Having installed an access point for an external water supply, I got to thinking about draining the system before the winter.

Being my usual skinflint self, I quickly recognised that commercial attachments are pricey, so here we go again, on to the Internet to search for something which I could adapt to do the job at a much smaller cost.

I needed something which would allow me to connect a Schafer valve to a male garden hose fitting!

This is what I found:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B083R4MZWY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sorting through my drawer of garden hose fittings I found a standard 1/2" screw-on male fitting which would slide over the tip of the tapered fitting above.

The result:

Power flush (1).JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

The red end is the Schafer valve, the yellow end the water connection. This was originally a push fit, but I decided to use a readily available 2-part resin to secure it.

This adapter is then connected to the water inlet:

Power flush (3).JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

A suitable 12v tyre inflator is connected to the Schafer valve.

Power flush (2).JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Water taps inside the van are opened.

The 12v compressor turned on and any water lingering in the pipes is pushed out through the open taps.

Project cost: less than £10
Project time: 1 hour max

Hope this little idea is of interest.

PS it doesn't work on all water inlets - depends on the fitting and the types of valves/taps etc in the system.

Dave

Just a thought, small chemical bottles under toilet cassette, I better take them out for winter. I presume they would freeze but i don't know & its not worth risking unless I'm sure, i suppose it could even boil down to which brand you use.
Slightly concerned that some weeks ago i had opened my drain taps back and front ( i have a electric hot water tank) on my 320 and opened both kitchen and toilet tap fully but midway between hot and cold. Then 2 or 3 weeks later i moved the caravan up my drive to go away & water ran out of drain taps, only thing i can thing of is an airlock. next time I'll try blowing down the taps. Second thing was that a little water ran out from behind one of the lower aluminium trims. Obviously the caravan had been at an angle & some water must have been sat behind one of the trims which if it froze can't be good.
Does anyone put cable ties in to gutter holes to get the water to track away from sides?