# Water heater HELP



## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

HI,
Picked up our 2006 Swift Suntour 590 PR and everything is working except the water heater, when heater is switched on after about 5 seconds the red light will come on which would say water heater is not working, i have left the hot water tap on to fill the boiler. The gas is on and water. Anyone help Please???????
Thanks Matt.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Sounds like you are trying to run it on gas. If so have you removed the protective cover off the external flu?

peedee


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## 88785 (May 9, 2005)

We had that first time we used ours on gas, in the instructions it says to turn it off, leave for a few mins (can't remeber exactly) then try again.

I would also try putting all your other gas appliances on first too, this will more than likely get rid of any air locks you might have in the system.

Not sure if I am right with this explanation, bit of a novice myself too. Sure someone will along soon with more experience


Chris


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

Peedee,
Thanks for quick reply,Yes trying to run on gas but what is external cover???? Because i wont have done that.


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

Hi Chris,
have tried all that, But still no joy,
Thanks Matt.


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

Some of this might seem insulting, but we've all missed something at some time (except me of course 8) 

Check:

1. Gas on at bottle
2. Appliance gas isolation switch on
3. Water available, water pump on, and water coming out of hot tap before turning boiler on.
4. Cowl taken off the flue
5. 12v on (and battery reasonably well charged - try on hook-up with charger on if not sure)
6. Fuses OK
7. Air in gas supply (not unknown with new 'van). Try a number of times with 5-10 mins between attempts.
8. Regulator issue (do other gas appliances work? - hob is best for testing.)

Good Luck

Also worth trying whether water heats on 230v - which would eliminate some of the above.


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

Thanks Robinhood,
COWL taken off flue ???? The other things i have done except 230v test which in will do tomorrow. But dont know anything about the cowl. Sorry for being thick.


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

Just seen your previous reply about flue cover.

Is it a combi (combined space and heating) or an ultrastore boiler (water only).

Combi does not have a flue cover, Ultrastore does.

On the outside, there is a (mainly) rectangular plastic cover that goes over a balanced flue. Heater should not be operated with it in place (it 'levers' off from the top). 

Not removing it would inhibit air in and exhaust out, so looks like a prime candidate if it is not a combi.


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

Not a combi, Would i have to take this cowl off every time i want hot water???
Going to try it now.
Thanks.


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

YIPPE,
Works fine now thanks, but would i have to take that off evey time i want the hot water on as i cant think of anything worse than waking up sunday morning and running outside to pull that cover of at -30 like it was today. (may not be -30, might of been +5).
Thanks Matt.


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

I just looked on the Swift site, and the Sundance (on which you're based I think), seems to have the ultrastore and the separate space heater.

The flue cover is definitely the initial suspect, since leaving it on would not allow any combustion air in, and you would probably get no ignition.

My previous van had similar arrangement, current is combi.

I didn't remove the cover for 230v heating, but you can't use gas without removal.

It is essentially a travel cover (and it stops the spiders getting in and glueing up the works!)

I've always fiited it unless using gas.

Tried to copy the instructions but it didn't allow me to paste here.

If you can't find and remove it, I'll try again.

The cover is rectangular, raised from the outside surface, and angled at both bottom corners. Lever off from the top (hand pressure).


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

We seem to be a bit asynchronous here.

Glad its fixed.

See my previous - you only need it off when heating on gas (actually, I don't think Truma actually say this, but I've never had a problem when using elec - but I won't warrant it).

Also, leaving the cover on without constant heating provides some frost protection, but if it is really cold, leave it off when on-site, and leave your heating on (it is thermostatically controlled and will use minimal gas if set on the lower temperature).

Good luck with the new 'van.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

subaru said:


> Not a combi, Would i have to take this cowl off every time i want hot water???


Yes, Yes, Yes!
If you don't remove it before you use the water heater on gas, IT WILL REMOVE ITSELF.

I rarely use ours on gas but at the Beverley Rally in 2004 I did.
After trying to light the gas about 4 or 5 times without success I heard a BANG and realised what it might be.
Looked out of the window and the cover was lying about 4 feet away from the van. Went to retrieve it and found it cracked and unusable.

Question. Did you find it difficult to remove?


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

Hi Autostratus,
Yes it was a hard to pull off, does seem a silly idea this is my 4th motorhome and its the first time i have come across this and i really dont like it. Thanks all for yoir help, saved me a trip to the dealer.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Pleased we were of help and even more so that you came back and told us the advice was sound. That so often does not happen.

The cover is held on on at the top. There is a small notch on the casing and the cover wraps round this. You must remopve it by releasing the top of the cover first. Grip the cover with both hands wrapping your fingers around the outside and exerting inward pressure in the top centre with your thumbs whilst at the same time pulling with the fingers. The trick is to get the thumb pressure in the right place to release the cover from the notch. It gets easier with use and practice.

Hope you follow the above.

There is no need to remove it if you are using electric heating. 

peedee


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

Thanks Peedee, 
So three screwdrivers was not the way forward, 2 on the bottom and one on the top, HA HA. 
This is a backward step for me i think, by changing my 2000 Hymer for a 2006 Swift. I have got my doughts about it now.


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## Mikemoss (Sep 5, 2005)

Hi Subaru, know what you mean about that daft cover - seemed a really retrograde step for us coming from a tourer fitted with the trusty Cascade water heater which had no such nonsense!

I found a special 'daft cover removal tool' on ebay (cost a couple of quid or so from memory) but regret I cannot remember the seller's name. They also sold me a levelling gadget that sits in the instrument panel of the Fiat/Peugeot and tells you when you are roughly level on site. Not a patch on the old Lambilevels I used to have on a succession of tourers, but much better than nothing (and far easier than faffing about with levelling ramps).

Suggest you just go to ebay (UK version) and cast around among the motorhome accessories. Having said all that, the heater cover removal tool only makes the job slightly easier!

Most of all, have fun with your new MH!


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## Mikemoss (Sep 5, 2005)

Right, it's me again and I've just tried to find that removal tool and levelling gadget again on ebay, but no luck. Looking back, the seller was called hewitt_accesories but apparently he has nothing for sale at the moment. Pity, because the tool does help a little.

It's a real nuisance having to remember to remove that cover every time (my water heater is gas only) but I guess it will get easier with time.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Mikemoss said:


> Not a patch on the old Lambilevels I used to have on a succession of tourers, but much better than nothing (and far easier than faffing about with levelling ramps).


I have still got mine! I leveled the van up using a builders spirit level and then fixed the Lambilevels in the van for future reference. The for and aft one is mounted just above the drivers door and the across the beam one on the drivers sunvisor. Makes leveling up much easier. Both are easily seen from the drivers position and it gives you an idea of where to put the ramps and you then only need to drive up them keeping an eye on the levels. I prefer the ramps under the front wheels then with the cab door is open it is easy to see if you are liable to run off them!

Apart from having an hydraulic leveling system I don't know of an easier way.

peedee


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

Thanks All.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Just to reiterate.

Place the first 2 fingers of each hand side by side and touching, on top of the cover and just behind the raised edge.
Place your 2 thumbs, touching, just below the edge.

Press with the thumbs and at the same time pull with the fingers.
The effect is to lift the little holding flap as you pull off the cover.

It really is easy once you have done it a couple of times and no tool is necessary. (Just something else to store and misplace)

I must confess, I used a screwdriver until someone showed me this way.


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