Water pump and heater question (1 Viewer)

[Kevingrc]

Hi all, got our first MH and taking our first trip on Tuesday, had help off you already(much appreciated) and was after some more please, do you leave the water pump and water heater on all the time when on site? We will be on EHU,thanks in advance sorry if this is a daft question .
Kevin

 

[Bill_OR]

Kevin,
We switch the water pump & water heater on whenever we stop for the night - whether on EHU or not. Clearly, if we are not on EHU then the water heater will be running on gas.
Bill
P.S. there are no daft questions!
P.P.S. we tend to 'overnight' and not park up for days at a time hence we don't switch things on and off.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

We tend to turn the water pump off when we are not with the van. As its a pressurised system, if the pump detects a demand, such as a leak (loose pipe etc), it will just keep on pumping.

With the electric water heater, we tend to follow a similar pattern or turn it off in periods when we know hot water demand will be low (water in boiler stays hot/warm for a considerable time). Not sure why, just a habit now coupled with no idea what the life of the heating element is likely to be I guess?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[grasscutter]

We leave our water pump switched on all the time. The only time we turn it off is when the system is drained down.
The water heater depends on your Eco outlook. We use ours first thing in the morning and then as and when for washing etc.
A bit wasteful to be on all day if you are not using it.

 

[dave newell]

Its good practice to only turn the water pump on when you need it and off when you don't. As already said if a leak occurs the pump (assuming diaphragm, pressure switched type) will cut in and empty your water tank into your van. Submersible pumps don't generally do this as they are normally micro-switched at each tap. As for the water heater just switch it on when you know you're going to need hot water, leaving it on all the time is wasteful plus if you leave it in the on position for electric and you hookup in winter to charge batteries for example but the water is drained down then there is a strong chance of destroying the heater element (Ultrastore boiler not C series or Combi).

D.

 

[shawn&emma]

We turn the pump of when we lave the van, just in case as Rowley said there's a leak.

Just have the water heater on first thing for showers then of the rest of the time, a kettle of water is then more than enough to do washing up etc during the day or go and wash up in the site dish washing area, allways a great place to chat to others. ours is gas only so don't want it running all the time. But I guess if it's electric and your on hook up keep it going as you would in a house.
Not sure what power an electric one would use but you would have to watch it not tripping the site hookup if say you put the kettle on at the same time.
Enjoy the motorhome you'll be a pro in no time.

Shawn

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

....As for the water heater just switch it on when you know you're going to need hot water, leaving it on all the time is wasteful plus if you leave it in the on position for electric and you hookup in winter to charge batteries for example but the water is drained down then there is a strong chance of destroying the heater element (Ultrastore boiler not C series or Combi).

D.

This is a good point. We were away last weekend in Cornwall, SWMBO was ferreting with stuff under the bench seat and inadvertently flipped the boiler dump valve switch. I only saw this by chance, because I was outside performing my grey waste disposal duties I noticed the water escaping below the boiler. The electric water heater was on at the time...

 

[Kevingrc]

Thanks everyone for your replies, so quick too, cheers Kevin @ Lynn.

 

[bertiebasset]

As stated above,, turn the pump off when away from van and when in bed,, nothing worse that being woken in the night when the pressure eases and the pump kicks in,, SWMBO stated she didn't know I could move so fast nowadays. Boiler is a preference thing,, if on EHU we tend to just leave it on. On gas,, on just before needing it and off most of time.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[angusboy]

we turn both off