Carver 3600STC issue

May 24, 2020
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Hi :)
I'm new to caravanning and new to here. (I posted this already on an old post but re-thought to start a new post!)

I have a Carver 3600STC Fanmaster heater that is not working on mains or gas.

It came with my second hand 2008 Sterling caravan that I recently bought from a private owner (long story but I don't know the history and I didn't get manual, it's a Sterling Eccles Emerald 2008 4 berther). The caravan seems in very good condition generally. Right now I'm on hook-up to 230V, no battery installed yet. I have a gas cylinder and the gas cooker works perfectly. The 3 way fridge works on mains really well...

As for the Fanmaster heater, it looks in good condition. There is a drawer above it, and when I remove it, I do seem to have access to the back and sides. I see that it's cobwebby etc. in there! There is no vent in the seating to its right hand side, and the cooker is right up against it on its left and side.

My Question: I'm wondering if it's okay to access by putting my hand town the back and sides to get at the re-set button?
Also I wonder how much "stripping down" is involved? Trying to guage if I could do this myself in order to clean it! And, how often this needs doing? I guess it depends on how quickly fluff builds up!

Also something curious, another clue to what might be wrong (?):
There is a wall switch above the drawer and heater, which I assume is the mains switch. It lights red when I put it on (mains supply). I guess it turn on the heater through electric mains.
The heater never heats up no matter what I've tried so far.
But curiously, the the fan of the Fanmaster works (from a nearby panel with options for slow and fast, gas and electric) - but ONLY when I turn on the Charger on the main control panel (which I gather works as a transformer/ converter when on hook-up with no battery like I am, in order to use the 12V DC fittings on AC: this is the case with the 12V lights).
I can't figure out what all this means. Does this mean the heater and the fan on my model can't be run off mains supply? I hope not!
Any advice will be very welcome and appreciated. :)
Tina
 

Damian

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Mar 14, 2005
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First of all you are replying to a topic raised and last used in 2009 !!
However, a couple of things for you.
A battery should be installed to provide a constant 12v smooth supply, the on board supply is meant as a battery charge unit and does not like having a heavy load applied to it.
The fan for the heater is 12v as are the lights, so no battery and no mains power = no fan and no lights, water pump or toilet flush.

DC fittings CANNOT be run on AC alone.
I strongly suggest that you get a caravan engineer to sort out the issue as making a wrong move will cost you a lot of money , never mind what injuries you may get.
If you don't know about mains and 12v DC DONT mess with it, it can kill you !!!!!
 

Damian

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Mar 14, 2005
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I don't know what happened when I tried to move my first reply from the old topic you raised your question in, and for some reason known only to the computer gods, it went above your posting here, so I moved it but had to leave a full stop in the dialogue box or else the whole topic would have been deleted.
 
May 24, 2020
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I don't know what happened when I tried to move my first reply from the old topic you raised your question in, and for some reason known only to the computer gods, it went above your posting here, so I moved it but had to leave a full stop in the dialogue box or else the whole topic would have been deleted.

Yikes... it's disorienting enough trying to figure out 12V system in this caravan and now my threads are doing something funny! :D
 
Nov 16, 2015
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Good luck, and welcome to the forum, I had a lovely Sterling Eccles Jewel, Sterling of that wra were lovely.
 
May 24, 2020
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Thank you @Hutch :) I like my caravan and it's important to me right now, so I'm glad to be here.
Could you recommend where I'd get the manual for my caravan. I have not been able to find it online.
 
May 24, 2020
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Thank you @Beachball, and thanks guys. That was helpful. I've looked at a bunch of different manuals from there, and have got some good info about the appliances on my caravan. Very useful.
I found that I had to go back to the year 2000 (it doesn't go back any further) and track through those earlier years to find info on my particular appliances.
So I wonder if my caravan may actually be older than 2008 (that's the year on the registration on the back of the caravan).
I found some info in an earlier manual explaining how the Control Panel I have works (a PMS 2000).

Nothing on the Carver 3600STC specifically, but some stuff on the 2000s.

Stuff on the Cascade Rapide water system, which helps me understand better.

Anyway, my research continues. Thanks for your responses so far. :)
 
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Mar 14, 2005
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Carver sold its leisure products arm to Truma in 1999. Truma progressively stopped making Carver heaters through 2000 because they competed directly with their own established products, but they carried on with some of the water items and the Caravan Movers. Even though Carver heaters were not available most spares were still available for several years, and as Truma's stock ran down, a number of specialist independent companies have continued to support some of the Carver products.

The way the caravan industry was structured in the early 2000's does mean that some slow selling models may have been stockpiled and may still have been sold as new caravans ( "new" meaning not previously subject to a retail sale) for a few years after. But I seriously doubt a pre 2000 model would have still been sold in 2008 as new. It is very difficult to explain how a 2008 model has an 8 year old heater fitted.
 

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