Whales water heater

[Daveyam]

Hi, after full drain down on my motorhome with recent cold snap, now refilled freshwater tank with 50litres and then turned pump on and hot taps in sequence to full flow ok to refill whales water heater. But the drain off valve is continually dripping under van even though valve is in horizontal position which is empting heater tank all time.
With pump keep coming on to top up, so switched pump off and anybody have any answers.
This is on a 2015 Elddis prestige 135 van. thanks.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Hi, after full drain down on my motorhome with recent cold snap, now refilled freshwater tank with 50litres and then turned pump on and hot taps in sequence to full flow ok to refill whales water heater. But the drain off valve is continually dripping under van even though valve is in horizontal position which is empting heater tank all time.
With pump keep coming on to top up, so switched pump off and anybody have any answers.
This is on a 2015 Elddis prestige 135 van. thanks.

Ours drips too. Is it the yellow lever type? They're expensive so leaving it to get worse then I'll fit an in-line shut off type.

 

[Daveyam]

Hi, yes its the yellow lever type so its lying flat on floor in horizontal position switched off, but its just dripping all the time.
Only had van since March this year so still under warranty, But the pain is I live in Bolton and dealers workshop in Rhyl so a 70mile trip to sort out.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Hi, yes its the yellow lever type so its lying flat on floor in horizontal position switched off, but its just dripping all the time.
Only had van since March this year so still under warranty, But the pain is I live in Bolton and dealers workshop in Rhyl so a 70mile trip to sort out.

Vehicles 4 Leisure? That's where we bought ours from. Good people but would be cheaper and less hassle to sort it yourself, in fact I'm going to look at ours today

 

[Daveyam]

Yes V4L , but still under warranty so give guy called Tom in workshop tomorrow see what he says, been back once with a few issues which they sorted out, so if I have to go back then so be it as going to Kent on 16th this month and no good with heater not working.
Does your heater still work even with your drip?

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[Richard n Ann]

Yes still works, just the water pump runs every 10 minutes. I used to think the non-return valve must be leaking back on the pump so ignored it for months, then saw the drip underneath.

I'm going to replace the straight 12mm JG fitting with a straight shut off valve

 

[Daveyam]

Thanks for the imfo. will see what Tom at V4L says tomorrow, cheers Dave.

 

[tonka]

Sometimes, grit or dirt and get stuck in the drain off..
I had this in my Autotrail, kept dripping. Open and closed the valve a few times to let out some water and then it seemed to seal ok and all good. Worth a try.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Sometimes, grit or dirt and get stuck in the drain off..
I had this in my Autotrail, kept dripping. Open and closed the valve a few times to let out some water and then it seemed to seal ok and all good. Worth a try.

Did that on mine and it made it worse

 

[Daveyam]

Thanks for your replies,has stopping dripping and water heater is working fine with hot water & heating, so happy now & ready to go on our trip to Kent in a couple of week. Cheers Dave.

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[Two on Tour]

I had left our whale water heater drain down valve open over the winter and ours dripped when I refilled the system, so I fire up the whale water heater and when the water was hot I opened the drain down valve to let hot water run over the seal in the valve. This warming up of the seal did the trick as it has been as right as rain since.

 

[BillyKontiki]

Yes still works, just the water pump runs every 10 minutes. I used to think the non-return valve must be leaking back on the pump so ignored it for months, then saw the drip underneath.

I'm going to replace the straight 12mm JG fitting with a straight shut off valve

View attachment 492142

View attachment 492143

Hi just looking at that valve with it’s brass body I would check to make sure it’s not a combined
Drain, and pressure relief valve.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Hi just looking at that valve with it’s brass body I would check to make sure it’s not a combined
Drain, and pressure relief valve.

Thanks, not thought of pressure relief, only frost protection which isn't needed on ours because it's garaged

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

The whale heaters do have a small hole that allows for condensation drips which do occur when you have the heater on.I had a couple of valves replaced the day I got my van only for the fitter to realise that there was a hole purposely built in to allow any condensation to drip out.
This was verified by a call to whale

 

[Richard n Ann]

Hi just looking at that valve with it’s brass body I would check to make sure it’s not a combined
Drain, and pressure relief valve.

You're right. It's a whale pressure relief valve £37 at least I will be able to isolate it if it goes altogether. Not that we use the heater much anyway so will just open it if we do

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[BillyKontiki]

You're right. It's a whale pressure relief valve £37 at least I will be able to isolate it if it goes altogether. Not that we use the heater much anyway so will just open it if we do

You're right. It's a whale pressure relief valve £37 at least I will be able to isolate it if it goes altogether. Not that we use the heater much anyway so will just open it if we do

Up to you,I would take the valve out split it,clean the washer and facing a good rub of silicone grease and I’m sure the result will be problem sorted.
Billy.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Stripped and cleaned the valve..

 

[Richard n Ann]

Fitted the Isolator valve ready for next time.

 

[BillyKontiki]

Fitted the Isolator valve ready for next time.

View attachment 493356

So cleaning the valve looks like it solved the problem excellent, so really there’s no requirement for the stop valve.
I’m only pointing this out as if the valve is left in the off position it renders the protection of the prv / drain valve as
Useless putting your heater and yourselves at risk.

 

[Richard n Ann]

So cleaning the valve looks like it solved the problem excellent, so really there’s no requirement for the stop valve.
I’m only pointing this out as if the valve is left in the off position it renders the protection of the prv / drain valve as
Useless putting your heater and yourselves at risk.

Just left it like that for when I next fill up and switch the pump on because that brass tail on the right side has got a barb on it that might cause the o ring to leak, didn't before and probably won't again but I'll open the valve when I'm looking at it

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[BillyKontiki]

Sounds good.
A wee tie rap just to lock it in the open position.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Filled the water tank and ran the pump today, the PRV still leaks after all that

I was quite confident it wouldn't. Left it isolated, we rarely use the heater anyway.

 

[Richard n Ann]

The whale heaters do have a small hole that allows for condensation drips which do occur when you have the heater on.I had a couple of valves replaced the day I got my van only for the fitter to realise that there was a hole purposely built in to allow any condensation to drip out.
This was verified by a call to whale

Just been under to check my new fittings while we've had the heater on for 20 minutes, no leaks on the PRV or new Isolator speedfit, but the heater is leaking from underneath. Not enough to make the pump run so it might be just condensation is there a tray underneath the condensation hole? Would make sense rather than wetting the floor

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Just been under to check my new fittings while we've had the heater on for 20 minutes, no leaks on the PRV or new Isolator speedfit, but the heater is leaking from underneath. Not enough to make the pump run so it might be just condensation is there a tray underneath the condensation hole? Would make sense rather than wetting the floor

Mine just vents to the lower side and is on the outside anyway,it's all external.I have no leaks on the inside.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Got the boiler out and on it's side. There's a rectangular drain pan on the bottom to collect the condensate and the sealant is cracked

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[Richard n Ann]

This is the heater as it normally looks. If you've got one, run it up to temperature on gas and have a careful look round the back underneath, it could be rotting your floor
No damage done to ours as we hardly use it.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Just for info my Wale heater is nothing like that and it is primarily all under the floor with the controls cut into the floor. The air heater is also under floor mounted.
Water connections are above the floor.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Ran a bead of stixall along it and it's sorted

 

[Soots]

Hi my 2020 Eldiss CV20 was dripping wen the water was hot, it's supposed to drip! Water pressure release iwas told by a fitter at Venture Caravans, Daventry ! 100 miles to find that out!
Oh well!

 

[mitzimad]

Hi my 2020 Eldiss CV20 was dripping wen the water was hot, it's supposed to drip! Water pressure release iwas told by a fitter at Venture Caravans, Daventry ! 100 miles to find that out!
Oh well!

thats sounds like rubbish to me i would e mail the makers and get it from the horses mouth no way was it desigened to drip out of the prv . If the boiler is a condesing model then it may be that they allow condensate to drip but i cant see it