How do you stop truma dump valve from opening in cold

[rontaylor]

Have a 2012 hobby Toscana 650. Found it has the usual truma dump valve prob. How do I stop from dumping water in minus deg so I can fill tank

 

[Figaro]

You can put a clothes peg on it (some types of valve, probably not Ditcha type ?) but thats not recommended.
If the boiler freezes with water in it's a very costly replacement.
It won't open if the van is in use and boiler on for hot water or heating, and if its not being used just let it open then reset when it is in use.
Always do a full drain down of everything if not in use over the winter
BTW

 

[Landy Andy]

Put the heating on.

 

[Ditcha]

Have a 2012 hobby Toscana 650. Found it has the usual truma dump valve prob. How do I stop from dumping water in minus deg so I can fill tank

I made a little bracket with a screw so I can keep button in or have it working normally

 

[Lenny HB]

I made a little bracket with a screw so I can keep button in or have it working normally

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Do you keep it nice and toasty?

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[WESTY66]

I made a little bracket with a screw so I can keep button in or have it working normally

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That’s brilliant!!!
Frost comes, button pops out forcing screw into toaster elements, which then short out, burst into flames and puts the button back in with the heat!!
Absolutely brilliant!!

 

[slowcoach65]

You can get a heating element for the dump valve to make it think it is warmer than it actually is....https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/truma-frost-control-element.252192/

 

[Ditcha]

Do you keep it nice and toasty?

That’s brilliant!!!
Frost comes, button pops out forcing screw into toaster elements, which then short out, burst into flames and puts the button back in with the heat!!
Absolutely brilliant!!

Now now boys the toaster was the mk1 method to keep the valve closed keeping it on low but what with the price of electricity I had to come up with something else.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Experimenting with household electrical gadgets, would the iron have been better? It would have given a more even temperature, and cost a lot less bread, .
Mike.

 

[Sapper520]

Would a mini hot water bottle do the trick? We’ve got one that takes about 500 mil of water so could just rest it next to the valve.

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[Figaro]

Just why ?
The frost valve won't open if the the vans in use and if it's not in use your hot water bottle will only be effective until it gone cold, about half an hour

 

[Sapper520]

Just why ?
The frost valve won't open if the the vans in use and if it's not in use your hot water bottle will only be effective until it gone cold, about half an hour

Yep. But when sleeping in the van (away in it for 5 nights over Christmas) we like fresh air with roof vents open. Even during this cold weather in the house we’ve got two windows open as we like lots of fresh air.

I’m guessing there’s potential for it to drop pretty cold, in the van, this time of year.

Strange maybe, but that’s how we sleep.

 

[Figaro]

You must be very hardy, lol.
If you have the boiler on for hot water in the evening, I'm sure the residual heat would be enough to keep the valve from opening overnight

 

[2x2camper]

You must be very hardy, lol.
If you have the boiler on for hot water in the evening, I'm sure the residual heat would be enough to keep the valve from opening overnight

We've had the dump value open during the night even though we have gone to bed with the water at its highest temperature. Heating and water were turned off overnight.

 

[VXman]

Set the heating to 7 degrees and it won't dump.

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[stevewagner]

I use a cable tie

 

[JockandRita]

How do I stop from dumping water in minus deg so I can fill tank

Heating on, but thermostat turned right down, which leaves power to the dump valve without heating the MH......................for those hardy souls amongst you. I'm obviously not one of them ,especially in these current temperatures.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Sapper520]

Heating on, but thermostat turned right down, which leaves power to the dump valve without heating the MH......................for those hardy souls amongst you. I'm obviously not one of them ,especially in these current temperatures.

Cheers,

Jock.

Power to the dump valve? Don’t think there is power to mine.

 

[JockandRita]

Power to the dump valve? Don’t think there is power to mine.

It may depend upon which dump valve is installed.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Figaro]

Power to the dump valve? Don’t think there is power to mine.

Strange, I thought they were powered permanently, whether your 12 volts was turned on or not ?

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[Sapper520]

Strange, I thought they were powered permanently, whether your 12 volts was turned on or not ?

It does say currentless…..

A. FrostControl

(Safety/drain valve with integral frost protection

FrostControl is a currentless safety/drain valve. When there is a danger of frost, it automatically drains the contents of the boiler through a drainage socket. If excessive pressure is present in the system, pressure will be automatically intermittently equalized through the pressure relief valve.

Figure 3

a = rotary switch position “On”

b = pushbutton position “Closed”

c = pushbutton position “Drain”

d = drainage socket (led outside through floor of vehicle)



Opening the safety/drain valve

– Turn the rotary switch by 180° until it engages, whereby the

pushbutton pops out (position c). The water from the boiler

drains through the drainage socket (d).

The FrostControl drainage socket (d) must be free of contamination

(slush, ice, leaves, etc.) at all times so the water can

drain out easily! No claims may be made under the warranty

for damage caused by frost.

Closing the safety/drain valve

– Check whether the rotary switch is set to “On” (position a),

i.e. parallel to the water connection and engaged.

– Close the safety/drain valve by pressing the pushbutton.

The pushbutton must engage in position (b) “closed”.

Only when the temperature at the safety/drain valve is above

approx. 7 °C can it be closed manually with the pushbutton

(position b) and the boiler filled.

Truma supplies a heating element (part no. 70070-01) as an

accessory, which is inserted into the FrostControl and fixed

in place with a retaining bracket. This heating element heats

the FrostControl to approx. 10 °C when the Combi is switched

on.This means that the boiler can be filled sooner, irrespective

of the temperature in the installation compartment.

 

[Figaro]

From looking at the helpful post from JockandRita it seems there are different types of valve, two powered and one possibly not powered

 

[eurajohn]

For the Truma type there are two, the older ones were electrically controlled / operated and could be held closed with a clothes peg or similar, the newer ones have no electrics and are not so easily kept closed.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

@Ditchas mechanical device is a brilliant answer to the problem for the newer mechanical dump valve, for my part though, I'd just be nervous about creating myself another, more expensive problem.
Mike.

 

[Dorwyn]

So, the mechanical valve is fitted on the water outlet as an option, so this must mean you can retro fit one if not already installed? My previous van had this option, new one hasn't.

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[Don Campbell]

Yep. But when sleeping in the van (away in it for 5 nights over Christmas) we like fresh air with roof vents open. Even during this cold weather in the house we’ve got two windows open as we like lots of fresh air.

I’m guessing there’s potential for it to drop pretty cold, in the van, this time of year.

Strange maybe, but that’s how we sleep.

I was a sapper too but now I've retired I've stopped sleeping in the cold. Others may not know what we're talking about. Sorry but can't help with the Truma problem because it's going to snap open if it's not in use. Not sure that holding the button in is the best idea since if water does freeze in the tank it will probably be damaged. Ring Truma and ask them as their technical guys are very helpful.

 

[Geordiewal n worlass]

My dump valve went tits up, so I replaced it with a manual drain valve. But, I religiously empty all my water after returning from a trip or if away in the winter and the forecast is below 5 degs, I will leave the water heater on low or the heating on, set low, better safe than sorry.

 

[Lenny HB]

So, the mechanical valve is fitted on the water outlet as an option, so this must mean you can retro fit one if not already installed? My previous van had this option, new one hasn't.

Continental vans it's a standard fitting UK vans it's optional.
You should be able to just replace the manual dump valve,, if there is a non return valve in line with the boiler it needs to be on the boiler side of the valve.

 

[Sapper520]

My dump valve went tits up, so I replaced it with a manual drain valve. But, I religiously empty all my water after returning from a trip or if away in the winter and the forecast is below 5 degs, I will leave the water heater on low or the heating on, set low, better safe than sorry.

Once we’re parked up, the heating will be left on low all the time, during the day.

 

[Cat53]

Just why ?
The frost valve won't open if the the vans in use and if it's not in use your hot water bottle will only be effective until it gone cold, about half an hour

We had this happen when we drove to Helmsley for a couple of nights on the Aire they used to provide. We went fully loaded knowing there were no facilities. Parked was setting up the heating and hot water, turning on the gas and filling the kettle. Heard this pouring water noise and so got out and checked round the van to find water pouring out. We lost half the tank thanks to the damn dump valve. After that we used a paper clip to keep the valve from operating when out and about! Worked perfectly. Always removed it when back home and parked up. Always drained down the system too.