Preparing for winter

[RickS]

Someone mentioned draining the calorifier (sorry, not sure who). Would this be as simpkle as opening the hot taps and letting it drain? Presumably I woukld have to close the supply to the calorifier to stop it filling up again? Aniother valve to find!

Forgive me for being dense, but how does blowing down the tap remove the water? Where does it go? I'm going to regret asking that.

I have seen a plug in thermostat from Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MZBKV8G/?coliid=I367B7HLO9Q699&colid=28PW6BAFSHX39&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

would this be suitable for use with an oil-filled radiator on low do people think?

Really appreciate all your help/advice.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Rick Savery said:

Someone mentioned draining the calorifier (sorry, not sure who). Would this be as simpkle as opening the hot taps and letting it drain? Presumably I woukld have to close the supply to the calorifier to stop it filling up again? Aniother valve to find!

Forgive me for being dense, but how does blowing down the tap remove the water? Where does it go? I'm going to regret asking that.

I have seen a plug in thermostat from Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MZBKV8G/?coliid=I367B7HLO9Q699&colid=28PW6BAFSHX39&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

would this be suitable for use with an oil-filled radiator on low do people think?

Really appreciate all your help/advice.

Blowing down the taps, or in our case the shower pipe expels the water from other open taps into the sink.

[RickS]

13 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Blowing down the taps, or in our case the shower pipe expels the water from other open taps into the sink.

You see, I knew I was going to regret asking that - it's obvious now you mention it and I actually think about it! ?

 

Thanks Happy Nomad

[Alan de Enfield]

16 minutes ago, Rick Savery said:

Would this be as simpkle as opening the hot taps and letting it drain?

No, it needs phyically removing as the water will not run out unless some runs in (a vacuum)

 

13 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

forgive me for being dense, but how does blowing down the tap remove the water? Where does it go?

Out of the taps and down the plug hole.

[roland elsdon]

Wipe the fridge out with bleach and all surfaces. The other side of christmas as temps rise any bacteria can multiply and cause mold. Prop fridge door open , but also switch right off so light doesn't come on. We also turn mattress on their side.

[RickS]

Prepared to turn mattress on side - as I said earlier, it won't come out now ? Cleaning fridge on the to do list (not really used). to be honest, I cannot find an off switch for the fridge, so just assumed it was taken care of by the battery isolator (may have to explore this further when on the boat more often. Thanks

 

Alan - apologies. i do not understand about the calorifier. I get it about the vacuum (should have thought of that) but still not sure how I would drain it - or is this really necessary? Perhaps I am over-thinking it

Edited October 19, 2020 by Rick Savery

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Out of the taps and down the plug hole.

You've done it again.

 

(Quoted me as asking something I didn't ask)

 

I actually answered the question.

Edited October 19, 2020 by The Happy Nomad

[Ray T]

1 hour ago, Rick Savery said:

Someone mentioned draining the calorifier (sorry, not sure who). Would this be as simpkle as opening the hot taps and letting it drain? Presumably I woukld have to close the supply to the calorifier to stop it filling up again? Aniother valve to find!

Forgive me for being dense, but how does blowing down the tap remove the water? Where does it go? I'm going to regret asking that.

 

'Twas me. The calorifier on our boat lies horizontal beneath the bed.

Both the drain and pressure relief valve empty into the bilge at the back of the boat.

The water pump takes care of the cold water system, there is then no water to drain into the calorifier.

In the picture the PRV is the red one and the drain valve for the calorifier is the white one.

Blowing down the shower tube, with the white valve open, 3 blue lines horizontal, empties the hot water circuit of all water.

 

TO DRAIN DOWN

Shut  off valve is to the left of the water tank in the front locker in the cratch. Empty tank by leaving taps open until water runs out.

TO EMPTY CALORIFIER

Locate white wheel to left of calorifier tank. Turn this wheel until blue stripe indicator mark is in line with pipe. Open bath taps, lift shower change over valve. Remove shower head and blow down shower tube – air pressure forces water down pipe into the bilge.

Shut off stop cock in  LH locker in cratch.

TO REFIL CALORIFIER

Close white wheel valve. i.e. blue stripe mark is at right angles to pipe.

Refill both tanks if empty. Open valve in front locker.

Open stop cock in LH locker in cratch.

With all taps closed run water pump until it stops. Check it does not restart – this proves there are no leaks in the system.

 

Open hot water tap in galley – furthest tap from calorifier, to allow “flow through and eliminate air in calorifier.

 

For the galley and bathroom U bends I put eco friendly antifreeze in them:

 

https://www.midlandslubricants.co.uk/antifreeze-engine-coolant-longlife-antifreeze-eco-antifreeze/eco-supreme-antifreeze-eco-antifreeze-ready-mixed-biodegradable-antifreeze/

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by Ray T

[RickS]

Thanks Ray T - apologies for not crediting you earlier - I did look but couldn't find ?

 

My calorifier is not nearly so conveniently situated, but now I know what to look for. Thank you.

[Alan de Enfield]

15 minutes ago, Rick Savery said:

Alan - apologies. i do not understand about the calorifier. I get it about the vacuum (should have thought of that) but still not sure how I would drain it - or is this really necessary? Perhaps I am over-thinking it

On a previous NB the owner had 'plumbed in' a schraeder valve into the cauliflower, putting a bike pump onto it (and pumping) built up the pressure and forced the water out.

The only other way I have been successful (blowing back up the hot water on the shower doesn't seem to empty the cauliflower) is to 'break the circuit' by removing one of the pipes, allowing air in and water out.

 

With me leaving the engine room heaters on I do not bother draining the cauliflower (it is in the engine room), if it wasn't, I would.

Edited October 19, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[cuthound]

2 hours ago, Rick Savery said:

Someone mentioned draining the calorifier (sorry, not sure who). Would this be as simpkle as opening the hot taps and letting it drain? Presumably I woukld have to close the supply to the calorifier to stop it filling up again? Aniother valve to find!

Forgive me for being dense, but how does blowing down the tap remove the water? Where does it go? I'm going to regret asking that.

I have seen a plug in thermostat from Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MZBKV8G/?coliid=I367B7HLO9Q699&colid=28PW6BAFSHX39&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

would this be suitable for use with an oil-filled radiator on low do people think?

Really appreciate all your help/advice.

 

Yes that thermostat is similar to mine.

[RickS]

Brilliant! Thanks cuthound. I have ordered one from Amazon.

 

Alan - thank you. The schraeder valve has a certain barking mad ingenious appeal ? 

 

[MrsM]

This is such a useful thread & I have all the same questions going through my head as the OP because this is our first season with the boat. Thanks to all wise sages for great advice yet again. Is this a good place to link to the other thread (don't know how to do that) that recommended leaving the diesel tank topped up to reduce the chance of condensation forming in the tank?

[system 4-50]

My solution to the faff that was entailed in draining my cauliflower when leaving it unheated in the winter was to get rid of it and fall back on my Morco D61B for hot water.  Now, if I could only find somebody with some Calor Gas for sale...

[blackrose]

10 hours ago, Rick Savery said:

 

I have an oil-filled radiator - would leaving that on low be safe whilst I'm away? It does make me nervous!

 

I live aboard but I'm often away for several days at a time or sometimes a couple of weeks. In winter I isolate the water tank, switch off the water pump and open a couple of taps. I leave an electric oil filled radiator on set at 6C on the minimum power setting. If you do this ideally you have one with a thermostat so that it only comes on when the ambient temperature drops. Most of them do have thermostats.

 

I also isolate the gas bottles in the locker. My mains charger stays on.

 

Been doing this for over 15 years without a problem.

[ditchcrawler]

5 hours ago, Rick Savery said:

Prepared to turn mattress on side - as I said earlier, it won't come out now ? Cleaning fridge on the to do list (not really used). to be honest, I cannot find an off switch for the fridge, so just assumed it was taken care of by the battery isolator (may have to explore this further when on the boat more often. Thanks

 

Alan - apologies. i do not understand about the calorifier. I get it about the vacuum (should have thought of that) but still not sure how I would drain it - or is this really necessary? Perhaps I am over-thinking it

The cold water goes in the bottom to push the hot water out of the top to the taps, with no cold going it and the hot taps open it will just sit there. I plumbed a drain to the bottom of mine when I installed it. I turn the valve off where the water comes out of the colt water storage tank, Take the lid off the pump strainer, open one tap at a time and the pump will pump air and blow the water out of the lines. turn pump off and replace lid. open drain valve on calorifier and all other taps, water drains into bath to be pumped overboard. Close drain valve when done. When I return to the boat I open the cold tank valve and switch on pump, as water comes out of the taps I close them.  The cold air in the boat will sink to the floor and can be well below freezing point in a hard winter, well below the water temperature in the canal on the outside of the hull.

[robtheplod]

I suppose in essence the object when it comes to water/pipes etc is allow water to expand/contract without any restrictions, so if the pump is off and taps open then all water in the system should in theory be able to do this and hence not crack pipes unless you have water freeze in a joint somewhere?

 

If this is done and the temp doesn't go to freezing or below at the waterline, are those that have heaters doing it to air the boat rather than prevent freezing?  I had heaters on last year but not sure how effective they were?

[Bod]

40 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

I suppose in essence the object when it comes to water/pipes etc is allow water to expand/contract without any restrictions, so if the pump is off and taps open then all water in the system should in theory be able to do this and hence not crack pipes unless you have water freeze in a joint somewhere?

 

If this is done and the temp doesn't go to freezing or below at the waterline, are those that have heaters doing it to air the boat rather than prevent freezing?  I had heaters on last year but not sure how effective they were?

On the basis that hot air rises, putting heaters, at or below water level, means the heat will rise to the ceiling, finding it's way out through the mushroom vents.

Conversely, cold air sinks, through the low level vents, and puddles in the lower parts of the boat, lowering the temperature, from water to ambient air temperature. (unless it's near to the heater, at which point up and out it goes.)

Heaters if used, are best placed, very close to the item to be protected, heating by radiation, rather than convection.

 

Bod 

[cuthound]

Also watch out for condensation in lockers.

 

I had to have my bowthruster motor refurbished early this year because it and the associated isolator had been damaged by condensation forming in the bowthruster locker.

 

I found leaving the locker open to the outside completely cured the condensation problem whilst I was awaiting the return of the motor, so didn't bother with the heater mentioned in the thread below.

 

 

This winter I am experimenting with a slatted floor to the locker above it to see if this will also cure the condensation problem.