Newbie intro

[XC70+Adora]

I'm Colin and I've just joined this forum as my wife and I have just been on our first outing in a new (to us) van and I need some technical assistance, if I may?

I'll also try and help others if I can, as I realise this shouldn't be a one-way street.

Our week on the Llyn Peninsula was really good and apart from enjoying the wonderful landscape and coastline it was great to find out how our 8 year old Adria Adora worked.

But I have two big problems to solve and I'd like some assistance please?

1. Truma water heater
Although I made a checklist for leaving the CL site we stayed at, I stupidly forgot to turn our Truma water heater electric switch off before I drained the water from the van's pipes. It wasn't until half an hour after I'd put the yellow valve lever into the upright position that I realised the switch on the front of the lounge seat was still in the on position, and I started banging my fist against my knees for being such an idiot.

Have I caused irreparable damage to the immersion element? If so, can it be replaced by me or must it go to a garage for an expensive professional job? Or does the entire boiler need replacing? I haven't checked anything since as we were coming home.

2. Water pump and pressure regulator
We had recurring issues with our water supply from the Aquaroll, using a Truma pump. When we arrived at the site and connected the water up, we heard a lot of noise from the pump or water pressure regulator - I couldn't tell which.

Because the pump was new from the dealer I suspected the problem was with the pressure regulator. I asked a fellow caravanner who thought the problem might be with the pressure regulator and suggested I turned the white knurled knob on top until the noise stopped and the flow through the taps was good.

This advice was repeated when I rang the dealer we bought the van from, who advised me to turn the hot tap on whilst turning the pressure regulator knob until a clicking noise was heard. I did this but rather than me hearing a clicking noise at the regulator, my wife heard it at the tap!

Anyway, I stopped at this point as the tap flow was good and the bad pumping noise had stopped and was now a normal hum.

BUT: The pump humming noise didn't stop when the tap was turned off, so we spent the rest of the week turning the main pump switch on and off by the door, whenever we wanted to use the taps - which was a real pain. The reason we carried on like this was because we didn't want to disturb the regulator again in case the original problem noise came back.

So I would really appreciate any help on how to solve these two problems.

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

[Parksy]

Hi Colin, welcome to the forum and congratulations on buying your caravan and trying it out on it's maiden voyage.
When you drained the water as you were packing up to leave, had you disconnected the electric hook up?
If you were running the water heater on mains 230v and you had turned off the power by disconnecting the ehu lead the heater would stop heating.
EDIT: I believe that the Truma Ultrastore water heater has an over temperature safety cut off, so you should be ok 😊

As for the pump noise, the pressure adjustment knob will control the flow of water.
If the pump continues to run there could be air in the system.
When you fill your Aquaroll the next time, don't forget to close the drain tap, open the hot taps, furthest from the pump first until the spluttering stops and air bubbles are bled from the system.
Do this for each tap in turn first the hot and then the cold.
You might have to readjust the pressure control knob from time to time, but it's important to purge the air bubbles first.
If your caravan is at home you could plug in to the 230v to test your water system by filling the boiler and warming the water.
Good luck

 

[Jcloughie]

Hi and welcome XC70+Adora.

John

 

[XC70+Adora]

Thanks Parksy. Unfortunately we were still connected to the hookup when I drained the system, otherwise I wouldn't be worried.

Re the water pump issue, I closed the drain tap next to the boiler as soon as we arrived at the site and I then proceeded to fill the van's pipes up with water by slowly turning the hot taps on until the spluttering stopped and the flow was smooth. Then I turned on the cold taps and made sure they were running ok too. I then left the drain valve in the off (horizontal) position for the rest of the holiday.

Are you suggesting that the pump continually working when the taps are off could simply be air in the system? And not a problem with the pressure regulator? If so, thanks - I'll simply have to bleed the system again.

 

[XC70+Adora]

Just seen your edit, Parksy. If you're right and the Truma heater has an overheating cut-off then I will be a happy man!

The only way to test this will be to try it out on our next trip at the May Day Bank Holiday, as the van is now back in storage.

Many thanks indeed for your advice and I will also bleed the water system again to see if air is the problem.

 

[XC70+Adora]

I've just thought - air could have got into the pipes because we also had a separate problem whereby the water pump pipe inside the Truma pump housing at the van end kept coming off the plastic tube, and water gushed out of the pump/van union area onto the grass!

I took the housing off and pushed the pipe back onto the tube, but instead of there being a jubilee clip that I could tighten with a screwdriver, it was a non-tightening clip so never really stayed on the pipe. I'm now going to replace this with a properly "tightenable" jubilee clip!

 

[Parksy]

Thanks Parksy. Unfortunately we were still connected to the hookup when I drained the system, otherwise I wouldn't be worried.

Re the water pump issue, I closed the drain tap next to the boiler as soon as we arrived at the site and I then proceeded to fill the van's pipes up with water by slowly turning the hot taps on until the spluttering stopped and the flow was smooth. Then I turned on the cold taps and made sure they were running ok too. I then left the drain valve in the off (horizontal) position for the rest of the holiday.

Are you suggesting that the pump continually working when the taps are off could simply be air in the system? And not a problem with the pressure regulator? If so, thanks - I'll simply have to bleed the system again.

An over running water pump is usually caused by air in the system Colin, unless its sucking air in from somewhere.
I'm fairly sure that the ultrastore water heater has an over temperature cut off and a re-set button, but no doubt someone with more knowledge of your water heater and pump will reply with further information soon.

 

[XC70+Adora]

An over running water pump is usually caused by air in the system Colin, unless its sucking air in from somewhere.
I'm fairly sure that the ultrastore water heater has an over temperature cut off and a re-set button, but no doubt someone with more knowledge of your water heater and pump will reply with further information soon.

That's great, I hope you're right Parksy.
I know Truma pumps are very common so I'm thinking I may not be the only one who's made this silly mistake! Not sure if there's a re-set button so I'll check a user manual that hopefully exists online somewhere, or simply get my head-torch on and have a look!

 

[Parksy]

Click Here Colin, some bedtime reading for you 😊

 

[Buckman]

Parksy is correct about the over temperature cut off and you should be okay.

 

[Beachball]

Hi Colin welcome to the forum

 

[otherclive]

Hi Colin welcome to the forum. I used to find that sometimes the pump pressure regulator could be sensitive even between different sites. But when set on site it would then be stable. When you purge the water system of air don’t forget to include the shower too. Good luck.

 

[XC70+Adora]

Hi Colin welcome to the forum. I used to find that sometimes the pump pressure regulator could be sensitive even between different sites. But when set on site it would then be stable. When you purge the water system of air don’t forget to include the shower too. Good luck.

Thanks otherclive, I'll try and remember the shower. That will have to be first as it's furthest from the pump.

 

[Raywood]

Welcome to the forum. I do agree that you are unlikely to have caused any damage to the water heater but the only way to be sure is to fill it and see if it works. I think we have all made your mistake, but certainly we have not had a problem as a result.

 

[XC70+Adora]

Welcome to the forum. I do agree that you are unlikely to have caused any damage to the water heater but the only way to be sure is to fill it and see if it works. I think we have all made your mistake, but certainly we have not had a problem as a result.

Thanks Raywood, I'm pleased to know I may not be alone in forgetting to switch the heater off.
Yes, we shall see what happens when we take Dora to St Davids for May Day weekend!

 

[Hutch]

Thanks Raywood, I'm pleased to know I may not be alone in forgetting to switch the heater off.
Yes, we shall see what happens when we take Dora to St Davids for May Day weekend!

Your not the only one, We got to a pitch, in Dover, ready to go to France, and in a panic to travel back home 90 miles to get my wallet. Which I had forgotten, didn't fill the Ultrastore, 3 hours later Mrs H says there is no hot water. Slowley filled the water and pressed the red button , and all was good. Hope you have similar, no problems.

 

[Beehpee]

I don’t know what make of caravan or water pump but I seem to remember years ago there was a button on the water heater that you had to press to reset the heater, I can also remember having to turn the power off on a different water heater and wait for 5-10 minutes then switch it back on and it reset itself, I can’t remember either make or model, but may jog someone’s memory.

BP

 

[Buckman]

Thanks Raywood, I'm pleased to know I may not be alone in forgetting to switch the heater off.
Yes, we shall see what happens when we take Dora to St Davids for May Day weekend!

I would strongly suggest testing the hot water before setting off to St Davids. All you would need is 1 aquaroll to do the test.

 

[Parksy]

Even if the water heater element was damaged I'm fairly sure that the water heater would still work on lpg

 

[Buckman]

Even if the water heater element was damaged I'm fairly sure that the water heater would still work on lpg

That is correct, but you may use a large amount of gas over a weekend.

 

[XC70+Adora]

Your not the only one, We got to a pitch, in Dover, ready to go to France, and in a panic to travel back home 90 miles to get my wallet. Which I had forgotten, didn't fill the Ultrastore, 3 hours later Mrs H says there is no hot water. Slowley filled the water and pressed the red button , and all was good. Hope you have similar, no problems.

Thanks Hutch, glad your element wasn't damaged and hope mine isn't too.
I didn't know there's a red button on the heater - I'll have to re-read the Truma user manual Parksy sent me!

 

[XC70+Adora]

I don’t know what make of caravan or water pump but I seem to remember years ago there was a button on the water heater that you had to press to reset the heater, I can also remember having to turn the power off on a different water heater and wait for 5-10 minutes then switch it back on and it reset itself, I can’t remember either make or model, but may jog someone’s memory.

BP

Thanks Beehpee, I'll look for a reset button.

 

[XC70+Adora]

That is correct, but you may use a large amount of gas over a weekend.

Yes, thanks both, but I'd rather use electric as I've already paid for it. But I have got two gas bottles so we should be ok if the element has gone.

 

[XC70+Adora]

I would strongly suggest testing the hot water before setting off to St Davids. All you would need is 1 aquaroll to do the test.

Thanks Buckman, but the van's in storage so can't test it on electric. We'll just have to use gas if element has gone.

 

[Parksy]

That is correct, but you may use a large amount of gas over a weekend.

Yes, thanks both, but I'd rather use electric as I've already paid for it. But I have got two gas bottles so we should be ok if the element has gone.

Heating the water using lpg when you're on ehu obviously wouldn't make sense, but it's not prohibitively expensive as an alternative when no other power source is available.
We've often rallied off grid with the fridge and the water heater on lpg.
We didn't leave the water heater on for long periods of time, and sometimes it's easier and cheaper to put the old whistling kettle on for washing up off grid.