Schoolboy error, should I be worried?

[BreweryDave]

Having been FT in a fully winterised van for many years in hot climes, this is kinda new to me, albeit I know what I should’ve done!

Parked our new (to us) Globecar with Truma system on folks drive last night, about 25% water in the tank plus the boiler. Stayed in the house, van left off of leccy and gas. Woke up to a very heavy frost, and a frozen van, taps and all ( needless to say, currently in U.K. )

The dump valve was primed, but hadn’t dumped the boiler.....

Have whacked the heating on full and she’s warming up nicely now, and just starting to get a trickle from the taps.

Stupid boy should’ve either left it on or dumped all the water manually last night, won’t make that mistake again

Anyway, will dump it all later and plug in an oil rad for the next few nights, whilst she’s on the drive, and keep my fingers crossed.

Whadya reckon, just the one night, will I get away without a repair bill



Roll on February to get back to Spain and Portugal

 

[Richard n Ann]

What did the outside temperature fall to?

 

[Grianan]

We used our new Globecar for first time this weekend. First time ever in MH! As you filled 25% water. First night all water dumped. Despite heating on. Had to drink beer instead of tea. Think valve must have opened first night on drive before we heated it up. Last night heating on water fine. Can’t understand why yours didn’t dump water?

 

[Chris]

Was the beer in the fridge ok?

 

[daveandsan]

You may have got away with it Dave with it being just one night.
The one thing I would be concerned about is why the dump valve didn’t work, mine normally dumps around + 4C

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[BreweryDave]

What did the outside temperature fall to?

About minus 100, felt like it anyway, I’m used to the Algarve

Was the beer in the fridge ok?

Fortunately that’s in muvvas garage

 

[BreweryDave]

You may have got away with it Dave with it being just one night.
The one thing I would be concerned about is why the dump valve didn’t work, mine normally dumps around + 4C

Mmmm. The blue toggle on top of the frost protector was crossways, and the blue button was in. I thought it should have popped out and dumped, but didn’t. Maybe I should read the manual............

 

[Jim]

You normally know when water pees out of cracks in taps. Or lockers fill where pipe joints have popped off. IME Unless its like -10; Water boilers normally need a few nights and days of -1/-3 temperatures to freeze-up and get damaged

 

[Lenny HB]

I expect you have got away with it, the boiler is quite a big mass so shouldn't have frozen, probably just the pipes frozen. If the taps freeze they usually pop apart so fairly obvious.
I would be inclined to change that dump valve.
If leaving it again just run the heating for a couple of hours in the evening there will be enough latent heat in the van to stop it freezing overnight.

 

[Anthea M]

Dave are you liking the downsizing from A class to pvc or is it a step to far?

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[grahammay2]

Anyone know why they are set to dump at +4° it seems much higher than needed.

 

[BreweryDave]

Dave are you liking the downsizing from A class to pvc or is it a step to far?

So far, yes, but it’s only been 3 days! However, double the mpg and I have parked in car park spots at the shops! ( it’s a 6m van).

That said, it’s not for fulltiming for us, it’s going to be a daily drive for shopping etc, as well as touring ( which I’m sure we will be able to do for extended periods) as we have bought a 9m Hobby caravan to live in FT, which we are siting permanently on a pitch in Portugal, where we intend to live, and use the camper for a bit of fun! Best of both worlds

 

[Richard n Ann]

Anyone know why they are set to dump at +4° it seems much higher than needed.

Safety margin. Our car frost alarm pings at +4 too

 

[Lenny HB]

Anyone know why they are set to dump at +4° it seems much higher than needed.

The mechanical dump valves (blue knobs) are set to 3°, the older electric ones (red knobs) were set to 4° but often dumped at @ 5° or 6°.

 

[2657]

So far, yes, but it’s only been 3 days! However, double the mpg and I have parked in car park spots at the shops! ( it’s a 6m van).

That said, it’s not for fulltiming for us, it’s going to be a daily drive for shopping etc, as well as touring ( which I’m sure we will be able to do for extended periods) as we have bought a 9m Hobby caravan to live in FT, which we are siting permanently on a pitch in Portugal, where we intend to live, and use the camper for a bit of fun! Best of both worlds

That has been an ideal solution for us, we already had the 5'er which we have on a permanent pitch and the Globecar for doing exactly as you do.

Regarding the freezing, I made exactly the same mistake last Feb/March when we had to rent in the UK for 2 months, the dump valve worked but the connectors to the taps popped but not all the way out as I managed to push them back in without dismantling.

Hope yours is OK.

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[bobandjanie]

When you say ' won’t make that mistake again ' is that not spend another winter in the UK, or leave water in without the heating On.

I would make sure you have water in and check everything just to make sure, then drain down and blow down the taps.

You don't want to find you have a problem once you leave because you will be on a mission.

Bob.

 

[rosalan]

Although the pipes had frozen, is it possible that unlike the heater unit, they were more exposed to the cold than where the dump valve is situated?

 

[Puddleduck]

Anyone know why they are set to dump at +4° it seems much higher than needed.

At 4C water is at it most dense so if it gets warmer or colder than that it will expand and maybe cause damage?? Frozen water expands a lot, far more than warm water.

 

[2657]

At 4C water is at it most dense so if it gets warmer or colder than that it will expand and maybe cause damage?? Frozen water expands a lot, far more than warm water.

Is also why ice floats, saving the lives of much aquatic life according to my science teacher many many moons ago

 

[BreweryDave]

Right, update, and more confusion!

Van all warm and defrosted. Opened taps, cough and splutter, threw out some water, then stopped. I then checked the fresh water tank.......empty. So, it seems it must have drained, all good so far ! ( impossible to tell on the ground as it’s a gravel drive) However, the blue button on the frost control device was still in, surely it should be out if it had dumped, and needs to be manually pushed back in, or does it go in itself? Don’t think so, and I’ve even read the manual now lol! However, it seems it must’ve dumped, but I’ve had the heating and hot water on for a few hours now, possibly with no water in the boiler...........learning curve here even for me

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[Robert Clark]

You need to push the blue button back in to reset it.
Hope all goes OK

 

[bigtree]

So far, yes, but it’s only been 3 days! However, double the mpg and I have parked in car park spots at the shops! ( it’s a 6m van).

That said, it’s not for fulltiming for us, it’s going to be a daily drive for shopping etc, as well as touring ( which I’m sure we will be able to do for extended periods) as we have bought a 9m Hobby caravan to live in FT, which we are siting permanently on a pitch in Portugal, where we intend to live, and use the camper for a bit of fun! Best of both worlds

Buy a Hobby, get a hobby they say.

 

[Lenny HB]

To reset the blue button needs to be held in while you turn the blue knob on the top 90°.

 

[Larrynwin]

I leave mine on hook up with Truma set at 8degs so with a frost blown air circulates all lockers and double floor area enough to prevent freezing. I have drained down but eliminates risk if pockets of water in plumbing.

 

[BreweryDave]

You need to push the blue button back in to reset it.
Hope all goes OK

Yes, so I now know, but it was in and had still dumped!

Anyway, have just put 20l in, backfilled the boiler, and run the taps hot and cold, and all is working as it should. ( deep sigh of relief). No leaks.....yet, seems I got away with it. Nothing dumping out of the drain valves either.
Will let everything stay hot for a few hours, drain down, open taps, plug her in and stick a rad in there. Will have to turn the 12v off so the pump doesn’t run with the taps open, hopefully the 230v sockets will stay live for the radiator!

Sorted..........I think !

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[BreweryDave]

I leave mine on hook up with Truma set at 8degs so with a frost blown air circulates all lockers and double floor area enough to prevent freezing. I have drained down but eliminates risk if pockets of water in plumbing.

Sadly the Truma system is gas only. No electric option.

 

[Larrynwin]

Sadly the Truma system is gas only. No electric option.

Bugger

 

[Treeeev]

Yes, so I now know, but it was in and had still dumped!

Anyway, have just put 20l in, backfilled the boiler, and run the taps hot and cold, and all is working as it should. ( deep sigh of relief). No leaks.....yet, seems I got away with it. Nothing dumping out of the drain valves either.
Will let everything stay hot for a few hours, drain down, open taps, plug her in and stick a rad in there. Will have to turn the 12v off so the pump doesn’t run with the taps open, hopefully the 230v sockets will stay live for the radiator!

Sorted..........I think !

Dave

Why not pull the pump fuse out?

Cheers

Trevor

 

[DuxDeluxe]

At 4C water is at it most dense so if it gets warmer or colder than that it will expand and maybe cause damage?? Frozen water expands a lot, far more than warm water.

Exactly....... below that it expands and can damage pipes and joints

 

[BreweryDave]

Dave

Why not pull the pump fuse out?

Cheers

Trevor

........ mainly cos I didnt fink of that

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