Winter water

[Gus the bus]

Winter water

In this present cold climate, I realise that you should drain all water down if we are not using the bus. But what about if you decide to go out and about . I realise some water can be kept in bottles inside for drinking but what about water for flushing the toilet , how do you stop it from freezing?

 

[Minisorella]

I understand some people put a little antifreeze or similar in the flush tank in the winter but, to be honest, I've never had mine freeze on me (touch wood). When you're out and about in the winter, the van is naturally kept warm with heating and cooking. I do leave the bathroom door open to share the warmth and I leave the gas boiler on very low overnight if they threaten anything below zero because that would be a heck of an expensive replacement! Other than that, so far so good! I'm sure lots of people will come up with good suggestions for additives though and I'll watch with interest :smile:

 

[cronkle]

We drain down completely and take water in bottles if going out for the day. A large washing up liquid style squeazy bottle is good for a few loo flushes. If we are going overnight then we fill up the van tanks as normal.

 

[Molly 3]

We drain down completely and take water in bottles if going out for the day. A large washing up liquid style squeazy bottle is good for a few loo flushes. If we are going overnight then we fill up the van tanks as normal.

We use a pump trigger spray with a mix of water and pink toilet fluid

 

[barryd]

Ive never had a problem with our toilet flush tank which is separate and we have been out wild camping down to -17c. Im not entirely sure where it is but presumably under the toilet somewhere. Our fresh water tank is internal so no problem there but the grey isnt so where possible I just leave it open in mid winter. Its only shower water anyway that goes down it. If the flush were to freeze or pack up its not a big deal anyway. Just keep a bottle of water handy for flushing until it thaws. Ive seen external water tanks freeze up though. Again not much you can do about it, just make sure you have a carrier or two of fresh water in the van. Again, not the end of the world.

 

[Phillybarbour]

While in the van with heating on you shouldn’t have an issue in UK temps with inside tanks.

 

[barryd]

It's worth remembering though as was pointed out in a similar thread that if your vans been sat in freezing conditions for some time before you use it that there are no frozen blockages anywhere in the system. This happened to me and it took three days for the "internal" pipes to thaw out. Clearly I didn't drain down properly but it won't matter if your van is winterized or not if you do the same unless you heat it up for a few days before you go or make sure there is no water anywhere in the system when you drain down.

 

[teejay]

Anyone got the Floe drain down system for motorhomes? How well does it work? Any problems with it?

 

[teejay]

Anyone got the Floe drain down system for motorhomes? How well does it work? Any problems with it?

Can't believe nobody on here doesn't use this!!

 

[barryd]

Looks above my pay grade that which is restricted to self tappers and rubber tape.

I just drain all the water as much as I can now, take the shower head off, disconnect the Surflo pump and run it for a second to spit the water out and then blow down the pipes as much as possible. I also leave the two feeds to the pump disconnected so anything in them will be forced out if it freezes. Well thats the theory anyway. I seem to have had no bother with this solution over the past few years since the time I didnt drain down properly but we had a different submersible pump then so not as easy.

 

[teejay]

Very basic really. Black and blue tap push fit onto cut in water inlet pipe prior to pump- metal black and blue fit upstream either side of pump in same way. Yellow and grey hose connector screw onto metal thread. Use compressor or foot pump to pressurise water pipes to 15psi in turn. Turn on taps in turn to push ALL water out of system-nothing to freeze, nothing to go stale- no algae.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Leave it empty of water and just improve your aim away from the side and straight down the hole.

 

[Deleted member 27]

I use a dose of concentrated windscreen washer fluid in the flush tank it acts as an antifreeze.

Alf

In this present cold climate, I realise that you should drain all water down if we are not using the bus. But what about if you decide to go out and about . I realise some water can be kept in bottles inside for drinking but what about water for flushing the toilet , how do you stop it from freezing?

 

[2cv]

When out of use in winter, I always drain the water and leave taps open, but realise that it only takes a little missed to cause damage so also leave a heater in the van with a thermostat set to prevent freezing. When using the van in the winter I just leave the heating on fairly low and never have any freezing problems, lowest OAT -15 so far, maybe if it got cold enough the waste tank may freeze but has never happened yet.