Water heater / gas problem

Kildare53

Have just taken camper out of storage. When I switch on the water heater, the green light comes on and then almost immediately the red light. The heater is a Truma and yes I have water in the tanks. Does any one have any idea what the problem is?

peasant

I presume the gas line is open?

It usually takes a while for the gas to reach every appliance. My boiler does the same if I haven't used it for a while. How many times have you tried?

EDIT:
Another thing: Are you SURE that there is water in it? It's still pretty chilly outside (in the shade anyway) and these boilers have built in safety valves that dump all the water once its below a certain temperature to prevent freezing damage.

Theoretically these valves should only engage below 4 deg C ...but opening on 8 deg isn't exactly unheard of.
Check under your yoke if there's a puddle.

If so, stick the heating on for a while and then refill the boiler and try again.

Kildare53

Thank you. Shall check the gas tomorrow.

peasant

Just in case you have no experience with your camper:


To make sure that the boiler is full of water before you switch it on, open a hot water tap and let all the air out of the system until you get a full flow of water.

Then check the gas is open at the bottle (if it's a grey German one; "auf" means open, "zu" means closed) as well as at the dedicated stop cock for the boiler. (All the gas stop cocks are usually somewhere in the kitchen area and there are different ones for the cooker, fridge, heater and boiler) If you're not sure which is which (because the labels have come off:D ) have all of them in the same position while turning on the cooker (biefly !). If you got it right, you'll hear the gas hissing at the cooker and know which way is open.

stapeler

I know it an obvious one but have you taken the Truma cover off outside. Mine won't start with it on.

Kildare53

My problem seems to be that the gas is not getting through. I changed the cylinder but, the Truma heater, fridge and gas cooker do not seem to be getting a supply of gas. Any more ideas as to what I can do?

peasant

Hmm ...there are several things that might block the gas, check them all:

First of all, make sure that you have no leak! Listen for hissing noises and use your nose as well. Until you're sure that there is no leak, be very, very careful ! (electric sparks, open flames, etc)

- the gas bottle itself, make sure it is open (and it has gas in it)
- the stop cocks (see post above)
- something you may or may not have in your camper, the Truma Duomatic or Triomatic see here: http://www.truma.com/truma05/en/faq/service_en_49913.html
If you have one of these installed, sometimes both gas bottles (even the empty one, if there is one) have to be connected and opened for the system to work. Also the green valve has to be connected to the full bottle and the red one to the spare or empty one. There may also be a switch somwhere inside the camper that may need to be switched on. (even though my old duomatic also lets gas through if none of the above applies, but I've heard of trouble with the more modern systems)

If it's neither of the above, then it could be that your gas bottle contains butane only and not propane. Butane stops evaporating at low temperatures and no gas comes out of the bottle. But that is highly unlikely, as butane is fairly uncommon here and it wasn't that cold today either.
But maybe you're carrying gas that was refilled in a southern european country, is that possible ?

Kildare53

Thanks for all suggestions, think I may have to go to the garage on Monday. I had this problem last year too when I took van out of storage.If I remember properly, I think it was something to do with the regulator. Maybe it is as simple as that - hopefully.

Kildare53

Thanks to everyone for suggestions. Decided to have one more go this am, turned on the taps once more and lo and behold - everything now working.
Delighted I stumbled upon this board - very good.

peasant

If it's any consolation ...you're not alone

Many times I was thinking ...why isn't this working, getting all flustered and confused, only to find out that I had forgotten something pretty essential ...like plugging in the 230V at a socket that is actually switched on or making sure that the stop cock is actually open (the right one that is).

btw ...I changed the heading of your first post to water heater / gas problem ...hope you don't mind

JamesM

Kildare53 wrote:

Thanks to everyone for suggestions. Decided to have one more go this am, turned on the taps once more and lo and behold - everything now working.
Delighted I stumbled upon this board - very good.

Had a Truma in a caravan - every year it would act up like that at the beginning of the season. You just had to keep on trying and it would eventually start and work fine for the rest of the season.
Jim.