Primus Heater

[Alistair1]

Can anyone tell me how to set up a Primus 2490 heating system and explain the control panel...please!

 

[gary]

There are two possible controls, ones mechanical and the other electronic, the electronic ones a horizontal rectangle in shape and the mechanical one stands vertically, both work just about the same.

The electronic control panel has a temperature control knob with a green LED close by and four press button switches, these switches left to right are gas boiler, hot water, mains 2kw and mains 1kw heating

To light gas you should press 'gas boiler' and turn temperature knob until green LED lights, for mains heating choose one of the electric settings.

Obviously you press the hot water button for hot water but I think the idea of this is it also switch off the central heating?.. very useful then in summer!

 

[Alistair1]

Thanks Gary,

All seems to be clear, my one is the electronic one and just as you describe it. The unit seems to be dry and would I be right to fill it with anti-freeze?

Thanks.

 

[gary]

I would fill it with plain water first, if you then find leaks water will not do much harm, also anti freeze is more 'searching' and finds leaks faster!!

The radiator system must be totally free of air for it to work and bleed valves are provided in corners to bleed it off, useful then to have the van tilted 'very' slightly to make sure these valves are at the highest points.

Having filled the system I'd then fire it up and if it works ok with no leaks, then drain it and refill with a 50/50 of anti-freeze and water.

Big problem is always lack of anti-freeze in the past, the rad is steel and corrodes, draining it then, will show how lacking it's been due to the rust in the water that comes out?!

I might add there's Bernard in Somerset, 01460 220392, that looks after spares as well as Alde International, Wellingborough, Northhants. who may well supply a user manual

 

[gary]

One more thing, as the system is dry then so to will the central heating circulation pump, this may well cause it to refuse to spin and possibly burn out!

To be safe then I'd whip it out, wet it internally with water and spin the impeller by hand to make sure it's free to turn before reinstalling it.. replacements are very expensive!!

 

[Alistair1]

Wow! Thanks Gary. More information from you on this website than I got over a month of asking dealers. Many thanks.

 

[gary]

Thank you I try my best!! truth is the Primus is a very good compact system that some reason did not 'take off' in the UK, in Sweden though and other cold climates it's still preferred.

Because of this though dealers know little of them as they rarely if ever see them, those who try to help and know me sometimes ring and I refer them straight to Bernard.