We are away in our 1994 ABI Dawnstar Deluxe this Friday (3rd Feb), and, according to the weather, we may be looking at sub-zero temperatures. I'm worried that the Aquaroll contents and/or the water pipe from theAquaroll to the 'van may freeze and become damaged overnight. I've got a 'jacket' thingy (like you put on water cylinders in your loft) and it's a great fit for the Aquaroll and I'll bungee it in place. What about the pump/pipe though? Am I heading in the right direction here? (I don't want to keep bringing the bulky Aquaroll inside as it's a 2-berth and small enough with two of us plus a black Labrador!). Any (quick) advice gratefully received! Cheers,
Sean & Jackie
I use a short piece of foam pipe lagging to cover the hose piece on the water pump from the top if the barrel to the water inlet housing and that should work fine. It's cheap and you can purchase it in a metre length from any DIY store or plumbers merchant. You just cut it to the length you need and then feed it over the exposed hose and when winter is over keep it in a safe place ready for next year.
Also make sure that the tank is full overnight, it takes quite a lot of freezing to lower the temerature of 40litres down to freezing. If you have an old fleece jacket, feed the tube from the pump up throught the arm and wrap the body of the fleece around the tank, or wrap everything in bubble wrap.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
i use the insulated cover and after a big freeze i now take the pump in as it only takes a minute or two.make sure you have fresh water in a 4 ltr container for tea/teeth/handwash.
Wickes are doing hot water cylinder jackets for just £2.99 (which is an absolute bargain). They come in 4 pieces, so you could use a bit to wrap round the hose, a bit under the aquaroll & a load wrapped round the sides.
Otherwise I can only echo the advice about getting it off the ground & (perhaps most important) fill it up at night, as it will only freeze on top.
It might be a good idea to fill the kettle, & maybe a 5 litre jerry can, with water at night & bring the pump in before you go to bed. That way you'll have enough water for the morning & you know you won't damage your pump.
Sadly I don't have this option, as I have a very old 'van where the pump & hose are permanently attached to the side of the 'van.
I actually bought a Wickes cold water storage tank jacket (by accident, for my water heater, not knowing it wasn't heat resistant). I use the small part of that around my hose & the hot water jacket stuff around my aquaroll. (hasn't been tested properly yet. Just a minor ground frost so far).
Hows this for an idea I once read, get an old quilted jacket or duffle coat, from a charity shop if you dont have one laying around. put your aquaroll in the jacket zipped up but feed the hose throught the jacket arm
iv'e heard of people putting a fish tank heater in the aqua roll cheap to buy and run and the water is kept warm, lag aqua roll and pipe and keep off the ground.
Quote: Originally posted by madtrucker on 02/2/2012
iv'e heard of people putting a fish tank heater in the aqua roll cheap to buy and run and the water is kept warm, lag aqua roll and pipe and keep off the ground.
i had this idea many years ago but when i investigated the possibility i found that there was a high risk of increasing the germs in the water because it was warm.water has to be very cold or very hot.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
A jacket with trace heating built into it and the cover for the pump pipe would be an ideal solution for long term but I can's sow well enough to stitch the trace cable into place. The advantage of the trace heating is it is self regulating (differing temps available)and uses very little power. Friends of mine in Canada use it on their guttering and downpipes and also have an underground version buried in their driveway to keep it ice free (as far as is possible in Canada!).
Short term just don't leave the pump in place if it is going to be very cold and if you have a couple of hot water bottles tuck them under the aquaroll cover and add a couple of kettles of hot water just before going to bed. Unless it is very cold the above will stop it freezing solid over night. Don't forget the waste water though as frozen waste water does not pour to well when you need to empty it - a bucket works best as you can then empty a large grey water ice cube.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
Quote: Originally posted by madtrucker on 02/2/2012 iv'e heard of people putting a fish tank heater in the aqua roll cheap to buy and run and the water is kept warm, lag aqua roll and pipe and keep off the ground.
i had this idea many years ago but when i investigated the possibility i found that there was a high risk of increasing the germs in the water because it was warm.water has to be very cold or very hot.
That only happens if the water stands for quite some time plus I don't think many people drink water from the taps in the caravan. I supposed you could also set the temperature on the heater to lower setting.
That only happens if the water stands for quite some time plus I don't think many people drink water from the taps in the caravan. I supposed you could also set the temperature on the heater to lower setting.
possibly but most would only use half a barrel of water in a day so half of the water has been subjected to the warmth of the heater.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
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Topic: Freezing Aquaroll prevention
