Van dumping all the water when cold???? (1 Viewer)

[Blue di + jean]

Hi again all. here's a new problem. My burstner delfin t686 (2006) over last two days has dumped all our water from res tank? Three times Now I know it's a safety feature to stop something freezing up - but don't know what? assuming it's pipes somewhere but is there any way to stop it doing this other than running with no water - toilet flushes with this water. So not very full time friendly. Also if touring in germany/Switzerland does this mean if cold enough will the van just dump any water I'm carrying onto highway? George

 

[DavidG58]

I didn't think that the water tanks dumped, just the boiler, but I have been wrong a good few times before

we used to have a peg holding our auto dump valve on our boiler closed

 

[Larrynwin]

It normally dumps at 4degs , if not draining down I keep my truma blown air set at 7 degs on hook up as this circulates around tanks and lockers to stay above 4 degs.

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[Vanderek]

I have a Combi 4E (2014) and since have fitted a Truma Frost Control which has an element to warm the valve if the temperature drops - so far it seems to be working ...has any one else experience of this ? ps bought mine from Whispaire in Romsey ....its easy to fit as long as you have enough space so as to slide the element into the dump valve - I had to undo the floor screws and twist to valve slightly to get the item plugged in - did this without having to disconnect anything else.

 

[nicholsong]

I didn't think that the water tanks dumped, just the boiler, but I have been wrong a good few times before

we used to have a peg holding our auto dump valve on our boiler closed

That was my understanding, but I have had it happen on our N+B Arto once.

I cannot now remember whether the water pump was switched to 'on', in which case it might have replenished water in the boiler, which promptly got dumped. Either that or it was a syphoning effect.

I suppose the answer when in occupation is to keep the heat up enough to stop auto-dump, or at least with the 'pegs' holding the dump-valve shut at least above 0C to stop the water freezing.

I hope this helps the OP

Geoff

 

[jockaneezer]

The dump valve on my T680 is accessed via the under bed locker. I normally put the heating on to the blown air only setting for a few minutes, then reach in and pull up the red knob you can see in the picture, then proceed to prime the hot water taps.
If the valve has triggered due to low temperatures, everytime the water pump runs, turning on any tap, or flushing the loo, the pump will dump water through this valve and empty your reservoir.

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[Blue di + jean]

I have a Combi 4E (2014) and since have fitted a Truma Frost Control which has an element to warm the valve if the temperature drops - so far it seems to be working ...has any one else experience of this ? ps bought mine from Whispaire in Romsey ....its easy to fit as long as you have enough space so as to slide the element into the dump valve - I had to undo the floor screws and twist to valve slightly to get the item plugged in - did this without having to disconnect anything else.

View attachment 201134

 

[Boringfrog]

I didn't think that the water tanks dumped, just the boiler, but I have been wrong a good few times before

we used to have a peg holding our auto dump valve on our boiler closed

Once the boiler has dumped its water the system is no longer under pressure so the cold taps won't work or the flush.

 

[Blue di + jean]

Yes jockaneezer it appears your describing what's happening there are two valves in the side locker one is the same as in your pic the other is a yellow lift up flap switch I assume to drain boiler but at low temp it's the switch you show drops down and empties the clean water res under seat in hab unit. Bit of a pain when you fill the 100 ltr tank and it empties on its own. We had filled it and had blown air heating on full and it still started emptying after about half an hour. But as you say my better half had opened the tap only to find water just trickling out. Is there a way to stop this? George

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[pappajohn]

I didn't think that the water tanks dumped, just the boiler, but I have been wrong a good few times before

Once the boiler dumps, the pump will activate to replenish the boiler thus emptying the tank.
The system doesn't care why the boiler emptied....Just that it did.
If the pump is switched off it may not empty as water can't pass through the pump to the valve.

 

[SmithsInFrance]

We had that happen last year with our Burstner when we set off in the cold for a wintry Christmas in Alsace. Started dumping several times but fortunately we realised quickly and reset the switch. Once the van and everything was warm it was fine.

BUT then the next time we went away in April and it was around 20 degrees and still it kept happening. As it was under guarantee, we contacted the dealer. They couldn't actually find a fault but replaced a valve or seal (sorry, I'm not very technical) and all seems to be OK since.

Seems to me it is a Truma rather than Burstner fault though?

 

[mitzimad]

Once the boiler dumps, the pump will activate to replenish the boiler thus emptying the tank.
The system doesn't care why the boiler emptied....Just that it did.
If the pump is switched off it may not empty as water can't pass through the pump to the valve.

I've got the same van as the op and jock my pump isn't pressure sensor so dump valve only empties the water from combi and pumps out of the tank if you open a tap

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[jockaneezer]

As @mitzimad says, the system is microswitch operated, not a pressurised system. @Blue di + jean, even though you have the heating switched on, you still have to reset the red knob if it's been triggered by low temps, before you start running taps or flushing the loo. There'll probably be a couple of minutes of spluttering from the hot tap until the boiler has refilled.

 

[Blue di + jean]

Cheers for all replies it seems it's the main valve for the clean water resevoir that dumps not the boiler tank however since boiler tank is fed from main tank - no pressure to taps/loo flush/shower . Had the hot air blower on all afternoon and the tank seems to be stable. Hope the gas lasts as the hot air heater is gas and not electric although water heater is electric and gas.

 

[Ironside]

we have an elastic band wrapped around the red control knob to stop this happening, the dealer told us this straight away which I promptly forgot until the 100lts of water I put in disappeared overnight.

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[funflair]

I can understand the the dumping of water from the boiler when it is cold BUT when did water start to freeze at 4 deg C ? Surely 1 would be OK and would stop a lot of the premature dumping.

Alde system doesn't do it

Martin

 

[Blue di + jean]

Hi martin as far as we are aware the - 4% is a safety set by manufacturers ? and if it was set for 1% / -1% surely it would dump even more than the setting of - 4% ? But thanks for the input. George

 

[tonyidle]

I've got the same van as the op and jock my pump isn't pressure sensor so dump valve only empties the water from combi and pumps out of the tank if you open a tap

My Hymer will empty the heater and the storage tank if the frost valve opens. It's caused by siphoning and depends on the vertical position of the various components - tank, heater, pipework etc. I've always thought that it's an advantage. It is a microswitched taps system.

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[bladerunner]

I had a problem last year with Alde dumping at -20'c. I went to Frankia factory.
They swapped the open gas vent for a closed one and no problems since. Seems the frost protection (opens at 5'c apparently) is in the same compartment as the boiler gas vent.
That said, I do make sure I have a functioning CO monitor!
Actually, when it is really cold the frost dump hose gets frozen over and it won't ditch water even if the valve is open.

Horrid in the middle of a cold very windy night in Koblenz to hear the water pump go on and sound of flowing water out the tank.

 

[funflair]

Hi martin as far as we are aware the - 4% is a safety set by manufacturers ? and if it was set for 1% / -1% surely it would dump even more than the setting of - 4% ? But thanks for the input. George

I thought it was +4 not -4.

Martin

 

[Blue di + jean]

I can a sure you martin it was -3 at thurston manor when my van decided to have it's wee.george

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[funflair]

I can a sure you martin it was -3 at thurston manor when my van decided to have it's wee.george

The -3 would be outside temperature though.

Truma web site says +3 to dump but I guess that's the temperature around the valve so how that relates to outside temperature will be down to the van winterisation.

Martin

 

[Blue di + jean]

Guess that could be the case thanks for the info george

 

[Reallyretired]

If mh is in use temperature must be at least 21c 24/7 or swmbo complains until it is. If its not in use then I drain the water so no problem.

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[SmithsInFrance]

Help!! It's happened again on our first trip out. The red button on hot water tank just pops out and all the water drains.

Hubby query: he pushes in the button but which way should the switch on top be. Is it inline with pump or crossways???

 

[SmithsInFrance]

Panic over (I hope...). Hubby just found instruction manual with a diagram. He's spent 24 hours banging his head in the depths of the van resetting the button only. But I still love him. I think

 

[jezport]

Our van dumps the boiler then due to the siphoning effect sucks all the water out of my fresh water tank.
It makes draining down easier. (No the pump isn't running as we have a micro-switch system)

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[The Dudess]

Help!! It's happened again on our first trip out. The red button on hot water tank just pops out and all the water drains.

Hubby query: he pushes in the button but which way should the switch on top be. Is it inline with pump or crossways???

So which way should it be?

 

[Ridgeway]

So which way should it be?

Normally with the valve handle in-line with the inlet/outlet = open and crossways to the inlet/outlet = closed