Advanced caravan Drain down Reboot...

[@dave40612]

Another great video and most life like 3D AI diagrams 😉 I've always used my lungs and blown back the water from both sides of the water system,starting with the shower, then bathroom and finally kitchen tap.Touch wood, never had a cracked tap or dislodged pipe in the last 20 years. Seems like your system will prevent me getting that dizzy feeling, so I'll try that when I winterise the van.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@dave40612 yes. Definitely, it’s easy to do once you know how, it’s a different thing trying to explain it!

[@nickwildman8327]

Bloody hell, been caravanning for a decade and I’d never thought of this! Makes perfect sense. Thanks!

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@nickwildman8327 thanks, it doesn’t when I try to explain it!

[@MySkyranger]

Just remove the filter from the inlet hose that sits in your aquaroll. Fit in its place a 30p tyre valve. Pressurise the hose/system to 15 psi with a tyre pump, then open the hot and cold taps. Re pressurise and repeat if necessity. Cheap. Simple and effective. Replace the filter before use again

[@KillickGreenieRN]

Nice one and very helpful. Our kitchen tap on the Swift started leaking after last winter. I thought I had drained the caravan down. The dealer said the leaking tap wasn't covered under warranty because I hadn't drained the system down. Clearly they knew this was a design issue on the Swift. In the end they sent me some tap repair instructions. The water obviously expanded and it pushed up a couple of seals which, once pushed back in, stopped leaking! Great video, thanks.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Ideal, do you have those repair instructions, I’ve not seen those..

[@garyfoster4704]

Firstly thanks for testing my Whale water pump to make sure it was at fault before I purchased one from you today ... There aren't many dealers who'd bother doing that and just sell the pump. So respect for that 🙏 ... You mentioned this drain down in your shop and I have to admit I thought "Nah" but I get it now 👍👍😂😂

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

No problem, I always think a good turn is more valuable than short turn profit..I’m glad you got it..

[@MrG.42]

What you need is a Mervyn test for your explanations. We had a man at work called Mervyn. We had to make everything so simply that even Mervyn could understand it. Hope this helps.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@MrG.42 I think I’m the Mervyn..

[@davidsalkeld4473]

Thanks Darren that makes better sense. Thanks for the 3D AI diagram, It would be interesting doing this then using the pressure system to see if any water is left. I know water should drain but if there is a low loop in the cold pipe then it may hold water back? If the hot is left too long it could let water back in. Possibly turn the pump off before opening the tap, it may splutter but would be a surer way not to let water back in. Thanks again for your time

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

I was going to show the difference After the technique but forget, there will be a bit of water left but as long as it has space to expand it will be alright..

[@bizarremagick]

I have always emptied the system using a tyre inflation pump attached to the system with an adapted water inlet pipe, but I think I'll try your system this year. Thanks. Very clear diagram BTW.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@bizarremagick cool, it is a lot easier to do than it is to explain.. thanks on the diagrams, I enjoyed making those..

[@muteposting]

I use a pump on the shower hose to push the water back through the tank

[@kenlawrence3007]

I did that tyre valve method last year, didn't get as much water out as I had expected but didn't get any problems with frozen pipes though. I'll try this method this year & compare. I will seriously consider installing an additional hot water drain valve before next season so I look forward to the video for that.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Thanks, I’ll do that video soon.

[@earlebacciochi9796]

Thanks 👍 this explains why kitchen tap in my sprite blew its seals ! Which cannot be repaired ! Only replace the whole tap. £ 160. "ouch "!

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Yes, hopefully it will stop it happening again..

[@brads19bradshaw96]

very well explained we will have a go on our next trip

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@brads19bradshaw96 thanks, took me ages to work out how to explain it..

[@matterhorn1975]

Very very simple. I Personally would just stick the 2nd drain off valve in.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Yes, I’ll do a video on that, but essentially drill a hole in the floor and stick one in..

[@barrycouchman5360]

Great, I fully understand now. Many thanks.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@barrycouchman5360 great, I really had to think about this one!

[@muddymarvellous]

This makes perfect sense now...I'll do this so I'll be pushing the air through the hot pipes to the taps and switching off as air comes through before water gets back into the system.👍

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@muddymarvellous yes, that’s it.. it’s simple, but hard to explain why..

[@ashneedham]

The Flöe drain down kit will solve this (granted not a cheap price), we’ve only ever done this for winterisation but I’d never considered water being stuck in the hot pipes. The second drain down tap would be quicker though, but I’d still use a Flöe kit at least once a year

[@richardbullough7269]

As long as there is room in hot water tank for expansion should not have a problem, just make sure to run hot water out at taps .😊

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Not the case unfortunately, there is always water in the tap that will not flow back down, and cannot be removed without pushing air through the tap.

[@richardbullough7269]

I did say remove hot water from taps !!😮

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@richardbullough7269 I understand, but unless you blow air through them some how it can’t come out.

[@robertoduranos5196]

Clever, thankyou.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Thanks, got there in the end trying to explain it!

[@robellis3817]

Aha! Now I see. (Excellent diagrams by the way.) We’ve just switched from a Coachman to a Bailey and we noticed that whereas we had two drain taps before now we only have one. Any experience of using the Floe kit?

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@robellis3817 no, never used one, I’ve always recommended do this as it does the same thing, I’ll have a look at one though.

[@nssimpson]

Could you use a wet vacuum cleaner like the Bissell SpotClean to suck the water out?

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

I don’t know, it might work but I don’t know how you’d get a seal on the tap?

[@mikepascalethompson8061]

Hi Darren, Have you not used a Home Floë / Floe Apt0103 Truma Ultraflow Pistol Drainage Kit - Caravan / Motorhome? This blast all the water out of the hot and the cold taps. Fortunately, at present we have a Coachman, which drains down both hot and cold. (I thought you were going to show where you would install a drain down tap on the hot)? Apologies if I missed it. 😊

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

I have, but doing this means you don’t have the buy one, but after trying to explain it, it feels like it would be easier just to buy one! I will do a video on fitting an extra drain down as this will fix the problem, but it took me all day to do this video.. it was quite a challenge…

[@mikepascalethompson8061]

@@atlanticcaravansUK Being on the mechanical trade, plumbing & pipe fitting, I think your explanation was superb and simple. Fortunately, we caravan all year round and have a hot water drain tap. Thank you once again for your time and knowledge .

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@mikepascalethompson8061 no problem, it was hard work trying to work out how to explain it..

[@garydavis1528]

@@atlanticcaravansUKI’ve read the pressure floe system can cause damage whereas yours will not.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@garydavis1528 Oh, thats intresting, didn't know that..

[@Bessie66]

Just getting to know our van (picked it up Wednesday- first time away, got it all hooked up and bathroom tap slowly leaked water everywhere throughout the night and left us with a soaked bathroom carpet so drained the system down. We have a lunar Venus and possibly now need to change the tap? Any advice please?

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Yes, probably a new tap, is the water leaking under the tap or above the work surface?

[@garyholliday5169]

Thanks Darren We’ve not been caravaning very long so please excuse this if it’s a daft question, but we have a Coachman which has 2 yellow drain down valves. Am I right in saying that by opening them both ( I’m assuming one for hot and one for cold ?) this is all we need to do at the end of each trip ( this is what we have been doing) ? Thanks

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Yes, coachman are aware of this and fit the extra drain down valve.. other manufacturers should take note..

[@garyholliday5169]

@@atlanticcaravansUK Thank you 👍

[@chrisorawe]

Just looking at your diagram. Would it be easier to set all your taps to hot before opening the drain down valve. Then all the water in the hot pipes would be back siphoned as the hot tank drains. Once done switch them to the cold side to drain the remaining water from the cold pipes. Hope that makes sense.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@chrisorawe that’s a great idea, although to get a siphon effect I think the tank would have to be totally full of water which I don’t think they are, but I’m definitely going to try it, if it works, it’s genius!

[@chrisorawe]

​@@atlanticcaravansUK I think it could work even with some air in the tank because it's a closed system. As the water drains the pressure of the air in the tank would drop and the ambient air pressure would push the water through. May be worth starting with all the hot taps open to start. Then closing the kitchen tap after 10-20 seconds to keep drawing water from the wash room end.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

@@chrisoraweI’ll definitely let you know.. I’ll be back in Thursday and I’ll give it a go..

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Nope, doesn’t work I’m afraid.. I still like your thinking though.

[@leolawless3757]

Great video, but you didn’t show draining the shower. Was that a miss, or is it not needed?

[@garethlightfoot3665]

Id always assumed that the draining of the system syphoned the hot water pipes.

[@atlanticcaravansUK]

Yes, so did I, but it can’t, I don’t know why I didn’t realize this before?? I’ll do that video on a fix for it soon..

[@DavidBroad-v4r]

Just add freezban to your water