Help! No heating and it's freezing outside!

[MTB Deano]

Can anyone cast any light on why the heating system in our motorhome refuses to work?

We have a Truma Combi(e) with CP plus controller which was working happily on gas this morning. Today we visited the dealer who we purchased the motorhome from and one of the jobs they did was to pressure test the Gaslow system I fitted last week. This resulted in the dealer refitting all the pipe work 'properly' and retesting.

With a tested gas system we then filled the cylinder with Autogas at a local petrol station.

Arriving on site this evening and switching on the heating we were greeted with error code 'E517 H'. A quick call to the dealer and we were advised that it could be air in the gas feed to the boiler and that resetting the system may clear it, though we may have to do this several times.

One hour later and after many resets we still have the error code. We also get this code if we set the energy supply to electricity only, which is confusing because when we first collected the motorhome we left the Gaslow system at home and happily ran the heating on electric with no gas connected.

Of course, the dealer is now closed so we are looking for any other suggestions on home to resolve this, before the sub-zero temperatures creep into our bones!!

 

[MikeD]

Does this help?

https://www.truma.com/uk/en/faq/fault-code-on-truma-cp-plus-control-panel.html

 

[Minxy]

First thing ... have you asked if you can borrow a heater from anyone on site? Nothing worse than trying to sort out a problem when you're cold.

This previous thread may help ...

 

[Phill D]

can you light the hob?
that way you will know that gas is passing the regulator and that may vent the system if thats what needed more quickly than through the boiler which will be shutting down as soon as no flame is detected.

it may well be air in the system....

 

[two]

Do any of the other gas appliances work (fridge/hob)?

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[pappajohn]

The yellow knobs on the gas manifold may be turned off.
The clowns that do the gas test often don't bother turning them back on
Where they are is anyone's guess but probably at floor level under a cupboard or drawer.
An aluminium or brass rectangular block with a series of yellow knobs and pipes.

 

[Phill D]

can look like this

 

[MTB Deano]

Thanks for the quick replies.

1) the hob/oven works fine (just had dinner so feeling slightly warmer....)
2) I did ask the site warden but they do not have any heaters to lend out.
3) I have checked that the shutoff valves are all on the open position.

Having looked at the fault code table in the Truma manual, one potential reason for this error is 'Butane content in the gas cylinder is too high'. Is this likely with Autogas?

 

[MTB Deano]

Also, still puzzled why I can just run the heating on electric????

 

[Two on Tour]

Is it likely as refitting all the pipe work 'properly' and retested that the gas has not come through to the Truma heater yet and it needs the air in the gas line purging on that bit of pipework.

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[Burgo]

How cold is outside? Butane won't gas off if it's too cold which is why Propane is a better bet outside of summer.

 

[two]

Also, still puzzled why I can just run the heating on electric????

Electric is just another power source (better than nothing but only about 2kW), your problem is insufficient gas. Where did you fill up with LPG? How full is the cylinder now?

 

[Phill D]

the electric heating is not linked in any way to your gas system..

are you sure the gas manifold is switched on to the boiler.

can you reset the boiler

 

[Xabia]

When I get to my holiday villa in Spain I disconnect the gas supply pipe, let some gas through and reconnect. This means that the gas boiler lights immediately otherwise I have to try the igniter lots of times to dispel the air which has accumulated over the previous few months. Might be worth you trying a similar procedure.

 

[AMK]

Pull the fuse, maybe it would reset and wipe the fault.

It is strange it doesn’t work on electric.

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[Phill D]

Also, still puzzled why I can just run the heating on electric????

did you mean Can OR Can't??

im confused now!!! ( and thats not difficult for me !! )

 

[MTB Deano]

Not sure how to reply to your individual questions/suggestions so, collectively:

Burgo: It's currently -1 outside.
Two: The gas cylinder is full, filled with Autogas at a Shell garage.
PhilD: I have been resetting via the control panel but do not know if this is just a software restart (turn it off, turn it on again) or if it changes anything at the boiler.
Xabia: good idea but no tools on board (I know, rookie error!).
AMK: Will try removing/refitting fuse.

Thanks everyone, keep those ideas coming!

 

[MTB Deano]

Sorry PhilD, meant to say I cannot run the heating on electric only, the system still returns 517 error code and no heat.

 

[Phill D]

depends on model but there is a reset on the boiler on many models. you need a pointy object in most cases

it seems to me that if you cannot run the boiler at all that this is a boiler issue not a gas one ( if that makes sense )

its likely the boiler has tripped and needs resetting, wherever that is on your boiler.

I am sure if you google trip reset on the boiler model you have youll come up with where its located...

 

[Burgo]

AFAIK Butane boils at around - 1. As it gasifies it cools (same as an aerosol when you spray it). That'll drop the temp of the contents so you may not be too getting enough pressure for the boiler. Maybe enough for the fridge or hob, but perhaps the boiler needs more than them. Anyone near you who you can borrow a propane cylinder off and try that?

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[Phill D]

you are correct that Butane could be a problem in the cold but i fill up my system from the garage pumps and have no issues in the cold. also the boiler does not work on electric.. so something else appears to be the key issue,

 

[Phill D]

PS; I THINK!!

 

[MTB Deano]

Good news - I tried one last control panel reset out of desperation before going in search of fuses and boiler reset buttons, and the boiler has fired up!!!

This would imply it was air in the pipes that was the problem, though I will take up the lack of electric heating with the dealer in the morning.

Thanks to everyone for your positive and educational (for me) input!!!

 

[Two on Tour]

This would imply it was air in the pipes that was the problem

Told you so.

 

[Phill D]

have a restful rest of the evening

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[edgy]

And ask your dealer how he did a gas test with air in the pipes. To do a gas test to current specification the system has to be purged of all air

 

[MTB Deano]

And ask your dealer how he did a gas test with air in the pipes. To do a gas test to current specification the system has to be purged of all air

Will do - thanks!

 

[mitzimad]

And ask your dealer how he did a gas test with air in the pipes. To do a gas test to current specification the system has to be purged of all air

where you getting that info lpg may be different but on natural gas its test then purge

 

[edgy]

We are speaking about LPG

 

[Minxy]

I'm wondering if due to the error code being 'in the system', it has not only prevented the gas from working but also the electric ... it would be good to know if now that the heating has been working on gas for a while if it will instead work on electric.

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