Truma ultraflow barrel pump

[Bimbam]

Hi, we had our first weekend in our newly bought 2019 Swift Elegance 580 (we're used to a motorhome).

We’ve never used a Truma caravan system before where you have a portable external barrel: We have a strange situation where we're pumping the water in from the external barrel to the internal tank, the touch display shows 'full' and stops pumping, all good. We were then finding the internal tank was empty without using any water. I checked the configuration of the valves, all correct as per the Swift manual instructions. This happened three times, confused the hell out of us wondering where the water was going, until I lifted the pump out of the barrel and saw the steady flow going back in to the barrel. So we were pumping it in, and it was falling straight back out again!

Does anyone know, is the caravan's system meant to have a NRV between the internal tank and the socket on the side for the external barrel, or, is there meant to be a NRV in the Truma Ultraflow external pump? The pump came with the van, I’m wondering if its faulty. Any light shed on this much appreciated!

 

[ProfJohnL]

I.m not familiar with the specific system you have, but logically yes it should have an NRV at the entrance to the internal tank. but exactly where it should be located in your caravan I don't know. As the caravan is new to you, if you bought it from a dealer, they should sort it out for you.

 

[Damian]

As the van is still within warranty you must get the dealer you bought it from to sort out the problem.
It may just need a phone call to them to advise you on how the system works.

Unfortunately all the makers handbook are generic and cover a number of vans with different bits and pieces and, guess what, they dont all do what one may think !!!

 

[Jcloughie]

As above.

But, on the face of it perhaps a NRV makes sense. However, I would have expected that the water should be entering from the top and spilling into the internal tank above the surface of the water. So siphoning back should not be an issue. Is it possible that the installer installed too long a pipe and it goes to the bottom of the tank. Sounds improbable but stranger things have happened.

When the tank is being filled, can you hear the water entering?

Just surmising or guessing.

John

 

[Bimbam]

As above.

But, on the face of it perhaps a NRV makes sense. However, I would have expected that the water should be entering from the top and spilling into the internal tank above the surface of the water. So siphoning back should not be an issue. Is it possible that the installer installed too long a pipe and it goes to the bottom of the tank. Sounds improbable but stranger things have happened.

When the tank is being filled, can you hear the water entering?

Just surmising or guessing.

John

Thanks for the replies all. Yes I can hear the water going in and the internal tank shows on the screen above the door that the tank is filling, then when full the pump correctly stops. But after a few minutes its all siphoned out back into the barrel. I will contact the dealer but thanks for the reply, when I get this resolved (or if!) I will post back. The temporary fix was to just pull the Truma external pump out of the socket on the side.

 

[Bimbam]

Update: Had a word with dealer, he says there IS an onboard NRV and it must have failed. Is going to come out and replace it (luckily the dealer only about 4 miles from home).

 

[Bimbam]

Just to close this out. Yes there is a NRV built into the pump socket and although only a year old it had failed (its basically only a flap of plastic apparently). The dealer came out and replaced it with a section of pipe and a proper NRV. Well done to Beez Leisure. Thanks again for the return posts.

 

[DaveA1]

Just to close this out. Yes there is a NRV built into the pump socket and although only a year old it had failed (its basically only a flap of plastic apparently). The dealer came out and replaced it with a section of pipe and a proper NRV. Well done to Beez Leisure. Thanks again for the return posts.

Thanks for telling us the outcome. We are not left flapping in the breeze, wondering what's happening

 

[Jcloughie]

Just to close this out. Yes there is a NRV built into the pump socket and although only a year old it had failed (its basically only a flap of plastic apparently). The dealer came out and replaced it with a section of pipe and a proper NRV. Well done to Beez Leisure. Thanks again for the return posts.

Result.

John