# draining down?



## GrandadBluenose (Nov 20, 2014)

Hello all
Just finished our first season motorhoming we have had a fantastic time, Thanks to evey one who gave us advice when we started bacck in February.
Just wondered if any one can help we have an 06 Rapido randonneour 743f, I am putting it away for 3 months during winter but cannot find the fresh water drain off. does any one have any ideas please.



site admin note - title amended


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I do not have knowledge of your MH, but have you looked into the tank from any top inspection hatch to see if you have a plug, as we have? If so just pull out the plug.

You also need to open all taps and, if they are mixer taps, open them in the half hot/cold position so all water from hot and cold water pipes is drained back through the tank. Drain the shower-head.

Boiler (according to which one you have) also needs to be drained.

Why have you not got a manual to explain all this?

Geoff


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Going from my own experience of two boilers failing to drain properly, I would seriously recommend placing a bucket under the boiler drain to check the quantity of water drained.
Easy enough to check the boiler capacity, probably about 11 or 12 litres.
Sometimes, even with the sink and shower taps open, the boilers can air lock. 
I had this on two different vans, including my present, and all I needed to do, was loosen a pipe at the top of the boiler, then the water drained properly! 
If you don't check, you might think the boiler is empty, when infact it could be 75% full:surprise:


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Grath said:


> Going from my own experience of two boilers failing to drain properly, I would seriously recommend placing a bucket under the boiler drain to check the quantity of water drained.
> Easy enough to check the boiler capacity, probably about 11 or 12 litres.
> Sometimes, even with the sink and shower taps open, the boilers can air lock.
> I had this on two different vans, including my present, and all I needed to do, was loosen a pipe at the top of the boiler, then the water drained properly!
> If you don't check, you might think the boiler is empty, when infact it could be 75% full:surprise:


Graham

Even if that were the case, it is unlikely to cause a problem as there is 25% air space for expansion of freezing water, which, from memory, only expands by about 10%.

The real problem is when the expanding water is in a confined space with nowhere to go - e.g. pump or showerhead.

Geoff


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

nicholsong said:


> Graham
> 
> Even if that were the case, it is unlikely to cause a problem as there is 25% air space for expansion of freezing water, which, from memory, only expands by about 10%.
> 
> ...


Geoff, I would have thought, that if it failed to drain properly or fully, then some water could be in the pipes, also it could expand sideways:surprise:
edit, irrespective of where the expansion is, if I am draining I would want it drained fully and properly. lol


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Just heat the water a bit. The pressure that's created will break any airlock.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Spacerunner said:


> Just heat the water a bit. The pressure that's created will break any airlock.


As my latest van was a new to me, I did that as I wasn't quire sure which pipe the hot water should have come out of. The boiler drains under the boiler, but there were also two drainers for the pipework. 
It only drained fully after I released the top pipe.


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## camoyboy (May 9, 2005)

Rapido are good at hiding the drain taps. The best way to try to locate it is look under the MH for pipes hanging down through the floor. If and when you find one, look on the inside and there should be a tap above where the pipe goes through the floor. Our current Rapido has the tap hidden under a small lift out panel in the floor, close to the fresh water tank. The boiler probably has an auto drain valve, if you can't find it then disconnect the leisure battery and it will open it up. Again look under the MH and see where the water is running out, and the valve will be above it. As already mentioned, make sure the pump is turned off and open all taps, to purge out all the water in the pipes. To be really sure all the water is out, remove the shower head and blow down the hose with the tap open on the cold side to get rid of the last dregs.

Colin


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

One thing I am going to do soon, is replace the auto dump valve with a manual version. The newer blue dump valve cannot accommodate the peg to keep it open. It can be modified, but it is much quicker to just replace with the manual version!
I have a manual dump valve which I used for a short period when a previous dump valve was faulty.


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