Winter is almost upon us, bringing with it the high winds and freezing temperatures that mark the end of the touring season. After the two named storms of last weekend, you might be thinking about putting your leisure vehicle back into storage, but before you do that you’ll first need to know how to drain down a caravan.
Whether yours is equipped with an onboard or underfloor tank, here is your essential guide to draining the system down safely and storing the caravan away until spring.
How To Drain Down A Caravan For Winter
As tempting as it might be to put your caravan into storage with the intention of coming back and draining it down at a later date, this is one of the worst mistakes that you can make at this time of year.
Overnight temperatures plummet to way below zero in the winter, and it is not uncommon for a caravan’s onboard water system to completely freeze over. When this happens, you’re not just left with a blocked system and no onboard source of water, but also burst pipes, broken taps, and widespread damage to deal with ahead of the first trip of spring.
Even if your caravan will be stored indoors, it is always recommended that you completely drain it down so that no water remains over the cold winter months. So, get rid of any large onboard water reserves, and lingering droplets, with our step-by-step guide on how to drain down a caravan.
Disconnect The Onboard Pump
This winter is supposed to be an especially cold one, so start off by locating the 12v electric pump near the water tank, and disconnecting its power supply. Once this is done, carefully remove all of its fittings and store them in a dry place for the winter.
It is well worth doing this even if you’re still planning on taking one last trip out before storing your caravan away, as once the drain down has been completed you can switch to your water carrier instead, and keep it inside your caravan overnight.
Let All The Water Drain Out
Now it’s time to drain down the caravan by opening up the drain tap, as well as all onboard taps, and letting the water flow out until there is no more left in the system.
Make sure you attach a hose to the drain tap before opening it, as this will encourage the water to flow away from the caravan, rather than pool up underneath it. Once the water has fully drained out, and there are no more drips coming from any of the taps, then you can close them all and secure the covers.
Use A Caravan Drain Down Kit
Whether you have a Truma or a Whale water system, a drain down kit is about to become your most important piece of equipment this November.
Using this kit is a surefire way to make sure that there is no stagnant water left in your system over winter. Each kit has its own set of instructions that vary depending on the type of water system that you have, but a general guide is to:
- Connect the drainage device to the outside of your water system using the adaptor included in the kit.
- Connect an air source, such as a handheld bicycle pump, to the other end.
- Switch on the pump and begin sending air into the system.
- Gradually build the pressure up to match the water pressure (often about 15 psi).
- Open each tap one by one to allow the residual water to flow out.
- Build the pressure up again after each tap has been drained.
Secure And Store The Caravan
Once the last drop has been drained from your water system, you can prep your caravan for storage without any worries.
Start by removing any appliances that may still contain water, from the kettle to the filter, and drain them down before storing them away from your caravan. Once this has been done you should do one final check of all the taps to make sure that there is no residual water left that could freeze and expand over the cold winter months.
Finally, close all the doors, windows, and vents onboard to prevent any moisture or cold air from seeping in. Condensation, combined with months of disuse, creates the perfect conditions for mould growth, so double check that all openings are covered and store your caravan with a weatherproof cover for added protection from the cold weather.
How To Drain Down A Caravan With A Drainage Kit
Now that you know how to drain down a caravan, you can decide whether to store it away now, or continue using it for winter adventures.
If you choose the former, then click here to order your caravan drain down kit today from Caravan Crazy.
If you choose the latter, then make sure you switch to an insulated water carrier instead and only stay at campsites that have onsite facilities.
Safe travels!