Draining issue

[Siamese66]

Hello! I just recently purchased a 1976 Tradewind! But, I can't seem to figure out how to drain not only the fresh water tank but also the water heater. I'm hopeing that someone might be able to help me out?
Thanks,
Rick

[nickcrowhurst]

Rick, welcome to the forum. It's a few hours since you posted, and there have been no replies from Tradewind owners (a comparatively rare breed), so I'll give you a couple of ideas to reassure you that your first post will be answered, if only by an Excella owner.
The water tanks usually have an inspection hatch in the aluminium belly pan. Crawl under the trailer and see if there is a square of aluminium, perhaps 6 inches square, acting as an access hatch under the water tank. Remove the self-tapping screws holding this plate to the belly pan, and a drain plug may be revealed. Alternatively, or additionally, there may be a petcock behind the front kerbside wheel.
The water heater may be drained via a large plug with integral petcock on the front of the heater.
I'm sorry if these ideas don't relate to your trailer, but, as they say in Yorkshire, "Owt's better than nowt in a crisis"!
Nick.

[dufferin]

I mght be wrong, my trailer is an Overlander 1975, so I assume it's close enough to try to help you.
On the water heater, acces from the outside trap, on top right, you may see a kind of check valve, that you can easelly open, if you have one, you'll be abble drain your heather in few minutes.
Remove the city wather hose from the trailer, and open the valve.
The water should start to come out from the city water hookup.
You might also have some taps, with red handle hide somewhere... those are drains too.
hope could help

[dwightdi]

Mid 70's fresh water tank is most easily drained by simply allowing the pump to pump it all out into the gray water tank and then onto the ground. The hot water tank is most easily drained by taking the plug out on the outside of the tank at the bottom. The city water input usually has a backflow valve in it to prevent the on board pump from pumping out your on board water on the ground.

[dufferin]

Originally Posted by dwightdi

The city water input usually has a backflow valve in it to prevent the on board pump from pumping out your on board water on the ground.

I don't have that on both of my AS...
is that wronng or should I try to fix that up

[Siamese66]

Thank you! I ended up just running the pump and letting it flow thru to the grey tank. I do have a petcock on the water heater i just opened it 3/4 and just let it do its thing...It seems empty? However, I did see a plate underneath the water tank pan. I dodn't think its aluminum tho. I'll look tommorrow for the possible screws. Ther is one huge one in the middle. Don't know why? Anyway, thank you very much for your help! :-)

[azflycaster]

My 75 Trade Wind has a drain valve located under the floor near the pump. It looks like the faucet on the side of your house. The water then drains trough a hose that stick through the belly pan. To drain the water heater I remove the drain valve which is a large white plastic plug. It is the same size as the wheel lugs.

[FreshAir]

My '66 Tradewind's water drain valve is under the front gaucho near the water pump. The hot water tank (and additional system drain) can be drained through a valve(s) in the rear access near the toilet and bw tank. However, I am not sure if this source for the hw drain will evacuate all the water in that tank.
Neil.

[ticki2]

Siamese66 , I have a '76 Caravanner , same size as your Tradewind . If you remove the 1/2" bolt from the center of the water tank under the trailer , you can then remove the access plate , approx 6"x6" ,mine is steel. You should see a black rubber hose , this goes from the tank to the pump . Mine did not have a drain origonally so I cut this hose and installed one . The manual said to use the pump to drain the tank , this did not appeal to me .

[Chaplain Kent]

Rick- welcome to the forums. Wow you have more ways to empty your tanks than there is water inside. Follow the instructions from AZflycastr though and you most assuredly will get those tanks flushed. We had a 75 Tradewind and that is how I did it.

[Swanny]

Okay now I'm losing it...in a good way.

After reading through my owners manual, I still can't find the drain valves for our '34 Excella. I've looked under the kitchen sink, under both beds in the back of the TT and in the bathroom. Still no luck.

Any suggestions?

Mitch

[Pinkerton]

I am a new owner of a 1972 Tradewind, and have just been dealing with the same questions. Thank you one and all for giving me new insite on places to look for the elusive drains that I couldn't seem to find. The most amazing thing to me is the fact that I have a copy of the owners manual and a shop manual, and do you think I could find anything about winterizing or draining?

Anyway, I suspect I'll be spending a fair amount of time in this forum, as I plan on doing a modified restoration (O.K... that means I'm going to modernize some things, while keeping the spirit in tact). What that probably means is that for the next 5 years, between projects around my house and such, I'll be coming up with lots of questions for you fine folks. Thanks in advance.

At least I now have a place to start this weekend.

--Paul