Leaving a site

Most people only drain the water system at the end of the season.

What's the problem with gas? Turn it on at the bottle, turn on a hob burner, wait a few seconds for the gas to get through after the first turn on and light. Once the hob burner lights, everything else should as well. 

To drain the hot water tank, see your manufacture's instructions but what I do is:

Switch off the pump master switch. Switch off the heater and/or hot water heater at the control for it where you set the temperature. Mine's above the door. If you're on grass do this sometime before to cool the very hot water or run it for a while in to the wastemaster, (do this before switching off the pump).

Switch off the main water heater switch on your main charger unit (mines under the bed). You can also switch off the main 240V  electric at the same time if you want.

Next to the water heater there will be a drain down valve. Mine is yellow and while in use the yellow handle lies flat. Pull this up and open the taps. You should hear the water draining out of the hot water tank and you should/could check to see if it is draining from the outside looking under your van.

I never use gas except for cooking. Make sure the gas bottle is fully off.

Really do everything backwards that you did on arrival. But if in doubt ask for help from your neighbours and the wardens, only ask them in plenty of time. Most, if not all people on site will be glad to help.

obviously, if going on to another site, or you will be using the van again soon, no need to drain everything.

...as we use the van regularly and all year round, we only ever drain down if we are at home and there is a likelihood of a hard frost....

When you leave site the process is almost the reverse of your set up.

Once you are hitched up check lights and doors and lockers are secure, breakaway cable attached and hand break released.  If you have used the motor mover don't forget to disengage it.  Pull slowly off pitch and someone check you haven't left anything laying around

on our van there are 3 gas isolation switches just inside the bottom drop down door of the oven.  To use the fridge, heating and stove make sure the switches are in the open position.  We don't switch these off after use, just isolate at the bottle.  

I know what your both saying BB and TW, I was told somewhere in the dim and distant past that towing with a full hot water tank wasn't a good idea as most times the tank is right forward, and indeed to the right hand side of the van and therefore affects stability and noseweight? Has this advice changed? 

Don't empty hot water onto a grass pitch, you'll kill the grass . Once our system is filled we leave it until there is a chance of frost - but we are motorhomers, and I don't know if this makes a difference.

I agree with the comments about the gas, I'm very respectful, or half afraid . of it if I'm honest.  You can smell it so if you do,turn it off and open all the doors and windows.  Be prepared it does take a while to come through the pipes before lighting.

If you need help, ask fellow members or the wardens, enjoy

Gill, I can't really add anything to the above other than just relax and take your time,it isn't a race.All the best for tomorrow and have fun..

No idea if the advice has changed but I only empty the tank if it's going to be very frosty and I can't plug in to EHU for any reason.  

In my opinion it will make no difference, Corners. The weight of the water will be minimal (check your handbook for the actual capacity of the hot water tank) and caravans aren't balanced side to side anyway. We never drained the system other than at the end of the season when we had caravans and don't with the MH either.

Ok thanks, the tanks holds 10 litres so that's 10kg, and we only have one gas bottle rather the two that can be fitted so I think you're right. We used to be be weekenders and all year round (we still are all year round) so I was always a bit scared of frost from, well mid October onward up here till about Easter. Even so we had a frost the other week . I suppose its a hard habit to break.