Water tank drain down

[floatingphil]

It appears that there is an absence of a drain tap on the water tank of my boat. I understand that running the cold water tap will empty the cold tank, but what about the calorifer? Also, when filling them both from empty, will the calorifer fill automatically from the cold supply? I assume the sureflow pump is a diaphragm type pump and will only allow water to pass in one direction. The previous owner had disconnected the flow from the pump which i found fortunatly before I re filled the system. I intend to fit a T in the cold fill to the calorifer to act as drain tap so what the best way of draining it first without flooding the place

 

Cheers

 

Phil

[PhilR]

It appears that there is an absence of a drain tap on the water tank of my boat. I understand that running the cold water tap will empty the cold tank, but what about the calorifer? Also, when filling them both from empty, will the calorifer fill automatically from the cold supply? I assume the sureflow pump is a diaphragm type pump and will only allow water to pass in one direction. The previous owner had disconnected the flow from the pump which i found fortunatly before I re filled the system. I intend to fit a T in the cold fill to the calorifer to act as drain tap so what the best way of draining it first without flooding the place

 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

Unless you have some serious contamination/discolouring I wouldn't worry about it. Pump out the tank as much as you can......... chuck in some Milton .......... part fill .... pump out again .... then refill and add a few drops of Milton. If the water tastes bad drink beer instead ..................

Edited November 9, 2009 by PhilR

[floatingphil]

Unless you have some serious contamination/discolouring I wouldn't worry about it. Pump out the tank as much as you can......... chuck in some Milton .......... part fill .... pump out again .... then refill and add a few drops of Milton. If the water tastes bad drink beer instead ..................

 

Phil

No problem with the water, just wanted a quick easy way of draining if the weather turns very cold. whats the best way to drain the calorifer without disconnecting the pump?

 

Phil

[Keeping Up]

If you've got a tap that is well below the top of the calorifier, just open it and let the water out; open a second tap preferably one that's slightly higher up to let air in at the same time - with the pump turned off of course. It won't empty the calorifer completely but should be enough to protect against frost. If your taps are too high for this to be effective, you can either attach a hose to one to create the same effect, or else take the shower-head off the wall and lay ot in the bottom of the tray.

[floatingphil]

If you've got a tap that is well below the top of the calorifier, just open it and let the water out; open a second tap preferably one that's slightly higher up to let air in at the same time - with the pump turned off of course. It won't empty the calorifer completely but should be enough to protect against frost. If your taps are too high for this to be effective, you can either attach a hose to one to create the same effect, or else take the shower-head off the wall and lay ot in the bottom of the tray.

 

 

Yes shower head in the try may work , I will try it, good thinkin.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

[Albion]

Yes shower head in the try may work , I will try it, good thinkin.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

That will only work if you can get a syphon going otherwise the tap/mixer tap becomes the highest point and will certainly be above the level of the calorifier.

Have you checked the calorifier connections as there may be a drain cock fitted somewhere around there, or possibly a drain down cock low down on the piping somewhere else?

Roger

[Speedwell]

Phil

No problem with the water, just wanted a quick easy way of draining if the weather turns very cold. whats the best way to drain the calorifer without disconnecting the pump?

Phil

I empty mine by siphoning out the water through the immersion heater hole which is normally blanked off.

Arthur

[nb Innisfree]

Assuming no non return valve you could open a cold tap, and pressurise through hot tap with a bike pump or compressor.

Edited November 11, 2009 by nb Innisfree

[ditchcrawler]

It appears that there is an absence of a drain tap on the water tank of my boat. I understand that running the cold water tap will empty the cold tank, but what about the calorifer? Also, when filling them both from empty, will the calorifer fill automatically from the cold supply? I assume the sureflow pump is a diaphragm type pump and will only allow water to pass in one direction. The previous owner had disconnected the flow from the pump which i found fortunatly before I re filled the system. I intend to fit a T in the cold fill to the calorifier to act as drain tap so what the best way of draining it first without flooding the place

 

Cheers

 

Phil

What I did was to put a "T" between the check valve and the calorifier, I then piped this via a valve to another "T" that is between my bath waste and the emptying pump.

With the cold water feed off and the hot water taps open, the contents of the clarifier will drain into the bath via the plug hole, if the bath emptying pump is running it will be jettisoned straight overboard. If the calorifier is slow to empty, putting the plug in the bath with the pump on will suck it out, but make sure the hot taps are open so as not to put a vacuum on the calorifier.

 

Assuming no non return valve you could open a cold tap, and pressurise through hot tap with a bike pump or compressor.

That is how a friend of mine empties his complete system so as to leave the minimum of water in low points of pipe work.

[valrene9600]

Talking of calorifier tanks does anyone know if it is possible to change the PRV on a horizontal tank without draing the whole tank. I changed one a few years back and am sure i didn`t have to drain the tank but can`t be sure(age-memory-senility setting in). If it was the case i didn`t drain the tank was it vacume that stopped the tank emptying when the PRV was replaced.

[floatingphil]

No Cant find a drain tap any where. I have a portable piston pump which I can adapt to suck the water out, then stick a tee with an isolator on the the cold feed for future use. The immersion hole is on the side and has an element fitted. Im sure i will get it sorted, Off to the boat now to fit a bed settee ive made, hope it fits !!!

 

Phil

[Tricky_ric]

Hi All,

Have just been getting our boat ready for the cold have drained the water tank, did what was suggested further up with the calorifier (open the tap, open up the shower to let water out) but how does it fill again when I want it to, does it just fill from the tank once I open that up again?

Thanks in advance,

Richard & Sandra

[Keeping Up]

When you switch on the electrics for the pump, it should start again. Just let the air run through the taps until it has been replaced by water. Simples.

[terryvanman]

Is it compulsory to drain down the water tanks,,,its a silly question I know, but what happens if you don't will the tank explode or split if it gets below freezing in the middle of winter.

sorry for being a numpty

[casper ghost]

I disconnect the cold water inlet into the calorifier and drain down, you need to turn the prv to release the preasure to allow this. I also blow through the pipes just to make sure. I syphon water from the front tank untill less than half full, that's plenty. I do empty the pump fully as my dad's burst last winter at -13.

[steelaway]

Is it compulsory to drain down the water tanks,,,its a silly question I know, but what happens if you don't will the tank explode or split if it gets below freezing in the middle of winter.

sorry for being a numpty

 

 

Hi

 

I never empty any tanks in winter and have never heard of a calorifier bursting due to frost (mine is well insulated to retain the heat)

The S/S water tank is below the water line and has suffered -5C without problem. I always turn of the isolater tap and drain the pipe work.

I also remove my shower mixer because these have been known to split as they retain water.

The CH system has been a worry but that has a fair amount of anti freeze in it and has never yet been a problem.

 

Alex

[Keeping Up]

Mine didn't burst but the bottom bulged downwards once, so it rocked around like a child's toy clown. Since then I've always drained mine at least part way down.

[Jim and Paula]

Another option might be ‘drinkable antifreeze’ in the system. Never tried it myself (we live aboard) but have heard of people that have and they said it worked fine for them.