# Truma boiler anti freeze valve



## GHN (Sep 12, 2008)

Ok, this query may apply to other m/homes and not just my Ixeo664 so please read on....
Quite rightly there is an anti freeze valve which is separate from the Truma boiler. Despite having insulated this area with king span, the valve still opens on a cold day(or night) and empties the whole system. The manual says it will do this below 4degrees - I can't get the 'button' to stay in when its around 5/6 deg. 

What do you do to prevent this happening cos such temperatures are pretty common at the moment?


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

a clothes peg! Be careful if temperatures ACTUALLY get down to zero or below, I tend to take the peg off when the van is on the drive at home if frost is forecast and let it dump the contents (in the Hymer it won't pump through all the fresh water contents, so I can re-fill quickly of required).


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## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

I've got a peg which holds it up, but don't forget its there!


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

and as Geoff says, don;t forget it! I have a sticker by the door to outside the house to remind me :roll:


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

The peg solution works on the red valves. If your M/H is recent you may have a blue valve where you have to turn the top lever whilst holding in the side button, these won't accept the peg.  I'm told you can disable the blue ones by clamping the button in with a cable tie or similar but haven't tried it and don't recommend it.

If your van heating is turned on, the valve should remain closed anyway so it shouldn't be a problem when the van is being used. If parked up then surely it's best to allow the valve to do its job, just make sure the water pump is turned off so that it doesn't empty the whole system (and run for days on end sometimes). It only takes a few minutes to close the valve and fill the boiler again before you set off.


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## GHN (Sep 12, 2008)

Thanks for your replies. Mine is the blue button type. To let it do its job means that there would be many mornings at this time of year when I would be looking forward to a nice warm shower, in a nice warm van only to find that I have to start pratting with the boiler/water system. I think I need to make something to hold the button in.

Thanks again for responses.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Are you turning the van heating off during the night?

Our van stands on the drive with the electric heating on but turned down to keep the inside frost free. This usually means the temperature doesn't drop much below 6 degrees. I normally empty the boiler deliberately when we return from a trip but I have left it closed in the past and it's never self-dumped when the van heating has been left on low as described above.

If the heating is on (but turned down) during the night and the valve is dropping I think you probably need to improve the air flow around the valve from the heated air in the van, insulating it could make matters worse. If you're turning the heating off completely during the night then you'll never avoid the valve opening on cold nights unless you mechanically prevent the button tripping out - which I would not recommend. If you wish to do this you could experiment by locking the button down by wrapping a strong electrical tie tightly around the valve. Take care though, new boilers are expensive.


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## sweetie (Nov 28, 2005)

On our previous 2 vans have had both type of valve, Never had them dump water even when freezing outside. Just leave boiler on lowest hot water setting the amount of gas you will use is negligable.

Steve


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## korky24 (Oct 19, 2007)

I've also got the blue valve and could do with a workaround if anyone knows one.

I'd fit a manual valve as on my last van, much better than this stupid thing(which is who it's designed by/ for-stupid things) but there's no room.

I would never forget to drain down in cold weather on the old van but I might forget to switch off the water pump when leaving the new van for the day, and then burn out the pump. It came without a water pump switch which the Dealer then fitted for me where it was easy for them and inconvenient for me-behind the rear doors, so out of sight and out of mind.

Any ideas?

Many thanks, John.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

GHN said:


> Despite having insulated this area with king span, the valve still opens on a cold day(or night) and empties the whole system. The manual says it will do this below 4degrees - I can't get the 'button' to stay in when its around 5/6 deg.


Assuming this is when you're using the van and not when it's parked up, remove the insulation around the valve, how is it going to sense the higher temperature if it can't get to it, I and quite a few others use a peg until it warms up, but don't forget to remove it once it has.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

If you don't want to use a peg, you can fit a manual dump valve.
These are4 available at different prices, but the below link shows you what it looks like.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trumastor...ervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item589b5c03d1

edit.
I have just remembered, there are two versions of this dump valve.
One is as shown above and for jubilee clip fitting and the other is a compression push on fitting.
I prefer the jubilee type.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Grath said:


> If you don't want to use a peg, you can fit a manual dump valve.
> These are4 available at different prices, but the below link shows you what it looks like.
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trumastor...ervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item589b5c03d1
> ...


A bit expensive when something could be made to do the job Something like this could soon be made to do the job, However if I could afford it I'd use the correct fitting, finances and bloody mindedness over silly prices makes me look at alternatives :wink: :wink:


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Grath said:
> 
> 
> > If you don't want to use a peg, you can fit a manual dump valve.
> ...


Kev, I did say, but you missed it of the quote, that they are available at different prices. The link was just to show the product.
Last year, I paid a lt less for the proper item


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## leseduts (Jun 3, 2008)

As we never sleep with the heating on we changed ours to a maual dump valve. In winter we carry water in containers, stood in the shower. We can still put the heating on as required, but do not have to worry about all our water being dumped.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

leseduts said:


> As we never sleep with the heating on we changed ours to a maual dump valve. In winter we carry water in containers, stood in the shower. We can still put the heating on as required, but do not have to worry about all our water being dumped.


When we are using our van during the winter, it never get cold enough to dump. We would make sure the water is hot prior to us going to bed and it will then hold it's temperature well above freezing.
If we then wake up in the early hours, I might turn it on again!
Our water tank is always in use when we are using our van, we need it for showering when wilding


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Grath said:


> Kev_n_Liz said:
> 
> 
> > Grath said:
> ...


Sorry Graham, missed it in my haste to follow the link then comment, I did do dat dastardly deed. :wink: :wink:


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