Plumbing advice needed.

RAH replied on 03/10/2022 09:00

RAH

Posted on 03/10/2022 09:00

Hi, we've been caravanners and CAMC members for about 10 years, but this is my first post here.

We have a 2002 Sterling Europa. It's generally in very good condition for it's age, but has an annoying issue with the plumbing that's slowly getting worse and I can't seem to resolve.

The problem we have is that water is somehow draining back from the bathroom hot tap, so that when it is turned on you get a coughing/spluttering of air escape before the water flows. If the water hasn't been used for a few hours then we sometimes get a similar, but much less, effect from the kitchen hot tap. It never affects the cold taps, so there is obviously an issue somewhere in the hot water system. The pump is a submersible in the outside water carrier so the system is only pressurised when taps are turned on.

Air is obviously leaking in to the system somewhere, but I cannot find where. So far I have checked the pipework and joints for leaks. I also swapped the internals of the bathroom taps for new ones (I couldn't find a full replacement tap anywhere so bought a similar Whale mixer and swapped the internals). They turn on much smoother now, but the problem is completely unchanged.

I have noticed there is a T piece on the hot water outlet from the tank that appears to be a pressure release valve, with a clear pipe leading outside the van. Is it possible that this is leaking? Wouldn't that affect the kitchen tap to the same extent?

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should be looking at?

13 replies

skodaman replied on 06/10/2022 18:41

Member

skodaman

Caravanner from West Yorkshire

Posted on 06/10/2022 18:41

If you have a TRUMA water inlet housing fitted with a blue cap to cover the filter unit it is more likely that the built in non return valve in the housing is allowing water to flow back into the aqua roll pulling air into the housing which causing the taps to splutter when first turned on I have had this happen twice to me best to fit a non return valve externally between thewater inlet and the first joint on the pipework It is not possible to repair the truma built in non return valve alternately you cold replace the complete housing unit at a cost of approx £66 as i have just had to do it takes about 25mins to do

hope this helps

RAH replied on 31/10/2022 13:42

Member

RAH

Posted on 31/10/2022 13:42

Thanks everyone for the advice. I changed the non-return valve and the problem is cured.

It wasn't quite as easy as I hoped, since there was a 10mm non-return valve fitted to the drain tap, and I could only find a 12mm replacement, meaning I had to juggle the pipework and connectors slightly to fit it, leading to a couple of seeping joints where I'd disturbed the existing pipework. I rejointed them with the addition of some plumber's jointing sealant and everything works now.