The Brain Drain for Winter (1 Viewer)

[Brakers]

Hi Everybody,
Yes he’s here again asking for advice from you guys. It looks likely I won’t be using my MH this side of Christmas so I’m going to drain down the system, and seeing this is the first winter I’ve owned a MH I thought it would be prudent to ask a few questions.

I have taken a few pictures to help with your answers.

First I need to drain the fresh water tank do you know if this is the tap to do it?

Next this is a tap under the bed does this drain the Truma heater C6002 EH?

Next is the shureflow pump and these taps any Idea what I need to do to this pump.

Also is there anything else I need to do to keep the love of my life "No I'm Not Married" safe from the cold weather.
Finaly there is meant to be an Electrical Safety/drain valve, anybody know where this would be on my Autotrail Cheyenne 840D? as I can't find it.

Many Thanks in antisipation of you informed replies.
Best Wishes Tony

 

[pappajohn]

Top pic....open it and see if the water is clean or dirty....but i suspect that is the grey tap.

Middle pic....thats the auto boiler drain which will also drain the fresh tank, eventually.
Lift the yellow lever to drain making sure all sink and shower taps are open and leave them open when drained, also remove the shower hose.

Bottom pic.....once drained run the pump to expel any water still in the valve chamber.. ..it wont harm it running dry.
The taps next to the pump are gas taps, no need to touch them.

 

[Brakers]

Top pic....open it and see if the water is clean or dirty....b7t 8 suspect that is the grey tap.

Thanks for the quick reply, it's is definitly not the grey water one as there is a large tap for the grey water which I did not take a pic of as I knew what it was. So it must be the fresh water tap, I will nip out to the MH and turn it and see what happens.
Best Wishes Tony

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[Jaws]

Yep, top pic is fresh water drain.. Before opening it turn on all the taps without turning on the pump as is helps ( a little ! ) to draw air and water from the system as the tank drains..
It does not make a huge difference but every little helps
Yes, flip the yellow lever up to drain the boiler
Take the shower head off and blow as hard as you can to try and get water out of the mixer tap
Once you do that drop the shower hose as low as you can ( I put the end of ours in a saucepan )
Last bit.. If you can, unscrew the plastic filter from the end of the pump and leave it off

 

[Jaws]

Oops.. Forget last bit as you do not have the clear plastic filter on your pump

 

[andy63]

Hi . Don't know your van ,but first picture looks more like a waste tank drain but it may be the fresh.. second one does look like a boiler drain down valve.. the picture of the pump doesn't show any valves or filter...
The valves on the left are gas valves I think..

Not rocket science. .. drain fresh and waste tanks... Run pump until nothing left coming out of taps... shower as well..
Toilet flush etc... leave taps open with pump off ..
Drain boiler ... and you should be fine...
Did see a novel idea of andy''s @Techno last year where he fitted adapters to his water system to allow air to expelled nearly all the water in the pipes.. you might like to have a search for that...
Andy.

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[Jaws]

Hi . Don't know your van ,but first picture looks more like a waste tank drain but it may be the fresh.. second one does look like a boiler drain down valve.. the picture of the pump doesn't show any valves or filter...
The valves on the left are gas valves I think..

Not rocket science. .. drain fresh and waste tanks... Run pump until nothing left coming out of taps... shower as well..
Toilet flush etc... leave taps open with pump off ..
Drain boiler ... and you should be fine...
Did see a novel idea of andy''s @Techno last year where he fitted adapters to his water system to allow air to expelled nearly all the water in the pipes.. you might like to have a search for that...
Andy.

Its an Autotrail Andy.. Very similar to our present van and with virtually the same fittings

 

[Brakers]

Finaly there is meant to be an Electrical Safety/drain valve, anybody know where this would be on my Autotrail Cheyenne 840D? as I can't find it.

That was painless wasn't it, thanks everybody all sorted and I've even blown down the shower hose as advised, not sure why I had to do that but anyway if it helps I'll do it, finally do I have to do anything with this so called Electrical Safety drain valve or just leave it alone wherever it is.
Best Wishes Tony

 

[GJH]

do I have to do anything with this so called Electrical Safety drain valve or just leave it alone wherever it is.

That's probably the automatic Truma drain valve, something like Link Removed, which might be fitted in addition to the yellow (manual) lever shown in your second photo. Our first van only had a manual drain but or current one has both. If you have one (and they are normally obvious) and don't open it don't worry. It will open automatically if it gets cold enough but you have already protected the boiler by lifting the yellow lever. The only thing then would be resetting it when you come to refill the hot water system. However, if you have one and don't know where it is you would be able to identify its location by looking under the van to see where the water was coming out

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[Brakers]

That's probably the automatic Truma drain valve, something like Link Removed, which might be fitted in addition to the yellow (manual) lever shown in your second photo

Hi ther GJH yes that's exactly what is meant to be fitted as the truma manual states, but can't find it, but if I don't need to do anything to it I will not worry where it is. Thank.
Best Wishes Tony

 

[Armytwowheels]

And don't forget to turn the 12v off to stop your pump burning out when leaving your taps open. Our pump is quite noisy so there is no mistaking when it's on, but in our last van it was very quiet.

 

[Riverbankannie]

When the next outing comes around ( hopefully not too long) leave the taps open while you fill the tank and then pump through or else you will get very splashy water (experience)!

Going back to now, I also leave both the clean and waste water drain taps in the open position to enable air flow as a closed damp system could allow bacteria growth.

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[Duck Truck]

Hi Tony
have you also emptied the gray water tank and the toilet

 

[Brakers]

have you also emptied the gray water tank and the toilet

Hi Kev1 Yes thanks the grey water has got such a large tap on it you can't miss it, the toilet was emptied as soon as I got back from the last outing and the flush is fed from the fresh water tank so draining that is all that is needed as far as I know.
Best Wishes Tony

 

[Duck Truck]

Great

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[Daz n Tina]

Close all taps, fill up with water, check gas levels, fill up with fuel, bugger off to Spain.

 

[Zigisla]

If we take all this care over the water system, is there any treatment for the Fuel?...Besides keep filling it up and using it

 

[Duck Truck]

lol
We had an overnight freeze in the Alps when our heating decided to stop overnight
Created havoc in the van
I know we are not in the alpa and it doesn't get as cold here,
But the chaos caused is indelibly imprinted on my mind,
that iIget a bit of a panic when the temp drops below 28 degrees Centigrade

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[John & Joan]

Fill diesel tank to the brim when leaving for the winter. This stops condensation forming in the tank.

 

[Duck Truck]

and diesel is gonna rise in price
So it's like having your own private bank