Water pipe /tank frozen?

[The laird]

Water pipe /tank frozen?

just wondered as I never have drained my water system for the winter and have never had any issues with the old girl .never dumped her water or anything .
Has anyone else been as good as her?

 

[Deleted member 166]

Recon you been lucky I drain mine down even if I'm not using it for a couple of weeks during the winter, I left it once and was lucky cold only split the shower head where the ice expanded.

 

[Antiquesam]

I empty the hot water system but don't bother with the cold. I reckon on leaving enough room for expansion with the taps open. I do live in the soft south though.

 

[snapster]

I’ve only ever drained mine once, two weeks ago, because we were leaving the van at home and going away for 10 days, the forecast was for snow and low temperatures. When I screwed the drain plug back in, after the boiler was empty, it broke!
i won’t be doing that again....

 

[Dr Mick]

I am relatively new to motor homes and last October, I drained my water tanks and water heater but despite my best care, I somehow messed up with the shower head (has a valve built in) that held water and split asunder over the winter. More worryingly, I also have a small leak under the 3 way shower valve, that might be frost damage as well. Only just discovered at service.

Before the winter I had consulted with my Adria dealer as I thought it a good idea to keep the vehicle hooked up during the cold weather and leave the boiler on a frost setting. He said that I could wreck the leisure battery by constant charging and if the 240v power failed in cold conditions, it could cause the water heater to crack (although it has an auto drain valve). I followed this advice, did not hook up and drained down but I am still having to repair frost damage through my inexperience.

Has anyone experienced leisure battery damage through hooking up over winter or conversely, used a small electric heater on an extension lead as frost protection? Or have any good ideas please about venting to be sure all water is dispelled from the pipes and heater. One thing I will do differently this winter is to remove the shower head.

 

[ggohd]

In Aberdeenshire I religously drain my system. leave the taps open as well, never had a problem down to minus 15C. After a lot of studying I could not find any warning about using the heating with no water in the system . The water pump freezes, but there is a feed from the heating that plays on it so it can be defrosted. Anyway, well water at average plus 8C soon does the job.

 

[PeteS]

I am relatively new to motor homes and last October, I drained my water tanks and water heater but despite my best care, I somehow messed up with the shower head (has a valve built in) that held water and split asunder over the winter. More worryingly, I also have a small leak under the 3 way shower valve, that might be frost damage as well. Only just discovered at service.

Before the winter I had consulted with my Adria dealer as I thought it a good idea to keep the vehicle hooked up during the cold weather and leave the boiler on a frost setting. He said that I could wreck the leisure battery by constant charging and if the 240v power failed in cold conditions, it could cause the water heater to crack (although it has an auto drain valve). I followed this advice, did not hook up and drained down but I am still having to repair frost damage through my inexperience.

Has anyone experienced leisure battery damage through hooking up over winter or conversely, used a small electric heater on an extension lead as frost protection? Or have any good ideas please about venting to be sure all water is dispelled from the pipes and heater. One thing I will do differently this winter is to remove the shower head.

I think it really depends on your battery charger, anything over 13.2V will damage a battery long term, my Bailey pushes out 13.7v far too high to leave it permanently connected even in cold weather as the optimum float voltage goes up as temperature falls.