Carver Cascade 2 GE on Ford Duetto

Cn some one please help me out here and advice me on this problem. I have no hot water coming from any of my taps after i drained down last year, all micro switches are operating on the taps and i get water from the cold taps with no problem, when i turn on the hot taps i get a gurgling sound and thats about it, i opened the drain valve and the water was hot i opened the hot taps and pushed my hosepipe in to clear the system but no water came out, i have looked at many forums and went to my local caravan shop who informed me as i suspected that i possibly have a defective Non Return Valve, how to i get to this to replace the valve? I cannot get in from the access panel in the van as it is to tight, is it a case of removing the outside housing and pulling the heater out, this is my first van and i dont want to be doing something without seeking guidance first.
Thanks in Advance

The only non-return valve that I know about on the Carver is on the cold water supply. I had to replace mine a couple of years ago.
And yes! you'll have to access it from the outside.

I've sent you a PM.
Frank

There is indeed another non-return valve, which is prone to sticking closed. My dealer told me about it when I had your symptoms. To cure it, do this:

Switch off the 12v system so as to prevent the pump from running. On outside of van, unscrew the Carver drain plug; allow water it drain out (releasing the bleed valve which is on above the drain hole at the top of the unit, by turning the bleed valve a quarter turn with a screwsriver.) When water has drained, get a long screwdriver and gingerly push it into the drain hole, doing so straight, not at an angle. It will go in quite a distance (the length of the winterising rod) and should then meet resitance (from the flap of the non-return valve). Have courage, and push the screwdriver until the flap gives way and hinges open inwards.

Then refill the unit (being ultra careful not to pinch the rubber O-ring on the drain cap or you'll have a drip thereafter.)
Then switch on the 12v system, and run the pump which will pump water from the cold water tank into the Carver heater tank. As this progresses, release the bleed valve to let out the compressed air, closing it when the Carver is full.

When pump stops, Carver should be full. Switch on the water heater (immersion on mains or gas). Allow time for water to be heated. Try the hot taps (there will be big spluttering to start as airlocks clear).

Fingers crossed!

Cymro wrote:There is indeed another non-return valve,

Nope! it's the same one, and it's a spring loaded ball, not a flap.
Guess who's had his apart?

Frank

Ooops! Didn't mean to teach egg-sucking! But I couldn't tell that from your post (though wondered what you'd said in the pm).

Anyway, my instructions may help others.
Cymro

This problem appears regularly on the pre-loved forum, the latest one (scroll to the end of the page) confirms the above suggestions..

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Cymro wrote:Ooops! Didn't mean to teach egg-sucking! But I couldn't tell that from your post (though wondered what you'd said in the pm).

Anyway, my instructions may help others.
Cymro

No! I'm not suggesting for a minute that you were, and it's possible that your method is the solution.
What threw me was that topthumb said that there was hot water in the heater, if the non-return valve on the inlet had stuck shut, then I would have thought that the heater would be empty? and I don't know of any other non-return valve on the system.

The PM was a link to another forum with a lot of Carver Problem posts. I didn't think it courteous to post links to other forums on the board.

Frank

Totally agreed!
Cymro

I think you will find links to other forums are allowed , especially if they are not in competition with this one and are of benefit to other members.

Extracted from 'forum posting rules'...

''Do not link to any site that contains adult content, sexually oriented material or might otherwise be considered offensive.
Any post containing inappropriate links will be deleted and the poster will receive a ban.

DO NOT create posts that refer members to other websites for the purpose of either "Self Promotion" or "Profit" without express
permission of the Administrator of this site''

If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will tell me.

I had not read your post when I said that Paul so please do not think it was directed at you.
It is just my personal opinion.
It was the same link BTW

VBR
Frank

DON'T DO IT IF THE WATER IS HOT (you will scald your mouth if it works!) - but just sucking on a hose attached to the hot water tap, when the pump is running, can often get it flowing again!

Best regards,