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Subject Topic: Lunar Solar water heater Post Reply Post New Topic
06/10/2013 at 11:37am
 Location: Grantham
 Outfit: Lunar solar 524
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Hi All hoping for some basic help. I've just bought my first caravan a 1999 Lunar Solar 524. Had a few niggling things to fix like replacing the freezer compartment door hinges but managed that ok. Found the gas taps for the frige and cooker and gas fire and water heater although I use electric for the fridge. Have an awning fitted so dont want any fumes in the awning. Heating,Fridge and cooker working fine.I've got no manual so it's a bit of a learning curve at the moment. Qestions - apologies for the simple questions but we really are very new to caravans. Tried to get the hot water working. I switched the heater on in the console above the fire. Waited a while and the water out the tap got hot but then after a few seconds or so changed from running to a dribble and the red light labelled "pump" on the console flashes on and off. The water out the hot taps runs fine as cold water with the heater switched off. Is there something I'm not doing right? I told you I was green, but is thit switch on the consol for electric water heater or gas. There is also a switch on the bottom bunk bed which is not labelled. Is this for the shower only or does it also control the electric side of the water heater.

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Steve W


06/10/2013 at 12:46pm
 Location: S Yorks
 Outfit: Outlander GX3 + Challenger 490 SE
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Our Swift has a switch for the electric water heater below one of the front bench seats. It usually has red neon light. Obviously its only available when the van is connected to the 240v AC mains.

Our Gas water heater option is in with all of the other switches and circuit breakers located at the top of the control panel above the "pump" switch and red LED pump indicator

Usually the first thing to connect is the water supply outside from our Water hog. The external pump is powered on a pressure differential basis. So when the pump switch (mentioned above) is turned on the pump will run until the system is full (all taps off) Then it should stop and the red "pump" led will go out.

The hot water tank is filled at the same time.

NOW you can turn on the electric water heater OR the gas heater. Never tried both at once. If using gas then obviously make sure the gas regulator is opened on your gas tank.  The Gas heater takes a few seconds to start on ours and it is automatic. If you haven't used it for a while, then it may come up with a fault light. turn it off wait a minute and try again (the gas does take a while to prime the system)

Wait about half an hour and try the hot water.

 



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06/10/2013 at 4:09pm
 Location: Hants
 Outfit: Fleetwood Heritage 640 EB & ML270
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You are bleeding the air out of the system by running the furthest tap from the pump (washroom basin hot tap first, then the other hot taps, as this will fill the hot tank then the cold taps), until there are no air bubbles? No water running outside?

The switch on the dinette bunk base is the water heater electric control.

We had a Solar 524 and loved it.


06/10/2013 at 4:30pm
 Location: Grantham
 Outfit: Lunar solar 524
View Steve W52's Profile View Profile   Reply to Steve W52 Reply   Quote Steve W52 Quote  
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Thanks AlanGlynSmith. From your answer then I'm guessing the heater switch on the console is for the gas and the rocker switch (same as light switch) on the bottom bunk bed board is for the electric side of the water heater. The gas ignition must be automatic because the water got hot just very little water flowed out the tap before it reduced to a trickle and stopped. If I dont switch the gas water heater on then cold water flows out both hot and cold taps no problem. Opening the gas valve on the bottle along with the isolating valves next to the cooker/fridge is normally the first thing I do when I arrive to get the cooker and gas fire working. They both work faultlesly. I'm guessing the external pump in the water barrel is ok because cold tap works fine. My caravan is sited permanently on the site so next time i go Ive bought a new water filter to try because it does say they need changing every 35 days of use and I dont know how long it's been in. I havent had the caravan a month yet.

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Steve W


06/10/2013 at 4:47pm
 Location: Grantham
 Outfit: Lunar solar 524
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Thanks Al+Mel. Yeh I bled the system by opening the taps. Theyve been running a while because the first thing I did was run a barrel of water + miltons through because I didnt know how long it had been since the caravan was last used. What I have noticed is the cold tap in the kitchen does not run quite as smoothly as the cold tap in the bathroom. It tends to flow intermitently sort of fast followed by not quite as fast in short bursts if you follow me. Like you, I love the caravan and intend going every chance I get. Not sure of it's history because I bought it off the caravan site owner who was selling it for someone else but for a 13 year old caravan it looks very very clean and tidy on the inside, obviously been looked after. The cupboards look too cleen for it's age unless it's had a refit.

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Steve W


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06/10/2013 at 5:59pm
 Location: Lancaster
 Outfit: Landcruiser & Avondale Mayfair 510-5L
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Does your van have one pressure switch for controlling water flow (usually near where the water piping enters the van) or does each tap make its own 'click' when opened?

The diagnosis is different for the two.

Chances are its a pressure switch, and the pulsing & funny flow is because its may need tweaking a little bit.

I cant remember which way round, but from memory, the thumbwheel is to be screwed fully down which will cause the pump to be on with the taps closed, and unscrew slowly until the pump switches off. I am sure someone will correct if this is back to front.


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Regards
Chris
Caravanning for 22 years
1997 Toyota Land Cruiser 3.0TD & 2004 Avondale Mayfair 510-5L
Previous towcars:
2002 Nissan Primera - sold
2002 Ford Galaxy - Died & scrapped. Good riddance.
1998 BMW 525TDS SE - PEx
1998 VW Passat SE - Crashed into & scrapped
1997 Peugeot 406 GLX - PEx


06/10/2013 at 7:10pm
 Location: Hants
 Outfit: Fleetwood Heritage 640 EB & ML270
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It does have a pressure switch and that is well worth a go!


06/10/2013 at 8:41pm
 Location: Grantham
 Outfit: Lunar solar 524
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Thanks ChrisPolly+Oscar and Al+Mel. I'll have a look next time I'm at the site. When I was there the last few days I did look under the bottom bunk bed and saw the hot water tank. on the left hand side of the tank was the two gas taps for the gas fire and water heater, and on the right hand side Next to the tank was what looked like could be a valve of some kind white in colour. Didn't really notice if it had adjustment or not. Could this be the pressure switch. I'll google pressure switch and see if I see anything I recognise. Many Thanks all

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Steve W


06/10/2013 at 8:47pm
 Location: Hants
 Outfit: Fleetwood Heritage 640 EB & ML270
View Al+Mel's Profile View Profile   Reply to Al+Mel Reply   Quote Al+Mel Quote  
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That's the pressure switch!


06/10/2013 at 9:01pm
 Location: Grantham
 Outfit: Lunar solar 524
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Thanks Al+Mel, just found another post on here from August titled "Water Pressure switch" and there was a photo of the white coloured pressure switch similar to what's next to my water tank. Can't remember seeing the electrical wires going to it but then I didn't look that closely.

Again, many thanks everyone for all the help.

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Steve W



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