fresh water tanks

[colliseumj]

Was just going to empty the tank and hot water cylinder
Now see one can buy ‘special’ anti freeze for fresh water tanks
Can def get all the water out of the tanks and pump by just draining the system
All the pipes are plastic, there might be some residue in the lower sections, but not a lot, what to do ?

 

[Tranona]

Not sure why you are worried about freezing if you are in the UK. Simple draining is more than adequate, although i have never bothered with even that on the south coast.

 

[RJJ]

I have done it for the last two winters ashore. Not sure if necessary but I looked on it as insurance, as a split pipe would be a real bore to track down and fix on my boat.

As was explained to me, it doesn't take much. If there's water in the hose it will freeze at the ends first and then in the middle, with the latter causing risk of a split.

Yeah, and temperatures are seldom far enough below freezing to make it hurt in the relative shelter of your cabin. Your call. I'm kinda interested what everyone does and will start a poll.

 

[Sandy]

Was just going to empty the tank and hot water cylinder
Now see one can buy ‘special’ anti freeze for fresh water tanks
Can def get all the water out of the tanks and pump by just draining the system
All the pipes are plastic, there might be some residue in the lower sections, but not a lot, what to do ?

You don't say where you are.

Here in Cornwall frost is about as rare as hen's teeth. If I was in Shetland I might think about draining the system, but 'special' antifreeze, nope. Well not unless it was cask strength whisky from my favorite distillery.

 

[VicS]

Was just going to empty the tank and hot water cylinder
Now see one can buy ‘special’ anti freeze for fresh water tanks
Can def get all the water out of the tanks and pump by just draining the system
All the pipes are plastic, there might be some residue in the lower sections, but not a lot, what to do ?

If you use the propylene glycol antifreeze you will have to drain it and flush the system before re-use. If you can drain it completely you might as well do that in the first place.
.

 

[Supertramp]

Unlikely to freeze if afloat. Possible if ashore, there is a sustained cold snap and no heating. Unlikely to happen without a forecast warning.

Draining is sensible, but hard to be sure every pipe run is fully drained. I would drain my taps by removing the pipe downstream of the pressure pump if worried. If afloat the tank and pipe runs should be protected by sea temperature.

On land I used a simple tube heater but that may no longer be so practical.

 

[Stemar]

A friend had his pump damaged by a cold snap a few years ago, and that was in Chichester Marina, which froze over, but that's pretty exceptional. I've used tube heaters ashore, but never bothered wintering in Portsmouth Harbour.

While pumps might not like a hard frost, my water pipes are reinforced PVC, so I can't imagine them splitting unless we get down to at least dry ice and more like liquid nitrogen sort of temperatures, and I do wonder if that pump didn't just fail over winter and the cold got the blame.

 

[Boathook]

I drain pipes and tanks as much as possible. Years ago had a toilet freeze up whilst afloat on the south coast during the winter. Winters do seem milder but we can't rely upon it.

 

[NormanS]

Not sure why you are worried about freezing if you are in the UK. Simple draining is more than adequate, although i have never bothered with even that on the south coast.

We don't all live on the south coast.
In the boatyard where we winter ashore, a few years ago, about a dozen boats suffered calorifiers split by freezing. I will continue draining all my pipework as much as possible, and have a temperature controlled tube heater in the appropriate space.

 

[Tranona]

We don't all live on the south coast.
In the boatyard where we winter ashore, a few years ago, about a dozen boats suffered calorifiers split by freezing. I will continue draining all my pipework as much as possible, and have a temperature controlled tube heater in the appropriate space.

Common sense rules. surely? If like you he is not in a frost free area then drain the tanks just like you do - got a feeling I advised that!