URGENT - Burning Smell and Boiler Making a Noise Although Switched Off!

[HKF]

Please can someone help me?? I filled our water tank earlier today for the first time this year. Turned on the pump and the boiler. After a while, there was a burning smell!!! I switched EVERYTHING off on the control panel and on the heating panel but the boiler is still making a noise and the heating STATUS light is showing on!! Can someone help, please? I don't know what to do and I'm panicking!!!! I just want this noise to stop, it's been going for 25 minutes now, even though everything is switched off. Thank you so much if you can help me.

Oh, also, there's a light in the garage which is OFF but it's quite warm to touch and the only socket we have in the van won't work. Everything was fine when we last went oout in it last year

 

[Bessy765]

Pull out the mains hook up if plugged in. Near the habitation battery should be a fuse if not remove the negative lead from the battery. Did you run the hot tap to ensure the boiler was full of water? With the electrics disconnected and the gas turned off you should be ok until it all cools down.

 

[HKF]

Pull out the mains hook up if plugged in. Near the habitation battery should be a fuse if not remove the negative lead from the battery. Did you run the hot tap to ensure the boiler was full of water? With the electrics disconnected and the gas turned off you should be ok until it all cools down.

It's not on main hook up. I don't know where the hab battery is. I'm so sorry. I'm panicking so much and shaking! Yes, I did run the hot tap but maybe not enough! I'm so new to this Do you think the noise could be a cooling fan of some sort? Just a thought.

 

[HKF]

OK, so I ran the hot tap. It's was BOILING!! I've run it until the water is cold and now the noise has gone off Thank you so much for your help. I'm guessing the boiler wasn't full. Stupid me! I'm so new to all this and I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just learning as I go along. Do you think I've caused any damage?

 

[PhilandMena]

I'm guessing but I suspect your boiler was trying to heat water without any or very little water in the boiler, hence the smell. I would run the pump for a while to make sure the boiler is full before switching the boiler on. Your boiler should be protected from over heating when empty so hopefully little to no damage done. If you have an operating manual for your boiler it would be wise to make sure you are familiar with it.

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[violet]

Really hope that you have solved the problem. Sounded a frightening experience.

 

[HKF]

I'm guessing but I suspect your boiler was trying to heat water without any or very little water in the boiler, hence the smell. I would run the pump for a while to make sure the boiler is full before switching the boiler on. Your boiler should be protected from over heating when empty so hopefully little to no damage done. If you have an operating manual for your boiler it would be wise to make sure you are familiar with it.

Thank you so much. So, when I fill the water tank, I need to leave the pump on until it stops making a noise before I switch the hot water on? Is that right, please?

Unfortunately all the manuals are in French and I don't speak French. Don't hammer me for this, please. I'm on the verge of selling the van as it is, as it just seems too complicated and too much of a responsibility for me at the moment. I'm trying hard to get to grips with it but it's things lie this that are just too much. I'm out of my depth

 

[Figaro]

Hope your sorted now, probably a good idea to tell us the make and model of the boiler.
Edit : they can be a little confusing to start with, but get some manuels in English for all the appliances and learn how to use them. Most should be downloadable from internet.
Some may even be on here in resources section

 

[HKF]

Really hope that you have solved the problem. Sounded a frightening experience.

It really was. I thought I was going to have to call the fire service out.....seriously!

 

[pappajohn]

The boiler will only work on gas or mains 230v.
It won't and can't work on the leisure battery......unless an inverter is fitted and providing power but it's unlikely.
I think things were made worse than actually we're because of your inexperience and panicking....which is understandable .
Now you know the boiler is full try turning the boiler on with hookup.
If it's ok try unplugging and trying on gas.
If it starts making the same noise just unplug and turn off the gas.
It will calm down on its own in a short while.

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[HKF]

Hope your sorted now, probably a good idea to tell us the make and model of the boiler.

Honestly, I don't know. I think it's a Truma. We have a Truma heating panel that does the water heating and diesel heating.

 

[Swifter]

Lenny HB any ideas on this one ?

 

[HKF]

The boiler will only work on gas or mains 230v.
It won't and can't work on the leisure battery......unless an inverter is fitted and providing power but it's unlikely.
I think things were made worse than actually we're because of your inexperience and panicking....which is understandable .
Now you know the boiler is full try turning the boiler on with hookup.
If it's ok try unplugging and trying on gas.
If it starts making the same noise just unplug and turn off the gas.
It will calm down on its own in a short while.

It must run on the leisure battery, as it wasn't hooked up and the gas isn't connected. I'll try it again tomorrow, when I'm a bit calmer. Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[Spriddler]

Please can someone help me?? I filled our water tank earlier today for the first time this year. Turned on the pump and the boiler. After a while, there was a burning smell!!! I switched EVERYTHING off on the control panel and on the heating panel but the boiler is still making a noise and the heating STATUS light is showing on!! Can someone help, please? I don't know what to do and I'm panicking!!!! I just want this noise to stop, it's been going for 25 minutes now, even though everything is switched off. Thank you so much if you can help me.

In extremis, if it starts going out of control again and since you are not on EHU it will be running on gas so just turn off the boiler gas tap. The tap just for the boiler will be on its own or on a manifold with other gas appliance taps ( hob and fridge). It won't solve the problem (if there is one apart from not having completely filled the boiler with water) but it will stop the boiler from continuing to heat up.

Oh, also, there's a light in the garage which is OFF but it's quite warm to touch and the only socket we have in the van won't work. Everything was fine when we last went out in it last year

Not sure about the 'quite warm light' in the garage but if the socket to which you refer is a 240v outlet ( you said you are not on EHU) so it won't work if you're not on EHU (unless you have an inverter fitted).

 

[PhilandMena]

Thank you so much. So, when I fill the water tank, I need to leave the pump on until it stops making a noise before I switch the hot water on? Is that right, please?

Unfortunately all the manuals are in French and I don't speak French. Don't hammer me for this, please. I'm on the verge of selling the van as it is, as it just seems too complicated and too much of a responsibility for me at the moment. I'm trying hard to get to grips with it but it's things lie this that are just too much. I'm out of my depth

Although not familiar with your set up I think your water pump works on pressure so when you switch it on it starts pumping if it does not detect pressure. For example if you open a tap the pressure will drop and the pump will start in order to get the pressure back up and when the pressure is correct the pump stops. This is how it would work with your boiler, switch the pump on and the boiler will fill and the pump will keep pumping until its full then stop. Open a tap, or flush the toilet, run the shower and you will hear the pump start up again untill the pressure is back up. Hope this makes sense.

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[Figaro]

It will run on the leisure batteries, but maybe not for heating, just the fan ? was 12volts turned on ?

 

[Lenny HB]

Lenny HB any ideas on this one ?

Sorry too much beer & wine tonight.

 

[stevec]

The OP mentioned diesel heating. If gas and mains electric turned off will the boiler still function on diesel. No experience of diesel heating but maybe this should be added into the mix.

 

[Bessy765]

Whatever you do do not be afraid to ask any questions,we have all grotto start somewhere. That’s what this forum is about. There is no such thing as a stupid question.

 

[meanders]

It may help to know the make, mod el and year of the van.

When refilling with water after a drain down, put at least 40 litres in. Then turn on the pump and wait until it stops pumping. That's over 5 minutes in our current van. Then turn on each cold tap until it stops spitting, then each hot tap. Once the pump stops again, turn on the water heater.

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[mitzimad]

i would try it again as you may have a thermostat gone allowing it to get too hot the noise may have been the pressure release jumping up and down

 

[pappajohn]

Thank you so much. So, when I fill the water tank, I need to leave the pump on until it stops making a noise before I switch the hot water on? Is that right, please

Almost.....

Fill the water tank, open a hot tap and run until the flow from the tap is smooth without spluttering.
At this point the tank has no air and is full of water. Turn off the hot tap and turn on the boiler if needed now.
When you turn on the cold taps do one at a time until all taps, Inc shower, run smoothly

 

[jumar]

As above...you need water in the boiler to be able to heat up....these boilers run hot...a smell of overheating would be detected rather than burning.....make regular checks on van and if in doubt or signs of smoke call 999...better to be safe than sorry..
A smell of burning is an accepted reason to call for help.....
By filling the boiler with cold water should reduce the overheating smell....Stay safe..remain positive...

 

[Lenny HB]

I've accidently had my C6 running on hot water with no water in the boiler for several hours. Had no problems or smells or noise from it.

 

[Jasz]

I find that if I don't run the water through all the taps till there is no air in the system the pump continues to run.This happens after having emptied the system, and also often after moving on.

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[airwave]

The OP mentioned diesel heating. If gas and mains electric turned off will the boiler still function on diesel. No experience of diesel heating but maybe this should be added into the mix.

There was a diesel fuelled water heater available years back , but i've no idea if the system is still available , and only very , very limited knowledge of how it worked . I think it was made by Eberspacher , but it could quite easily have been the other company , whose name quite frankly escapes me at this minute . It did work similar to their air heater systems , so was 12v powered , but used diesel instead of gas , however i seem to recall it used the vehicles heating system . It was something like a DS 5 , or maybe D5 something-tronic , i really struggle with this as it was years ago , and i was involved with sailboats at the time . It was quite a small unit , not much bigger than an air heater , water was passed around the combustion chamber , so my guess is , it would have being possible to use a remote water tank . I can't remember if it could supply hot air as well .

 

[PhilandMena]

The OP mentioned diesel heating. If gas and mains electric turned off will the boiler still function on diesel. No experience of diesel heating but maybe this should be added into the mix.

The Webasto works on 12 volts. Brilliant bit of kit.

 

[Spriddler]

The OP mentioned diesel heating. If gas and mains electric turned off will the boiler still function on diesel. No experience of diesel heating but maybe this should be added into the mix.

It would seem to be diesel now that the OP has said that neither the EHU nor the gas was connected..............

It must run on the leisure battery, as it wasn't hooked up and the gas isn't connected.

 

[airwave]

Webasto

That's the bugger , thanks Phil .

 

[DavidG58]

Jim could be on to a good deal if you get the life membership joking

Great place this forum, bailed me out a good few times over my years of membership

Posting queries here for me has been much better and quicker than any amount of reading

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