# Frozen water heater



## Floss (Feb 26, 2007)

Hi! We have just had to buy a new water heater as ours froze in the bad weather. We bought our van in the Autumn and wasn't given a briefing as to the do's and dont's. We used what we thought was common sense and drained the water from the main tank but never thought of the water heater - can anybody offer advice as to how to stop this happening if it should freeeeze whilst we are camping this coming weekend?


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Hi,

If you are camping this week-end and the temp drops you should be ok if you are using the van. I assume you will be having heating on in the MH as that will help warm things up. And then I usually put the water heater on for a while if on gas but if on hook-up then i leave it on overnight to stop it dumping the water (if its a combi that dumps below a certain temp) or freezing. 

I usually open the waste water tanks tap and put a bucket underneath to save the water there freezing. Is the fresh water on board or slung underneath? So far haven't had problems with the fresh water if using the mh.


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## rickwiggans (May 10, 2006)

Agree with the above. Despite the lack of after-sales briefing, have you managed to locate the dump valve that empties the water heater? Your manual should help. On my Sundance it is a yellow lever on a pipe very close to the heater. Lift to dump the water, when you are storing the 'van. (Don't do it over grass though - it kills it)


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi Floss

welcome to MHF, you are now part of the very best aftersales and advice service available.

As to your question about the heating/water system if you have a truma combination they come with standard an automatic dump valve that should the temperature drop below a certain level the water is dumped.

We had this system removed and and have a manual switch to dump.

However we fulltime in our van and our van is always warm so we do not anticipate a problem. We have two electric radiators and then set the van central heating thermostat to 20 degrees. The water is always kept piping hot. I reckon it costs us maybe an extra £10 a month in gas - well worth it.

In your case I would consider filling up wit water on maybe Thursday and then leaving the water and heating on to thoroughly warm the van through before you go.


stew


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## cobaltkoala (Sep 11, 2006)

*How True Artona*



artona said:


> welcome to MHF, you are now part of the very best aftersales and advice service available. stew


A Truer statement has not been made...

Wouldn't it be nice if every motorhome came with a Lifetime Subscription to MHF. Theres an idea for dealers nuke! I have had more answers from here than the main dealer.

Your in the right place and an annual subscription is a small price to pay for access to such a resource.


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Hi Floss
Well sorry that you had to find out that by mistake. I remember doing it many years ago. If its an "instantaneous type and you can get the heat exchanger out (this will be the part that has broken most likely) its possible to get it repaired. 

If its the other type with a store of water then its more costly. They don't all have an automatic dump. These auto dumps have only been out since about 2002. reason i say this is that mine is a manual dump and my van is 2001. There is a little lever that you lift up to drain the tank. You will soon see water draining out and if its hot you will see the steam.

As well as draining the hot tank and the fresh tank its always a good idea to leave the taps open and if there is a lever to swing between hot and cold - leave it midway.

Another cold tip is to only use propane (orange bottle) not butane in very cold weather as butane freezes at 0 deg c and propane freezes at minus 40 deg c

if you are relatively new to vanning pay a visit to halfords and get the motorcaravan manual. This gives loads of advice about the mechanical stuff like cookers, fridges and stuff.

Good Luck

Phill


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Welcome Floss

One other thing to empty when you leave the van in cold weather is the loo flush reservoir if you have one. Not all vans have a separate reservoir ( tank on the wall in the washroom) as some take the water directly from the cold water tank.

G


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

It might be worth pointing out that if you have put any water into the system the hot water still needs to be drained even if you have not use the hot water at all.


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