Can I empty clean water onto pitch?

Same here Tinster, I never drained mine either. It worked every year I cranked it up again

Rocky, another aspect is that the caravan industry uses push fit connectors on the pipes and they rely on pressure in the system to maintain a good seal. Therefore, by draining the system, pressure is released from the pipes and the vibration caused when towing/driving the cvan/MH can cause pipes to move thus damaging the seals which could then leak when the system is repressurised.

Why drain down on a pitch anyway? Why not dump where you store it if you cannot be bothered to take left over water to a disposal point.

Re regular drain down of Alde system, I beleive that is the recommendation in the handbook. I don't think it is to prevent damage but to make sure and aire cushion is built up to absorb presure surges

peedee

Just checked the above in the handbook where it is recommended to drain the boiler at least once a month when the vehicle is in continuous use?

peedee

Oh the Motormoaners are ganging up when most open their taps fully and overwhelming the drain so it runs all over the road, besides not bothering to align properly

Maybe they should dump their grey waste on the pitch followed by the fresh water tank and boiler water to wash it away. 

Then the road at the service point will be nice and dry.........

Oh the Motormoaners are ganging up when most open their taps fully and overwhelming the drain so it runs all over the road, besides not bothering to align properly

Steady  on  Dave  I  Find  that   a  tad  unkind      !

Had  you  watched  me  prep[aring  for  the  drive  home  from  Durham  Grange  on  Tuesday  you  would  have  seen  me  align  Grey  tap  with  Grid (  a  good  drain point  on  this  site !! ),  drain  fully  then  reposition  &  empty  fresh  water  into  same  point  &  finish  with  a  splash  all  round  from  the  site's  hose !

Personally  I  would  find  the  dumping  of  any  waste,  be  it  fresh  or  grey,  on  any  pitch,  grass,  hardstanding  or  Serviced  purely  a  demonstration  of  idleness,  nothing  less.

Brian

You should see the disgusting state done MH-ers Ieave the MHSP in. Some give no thought to rinsing down the drain area after them.

I must add that in 40+ years of cvanning/MHing, I have never drained my water heater other than at the end of a season. There's no point, in my view. The weight is minimal and the element is less likely to corrode with water in the boiler. neither have I ever disposed of clean water on a pitch. Under a hedge, in a flower bed, around a tree, yes, but not on the pitch itself.

Forgetting the rest of the debate for the moment. Leaving the boiler all season is not possible if it is an Alde. Not unless you want to cause damage and possibly invalidate any warranty.

Where did you get that information Steve?  I have heard it said before but no one has been able to show me any Alde documentation to say such. 

The information comes from my 2014 Unicorn handbook under the section Alde Heating System. It states "the system should be emptied approx once a month to ensure that a new air cushion is formed in the heater. The air cushion is essential for absorbing pressure surges in the heater." I appreciate that people may have used their systems continuously without damage, but as the advice is there, I think it wise to follow it. If any damage attributable to a surge occured during the warranty period, they may say they would not cover it.

You should see the disgusting state done MH-ers Ieave the MHSP in. Some give no thought to rinsing down the drain area after them.

I must add that in 40+ years of cvanning/MHing, I have never drained my water heater other than at the end of a season. There's no point, in my view. The weight is minimal and the element is less likely to corrode with water in the boiler. neither have I ever disposed of clean water on a pitch. Under a hedge, in a flower bed, around a tree, yes, but not on the pitch itself.

Forgetting the rest of the debate for the moment. Leaving the boiler all season is not possible if it is an Alde. Not unless you want to cause damage and possibly invalidate any warranty.

Where did you get that information Steve?  I have heard it said before but no one has been able to show me any Alde documentation to say such. 

The information comes from my 2014 Unicorn handbook under the section Alde Heating System. It states "the system should be emptied approx once a month to ensure that a new air cushion is formed in the heater. The air cushion is essential for absorbing pressure surges in the heater." I appreciate that people may have used their systems continuously without damage, but as the advice is there, I think it wise to follow it. If any damage attributable to a surge occured during the warranty period, they may say they would not cover it.

When you think about it, Steve, it would be impossible to prove misuse by not draining. I suspect Alde are covering their backs. In any case, once per month is a far cry from each time you Ieave a site which seems to be what a lot of people advocate.

"I was talking about emptying the boiler water on the pitch (not the aquaroll, about 10L) and the difficulty of aligning the drain tube (unknown location somewhere under the van) then either putting the steadies down or getting into the van while hitched up, getting back into the caravan to open the valve, take the steadies down and then drive off

But your point is taken"

Corners, the location of your drain tube is only unknown because you havent looked where it is....all MH are required to do this as, by not doing so, will inevitibly result in sparaying their waste everywhere but in the right place....

...and surely you dont need to wind steadies down to step into the van to open a valve?

so, really, no different to the process that we (MHers) are 'required' to carry out?

its easy once you (are prepared to) get the hang of it....

except we don't have to do it, we empty 10L of clean water onto a pitch.

Everyone's choice but I was taught it's not a good idea to get into a caravan once it's hitched without at least one steady

 

its simple....dont.

its no different than a MH 'only dumping 20 ltr' on a pitch....or 30...or.....

if you cant stand in a caravan without steadies (lord knows why  not....will it break?) then whats wrong with doing as others suggest, draining the hot through the sink into the wastemaster and then dumping it properly?

dumping water onto a pitch, fresh or otherwise, is (IMHO) lazy and bad form.

i can see that, for frost protection purposes, a vanner might want to dump the hot water boiler contents of the van is not to be used and there is the risk of frost....

however, get rid of that water responsibly....not on the pitch, thanks.

"I was talking about emptying the boiler water on the pitch (not the aquaroll, about 10L) and the difficulty of aligning the drain tube (unknown location somewhere under the van) then either putting the steadies down or getting into the van while hitched up, getting back into the caravan to open the valve, take the steadies down and then drive off

But your point is taken"

Corners, the location of your drain tube is only unknown because you havent looked where it is....all MH are required to do this as, by not doing so, will inevitibly result in sparaying their waste everywhere but in the right place....

...and surely you dont need to wind steadies down to step into the van to open a valve?

so, really, no different to the process that we (MHers) are 'required' to carry out?

its easy once you (are prepared to) get the hang of it....

except we don't have to do it, we empty 10L of clean water onto a pitch.

Everyone's choice but I was taught it's not a good idea to get into a caravan once it's hitched without at least one steady

 

its simple....dont.

its no different than a MH 'only dumping 20 ltr' on a pitch....or 30...or.....

if you cant stand in a caravan without steadies (lord knows why  not....will it break?) then whats wrong with doing as others suggest, draining the hot through the sink into the wastemaster and then dumping it properly?

dumping water onto a pitch, fresh or otherwise, is (IMHO) lazy and bad form.

but has been done for many years, even before HS