# water pouring out of fresh water waste tank



## adriacoral

Hi 

We only got the van last Friday, so have't had a chance to look properly.

I notice when the tap is closed on the waiste water tank, and I run a tap inside, water poors out of the fresh water tank.

The handle for closing the tap is just by the rear wheel on the n/s. The water is pooring out of the other side, o/s, but quite high up, so I haven't yet ventured underneath there to see where it is coming from.

Does anyone know if there may be any sort of valve on that side that may be leaking, or may we possibly have a split/crack in the tank.

Thanks 

Terry


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## rayc

*Re: water pooring out of fresh water waste tank*



adriacoral said:


> Hi
> 
> We only got the van last Friday, so have't had a chance to look properly.
> 
> I notice when the tap is closed on the waiste water tank, and I run a tap inside, water poors out of the fresh water tank.
> 
> The handle for closing the tap is just by the rear wheel on the n/s. The water is pooring out of the other side, o/s, but quite high up, so I haven't yet ventured underneath there to see where it is coming from.
> 
> Does anyone know if there may be any sort of valve on that side that may be leaking, or may we possibly have a split/crack in the tank.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Terry


I guess it is coming out of either the fresh water tank drain valve or the boiler frost protection valve. You have closed them haven't you?


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## Glandwr

Do you mean pours out of the fresh water tank or the waste water tank Terry?

Dick


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## adriacoral

Sorry, I just read my message again, and can see that it is confusing. The water is pooring out of the waste water tank. It only happens when I run a tap. The shut off valve is defninately closed, and as I say, it is coming out of the opposite side from where the shut of valve is, i.e. o/s instead of n/s.


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## gaspode

I'd put money on it being the boiler frost protection valve, not the waste tank that the water is running from.

If it actually is the waste tank then check if you have a cleaning bung in the bottom of the tank, it may be loose or missing.


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## SNandJA

On our van with a Truma water heater like many others there is an automatic frost protection valve that opens and in our case the discharge is close to the waste water tank. I think your Adria has a Truma heating system and the frost protection valve is usual close to the boiler. Ours is easy to find under our fixed bed in the garage area in our Elnagh Clipper.

Trumal User Manual pdf format

Aforementioned drain valve on page 4 of attached pdf GB language version! If it is this there are numerous ingenious ways of stopping it dumping water in cold weather using a clothes peg as one such trick but obviously you don't want to leave it in place if you are not using the van and it is freezing...

Steve


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## adriacoral

Hi

Well, I guess the area from where the water is coming out, is right by where the Truma would be situated. So my next question is, where is the frost safety valve? Apologies for such questions, but as I mentioned, I'm blind, so can't follow manuals, and my Wife hates looking.

Terry


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## SNandJA

adriacoral said:


> Hi
> 
> Well, I guess the area from where the water is coming out, is right by where the Truma would be situated. So my next question is, where is the frost safety valve? Apologies for such questions, but as I mentioned, I'm blind, so can't follow manuals, and my Wife hates looking.
> 
> Terry


pdf attached above should get you some way towards locating the little devil!
Steve


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## BillCreer

adriacoral said:


> Hi
> 
> Well, I guess the area from where the water is coming out, is right by where the Truma would be situated. So my next question is, where is the frost safety valve? Apologies for such questions, but as I mentioned, I'm blind, so can't follow manuals, and my Wife hates looking.
> 
> Terry


You didn't mention that you were blind.


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## SNandJA

adriacoral said:


> Hi
> 
> Well, I guess the area from where the water is coming out, is right by where the Truma would be situated. So my next question is, where is the frost safety valve? Apologies for such questions, but as I mentioned, I'm blind, so can't follow manuals, and my Wife hates looking.
> 
> Terry


The reference to "I'm blind" I missed, apologies. Is this a physical issue or banter because I could try and get better detail for what the valve looks like other than the pdf link above or try and get some images taken of ours and posted here?

Steve


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## Glandwr

I can't see it being the frost valve if it only happens when he switches on a tap. Surely it would dump the whole of your freshwater regardless if the tap is swichedxon or not? Itxdoes mine. 

Its a small usually red round thing that youcan pull upwards and if the temp is above a notional frost danger will remain up, if not sink back.

My guess is that the inspection/cleaning "door" gasket.

Dick


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## rayc

BillCreer said:


> adriacoral said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi
> 
> Well, I guess the area from where the water is coming out, is right by where the Truma would be situated. So my next question is, where is the frost safety valve? Apologies for such questions, but as I mentioned, I'm blind, so can't follow manuals, and my Wife hates looking.
> 
> Terry
> 
> 
> 
> You didn't mention that you were blind.
Click to expand...

Perhaps a little confusion on when it was mentioned;
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-167793-.html


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## SNandJA

Glandwr said:


> I can't see it being the frost valve if it only happens when he switches on a tap. Surely it would dump the whole of your freshwater regardless if the tap is swichedxon or not? Itxdoes mine.
> 
> Its a small usually red round thing that youcan pull upwards and if the temp is above a notional frost danger will remain up, if not sink back.
> 
> My guess is that the inspection/cleaning "door" gasket.
> 
> Dick


I don't think this is what happens to mine the freshwater tank is never fully emptied if frost valve operates and therefore water will pump through the cold water tap or the cold water side of a mixer tap...

Steve


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## SNandJA

This may help the valve is the part with the red collar on top the other (smaller) bit with the word Truma next to a red button is irrelevant. The valve will have tubing attached each side at right angles to the valve body. The escape/drain tubing emerges from the opposite side to the red knob and will take the water away through the van floor to dump the water on the ground underneath.

Steve


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## Fatalhud

It sounds to me that a waste pipe may have popped off or split before it reaches the waste tank, 
You will only know by running the tap and looking underneath, just wear some waterproofs 

Alan H


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## alhod

I had a similar experience with the Adria Coral we had. The first thing to check is the frost protection valve on the boiler. It is a 'toggle' shaped switch which turns through 360` in increments of 90` - that is it has four possible positions. When the temperature falls below (I think) 3` there is a small red button adjacent to the switch which flips out thus opening the valve and then the system just dumps all water in it. To reset you must hold the red button in and turn the switch at the same time. If the red button remains depressed the 'leak' should stop. If the button flips out when you release it the temperature is still below the safety level.
If the button stays depressed and you still have the 'leak' check other connections for fracture or damage, but I think you will find the frost protection is the cause of this.

Alan


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## adriacoral

Hi Alan ET AL

Thanks for all the replies.


Alan, thanks for the detailed description, following what you said, I went into the cupboard where the boiler is, had a feel around, and found the toggle switched that you mentioned, and with some more feeling around, found the round button a few inches below it.

I pushed the button in, and it stayed there, so I turned the switch, and it popped out. I then pushed it back in, ran the tap, went outside, and there was no water pooring on the floor.

I went back in, turned the switch again, the button popped out, I went back outside, and the water was flowing again, so it was definitely the frost shut off valve.

Problem solved, so again, thank you all very much.

Terry


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## fatbuddha

I know I have done it in the past, as have many others, but to prevent this "annoyance" happening take steps to ensure that the valve can't open when the temperature drops as frankly it can be a right PITA if you leave the van, only to come back to no water.

I know it's not recommended to do this, but I did it in my Hymer Van and never had any problems with the heater, even when skiing in -15C

probably even Truma is different but in my old Hymer Van I kept the valve closed (up position) using some zip ties through it and around some other part of the locker higher up


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## alhod

Glad that you found the reason! 

Happy travels  

Alan


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## rosalan

There are many ways to keep the valve shut (up) and looking at the red button on mine, it appears to have a slot to fit some supporting clip or clothes peg to retain it BUT....... The Truma heater is a very expensive item at around £2000 to replace. The drain switch is there to protect the heater from frost damage which I must assume was once a problem. Far better if you can keep the area warm enough for it not to automatically operate and drain the heater. I read somewhere that below +10c it will open but I think that sounds rather too high. In my van I have an oil filled radiator on a very low setting to prevent freezing and so far I have never had the Truma switch automatically operate.
The small charge for the oil heater is much less than for a new Truma.

Alan


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## celtic-islander

Completely agree with rosalan, I would never override the frost safety valve in winter, the consequences of a destroyed boiler with water flowing through the van when it thaws, are just not worth the risk. 
We`ve enjoyed temperatures down to -26C without issue, we simply leave the heating on 1 or 2 whilst using the van in winter. Like many others when the van is not being used we place on small oil filled radiator inside.
The Trauma drain valve will activate at +3Cbut apparently cant be reset until the temperature reaches +7C


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