Winter drain down

Good morning members, I’m New to the Camper Van life and just acquired a 1997 Symphony, my question is “How to drain down for Winter?” And does this include the heater system
Thankyou in advance
Keith

Hi there. I have i Trident. We drain out both tanks underneath. Turn on the pump and turn on the tap until its coughing air then turn off the pump and leave the tap open. We also add the winter vent covers.
We camp and use our trident in winter but use a fresh water jerry can.

I hope this helps from Rob.

Assuming your Symphony has a Carver Cascade or Rapide water heater, on the vent outside , bottom left corner is the drain plug, unscrew and remove to drain the tank, replace the plug to prevent spiders entering and blocking jets. If you have pressure valve on top left (they don't all have it) then a quarter turn will release that and help drain quicker.

My tip would be once you have opened all the drain taps and nothing is coming out anymore, go for a drive with them open. It gets the last bits of water out. Also open all the basin and shower taps so any water can drain down from them as well.

 Great forum, I see you have some answers already.
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Richard

Micky

Open up all taps to avoid air locks, remove plugs from w/h/b ,shower tray,if you have one.      emptying should be easier.
Boaby

I guess there's been no mention of the water tank for the WC because your model doesn't have one but takes water to flush the wc from the fresh water tank. But if that's not the case, empty the "cistern" tank. 

(if there is a tank, the odds are that inside the cassette locker there will be a glass tube fixed vertically (it shows the water level in the cistern tank) and that tube will have a rubber bung at its top. Unclib the tube - it's connected to rubber tubing which you can bend down and outward from the locker - and remove the bung. The clean water will empty.)

You can take some water in a suitable can, to pour down the WC as required, if you go for a day trip whilst the van is winterised.

Cymro

And don't forget to empty the shower tube and head (if any) leaving the head open. Bitter experience reminds me of this every winter!

Thanks to all of you for these useful comments.  I have a Dorset and I have drained down the main fresh water system by opening the taps but I have closed them off again so that insects can't get in and I don't forget that they are open when I come to fill it again next year. I have also ran the MH around after drain-down in the hope that it will remove a little extra water which it did.  The toilet cassette and grey tank too have been emptied as far as possible.

The cistern tank I have not yet drained on account that with the green fluid in it is unlikely to freeze until temperatures really drop but it is on my 'to do' list.  Are there any other steps to be taken that will prevent damage occurring during the winter months?

My advice would be to leave the taps open and in the mid position,  the ceramic discs in these taps only need a small drop of water around them to freeze and they'll crack. Don't worry, insects won't get in through taps. 
Al.

As above I do the same as Al, but after blowing down the taps with a small part of an hose-pipe, to move the last bits of water that might be left trapped in the water system. Plus I fit the foot part of a pair of ladies old tights to the opened outside drain pipes to stop creepy crawlers entering the water system.