Pump on, and water pouring out under the van ?

[Paul J]

So, I've heard a little about automatic dumping of the water tank in freezing conditions, so I didn't panic (ok, I forgot) to go and empty the tank anyway, but I'm confused at something :

I have a 2018 Roller Team T-Line 590, I've been in the van this afternoon, just having a check of things, I'd decided to run the heating for a while, and I tried the water. Now, the tank indicates that there's 33% still in there... so we know the water wasn't already dumped due to the cold, but as soon as I turn the pump on, it runs continuously and water pours out under the van through an overflow pipe that looks to come from the tank itself (there's no valve on this pipe, it's just a pipe sealed to go straight up into the van)
I'm sure I've made a rookie error here, but I can't understand why it would do this, can anyone enlighten me ? I tried again later, and again, the pump runs continuously, almost nothing comes from the taps, it just wants to dump the water from the tank.... which continues to run for some time after the pump has turned off, but it does stop after a minute or so.... and then continues if the pump is turned on

Note, the inside of the van is 8c, so it's clearly not at a habitable temperature, so I imagine that it could think that the water system 'possibly' should not be used in this state, perhaps fair enough, but if it felt like that, why didn't it dump the water already ?

can't even use a tap me, without causing some kind of problem


any help, most appreciated

 

[Larby]

You will have to crawl under and see exactly where it is coming from when someone turns the pump on. Cracked pipe?

 

[Paul J]

I can't see that being it, it appears to be purposefully pouring the water out of (the one and only) particular pipe, and only when the pump is on

Edit : miss read your reply
.... perhaps I should check under the seat though

 

[daveandsan]

I would say your dump valve is open.
Edit
It only dumps your water heater, not the tank.

 

[Paul J]

thank you Dave, but if my dump valve is open, why is the tank still 33% full ?

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[daveandsan]

thank you Dave, but if my dump valve is open, why is the tank still 33% full ?

Because it only dumps the heater, not the water tank.

 

[Paul J]

located this advice online : "If the water only begins to run out beneath the vehicle when the water-pump is turned on it’s likely that the motorhome’s safety/drain valve is open. This valve is used to drain the fresh-water system ‘downstream’ of the water-pump and to protect the heater from frost damage during cold weather conditions"

Dave, you're spot on it seems, I have learned something today

.... all I have to learn now is how to close the valve again (which I'll do right before we use the van next time)

 

[tonka]

First establish if you have a manual or auto dump valve..
If in doubt post a picture.

As mentioned, sounds like dump valve open so it only dumps the water from the boiler. Then when you turn on the pump it is drawing water from the tank but its going straight out the dump valve.

 

[daveandsan]

located this advice online : "If the water only begins to run out beneath the vehicle when the water-pump is turned on it’s likely that the motorhome’s safety/drain valve is open. This valve is used to drain the fresh-water system ‘downstream’ of the water-pump and to protect the heater from frost damage during cold weather conditions"

Dave, you're spot on it seems, I have learned something today

.... all I have to learn now is how to close the valve again (which I'll do right before we use the van next time)

If you are not using the motorhome you really need to drain all the system down.

 

[Paul J]

ok, so I empty the water from the waste and fresh tanks.... and I think there's a further plug in the bottom of the fresh tank ? then fun the water through the taps and leave them in the open position ?

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[daveandsan]

ok, so I empty the water from the waste and fresh tanks.... and I think there's a further plug in the bottom of the fresh tank ? then fun the water through the taps and leave them in the open position ?

Ok, then unscrew the shower head and with the taps in the open position blow down the pipe (I cheat and use a small air compressor)
Leave all the taps open midway between hot and cold.
If you do a search for draining the motorhome down on here, there is loads of advice.

 

[Paul J]

cool, thank you Dave, great advice

 

[Landy Andy]

Your frost valve has operated as mentioned above. It will only dump the water from the hot water cylinder, so as soon as pump is turned on, that pumps water into cylinder which is then dumped, as valve is open.

 

[DDJC]

Me too! Happened yesterday. Arrived in Ieper, filled up and parked. Darker than the inside of a witches hat, vicious wind, minus twenty in the shade, blizzards, polar bears, the works.

Truma combi on. Put on the water pump and it fired out half a tank from the drain valve. Quick rummage through the instructions and sure enough, all you need to do is depress the blue button on the front of the drain valve, and all happy smiles.

Like all things caravanny and motorhomey, I've found that you only do it wrong the one time. If it happens again, then it's the instructions that are wrong.

 

[denisejoe]

Because it only dumps the heater, not the water tank.

Not on a pressurised system when the dump opens the pump will drain the tank

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[pappajohn]

Not on a pressurised system when the dump opens the pump will drain the tank

Only if the pump 12v supply is switched on.

 

[Landy Andy]

But it’s not a pressurised system with the pump turned off. It gets its pressure from the pump when it’s on.

 

[Juggler]

Just got an Autrotrail Apache 632. Does anyone know if it has a dump system and where the button is located?

 

[Bdeners]

See the attachment posted by Landy Andy it explains all.

 

[Landy Andy]

Just got an Autrotrail Apache 632. Does anyone know if it has a dump system and where the button is located?

It will have a valve but I don’t know where. Mine is in cupboard near kitchen sink, others is near boiler. They tend to be on the floor, and will be where pipes are run. There will be a little tub poking through the floor to under the van.

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[Jamjam]

So, I've heard a little about automatic dumping of the water tank in freezing conditions, so I didn't panic (ok, I forgot) to go and empty the tank anyway, but I'm confused at something :

I have a 2018 Roller Team T-Line 590, I've been in the van this afternoon, just having a check of things, I'd decided to run the heating for a while, and I tried the water. Now, the tank indicates that there's 33% still in there... so we know the water wasn't already dumped due to the cold, but as soon as I turn the pump on, it runs continuously and water pours out under the van through an overflow pipe that looks to come from the tank itself (there's no valve on this pipe, it's just a pipe sealed to go straight up into the van)
I'm sure I've made a rookie error here, but I can't understand why it would do this, can anyone enlighten me ? I tried again later, and again, the pump runs continuously, almost nothing comes from the taps, it just wants to dump the water from the tank.... which continues to run for some time after the pump has turned off, but it does stop after a minute or so.... and then continues if the pump is turned on

Note, the inside of the van is 8c, so it's clearly not at a habitable temperature, so I imagine that it could think that the water system 'possibly' should not be used in this state, perhaps fair enough, but if it felt like that, why didn't it dump the water already ?

can't even use a tap me, without causing some kind of problem


any help, most appreciated

My Burstner Solano was doing the very same thing, The yellow valve was pushed down to far( slightly wrong position), thus reopening the valve, a quick nudge back all was fine.

 

[Victoria and Maria]

View attachment 272344 Your frost valve has operated as mentioned above. It will only dump the water from the hot water cylinder, so as soon as pump is turned on, that pumps water into cylinder which is then dumped, as valve is open.

Landy Andy, you have saved us! Thank you so much for the diagram, where did you get it from?

 

[Victoria and Maria]

View attachment 272344 Your frost valve has operated as mentioned above. It will only dump the water from the hot water cylinder, so as soon as pump is turned on, that pumps water into cylinder which is then dumped, as valve is open.

Landy Andy, you have saved us!

View attachment 272344 Your frost valve has operated as mentioned above. It will only dump the water from the hot water cylinder, so as soon as pump is turned on, that pumps water into cylinder which is then dumped, as valve is open.

Thank you SO much this diagram saved us a water-free weekend and many headaches! Where on earth does the diagram come from?

 

[Richard n Ann]

Where on earth does the diagram come from?

Probably from Truma

 

[Richard n Ann]

Operating Instructions; Room Thermostat; Safety/Drain Valve; Frostcontrol - Truma Combi E Operating Instructions Manual [Page 13]

Truma Combi E Manual Online: operating instructions, Room Thermostat, Safety/Drain Valve, Frostcontrol. Always Observe The Operating Instructions And ''Impor- Tant Operating Notes'' Prior To Starting! The Digital / Ana- Logue Control Panels Are Described In Separate Operating...

www.manualslib.com

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[Landy Andy]

Landy Andy, you have saved us!

Thank you SO much this diagram saved us a water-free weekend and many headaches! Where on earth does the diagram come from?

Glad to have helped. That is what forums are for in my opinion.

 

[IRHP]

It should dump when it gets below 5 degrees C. When you go to reset the valve you sometimes have to warm it up to more than 5 degrees to get it to stay reset. Hairdryer or hot water bottle if it’s still cold in the van.