Water Heater not working help!

[TheIrishNomad]

Hi everyone,
I’ve been having an ongoing issue with the water heater in my van. I have a Propex water heater. I did not install this myself so I am reluctant to pull it out incase I break something or cause a gas leak.

I also have a switch for the water heater to turn on but this brand name is “MALAGA”. Does anyone have any idea what the problem may be.

I have leisure batteries supplied to the van. I’m not sure if they may not be strong enough for the water heater or there’s a different fault.

Everything in the van worked perfectly all last year. Very disappointing.

Would really appreciate any advice
Thank you.

 

[Robmac]

Hi everyone,
I’ve been having an ongoing issue with the water heater in my van. I have a Propex water heater. I did not install this myself so I am reluctant to pull it out incase I break something or cause a gas leak.

I also have a switch for the water heater to turn on but this brand name is “MALAGA”. Does anyone have any idea what the problem may be.

I have leisure batteries supplied to the van. I’m not sure if they may not be strong enough for the water heater or there’s a different fault.

Everything in the van worked perfectly all last year. Very disappointing.

Would really appreciate any advice
Thank you.

It's a Propex Malaga which runs on either Gas or 230V so not a lot to do with the strength of the leisure batteries (unless running via an inverter) so you need to have an inverter or be on EHU to run it on 230V or have your gas system connected and switched on to run on gas.

Judging by the picture you have it switched off of both at the moment. If you switch the switch marked 'Gas' on do you hear a clicking noise as it tries to light the burner?

 

[Robmac]

Is the light flashing? It actually could be a low voltage problem apparently. If the red light flashes can you count how many flashes it does at a time?

 

[Robmac]

I have the same water heater but can't find the manual at the moment, but here's what AI says about it;

AI Overview

Propex Malaga 4E water heater problems often involve fault codes indicated by flashing red LEDs on the control panel. Common issues include flame failure, gas supply problems, or electronic faults on the PCB. Faults can be related to low voltage, overheat lockouts, or issues with the ignition system.

Here's a breakdown of potential problems and troubleshooting steps:
Fault Codes and Troubleshooting:

• 6 flashes:
  Indicates a potential gas supply problem, faulty ignition, or PCB fault. Disconnect the valve from the PCB and apply 12V. If it doesn't work, replace the valve. Check for a sparking ignitor and a working solenoid.
  
  
• 3 flashes:
  Indicates low battery voltage. Ensure the battery voltage is above 11.5V.
  
  
• Overheat lockout:
  If the heater lights but then goes out, check the gas supply, PCB connections, and the position of the electrode in the flame.
  
  
• Clearing lockouts:
  Try turning the heater off and back on within 2.5 seconds to clear lockouts. If this doesn't work, check for a manual reset button on the overheat thermostat (often behind the front cover).
  

General Troubleshooting:

• Check gas and water supply: Ensure the gas bottle is not empty and the water pressure is adequate.
  
  
• Check electrical connections: Inspect wiring and connections, especially the connection between the PCB and the tank.
  
  
• Inspect the flue: Ensure the flue terminal is correctly fitted.
  
  
• Clean the heater: Regularly flush the heater with water and sterilize with a diluted sterilizing fluid if necessary.
  
  
• Reset the thermostat: If the fault code persists after checking other potential issues, try resetting the thermostat.
  

Additional Tips:

• Refer to the Propex manual for specific fault code information and troubleshooting steps.
  
  
• Contact Propex Heatsource or a qualified technician for assistance if you are unable to resolve the problem.

 

[alwaysared]

The manuals are available here

Regards,
Del

 

[Robmac]

Here's a blown up version of the fault finding for your model, with a more accurate version of the LED sequence faults to the AI ones listed in my earlier post;

https://propexheatsource.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Malaga-5-5e_issue-I.pdf

If you look at the wiring diagram you will see that there is a replaceable 2A fuse which you could check.

Have you changed a gas bottle recently maybe causing air in the system? I had this on mine once and had to reset the unit to clear the fault which is also explained in the manual (involves removing the front cover and pressing a button!)