draining down the water system

[Matt72]

Hi

 

Today I have drained down the water system on our cruiser,its the first winter for us. I have opened all the taps and let the water empty with the pump on, I ran the shower bilge too for a bit and then removed the drain plug on the water heater- there was only a little bit of water that came out of the water heater is this normal ?

 

Have I missed anything, also what do I need to do to re-commission the water heater in spring - is it just a case of replacing the drain plug or is it more complicated?

 

All taps have been left in the open position.

 

Thanks

Matt

[Guest]

Hi

 

Today I have drained down the water system on our cruiser,its the first winter for us. I have opened all the taps and let the water empty with the pump on, I ran the shower bilge too for a bit and then removed the drain plug on the water heater- there was only a little bit of water that came out of the water heater is this normal ?

 

Have I missed anything, also what do I need to do to re-commission the water heater in spring - is it just a case of replacing the drain plug or is it more complicated?

 

All taps have been left in the open position.

 

Thanks

Matt

 

Make sure your shower head and the pipe to it is fully drained - they crack and split when the water in them freezes.

 

Isolate your water tank from the rest of the system (We have a tap just up from the tank and before the pumps)

 

Cover your pumps in something like bubble wrap - may not make any difference but it cannot hurt.

 

Oh an isolate your loo too - we have a cassette fitted with an isolation tap - if you do don;t leave it with a full cassette.

 

and of course make sure you check engine anti-freeze strength too...

Edited November 27, 2011 by MJG

[Captain Jack Sparrow]

Hi

 

Today I have drained down the water system on our cruiser,its the first winter for us. I have opened all the taps and let the water empty with the pump on, I ran the shower bilge too for a bit and then removed the drain plug on the water heater- there was only a little bit of water that came out of the water heater is this normal ?

 

Have I missed anything, also what do I need to do to re-commission the water heater in spring - is it just a case of replacing the drain plug or is it more complicated?

 

All taps have been left in the open position.

 

Thanks

Matt

 

I had the exact same experience today. There was very little in the way of hot water to come out of the system. Stranger still was that the hot would not run down at all until I turned off the cold/drained off the cold? Gravity type system maybe?

 

I have heard that if you open one tap and fix a small compressor - check the max pressure advised - then this will "blow" out the last of the water in the pipework.

 

Cap'n Jack

[ditchcrawler]

Make sure your shower head and the pipe to it is fully drained - they crack and split when the water in them freezes.

 

Isolate your water tank from the rest of the system (We have a tap just up from the tank and before the pumps)

 

Cover your pumps in something like bubble wrap - may not make any difference but it cannot hurt.

 

Oh an isolate your loo too - we have a cassette fitted with an isolation tap - if you do don;t leave it with a full cassette.

 

and of course make sure you check engine anti-freeze strength too...

I take my pump out and shake it dry. The pipe connections only snap in.

[Guest]

I take my pump out and shake it dry. The pipe connections only snap in.

 

I understand you are not the only one who does this,

 

I risked it last winter by wrapping ours up and they survived last winter, fingers crossed they will do the the same this one....

[Thewatchmaker]

I connect a water pump to the top of the calorifier, turn on the cold taps and this blows the water out of the hot system and back out through the cold taps until the calorifier is dry.

[ditchcrawler]

I connect a water pump to the top of the calorifier, turn on the cold taps and this blows the water out of the hot system and back out through the cold taps until the calorifier is dry.

I isolate the main tank, take the top off the suction filter and turn on the hot taps. When the pressure drops the pump pumps air in. I then do the same for the cold, not forgetting the toilet flushing valve (again) and the shower mixer, I then have a connection from the bottom of the calorifier that T's into the show pump suction line. opening this drains all the water from the calorifier. I then remove the pump and shake it dry, well they are about £70 a time. To finish off I pour salt down the shower drain with a little water so the shower pump is left full of very salt water.

Edited November 27, 2011 by ditchcrawler

[cereal tiller]

I isolate the main tank, take the top off the suction filter and turn on the hot taps. When the pressure drops the pump pumps air in. I then do the same for the cold, not forgetting the toilet flushing valve (again) and the shower mixer, I then have a connection from the bottom of the calorifier that T's into the show pump suction line. opening this drains all the water from the calorifier. I then remove the pump and shake it dry, well they are about £70 a time. To finish off I pour salt down the shower drain with a little water so the shower pump is left full of very salt water.

Once the main cold tank is emptied and the calorifier emptied,disconnect the pressure pump.

 

using an AQUA VAC ,open the cold tap that is furthest from the main tank,and suck all the water out of the pipework,easy to tell when it is empty,the suction hose will stop vibrating.

 

repeat the operation with the other taps,and shower head.

 

it is possible to remove virtually all the water from the system using this method,even pipes that run under the cabin floor.

[steelaway]

I understand you are not the only one who does this,

 

I risked it last winter by wrapping ours up and they survived last winter, fingers crossed they will do the the same this one....

 

 

 

Last winter must have been the worst in many years - down to -18c. It's not going to be that cold this year - IS IT?

The only thing that failed for the first time last year, was that the freeze blew the bottom of my water filter canister and its1/4" thick plastic!

I've never worried about the water pump or shower drain - maybe I should.

 

Alex

[ditchcrawler]

Last winter must have been the worst in many years - down to -18c. It's not going to be that cold this year - IS IT?

The only thing that failed for the first time last year, was that the freeze blew the bottom of my water filter canister and its1/4" thick plastic!

I've never worried about the water pump or shower drain - maybe I should.

 

Alex

I think its all down to luck. I have know people who lost calorifiers last year and people who have had shows and water pumps crack in less severe years. 2 years ago I had a pipe bend go on the feed to the toilet flush.

[Neil2]

Once the main cold tank is emptied and the calorifier emptied,disconnect the pressure pump.

 

using an AQUA VAC ,open the cold tap that is furthest from the main tank,and suck all the water out of the pipework,easy to tell when it is empty,the suction hose will stop vibrating.

 

repeat the operation with the other taps,and shower head.

 

it is possible to remove virtually all the water from the system using this method,even pipes that run under the cabin floor.

 

That is such a good idea. I'm ashamed I haven't thought of it.

[PeteS]

Due to some idiot - me - not draining the system down last year I ended up with a major replumbing job, a new pump, a new shower and I threw away the water filter which had split. All caused by the frost.

 

Draining the cold system is obviously relatively simply, but the problem is to get the water out of the calorifier. I just fitted a T in the feed to the calorifier with a tap on it. Under normal running the tap is closed, but by attaching a spare pump and opening the hot tap I can drain the calorifier completely.

 

Needless to say I have also removed the new water pump and shower this year. I dispensed with the in-line filter and use a filter jug for drinking water.

[Matt72]

Thanks all for the advice

 

I think I will try and wrap some insulation material such as bubble wrap round the pump and will disconnect the shower head to drain completely. I just hope that I have got all the water out of the water heater - it is a Rinnai. Also what do I need to do to re-commission the water heater in spring, is it just a matter of filling the tank and putting the drain plug back in or is there more to it.

 

Cheers

Matt

[wirren]

For the last 2 years I have drained everything as best as I could and then wrapped all pumps , calorifier etc with loft insulation, the orange & silver plastic wrapped stuff. Easy &clean to use.Mark.

[jonny]

Wrapping pumps etc in loft insulation unfortunately won’t give any protection insulation is only a short term protection after days of freezing how can it possibly protect from frost unless of course it was several feet thick,

 

The only answer is to remove as much water as you can!

 

I like the Idea that ‘cerial tiller’ mentioned (must try that one)

 

I’ve found that removing the shower head and then blowing down the hose removes quite a lot of water.

Regards to water heater as far as I’m aware, there’s no particular re-commissioning to do, just refill!

 

Off to buy a new aqua vac just found mine’s not working!!

[davidc]

It’s also best to remove the shower mixer taps

As you cannot get all the water out of them I had one freeze on me

Thought it was empty of water what little was did damage could only get cold water after that

Now I remove it and take it with me

[Guest]

It’s also best to remove the shower mixer taps

As you cannot get all the water out of them I had one freeze on me

Thought it was empty of water what little was did damage could only get cold water after that

Now I remove it and take it with me

 

Last year ours for some reason wouldn't initially give cold water so I assumed frost damage even though I'd disconnected the pipe to the head and sperated them - but after a few goes they happily started to discharge both hot and cold again. I too am thinking about taking mine off this year.

[cereal tiller]

Wrapping pumps etc in loft insulation unfortunately won’t give any protection insulation is only a short term protection after days of freezing how can it possibly protect from frost unless of course it was several feet thick,

 

The only answer is to remove as much water as you can!

 

I like the Idea that ‘cerial tiller’ mentioned (must try that one)

 

I’ve found that removing the shower head and then blowing down the hose removes quite a lot of water.

Regards to water heater as far as I’m aware, there’s no particular re-commissioning to do, just refill!

 

Off to buy a new aqua vac just found mine’s not working!!

AQUA vacs are handy tools indeed!

 

ensure that the power supply to the vac is equipped with an R.C.D.

 

have used one for draining many boats when i was working,also handy for engine bays as well.

 

if you use one with detergent in the water,make sure it is the non-foaming type,soap suds can get to the vac's motor before the fluid level switch cuts the motor off,have wrecked a vac before i realised suds can get there first!

[wirren]

1322657161[/url]' post='788016']

Wrapping pumps etc in loft insulation unfortunately won't give any protection insulation is only a short term protection after days of freezing how can it possibly protect from frost unless of course it was several feet thick

 

After water has been drained It does give EXTRA protection as it keeps the pump / pipe etc at canal temperature which is above freezing.

Mark.

[jonny]

canal's also freeze though!!

 

AQUA vacs are handy tools indeed!

 

ensure that the power supply to the vac is equipped with an R.C.D.

 

have used one for draining many boats when i was working,also handy for engine bays as well.

 

if you use one with detergent in the water,make sure it is the non-foaming type,soap suds can get to the vac's motor before the fluid level switch cuts the motor off,have wrecked a vac before i realised suds can get there first!

 

Thanks for those tips they could save me another new vac!!!

[Emerald]

Can anyone tell me if the Jabsco water filter canister just screws off as I don't seem to be able to remove mine?

[john6767]

Not done much with ours yet, pump turned off as we always do when leaving the boat, removed the shower hose and opened all the taps, and have 2 oil rads on frost setting. We are planning to do on a jaunt to Braunson this weekend, bet it snows on us, and after that will probably turn off the water at the tank and blow as much water as I can out of the pipes. That is all we did last year and survived with no damage, so hopefully will be no worse than than that this year. Just hoping no to be frozen in for so long this year.