Help Needed!

[harry q.]

Help needed please! I have just bought a 1997 herald Templar which needs a little work, although in otherwise excellent nick for its year. It has two doors at the rear for access to the gas bottles & toilet cassette, but only 1 key; I assume the key will open both doors, but toilet access will not open...I am spraying with wd40 in the hope it will free up, if not, how can I get it open to allow me to replace the lock?(if the door was open, an easy job, I think). Thanks for any advice, Harry Q.

 

[Popeye]

Welcome Harry q, I would imagine that simply drilling out the tumblers would get you in, but are you quite sure there isn't another key hidden somewhere in the van.

I wouldn't be too keen to get in there, perhaps the last owner sold it because he couldn't empty it.

 

[Carol]

Hello Harry Welcome to Fun, after your teething problems sounds as if you have a nice van, keep the questions coming sometimes it takes a while but you get there in the end.

 

[jollyrodger]

Hi Harry welcome from Devon has the lock on the cassette door not got a number on it ? Some do and that is the number of the key to replace if necessary from local (to you) sop or internet

 

[bertiebasset]

Hi Harry, On my van the key for the cassette is the same one for the habitation door, a ZADI key. Might be worth trying that if you have one, the other lockers have the same WD key for them except the Gas locker which is a different WD one again.

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[Ali n Tim]

No help with your locks I'm afraid, but

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi on my van there is a lock at the bottom of the door for the cassette and a button above it which needs to be pressed to open the door, not sure if this helps.

 

[laurieash]

Can you contact the last owner he may have a key or be of some help?

 

[DanielFord]

The lock mechanism is not very sophisticated, there is a spring loaded latch that engages on the inside.
What I would do is to get hold of some of that plastic parcel strip, force it into the the door and slide it up underneath each catch to release the locks. With the door open, you should then be able to fix the problem.

 

[DanielFord]

I found a demonstration video of what I mean on youtube. This is on a car door but the principal is the same.

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[harry q.]

thanks very much to all who replied, problem solved!
next question!; I've sterilised, flushed & re-filled the fresh water tank, primed cold taps, all lovely, but can't work out how to use the water to fill the heater(or will this have happened automatically?) opening hot water tap does nothing so I assume not. I've ALWAYS wanted to have a hot shower in a motorhome!, so would be very grateful for any advice, then Eve & I can have our 1st w/end away in Suffolk this w/end without getting smelly!! regards to all, Harry

 

[robrace]

If you open the hot water tap the pump should fill the boiler automatically It may splutter for a while but should prime the same as the cold water!!.Make sure the drain tap is not open but if it is you will notice the water coming out underneath.Had a Herald Templer and an Aragon.Loved them both.

 

[davidbaldam]

Is your pump switched on?

 

[harry q.]

Yes, but doesn't pump through the hot taps, only the cold; there is a small tap on the side of the hot water tank, but is this gas or water, & which direction is "on"? what instructions I have are useless!

 

[trekkin]

Yes, but doesn't pump through the hot taps, only the cold; there is a small tap on the side of the hot water tank, but is this gas or water, & which direction is "on"? what instructions I have are useless!

Small multi turn tap will operate like a normal tap. Clockwise to close CCW to open.
A tap that only turns less than one turn will have the handle across the pipe for closed along the pipe for open.
Try the tap in both directions with the pump switched on, when it runs it may be filling the boiler
Suggest plastic pipe for water and copper for gas ?

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[iceni]

You do have a storage tank and not an instant hit water heater don't you
As others have said you need to fill it first if its a storage heater so fillfresh tank turn pump on close all the cold and hot taps aand check underneath for water running out. If none seen then open one hot tap and then wait. It may take 3or 4 min to fill tank but then water will run out of the hot. Close hot tap till pump stops. Open other hot taps to remove air.
Phill

 

[harry q.]

Robrace;
Well done! slowly getting there, now just waiting to see if the immersion heater gets it hot... red light is on, so going to wait an hour(?) & see. regards, Harry