Couple of Gotchas: Innomax bed and Truma heater

[vlamgat]

Trying to make this searchable JIC someone else stumbles:

1) The Innomax bed stopped responding to its remote control. Both the red and green numeral panel was flashing on the Left and the red light was on at the Right. Problem turned out to be the the Ethernet connectors to the pump. The pump is installed in the mattress at the end, center and the ethernet cables run all the way from the remotes through purpose stitched holes at the head down to the pump at the foot. There is strain relief built into the pump but its not robust and the cables can be dislodged from their connectors. The pump is accessed by a zipper that runs from half way down one side across the foot and all the way around. So its easy to check cables and hoses.

2) Turned on the water pump ahead of a trip, to find water coming out of the bottom of the water filter on the Truma. WTF - its not Winter yet?! removed the filter, drained the water heater tank, checked that there was no dirt on the barrel or the filter o-rings and replace. Less water but still leaking. Replaced the filter with my back-up and leak stopped. Seems the o-rings are not robust/good fit/manufacture variance - who knows? Solution is to carry spare o-rings (available from Truma) or a spare filter. They advise you cannot use any grease, silicone or otherwise because the hot water just melts it so it has to be an interference fit. They might honor a warranty but without your own replacement you may be without hot water for 2 or 3 weeks.

[bclemens]

I found that higher pressure will sneak past the o-ring as well. On the pump, I would not normally see that, but I know the pressure is somewhat adjustable. If you have not adjusted that...then it would be unlikely, but worth mentioning.

[Bill Davis]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I found that higher pressure will sneak past the o-ring as well. On the pump, I would not normally see that, but I know the pressure is somewhat adjustable. If you have not adjusted that...then it would be unlikely, but worth mentioning.

The o ring could have been tweaked the last time it was connected to city water.

[vlamgat]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I found that higher pressure will sneak past the o-ring as well. On the pump, I would not normally see that, but I know the pressure is somewhat adjustable. If you have not adjusted that...then it would be unlikely, but worth mentioning.

I have not touched the pump so its as installed BUT, I did remove the in line WaterPur KW1FLTR completely which may have increased pressure slightly. However after doing so, I used the water heater continuously for 2 weeks with no leakage issue before parking it for 2 weeks.

In addition, when I replaced the Truma water filter with my spare, the problem ceased. I noticed that the o-rings on the leaking unit were a little looser than on the spare, as if they were oversized. I have not removed that filter since it was installed with the new plastic tank after the Texas freeze so that variable has been in the mix since commissioning.

Very strange!

[vlamgat]

Originally Posted by Bill Davis

The o ring could have been tweaked the last time it was connected to city water.

There are 2 o-rings so I am not sure how they both could have been "tweaked"? The last connect to City Water was to fill the tank before my last trip and there were no issues during that 2 week event with daily use. In addition I boon docked the entire 2 weeks so only used the pump so no over pressure issue. I use a regulator for City Water and tank fills.

So dont think there was a tweak. My suspicions lie with the quality of the o-rings. Chinese for sure and I suspect that somehow they got stretched during the original install and there being 2, they jointly resisted the water pressure until this week. With no grease to ease the insertion and a very tight interference fit, any elasticity in the o-ring is going to cause it to distort. This is possibly why the leak was so much less when I replaced the original and pressured the system a second time. I had eased the filter into its locked position as opposed to rapidly closing the yellow lock/spout.

Just a theory.

[Bill Davis]

Originally Posted by vlamgat

There are 2 o-rings so I am not sure how they both could have been "tweaked"? The last connect to City Water was to fill the tank before my last trip and there were no issues during that 2 week event with daily use. In addition I boon docked the entire 2 weeks so only used the pump so no over pressure issue. I use a regulator for City Water and tank fills.

So dont think there was a tweak. My suspicions lie with the quality of the o-rings. Chinese for sure and I suspect that somehow they got stretched during the original install and there being 2, they jointly resisted the water pressure until this week. With no grease to ease the insertion and a very tight interference fit, any elasticity in the o-ring is going to cause it to distort. This is possibly why the leak was so much less when I replaced the original and pressured the system a second time. I had eased the filter into its locked position as opposed to rapidly closing the yellow lock/spout.

Just a theory.

I always wet the o rings with water when installing it.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by vlamgat

I have not touched the pump so its as installed BUT, I did remove the in line WaterPur KW1FLTR completely which may have increased pressure slightly. However after doing so, I used the water heater continuously for 2 weeks with no leakage issue before parking it for 2 weeks.

No. Removing the filter will not change the pressure, although it could increase the flow. Consider the static case: all taps off, no water flowing. The pressure is EXACTLY the same on both sides of the filter.