Unbelievable - what a nightmare! (1 Viewer)

Jan 27, 2013
1,334
871
Stamford
Funster No
24,452
MH
Benimar Mileo 282
Exp
Seven plus years
Today was a great sunny warm day to get stuff done on the motorhome.

So I was planning to install a recently purchased a Gaslow system to my E582 Bessacar motorhome.

First thing, take out the two 6kg Calor bottles. Then I removed the plastic straps and retainers for these from the metal floor of the gas locker (as they will not fit the Gaslow bottle). I unscrewed the last plastic bracket and two streams of blue liquid shot up hitting the top of the gas locker.

Yes. At the Swift factory they had screwed the plastic retainers through the steel and into the Alde hot system pipe work. What a bloody nightmare!

:cry:
 
Last edited:

Vlad The Impaler

Free Member
Apr 22, 2012
1,633
2,227
Rutland
Funster No
20,691
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2012 but longer in my dreams
Throw the clip and straps away then carefully replace the screw!
If it worked before the screw was removed it should again,just top up lost fluid.::bigsmile:





Vlad
 

Puddleduck

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 15, 2014
12,357
43,865
Scottish Borders
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29,703
MH
Without at present
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On and off for many years.
Elastoplast (the fabric type) and two part epoxy resin makes a good temporary repair.

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OP
OP
Sidney
Jan 27, 2013
1,334
871
Stamford
Funster No
24,452
MH
Benimar Mileo 282
Exp
Seven plus years
Yeah but these pipes are under the steel floor of the gas locker and above the floor structure.

Hopefully they have a couple of connections either side and can be slid out but I doubt this to be the case.

The screws weren't that long either (I've put them back as a temp fix).

What's more the dealer is a 430 mile round trip to fix under warranty.
 

Puddleduck

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 15, 2014
12,357
43,865
Scottish Borders
Funster No
29,703
MH
Without at present
Exp
On and off for many years.
I am really sorry to hear about the leaks. Poor workmanship or bad luck or both - take your pick.

I was hoping there would be easy access to get to the pipes and do a temporary repair, sorry that isn't the case. Maybe the elastoplast and epoxy will help someone else though. I used it when a nail was put through domestic central heating pipes in an inaccessible place. When the plumber and builder did come back they both said they wished they hadn't taken the bandage off as it was a pig of a job (and the builder's fault as he was the person responsible for the nail).
 
Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,533
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
Yeah but these pipes are under the steel floor of the gas locker and above the floor structure.

Hopefully they have a couple of connections either side and can be slid out but I doubt this to be the case.

The screws weren't that long either (I've put them back as a temp fix).

What's more the dealer is a 430 mile round trip to fix under warranty.

Assuming they're nylon pipes it won't be too difficult to cut them either side of the gas locker & replace with joints & new pipe. Does your MH supplier not have reciprocal warranty arrangements with others in your immediate area? The last place I bought from (Southdowns) actually pointed this out when I collected the vehicle.

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Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Sidney - before you do ANYTHING else contact Swift directly. They may be able to sort out for you to have the repair/work done closer to home (wherever that may be!) as this isn't just a warranty issue in the normal sense of the word, it is a major fault caused by their fitters' incompetence and you should NOT have to put yourself out to get it sorted.

We were able to get our habitation service carried out locally rather than go to our supplying dealer a good few miles away, simply because I contacted Swift and asked them if I could and they appreciated there was a dearth of their dealers hereabouts. Alternatively they may be able to arrange for a local Swift dealer to do the work instead.

So - contact them and play merry hell ... really, but politely, as this is something they should be informed about as if it has happened to you the likelihood is that it will have happened to other MHs too so they need to get them checked and stop whichever idiots are causing this problem from doing it again in the future!
 

TheBig1

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 27, 2011
17,509
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Dorset
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19,048
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A class
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many many years! since I was a kid
IF you can get at the pipe, a fix is simple. obtain a bit of the same pipe and 2 push fit connectors

drain down and catch antifreeze in a container
cut out damaged part
push connectors onto each end and onto extra pipe
refill

the hard part is getting to the pipe
 

TheBig1

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 27, 2011
17,509
42,755
Dorset
Funster No
19,048
MH
A class
Exp
many many years! since I was a kid
reminds me of an incident 40 odd years ago

my dad was called to a local bingo hall to do a repair to a central heating pipe. the resident maintenance man had put a nail into a copper pipe near the stage. rather than leave it weeping water out in a puddle the idiot pulled the nail out. the result was a 6ft jet of water into the air. some bright spark even threw a ping pong ball on top at one point.

anyway, the bingo was due to start for the afternoon session when my dad arrived. all he could do was set the huge system to drain, this was an old cinema building so massive. the maintenance man was given the job of keeping his thumb on the hole. he sat there with thumb throbbing on the pipe for 3 hours whilst the bingo went ahead

he never did it again though

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OP
OP
Sidney
Jan 27, 2013
1,334
871
Stamford
Funster No
24,452
MH
Benimar Mileo 282
Exp
Seven plus years
Thanks for the support

Thanks Funsters :Smile:

I will go to Swift first and hopefully they can shed some light on what material the pipe is at this point and how they propose to go about repairing/replacing it.

The vehicle is under warranty so I'll see about getting it repaired locally - the reciprocal idea is a new one on my so I'll look into this with Chelston/Swift.
 
OP
OP
Sidney
Jan 27, 2013
1,334
871
Stamford
Funster No
24,452
MH
Benimar Mileo 282
Exp
Seven plus years
I've stopped fuming now.

I bought some alloy wheels to cheer me up :Blush:
 

aba

Free Member
Oct 27, 2009
2,775
1,112
yorkshire
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9,066
MH
coachbuilt
Exp
dec 2009
what ever is done to repair this DO NOT use copper pipe.
the alde pipe is aluminium and they state no copper to be used in the system something to do with a reaction that attacks the aluminium in the boiler.

sounds like a bad design on the manufacturers part somewhere.

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Last edited:
OP
OP
Sidney
Jan 27, 2013
1,334
871
Stamford
Funster No
24,452
MH
Benimar Mileo 282
Exp
Seven plus years
Okay update time!

Two charming Alde engineers came out from head office. The old pipe was cut to enable it to be drawn through the small aperture under the gas locker.

They brought a new pipe with them pre-formed to the design, sliced off the end and rejoined this with a rubber connecting hose once in situ.

Awesome
 

Snowbird

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 24, 2009
11,818
22,345
Liverpool.
Funster No
6,422
MH
Fifth wheel.
Exp
Since 11-05-2000
So sorry but I could not resist this.
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I thought Swifts only leaked from the outside in :Doh:.

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Fireman Sam

Free Member
Sep 8, 2012
1,421
2,513
Bushey
Funster No
22,812
MH
Class C
Exp
Only since 2012, but I towed for many years
When putting up shelves in the garage I accidentally drilled through the cable to the light switch. There was an almighty bang and I was plunged into darkness, but fortunately none of the electricity spilled out.

I guess I'm just lucky.
 
Aug 5, 2012
125
99
Southampton
Funster No
22,281
MH
van conversion
Exp
since 1981 on and off
reminds me of an incident 40 odd years ago

my dad was called to a local bingo hall to do a repair to a central heating pipe. the resident maintenance man had put a nail into a copper pipe near the stage. rather than leave it weeping water out in a puddle the idiot pulled the nail out. the result was a 6ft jet of water into the air. some bright spark even threw a ping pong ball on top at one point.

anyway, the bingo was due to start for the afternoon session when my dad arrived. all he could do was set the huge system to drain, this was an old cinema building so massive. the maintenance man was given the job of keeping his thumb on the hole. he sat there with thumb throbbing on the pipe for 3 hours whilst the bingo went ahead

he never did it again though

A good bodge is make a pad from ptfe tape then fix it in place with a jubilee clip:thumb:
 

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