ALARM BUTTON CONSTANTLY ON

[Col1983]

Hi all,

I have an Avondale Rialto millenium edition and at the moment the red alarm button on my water heater is constantly on and I have no idea why or what to do with it - please could anyone help?

Many thanks

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Colin,

Can you give the year of the caravan, and the make and model of the water heater please?

 

[Col1983]

Hello,
The caravan is an Avondale Rialto, year 2000.
I think it's a Zig MK103.
Sorry to sound a little vague, this is all completely new to me.
Thank you

 

[Damian]

Zig do not make water heaters, they make power supplies and distribution units.

So, without a lot more information it is impossibe to help.
However, if you can post a picture it would help a lot, and as another possible, Dave Brannon at Leisure Electronics can examine and repair most power supply units.

 

[Col1983]

The alarm light is coming on on the distribution unit but it is next to the water heater switch.
This might be it - Cascade Rapide GE 9 litre , when the switch to heat the water is turned on the green light comes on and stays illuminated but after a couple of seconds the alarm light comes.

 

[Damian]

Right,
The cascade GE can work on gas or electric.
The 3 coloured lights, Green, amber and Red are ONLY for when using gas as the heating source.
If using electric they have no part to play and is controlled by a diferent switch near the heater.

If you are using gas and the red light comes on after a few seconds, it means the gas has failed to light, which means either the gas supply is not ON, or the isolation valve is closed, or there is a problem withthe burner module.

 

[Col1983]

Thank you, that makes sense, the only other thing is that it's not heating the water at all at the moment, it was working the other day but seems to have stopped, that's why I though it might be something to do with the alarm light.

 

[Damian]

When you say it was working, was that on gas? or electric?
If on gas, then it points to the burner module being faulty if you still have plenty of gas available.
Have you tried on electric?

 

[Col1983]

It was working on electric, haven't tried it at all on gas yet.

 

[Damian]

This is getting a bit confusing.
When you used electric, which switch did you switch on? Was it the one on the distribution/comtrol panel next to the 3 lights?

 

[Col1983]

The big green switch next to the carver switch was turned on and I think the other one was also turned on as well, I think I'm starting to confuse myself! I have a picture but I don't know how to upload it.

 

[Damian]

Ok, so, if both were on, then you had it running (or should have been running) on both gas and electric.

If the red light did not come on when you used the switch on the control panel at that time, but is now,is there any gas available?or is the cylinder empty??
If you used the electric before the water heater was full, then it has tripped, try resetting the trip button under a small flap on the end of the heater (inboard end in the middle of the electric connection cover)

 

[Col1983]

Ok, I think we have sorted it, I think that the gas cylinder is empty. We have just reset the trip button and it seems like it has started to work again.
Thank you so much for all your help and advice - I will be sure to contact you again if I have any further problems.
Thanks again.

 

[Damian]

You are more than welcome Col.
I am glad you have sorted it out and that it is working.
If you have any more problems I can always give you the phone number of the Samaritans

 

[Gafferbill]

……a further consideration for you.
If you are trying to use Butane gas when the ambient temperature is near freezing, as it has been on a few recent early mornings then your gas will fail to flow to the burner.
This is a characteristic of Butane gas and most caravaners use Propane which does not suffer from this drawback.

 

[Parksy]

......................... I think I'm starting to confuse myself! I have a picture but I don't know how to upload it.

It's easy to add pictures to forum posts Col
Click Here for a very good set of easy to follow instructions compiled by Sprocket

 

[byronryder]

I had the same problem with the alarm button on my motorhome, after I took it to a specialist I had to change some parts, I even bought motorhome accessories because they had very good prices. How you managed to reset the trip button? I tried to do this but could not find anywhere information about this.