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water heater drain..

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  • 14-07-2016 9:30pm
    #1
    crackcrack30
    Registered Users Posts: 1,160 ✭✭✭


    Do people drain their caravan water heaters on every journey to cut down on weight or just for winter lay-up/storage?


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    #2
    demoreino
    Registered Users Posts: 214 ✭✭demoreino


    Crackcrack30 ,
    The idea of someone emptying all water systems to reduce weight and save fuel appears to me to be extremely frugal and possibly / probably damaging to your whole waterworks system inside your van .
    Maybe there is someone on here that will tell you how much you can save on diesel by emptying your water tanks before departure but I would be very surprised if you saved two euro per one hundred miles .
    Kevin www.iwmotorhomes.ie


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    #3
    crackcrack30
    Registered Users Posts: 1,160 ✭✭✭crackcrack30


    Thanks ,the idea was to save on weight & not fuel....My thinking was that if there was 30 kg of water in the heater that that could be 30 kg of extra luggage.....especially on long trips, I have never done it and was just wondering if others do.


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    #4
    db
    Registered Users Posts: 1,081 ✭✭✭db


    I take the question as being specifically in relation to caravans. I drain the water heater before leaving site after every trip, it only takes a few seconds. I don't like to leave water sitting in the system for long periods and it does cut down the weight a bit. I can't imagine anyone doing it on a camper / motorhome.


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    #5
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,293 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    demoreino wrote: »
    and possibly / probably damaging to your whole waterworks system inside your van .
    I don't do it, but not sure what damage it would do? My boiler empties on a separate switch (that also automatically trips any time you un hook the leisure battery). It doesn't seem to do anything else bar let the water drain out a plug hole.


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    #6
    Benbecul97
    Registered Users Posts: 988 ✭✭✭Benbecul97


    It makes sense to empty the water systems to save on weight, for both payload and fuel consumption.
    Why carry extra around weight if you don't need to - especially during the warmer months.

    Also, if staying on sites with access to facilities, why have water in the water heater - especially during the warmer months when heating is not required. If you want hot water to wash dishes etc why not just boil a kettle of water - you are paying for the electricity anyway.

    If staying off sites with no access to facilities (not applicable to caravans), that's a different story.
    I can't see how occassionally emptying the water heater during the year would be damaging to your whole waterworks system inside your van. Sure, its a bit more work on the water pump in the fresh water tank to get water back through the hot water taps via the water heater.

    Or am I completely missing something?


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