Winterisation for a flush dometic cassette, that is filled via the mains tank

[sweet caroline]

Hi Guys,

First time to winterisation,and looking on Youtube, the Thetford cassette, has another knozzle to drain down the flush. Sadly, the one I have a Dometic Ceramic CAssette, does not have that extra funnel to drain down the flush.

The flush is fed via the mains tank, and YouTubers state that the pump is not strong enough to get every bit of water out of the flush tank, and is vulnerable grrrrrrr!

So what do I do to get that water out then please?

Worried that 'i might crack the system, as with the taps and the showers, you can leave taps open until the last drips come out. with the internal electric flush, this is not something that you are able to do, so what would you all suggest please ? Thank you so much

 

[Figaro]

With the drain valves open, holding the flush button pressed for a few moments should allow any water to drain away
That's what I do anyway and it's always worked for me.

 

[Just smiffy]

Use your van all winter……

 

[royandsharont]

Same as Figaro for me with my latest van and no problems over past 2 winters. Previous van had separate tank/small pump and that pump used to seize over winter needing freeing each time.

 

[sweet caroline]

Hi Guys!
I am taking Rennee out for her final holiday this week, for 10 days, then the plan is to Winterise her, but maybe use bottle water anyway on days trips out !

I have Bentley Cobbalt, quite a RARE Breed. Now I can only find ONE YELLOW TAP to flip out to drain down, what I suspect is the Hot Water Tank?

Does the Tank Water have NO Flip switch on it? mm So to drain this down, does it mean that the PUMP needs to be on, and then the cold water tank feeds into the boiler system, and then it all drains down into the one piping area ? NEED Help please ?, Do you put the pump on anyway with Taps all open to clear all the tanks please?.
Its kind of worrying me, as there has been a few days here in East Anglia, with a bit of FROST.
Your EXPERT advice is always appreciated on this forum
So Motorhome is a BENTLEY COBBALT 2 seater 6 metres

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[Wildbill]

Just pump it dry never ever had a problem but a bit of anty freeze wil stop it freezing or cheep vodka
Just pump it dry out a salution in and pump it thrug
Or better still winterised the van and use it all year round
WB

 

[yorkiebar]

From a review of a Bentley Cobalt:

On the subject of water, the Cobalt has an in-board water tank, which is fitted under the nearside front settee. To fill it, there’s an exterior wall socket and you have the choice of either using a submersible pump (fitted in a water container) or a special hose connector, to connect directly to a tap. That’s useful versatility, plus the in-board nature of the water tank means that it’s going to be better for winter use, with less risk of freezing-up.
It doesn’t have its own direct drain-down plug, though. Instead, to drain it you either have to run all the water through the taps and into the waste tank, or you can drain it down via the water heater’s drain down tap.

So flip the yellow drain valve into the "up" position, open all the taps in the van, turn on the pump until it is having no effect. Then leave taps open with yellow valve "up". Some people force air into the tap outlets ( use a balloon ) to blow back water but I don't bother. Leave shower hose on floor of bathroom to drain (with shower tap open).

 

[Badknee]

Use your van all winter……

 

[royandsharont]

I’ve no knowledge of your van but my swift had a rubber plug in the fresh tank and you put your hand inside through a screw on cap under a floor inspection hatch to access it. Just pulled the plug out then as above.

 

[sweet caroline]

From a review of a Bentley Cobalt:



So flip the yellow drain valve into the "up" position, open all the taps in the van, turn on the pump until it is having no effect. Then leave taps open with yellow valve "up". Some people force air into the tap outlets ( use a balloon ) to blow back water but I don't bother. Leave shower hose on floor of bathroom to drain (with shower tap open).

Does this drain the syste flush water too please ? thank you guys for all your kind advise

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[sweet caroline]

Just pump it dry never ever had a problem but a bit of anty freeze wil stop it freezing or cheep vodka
Just pump it dry out a salution in and pump it thrug
Or better still winterised the van and use it all year round
WB

 

[sweet caroline]

thank you, so are you saying put antifreeze in my tank? so does that mean, it needs some water in there to put this in ?

 

[royandsharont]

If your pump for the toilet takes water from the main tank then yes.

Draining the main tank, I suspect there should be an external tap, or as in my case above a plug, somewhere.

In my PVC with internal tank there is a tap on top which releases the internal valve at the bottom and it drains out through the tube below the floor of the van.

My only pump is inside that tank.

So opening the yellow valve to the boiler drains the boiler and opening ALL taps in mid way drains all the pipes.

So the only thing I can see with yours is identifying how to drain the main tank too.

Having the pump working at the end of gravity drain helps push what’s left in the pipes out and to be certain as said above you could blow it out with a reverse pump being attached, although I never have in 12 years.

I leave all the tap valves open over winter too. I’d never add anything to the freshwater tank except cleaning solutions

Hope this is understandable

 

[sweet caroline]

I’ve no knowledge of your van but my swift had a rubber plug in the fresh tank and you put your hand inside through a screw on cap under a floor inspection hatch to access it. Just pulled the plug out then as above.

ok, i will have a look inside the tank, when I come back from my next adventures tomorrow 5 counties and away for about 10 days, ! thank you

 

[sweet caroline]

If your pump for the toilet takes water from the main tank then yes.

Draining the main tank, I suspect there should be an external tap, or as in my case above a plug, somewhere.

In my PVC with internal tank there is a tap on top which releases the internal valve at the bottom and it drains out through the tube below the floor of the van.

My only pump is inside that tank.

So opening the yellow valve to the boiler drains the boiler and opening ALL taps in mid way drains all the pipes.

So the only thing I can see with yours is identifying how to drain the main tank too.

Having the pump working at the end of gravity drain helps push what’s left in the pipes out and to be certain as said above you could blow it out with a reverse pump being attached, although I never have in 12 years.

I leave all the tap valves open over winter too. I’d never add anything to the freshwater tank except cleaning solutions

Hope this is understandable

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[sweet caroline]

The above is so kind of you to give me a step by step on this solution, and I will follow all of this, when I return from my adventure in 10 days time. It was very plain to read, and really appreciated your kind Unpaid time in explaining this to little old me ! haha Thank you

 

[Boldly]

Apparently water expands by about 9% when it freezes. So in theory if it's emptied by more than 10% and all the taps are open there should be no problem. So if you empty as much as you can and leave all taps, drains etc open it should be most unlikely to do any damage .

 

[sweet caroline]

That is so fantastic to hear and very reassuring too ! You guys are STARS!!!! Your so helpful, and I never feel like a TWIT, as a woman asking, to what most men think SIMPLE questions?

For me, a big investment of 30k means that I am worried about my first winter ! So I really appreciate all the help above

 

[royandsharont]

sweet caroline Lastly from me, I’ve read all the replies properly now and see that a ‘quote’ entered by yorkiebar above at post #7, when expanded, suggests you have no drain valve in your model van so you may not find one. I am not familiar with it at all so cannot offer any more advice. Thank you for your comments, appreciated

 

[L' Hobo]

thank you, so are you saying put antifreeze in my tank? so does that mean, it needs some water in there to put this in ?

Only use POTABLE antifreeze BUT, far better use NO ANTIFREEZE at all!

Don't know your conversation but on mine, it has 3 drain, one for the heated water and 2 for the cold and after draining, I leave ALL of these open but with some stainless steel mesh stuffed up the pipes to stop entry of mice also put some at the top of your windscreen drainage holes.

S/S mesh can be found by disassembling a washing up pan cleaner.

I would suggest, you seek advice from your owners club.

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[sweet caroline]

Only use POTABLE antifreeze BUT, far better use NO ANTIFREEZE at all!

Don't know your conversation but on mine, it has 3 drain, one for the heated water and 2 for the cold and after draining, I leave ALL of these open but with some stainless steel mesh stuffed up the pipes to stop entry of mice also put some at the top of your windscreen drainage holes.

S/S mesh can be found by disassembling a washing up pan cleaner.

I would suggest, you seek advice from your owners club.

 

[sweet caroline]

thank you on the Bentley forum as I type !

 

[yorkiebar]

thank you on the Bentley forum as I type !

I think that's the best place to go first for these kind of questions.