Freezing time is here again??? (1 Viewer)

[GWAYGWAY]

I have just trurned off the water pump and drained the boiler system drained the taps as well. However I do not want to drop all the water out of the tank 50+ litres as it would be a waste I would have to fill up again before I go off next time.
Do you think I should empty it as it is an arctic insulated Hymer with internal tanks for all the services and if it is half full I don't think it would freeze that lot without being a long COLD snap like mid January in 1966. I was going to leave a fan heater in the van to keep the chill of at 12- degrees or so on the thermostat .

 

[DanielFord]

Well, I just totally dumped our tanks because I didn't want the panic of having a split pipe. I'm led to believe that the Hymers have good insulation, but that isn't going to help in a prolonged period of cold.

 

[irnbru]

I have left ours on EHU , fire and water left on low. We use ours throughout winter so its the easiest option.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pyro]

I leave a heater on board running from the EHU to keep off the frost/damp, having internal water tank. Still wise to drain it though

Grey water is not well - if at all - insulated (under slung) although it does have a heater feed to it. No bloody good unless the heater is on. A mate of mine suggested an electric blanket, but I think he was taking the mickey. Best to just leave it in the drain position when not in use

For those with Chausson's, ours has a lift up panel to access the water pump. With a heater on board, lifting that panel allows sufficient heat to circulate to prevent freezing

 

[two]

It's not the water in the tank that matters as much as the pipework and, in particular, the pump. Water freezing in a confided space is going to break things as it expands.

 

[JFD]

I guess it is a matter of balancing costs and risks: the cost of a few litres of water wasted, against the cost of running a heater on thermostat to prevent freezing. The risk if draining the few litres of water is nil, and that of relying on a heater, which may blow a fuse, not heat enough, fuse and cause a fire.....

Good luck with the balancing act: Personally, I always drain down in winter when not in use!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
With or without a cold snap,we would want fresh from the mains water to set off with,every trip away from home.
Tea Bag

 

[Nigel L]

Hi.
With or without a cold snap,we would want fresh from the mains water to set off with,every trip away from home.
Tea Bag

Same here, we always drop All the water out after every trip, and start with fresh on the new trip, even if it's only a week between trips.

 

[two]

Do those who 'always dump' also dump their boiler?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Larrynwin]

We use ours periodically so generally don't drain down but leave truma on 7degs when frost risk which protects underfloor .

 

[tonka]

I have left ours on EHU , fire and water left on low. We use ours throughout winter so its the easiest option.

Be wary...
Autotrails have lots of pipes under the floor, they do put some lagging around them but I would never trust it...
On my 700 I have just dumped the boiler, fresh water. Ran the pump for a while, opened all taps and as an extra measure taken one end off the pump... Never bother with internal heating...
We use ours in winter but either re-fill or carry water in containers if it's very cold..
-18 was the record for us at one club xmas rally, someone had their toilet frozen.!!

 

[tonka]

Do those who 'always dump' also dump their boiler?

Yes on mine anyway...
A split water pipe will cost but imagine the money for a new boiler. !!
It does also depend on the van if it's winterised or not...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Yes,dump the lot,and leave the taps open. On CC and C&cc sites,strange patches of dead grass started to appear,it was traced back to "Boilers" being dumped full of Hot water,prior to the units leaving,this would be more of a caravan thing.NOT a pop at c/vanners,but,a thought, just in case the need should arise.
Tea Bag

 

[two]

Do those who 'always dump' also dump their boiler?

I was referring to those who dump after every trip, to put in fresh the next time.

 

[JFD]

To answer rogher's question: Yes, we always empty the heater when we empty the fresh water tank, and open the taps fully, midway between hot and cold. In winter, we also unscrew the shower hose, so it can be fully drained.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Duck Truck]

Hi Gway
I have run a similar thread recently

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/is-this-a-bright-idea.141810/#post-2095476

 

[Duck Truck]

irnbru are you saying you leave the motorhome boiler and fire switched on?

 

[GWAYGWAY]

It is the hassle of using my softened water to fill the system and then wasting it but I suppose what I throw away is whatever I loaded from wherever I last filled. The ordinary water from the tap here will fill your boiler double quick with chalk. Also dropping the water means crawling around to get to the tap under the floor, the waste tank is electric, the fresh is a manual tap, and awkward to get to. I have a freely draining drive, so tomorrow I will do it. TONIGHT WILL NOW FREEZE????

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

It's not the water in the tank that matters as much as the pipework and, in particular, the pump. Water freezing in a confided space is going to break things as it expands.

And if there's water in the tank, there's water in at least some of the pipework.
Not worth the risk.

 

[etap]

Sweet her it is relevant or not? After five days of stagnancy water will start to go off and start to produce algae, we always empty every drop from every part of the MH each winter.

 

[Lenny HB]

I was referring to those who dump after every trip, to put in fresh the next time.

Only in the winter.

Alway dump the fresh tank after every trip, wouldn't want to be drinking water that has been in the tank for more than a few days.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jim]

Over the years its the taps that have cost me. Modern plastic motorhome taps are so flimsy and cannot cope with freezing conditions. They are not cheap either and in some van configurations can be the most difficult things to replace. If we are expecting severe cold then it's best to empty tanks and have taps left in the open/on position. (pump off of course)

 

[Lenny HB]

It is the hassle of using my softened water to fill the system and then wasting it but I suppose what I throw away is whatever I loaded from wherever I last filled. The ordinary water from the tap here will fill your boiler double quick with chalk. Also dropping the water means crawling around to get to the tap under the floor, the waste tank is electric, the fresh is a manual tap, and awkward to get to. I have a freely draining drive, so tomorrow I will do it. TONIGHT WILL NOW FREEZE????

You are not advised to drink softened water so wouldn't want that in the tank anyway. From our experience whatever country you fill up in it appears to be a 75% chance of filling with hard water.
I descale the boiler once a year using a few litres of white wine vinegar, we stock up in France at 30p/Lt.

 

[Lenny HB]

After draining down make sure you leave the taps open in the CENTRAL position.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[two]

Sweet her it is relevant or not? After five days of stagnancy water will start to go off and start to produce algae, we always empty every drop from every part of the MH each winter.

That's not been my experience. I think algae needs sunlight to develop, so that may explain why.

 

[etap]

Perhaps it's not algae but some other problem, I found the info from the cc site some time ago.

 

[Reallyretired]

It is the hassle of using my softened water to fill the system and then wasting it but I suppose what I throw away is whatever I loaded from wherever I last filled. The ordinary water from the tap here will fill your boiler double quick with chalk. Also dropping the water means crawling around to get to the tap under the floor, the waste tank is electric, the fresh is a manual tap, and awkward to get to. I have a freely draining drive, so tomorrow I will do it. TONIGHT WILL NOW FREEZE????

You can't do much about hard water other than decoke the boiler periodically (I do mine every other year). Hard water can be found anywhere, most of the southern half of France seems to be limestone, so I wouldn't bother with softening the water for a fill up at home, it's not going to make much difference overall.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[WillH]

50 litres, never have that much in my tank. Probably under 10 litres when we get back to base so there is little waste when I drop the tank, every time we get home.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

50 litres, never have that much in my tank. Probably under 10 litres when we get back to base so there is little waste when I drop the tank, every time we get home.

well if we filled it up it is 120 litres, but we run half full to supply the loo and washing basin etc. been caught out on a trip when could not get any other than a filling station tap for filling windscreen washer bottles. It took a long time to put any in it

 

[WillH]

We too have a 120 litre tank but haven't filled it right up for years. Set off this morning with 30 L in the tank and will put 10 L in before we leave tomorrow.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}