1988 Ford Transit 120 Autosleeper queries and manual

[Kedishen]

Ok so here pictureof my regulator. It is the 37mbar manual changeover with hose push fitting

http://www.ok.eclipse.co.uk/pictures/gaslow.jpg

Heres required kit for a complete system

http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/G ... tings.html
37mbar Single Regulator (Single Bottle)
[TWIN ONLY]37mbar Regulator - Manual Changeover (twin bottles)

http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/G ... ories.html
1x Steel Braided Hose - Regulator to Cylinder (steel) [2x if twin system]
CYLINDER No.1 - 6 OR 11kg
[TWIN ONLY] CYLINDER No.2 6kg OR 11kg
[TWIN ONLY] 600mm Connector hose
Filling Kit with 1.5m Hose (White or black)

Optional kit
1x 90degree bend
Euro Adaptor
French/Italian Adaptor
Euro/Spanish Adaptor

The 90 degree bend is for the filler attachment. It sticks up a good half foot above bottle and steel hoses dont flex alot. I think you will need one looking at your gas cupboard.

I find that I use the French/Italian adaptor the most, but have all 3.

If you can fit the 11kg bottle (same size as an 11kg calor without the carrying handles on top) go for it and get the 90deg bend.. Its the same price as the 6kg bottle and holds nearly twice as much.

2x 6kg hold 23litres
1x 11kg holds 21litres

Dont forget to have your printout with all the prices so you can get a lower price at local dealer.. and talk cash cus they can claim back VAT from their stock purchases.

Good luck

[Jimimitch]

Hiya Kedsshen, how is the weather in Portugal mate?

My gas compartment is not quite big enough for the 11kg -bugger it all, would have been nice to fit that one in there! With the rate that things are adding up, I will have to go with the single bottle option for starters. The plan is ring around a few places today and use the Hamilton gas quote as a benchmark.

I am also trying to source some tools etc. Do you happen to know if i need both imperial and metric for my van or will a metric set be enough?? How do i find that out?

your apprentice

Jimmy

[ake]

Transits are metric

[Jimimitch]

Thanks mate. This forum is the business! Cheers guys.

[Kedishen]

is it the height of the 11kg bottle of the width?

Remember the gaslow ones are not as tall cus they have no u shaped carry handle on top.

[Jimimitch]

Long time no talk, sorry about that guys.

Tying up all the loose ends at work took longer that thought and straight after finishing i had to head over to Amsterdam as my Visa had expired!!!!!!! Good times, ah well its all done now and now I am successfully back in the country with a tourist Visa and starting to do some long awaited work on my van!

Ok so i went with the 6kg bottle as the 11kg was about 100mm taller than my compartment, gutting but ok. I have bought a nice 70mm hole cutter and will be making a nice hole in the skirting on sunday (position yet to be confirmed based on your sound advice earlier). I will take a some pics of the process and let everyone have gawk.

Thanks for the heads up on how to handle the quote to mate, took the Hamilton's quote into the local place and the beat the price. Smooth moves, save me a 5hitload.

I am still on the hunt for few more instruction manuals though, anyone got an idea where to find: "Eastham Maxol BG21 Hob / Cooker", or the "Carver Traumatic SD200 gas heater"??? I cannot find anything on the Internet for it and i would like to source them before i head off (which is getting awfully close).

P.S for anyone else reading this book looking for a user manual for the Ford part of this autosleeper, i found a hard copy in pretty good nic and i have scanned it to P.D.F for anyone who wants a copy........Just let me know and i will send it to ya.

Kind regards

Jimmy

[Kedishen]

Take pictures of the control panels for the heater and gas fire components + the hob cooker etc and I can explain it for you.

[Jimimitch]

Hi Kedishen,

I have finally installed the gaslow refillable system and i am now taking the campervan on a test run around the UK before I head across the ditch. Thanks heaps for your guidance mate, I will post some pics later on if you are interested???? (dont have my camera on me at the moment whilst i abuse the free internet access at McDonalds).

I have managed to sort out the cooker, fridge and heater. However i am struggling with getting the boiler to produce water that is actually hot. Its a "Morco Eco Plus 6 litre" and I have downloaded the user manual, followed the instructions but only seem to be getting a luke warm temprature no matter what setting i adjust the boiler to. I have read a few different posts on boiler problems but it seems like there can be many possibilities, any idea on a process to isolate what could be causing my problem?

Your help is allays appreciated mate.

Kind regards

Jimmy

[Jimimitch]

Hiya mate, I also cannot make the toilet flush which is a bit of a bugger!!!

I think the toilet it a "thetford cassette toilet model number C2. Again i have read the manual and appear to be doing everthing as per the instructions, but the pump will not work. It does not even make a noise. Is there a fuse somewhere that could have blown? What process should i follow to isolate the problem here mate???

Thanks again

Jimmy

[Kedishen]

The C2 has a fuse inside the waste storage compartment. Pull out the cassette and there should be a 2amp fuse in there, should be pretty obvious where it goes when you look. Don't forget to carry spare fuses.

With the water boiler, I cannot find your exact model but the info I found for the 6 litre boilers shows that minimum pressure is 1bar (about 15psi). Have a look at the water pump and it should say the pressure on the side of it. If its a shurflo, i'd expect it to be 15/20psi for an autosleeper van.

I think what is happening is that you have a very low pressure system by modern standards and the pump is not keeping the system at at least 15psi / 1bar so the boiler is detecting the low pressure and cutting the heating out. The pumps are set by default to kick in at about half operating pressure, about 8-10psi. You can up the setting on the pump top, but you will kill your pump much more quickly and still wont solve the problem.

If it is pressure related, a better option is to install a Shurflo Accumulator. With these, you can pressurise the system at a constant PSI (and a slightly higher PSI if desired). I have one of these in my van and they work well to keep water pressure constant on my old shurflo 15psi pump. Still has the original water pump that came with van after 22 years so must be helping.

http://legacy.shurflo.com/pages/Food_Se ... tanks.html

To test, all I can guess at is to run the tap at a trickle and see if it heats up. (slower means higher pressure for longer)

Its unlikely to be a gas pressure problem as pilot light would fail to stay lit. Post a link to the manual for boiler.

Yup, post some pictures. Would like to see the gaslow installation and all the places you go.

[Kedishen]

Try this

Set the boiler to Normal operation (large gas flame) and set temp to the high.

Turn on the hot water tap closest to boiler.

The boiler should fire up and produce hot water

Keep an ear/eye at boiler to see if flame goes out at boiler as when water pump kicks in.

Set water temperature to warm.

Repeat above.

If at any point th flame goes out, it is the water pressure and you need to fit either a larger water pump, or fit an accumulator tank on the hot water pipe.

You boiler can handle up to 10bar which is like 145 bar... however your water pipes and old connectors will not. Best not to go higher than 30PSI IMO.

A Shurflo Trail King 10 is 30PSI and about 55quid from ebay.

An accumulator is 50quid from ebay.

Tbh, I would fit a 30PSI pump considering the cost and chances are your current pump is fairly old. If budget allows it get both, but pump seems a safer bet and is also a straight swap. Easy thing to do it find a local caravan shop that has one lying around and test fit it to see if it cures the luke warm water.

Or you could try upping the cut in pressure of your current pump... but do this at your own risk, any small leaks in system means you will have a pump that constantly cycles on and off and even the smallest amount of usage will cause pump to cut in. Keep in mind your pumps maxiumum pressure is barely equal to the minimum pressure of boiler.

Also, unless I have been looking at the wrong boiler, you boiler is not "fit" for use in "mobile platforms" as the website says and is meant for static caravan use only, but tbh... as long as you aren't using it whilst driving about then you should be fine...

[Jimimitch]

Ok so i pulled out the pump today and adjusted what i figure is the pump pressure adjustment screw on the back of it.

It has certainly lifted the temperature of the water flowing through the taps and think it might have even solved the problem. But i will confirm this tomorrow when i fire it up again. I did not get the chance to read your post before doing this (limited access to net) so will have a look at the type of pump that has been installed and will see what the flow rate is.

I did notice the flames went out when the pump cut in and out a few times, so you might be onto something there. In fact drastic change in water flow ie when turning the taps off quickly it would quite often cut out. Do these things have a safety mechanism for gas leakage??

I am not sure i fully understand the complications of my actions with adjusting the pumps pressure setting or flow rate. Could you enlighten me?

Thanks a lot, for the advice you dont know how much you have helped me out with getting this van in shape!!!!!!

Lydia and I would love to buy you a beverage and say thanks in person sometime????

[Kedishen]

Sure, gimme a shout when you are on the Algarve in Portugal.

I am also not entirely sure of the shut off dials operations.

The repair book describes it as following:

Restrictions in a plumbing system may cause the pump to rapid cycle (ON/OFF
within 2 sec.) during low flow demands. Cycling should be minimized to prevent
pulsating flow. and to achieve maximum pump life.
To determine if adjustment is necessary, turn tap on to lower than average flow of
water. The pump should cycle, but its “OFF time” must be 2 sec. or longer. If the
cycling is correct, leave well enough alone. If the pump is cycling rapidly increase
the setting by turning the screw clockwise (1 1/2 turn MAX.) until the pump operates
for 1 sec. with at least 2 sec. “OFF time”. If cycling cannot be minimized consider
removing plumbing restrictions or simply install a Shurflo Accumulator.

[Jimimitch]

Ok Mate I am still having some issues with the boiler. Looked at the pump and it appears to be a new Shurflow Trail King 7, with a PSI setting of 20. I cranked up the screw to the highest setting but it has not lifted the temperature enough and I don't really want to leave it there if it could burn out!!

The pump does do a bit of rapid cycling, but I'm not sure if it's a problem? Not sure where to go to from here mate, from the manufactures instructions it looks like 20 PSI pump meets the min requirements for water pressure, -but there is a large min to max range. I think I will give Morco a buzz tomorrow see what they recommend from here, any thoughts?

[Kedishen]

All I can suggest is make sure you have it on the max setting rather than economy mode and test a higher pressure pump.

You should turn the screw back on the pump to stop it rapid cycling as described above.