Carver Cascade Rapide

Jan 28, 2023
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Hi all,


Semi-permanent touring van residents here in a 1999 Compass Pentara (which I'm loving, not sure about the other half!). All has been pretty good up until the first patch of cold weather, we had no water for a week and struggled to get the water heater started once everything had defrosted. We did finally sort it by pressing the reset button on the main unit.

After this last bout of cold weather, we can no longer physically press the reset button. I've drained the system down, and the water being drained was warm (I realise now we should have done this before the cold spell) - and the hot tap sort of splutters for about 20secs and then stops. I can hear the pump working and the cold water is fine. Any ideas?
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Hello Siouxsie,

Welcome to the forum.

Form the sketchy details you have given us, I presume you failed to get water at the caravan taps because the pipework ( and possibly the Cascade water heater) had frozen.

If this is the case, then the second symptom you describe of spluttering from the hot tap, but no significant flow almost certainly means the water froze in the cold water feed into the heater and as the ice expanded in the Non Return Valve (NRV) it has dislodged the internal O ring seal on the valve shuttle causing it to jam in the almost closed position.

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(Edit) PS, Don't be confused by the Truma Logo on the NRV picture: Carver sold their caravan leisure product range to Truma in 1999 so the spare parts supply was also transferred to Truma who ceased production of the C2 later that year.

This all but stops the water heater filling up. As the heater warms up the air in the tank develops a little pressure which is what causes the spluttering when you open a hot tap.

The NRV is in the plastic fitting screwed into the heater casting with the Blue (cold water) pipe. The plastic fitting needs to be carefully removed and sometimes it can be dismantled to release the captured O ring seal and and reassembled and refitted, but with the heater now being at least 22 years old there is a strong possibility the fitting will be damaged whilst trying to remove it, leaving some of the plastic in the casting. This needs to be removed before a replacement is fitted, in which case the NRV will need to be replaced.

Spares are increasingly scarce but if you google "carver cascade non return valve" you will probably find a few still available.

As for the Over Temperature Trip reset button not being able to be pushed in, it probably means becasue the water heater has not actually exceeded its rated temperature and is not actually damaged or faulty.

It vitally important to follow the manufacturer's instructions about draining the caravan down when its not being used and there is a risk of frost.

See
 
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Jan 28, 2023
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Thanks so much for your response, we managed to resolve by having all water systems running at once (shower, bathroom sink and kitchen area sink) - all seems to be OK but will definitely remember to follow instructions if there's another freeze!
 

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