# Water dumped



## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Hi, got a bit chilly last night so the truma dumped the water. Problem is that we are going to Bruges this afternoon and filled up the tank last night - but it's now empty.

Question is - if the heater switch trips and dumps the water, should all the water in the main tank drain too?? :-(


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Well, if you have a pressurized water system and the pump switch was left on overnight, then the pressure switch in the pump has "thought" that someone has opened a tap when the Truma safety valve dropped the water. 

The rest you can imagine...

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Pretty sure all the electrics/pump were off overnight..


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## 92859 (May 1, 2005)

*water dumped*

Greetings,



> Hi, got a bit chilly last night so the truma dumped the water [/iquote]
> 
> Mine, also, had the heating on the thermostat overnight on gas but it failed to kick in, red light on, so water dumped as well, so had to heat the van up and reset the dump valve.
> 
> I shall leave the oil filed radiator in this time, I know that will come on when it gets cold.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

A timely reminder: if you leave water in the system, don't leave the pump switched on - if the Truma dumps it, at least it won't empty the whole tank.  

by the way, if you can't get the temperature back up to make the switch reset, use a clothes peg to hold it up in position....


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

That's my question - 99% sure the pump wasn't switched on - we would have heard it running. It just seems that it still emptied the water tank


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Our Elddis does not dump automatically, but if you open the hot water drain switch it does drain the whole system. Depends where your water tank is.


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## 101368 (Oct 12, 2006)

griffly16 said:


> That's my question - 99% sure the pump wasn't switched on - we would have heard it running. It just seems that it still emptied the water tank


Unless it'd flattened your battery then the pump would have still been running when you found that it'd dumped water. Think about it a minute.


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

I've just changed over my electrically operated dump valve for a manual one as I had practically the same problem . . see these links on the Miriad website[ part of Truma I believe]
http://www.miriad-products.com/schematics/ultrastore/boiler.htm
Group of Parts shown as 38 in schematic
http://www.miriad-products.com/
part number  70141-02p . . . £ 17.00p 
or 70141-05. . . £19.54p [£25.31p inc P&P] - but be aware this model has 'push-fit' connectors and is slightly different dia to the plastic water pipes in the van so I've had to 'join' the two types of pipe with short length of 10mm copper pipe & squeezed tight with jubilee clips . . on reflection I should have gone for the -02 model as I'm guessing its a straight changeover with same connections as the electric valve.
Now I MUST remember its down to me to open the dump . . .


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## 92859 (May 1, 2005)

*water dump*

Greetings,



> Now I MUST remember its down to me to open the dump . . .


Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I would be reluctant to do this, if you forget you could damage your heater at an extortionate cost. I would rather keep the present fail safe system.

I you are concerned about the pump dumping the whole tank of water if the valve opens, and if you have a pressurised system I would make sure the water pump switch is turned off before leaving the vehicle, or if it has not got a switch I would install one.

Even in a micro switched system like my Hymer C644 I intend to fit a separate pump switch as there is not one installed, when I drain it down in winter while not being used for a week or so and leave the taps open it will prevent the pump from running and burning the pump out.

I had this some years ago on my boat, it froze bad one winter and the heating elements expanded and damaged the heater, the water let loose and the water dumped into the bilges burning the pump out once it had run dry.


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## 96523 (Oct 14, 2005)

While it was parked in my back yard I have just had the same problem with my new Geist. 
Does this happen while the van is occupied - while we are sleeping? What can you do to stop it happening if you are parked up for a couple of hours while you are out having a meal in the evening for example? We do not have a separate pump switch on this motorhome but could, of course switch off the 12 volt supply while we were out of the van but we already had switched it off when it drained down. Does the pump override the 12 volt master switch? 
We are a bit worried lest we wake up in the morning to find ourselves out of water.
Surely we are not alone in being alarmed and annoyed by this bit of apparent technical stupidity?
How do people cope if they are using the m/h for skiing and the like?
Pamal


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## Roger7webster (Oct 10, 2006)

My last van had this problem(Dethleffs with micro switch water system)
When the trauma dump valve opens the system and tank will drain by syphonic action even when 12v system is isolated from the pump.
Regards
Roger


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## 97353 (Jan 20, 2006)

> How do people cope if they are using the m/h for skiing and the like?


Hi Pamal,
The simple answer is: leave your heater on at ANY time the temperature might dip blow 8 degrees or so. Surely it is infinitely preferable to spend a few pence on gas or to have an annoying water dump rather than a [email protected] boiler, which will cost in the region of £1500 - 2000 to replace 8O 8O

Note that Truma *emphatically* state that no warranty claim shall be approved for any frost damage...

Paul


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## Walton (Nov 22, 2006)

I had the same problems with my Rimor dumping water. We motocross early in the year and had problems firing up the boiler. 
My dealer made me a collar to go round the manual switch, so if the temp dipped reasonable below 5oC the boiler would hold the water.
The responsibility is mine to extract the collar when we are finished our weekend. If the temp is right it will still hold the water - if is too cold it will dump the water, but then the van is not in use.

My theroy was "what use is heating if it will not work below 5oC"
Now happy I have it sussed and now the better weather is approaching!!!!


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

It would empty by the action of syphoning i think.

ps i dont have an auto dump (thankfully) but are you guys with auto dump valves saying that even if the heater is on it dumps due to cold temps outside. That cant be right surely. If this isnt the case isnt leaving the heater on the answer.

phill


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## 88870 (May 10, 2005)

We have lived in our van since July 04 and never has the water dumped. 

Overnight we always have heating on in the winter - oil filled radiator under the bed in the garage. However, just in case it ever does dump, we turn the pump off when we go out so the whole system doesn't drain and burn out the pump!


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## beagle (Sep 25, 2005)

The switch on our Truma (on a new van) has never worked. It won't stay shut whatever the temperature. When we had the Truma recall the chap said they were completely unreliable. So it's a clothes peg job and I trust myself to keep it drained if cold. 

However, it's only ever drained the contents of the boiler, which is a blessing I suppose, especially as the drain hose is short and water gets all over the rear suspension and god knows what else, producing several streams from different places under the van which scared me half to death the first time it happened. Had no idea what was going on!

Just how cold would it have to be for frost damage to occur d'you think? Bearing in mind the boiler is sat in the wardrobe well away from the floor/walls of the van.

Another puzzle - the manual says "operation is basically possible without water" whcih is an odd expression but I take it to mean that you can run the blown air heating without having the boiler full of water. Is that right? Cos if so, my truma isn't having any of it! It thinks about things for several minutes producing many different sounds while it ponders, then on comes the red light...


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## 96523 (Oct 14, 2005)

*Water Dumping*

I have now had chapter and verse from Truma and it confirms what has been said. Keep the heater on, even No1 on the thermostat should be enough, and the water will not be dumped. What happens if you are driving in very frosty weather when you cannot have either electric or gas heating on I don't know. I suppose it is like the fridge in that you put the gas heating on if you stop on the way.
Many thanks for all of your help
Pamal


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## Sagedog (Jun 28, 2005)

*Heating whilst Driving.*

During the handover of my new Adria in Germany last week I was told in great detail about this dilemma. Basically Marco told me that due to a new regulator it was perfectly safe to drive with the heating on Gas and we needed to do this when driving in low temps to avoid the dreaded dumping of ALL on-board water.

I tried this last night I had a short very warm trip to see _Umps2002_ and show off the new M/Home. Gas was still lit acording to the warning lights and the heating was fine.

When at home if not drained down I will be using an oil filled rad from our caravanning days just to keep the chill off.


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies. Sagedog - At least I know I'm not going mad now (thinking the pump had been left on). Think I'll carry out a test this weekend to see if all the water gets dumped.

Beagle - Can get hot air heating without water no problem.


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## 96523 (Oct 14, 2005)

*Water Dumped*

Hi Sagedog
What you write reminds me of something in the current Chauson sales literature which makes much of being able to drive with the heating on. This is in English so presumably applies to UK. Does anyone have a Chauson or has looked at one recently?
There has been another posting on MHF recently about having the heating on while travelling but I think that that came to the conclusion that it was not allowed. I think we should be told.
Alan


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

The maunual with the trauma in my Autocruise states that you can leave the heating on whilst running and also that you can use the space heater only with no water in.
I dont envy you guys with the auto dump system but as the previous guys say leave the heat on in in any doubt.

Phill


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Well, it dumps ALL the water if the truma dump valve kicks in. I think that's pretty crap.

Will look into fitting some sort of valve as don't mind the boiler dumping but cannot think for the life of me why I should lose 100litres of water in the main tank at the same time.

:-( :-(


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