AJSIL Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 We experienced a very cold night in the Spainish mountains.Heating packed in,everything froze and now we have water coming out of the bottom of the van when we use the pump.ie turn on a tap. Our van is a ten year old Autosleeper Symbol and I can not locate the source of the leak. Everything seems to be hidden under the carpet or behind the walls. Any suggestions how I can find the leak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 try and find the pump and associated pipe work it may just need a push....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Hi AJSILFrom your description, I assume your Pump is running.You don't say which area the water appears to be coming from.Is your water tank internal ? Is the Tank leaking ? The water pipes will normally expand when frozen, before bursting & it is generally the joints that fail first. So trace the Pipe(s) from the Tank, inspecting each joint. Then Pump outlet to Tap inlet joints. Then as Eddie says, it could just be a good push on a joint will solve your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJSIL Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 Hi Flicka Thanks for your helpful reply. The carpet gets wet between the sink area and the toilet area when the pump is running and water gushes from the bottom of the van floor at the rear.The tank is external and appears to be water tight. I will now try to locate the pump and trace the pipes back from there. Thanks again Cheersajsil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 It might help a bit if you could clarify your initial post. You say "we have water coming out of the bottom of the van when we use the pump.ie turn on a tap." Things may have changed, but in all the A/S vans I had, the pump was pressure operated, not microswitched. If so, turning on the tap shouldn't have much effect on any leak (unless perhaps, very local to the tap itself), as the whole system will already be pressurised by the pump (if it is switched on). So, is the leak there with the water pump switched on, but without opening the taps (in which case, all the previous advice applies), or does it only happen when you switch the tap on (in which case, I would be looking at the body of the tap, to see if it had split somewhere). Typically, a "burst" will appear in a rigid plastic part, which has not been able to flex as the water in it freezes and expand, or, as has been mentioned, in a push-fit joint that will back-off as a result of similar pressure. I would first try to find your pump, and check the plastic inlet/outlet spurs, and the integral plastic filter mounting, then check the joins to each tap (and the tap body), including those in the shower room (the latter may be difficult to get at). I suspect that you also have a pressurised feed to the toilet flush, which should also be checked. (On an earlier version of the Symphony I had a major leak from here caused not by frost, but a failed plastic elbow on the feed). If all this fails to find a leak, then you're into tracing the pipework, checking the joins and for any splits. I doubt there is much below the carpet, but certainly there will be runs behind the cabinetwork. From experience, I know that the loop-pile carpet used in many Autosleepers soaks-up and conveys water well-away from the original leak, and this may confuse any attempt at location. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJSIL Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 Hi Robinhood Thanks for all your suggestions.As you have probably sussed I am new to all this motorcaravaning and forum lark. I have now located the pump and to-morrow I'll check everything you suggest and then try to follow the pipe runs if nescesary. cheers ajsil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Good luck. Whilst its a pain, most of it is common sense. ....and I forgot to mention the water heater - check the connections to that as well. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJSIL Posted February 20, 2011 Author Share Posted February 20, 2011 I have now found the pump and inspected all the joints except thoes in the toilet/shower unit. This looks very difficult. Does anyone know how to access these joints? Any advice would be appreciated. cheers ajsil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 This would be my first port of call, the owners club... http://www.asoc.fsnet.co.uk/ Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Martyn's suggestion is excellent. I think you have the tip-up basin, and on some of these the basin itself is removable if you do it carefully, which may give access to the pipework, BUT, I wouldn't want to try without advice from someone who is familiar with the particular model. If this isn't the case, then the unit may have to come away from the wall (and I've no doubt it is screwed and sealed :-( ) I wouldn't try any of the above without taking advice, and ASOC is a good source. I also wouldn't try it until I was sure I had absolutely eliminated all other sources that don't require major dismantling. Some 'vans have had access to this pipework through a panel in the reverse of the wall behind the unit, but I don't think A/S ever did this. I assume you've checked everything with the pump running - many splits can be invisible if not under pressure. If you can't get round quickly whilst the pump is on, then its a two person job, one looking, and one turning the pump on and off. One further, improbable but still worth checking, thing is that tip-up basins have been known to leak or overflow from the waste pipe, through breakage or blockage. It's worthwhile filling the basin and then draining it to see if that is the problem. Can't offer much more help remotely, I'm afraid - it's a matter of local serial detective work. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squip Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 I may be able to help as I too have a Symbol. Mine is 7 years old so may well be similar to yours. To access the pipes in the shower room you need to remove the plywood panel at the rear of the bathroom which you can easily access by opening the n/s rear door. It is very easy to remove the panel needing only a pozidrive screwdriver. Once inside you will see the red and blue water pipes going to the wash basin taps. There are also some pipe joints which you may not have found behind the fridge. These are very easy to access by removing the lower of the two fridge vents on the outside of the 'van. Again pozidrive screwdriver. Once the vent is removed you can see in the void red and blue pipes and there are some push fit joints there where the cold water splits to serve the sink and the bathroom. Have you found the hot water heater? There are joints there also. The heater should be under the main seat probably towards the cooker end. There is also a dump valve [with a yellow knob] associated with the heater but my van does not [i think] automatically dump the water if the temperature is very low as some models do. Check that this valve is shut [yellow handle horizontal not vertical]. Can you give an idea of whereabouts in the van the leak is coming from? Near side, off side, middle or rear? If I may be allowed to mention it there is a new forum just started this month for Auto-Sleeper owners. This may be of some help to you in the future. http://autosleeper.forumotion.co.uk/ I hope that you are able to solve your problems. squip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squip Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 One further piece of advice [apologies if I am teaching grandmother to suck eggs] is to disconnect the mains hook-up lead whilst you are rummaging around near the water heater or the rear of the fridge. squip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 AJSIL - 2011-02-20 5:19 PM I have now found the pump and inspected all the joints except thoes in the toilet/shower unit. This looks very difficult. Does anyone know how to access these joints? Any advice would be appreciated. cheers ajsil The wood panel at the rear of the sink wall may be removed it is ffixed with screws under the brown caps this will help you with the sink / shower connections you could even blank of the shower from here if required to gain access to the shower pipes will be difficult. where is the carpet wet and where does the water leak under the van ? Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJSIL Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 Hi The advice about taking the panel off at the back has done the trick. I have located the problem. Re-connected the offending pipe and it's all systems go. Many thanks again to all of you for your help in this matter. Cheers ajsil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 AJSIL - 2011-02-21 5:14 PM Hi The advice about taking the panel off at the back has done the trick. I have located the problem. Re-connected the offending pipe and it's all systems go. Many thanks again to all of you for your help in this matter. Cheers ajsil Good news! I'm sure everyone's please and all were happy to be able to help. :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Well done! Whilst at it,would it perhaps be worth slipping some insulation over those pipes?..as they may be getting chilled from the rear doors(..having said that,if that was the case I suppose it'd be the cavity in the rear doors that would need insulating though.. :$ ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmold Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 This is what is great about forums such as this - you learn something new even if you don't need it now, there may be a time you do. I didn't know about removing the rear panel and now I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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