Water leak from boiler? Advice please!!!

[Paulypaul]

Hello,

I'm after some advice please with our 2015 Bessacarr E454.

We filled up with water before we left to come down to my daughters.

Yana used the tap when we arrived no problem. We were away for an hour or so then upon our return Yana went into the van and the loose carpets were soaking. The pump was running too.

We turned off the pump on the switch panel then got all carpets up and chucked them outside. I then opened water tank drain and the drain valve on the boiler.

I think the water ha's come from the boiler as under the bed where the boiler is was also very wet. There was hardly any water in the tank when I opened the drain valve.

Can anyone offer any advice? Can we still have water on board but not use the hot taps?

We're really worried that the flooring and bulkheads are going to be ruined. Good job we were at our daughter who gave us loads of towels to mop up.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Phill D]

thats real bad luck. dont think there is any tap to isolate the hot water so it is likely if you refill with water you will still have the problem.

there are a few connectors at the bottom of the boiler and it could be that one of those is the problem.

they are not easy to get at sorry cant be any more help.

 

[TheBig1]

it should dry out if kept aired.... thats the good news

sadly water pouring from the boiler sounds very expensive. hope its a pipe and pray the boiler hasn't split

 

[Phill D]

it should dry out if kept aired.... thats the good news

sadly water pouring from the boiler sounds very expensive. hope its a pipe and pray the boiler hasn't split

that did cross my mind .... a colleague had a similar issue and he was lucky it was a connector at the bottom of the boiler cheap part but a pig to get at, we had to lift the boiler a few c
Center Meters to get room to do the job.

 

[Terry]

Hi check the push connections on the boiler/water pipes they are prone to slipping off/ leaks

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Paulypaul]

Thanks to you all, I'll have a look...fingers crossed.

 

[sweetie]

You haven’t left water in the system which may have frozen and pushed a joint apart

 

[Lazyboy]

Definitely sounds as though a pipe has come adrift or as someone else mentioned did you leave water in it when a sharp frost occurred?
Either way it needs attending to before you can continue to use it.
By the way like your avatar, I work for MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd.

 

[mitzimad]

you probably need to refill after its all dry to see where the leak is

 

[Paulypaul]

Mmm, we have been using the van and I'm wonderin if a tiny amount of water left in the boiler may have frozen....but, when I filled up at home there was no pump surge to indicate a leak. Mind you, a joint coming loose does sound quite possible

I'm going to get it home tomorrow and investigate all the joints and put some water in to see where it's leaking.

We can't fault our MAN TGX. It's the XXL and although they get a kicking of the badge snobs who are employed to drive Scania and Volvo, as an owner operator we cannot fault it. Look after it and drive it with respect and it'll out perform the other marques on reliability and profitability. Plus it's a huge cab to live in too.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[rb62]

I know it's easy to say after the event but we never leave the water pump turned on when we're not in the van,we even turn it off at night!
Hopefully it's an easy fix and not too much damage done.

 

[Paulypaul]

I know, when wee had a boat we always made a point of switching pump off, just wish we had done so on this occasion in the van cause it would have been 10 litres of water rather than an unknown amount.

 

[Phill D]

I have developed an irritating habit ( according to wife ) of switching the pump off as we leave the van at any time.....

 

[Paulypaul]

Just wanted to update after all the kind response we received.

We discovered today that the problem was not the truma combi. It was in fact a speed fit fitting in the hot water line that runs at the back of the van that for some reason had given way? I removed the pipe and reconnected making sure the collars were engaged properly and the pipe wouldn't pull out.

I've gone out and bought a couple of new fittings but I did notice that whoever fitted this when the Bessacarr was built, has cut the pipe at an angle.

I'm wondering if this is a contributing factor or whether it wouldn't make any difference so long as the pipe was inserted properly? Surely cutting at an angle would prevent a seal being formed properly?

We're currently trying to make sure theres no moisture left in the van with a dehumidifier running.
Thanks,

Paul

 

[MisterB]

Cutting it at an angle hasnt helped but the seal is made about 25mm up the pipe, but it doesnt make the pipe sit square in the fitting so pipe movement can put strain on the seal/washer/serrated ring

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Paulypaul]

That's what I was thinking. I'm going to go to Screwfix to get a plastic pipe cutter but I'm worried I won't have enough slack to make sure I can join them properly. I don't want to start adding lengths of pipe cause the more fittings the more potential for leaks?

 

[MisterB]

You can cut it with a hacksaw or tenon saw easy enough (fine tooth saw). Just take your time
Just cut off the angled cut. A tip to cut it square is to wrap a piece of paper around it so that the edge fits together perfectly where the paper overlaps. Then mark with a pencil and you have a 'square' end. It doesnt have to be perfect

 

[Phill D]

can you not just trim it square with a sharp stanley blade?

 

[tonyidle]

can you not just trim it square with a sharp stanley blade?

That's what I do with pneumatic fittings (same principle as water ones).

 

[MisterB]

I was assuming that he wants to replace the whole fitting. Simply cutting it square and using the same fitting should work fine so long as the pipe us pushed down into the fitting (repositions the serrated washer etc a bit further up the pipe.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Phill D]

i would tend to agree, i am sure there will be some slack in the pipes somewhere that may be able to be dragged to give a bit more to play with.
certainly is under our furniture in the van.

 

[mitzimad]

never cut pipe thats going into a push fit with a saw it can gouge the o ring and leak ,proper cutters or a stanley knife are best

 

[Paulypaul]

That's great, I'll just trim the angle so it's square on both ends and rejoin. I was thinking of putting in a joint with an isolator valve on it. My thinking is that if I ever have an issue with the hot or cold feed to the coming boiler, I could isolate them and still be able to have water on board in the kitchen and bathroom. Does that make sense?