the WM not dumped onto your grass pitch.
This is giving slightly mixed messages. Do you mean you own the pitch? or are you renting it.?
My assumption is you are renting, and thus the owner of the land may have view about how you drain the system.
Foul water ( i.e toilet ) must only be disposed of down the Foul disposal point.
Grey water (i.e. water that has any additional contamination other than foul water) should be disposed of in a designated discharge point.
Some sites may have specific instructions about the discharge of clean cool water ant they should of course be followed, but in the absence of instructions or advice from the site staff, there is usually not a problem with discharge as you tow away.
But if your not moving, so all the water is discharged in one place . the site might be concerned about water logging or creating a mud bath. It might be worth thinking about getting a long shallow garden tray to collect the drain down water, so you can move it and dispose of it safely. Such trays are also useful for standing dirty boots and shoes in when you not draining the water system.
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