Help! Advice needed on Symbol

We have just bought a 2000 Symbol, we have the book but I can't make sense of the systems. Anyone in Cornwall who could help? For instance, i can't find the water pump...and I don't know how to fill the heating bit....This is our first camper and I'm worried i will damage something. Do you just fill the water tank with a hose until it overflows? How do you find the waste tank? Help!

Water pump probably under a false floor of kitchen cupboard. Yes fill with hose until water comes out of holes on tank top and runs onto drive. To empty waste tank you should find a pipe with tap on end clipped to underside of a sill

...and the electric systems....if I run the fridge will it drain the van engine battery or just the leisure battery? Did Red Arcs exist in 2000? Does the heating just run on the gas or on electric too? I am a worrier, don't want to spoil it!

Fridge will only run on 12v when engine is running otherwise battery would be dead in no time, so run on gas or electric. Heating should run on gas or electric. If not on electric hook up the fan runs on battery and will flatten that in a few hours. No idea what Red Arcs is.

Waste pipe will be on drivers side, under sill. Fresh water drain tap in middle.

Relax and learn a little each time you use it. We were novices, with a bit of trial and error and excellent advice on this site we now know much more.
After first year even took out the carver unit and replaced it!!

I was in your situation when we bought our first van - 1999 Symbol. You really do have to just become familiar with all the features. Read the AS MANUAL. You can also download instructions for specific elements such as the fridge. Just search make and model of the particular item you are interested in. And yes, this forum is a fantastic aid as well. But most importantly - relax and enjoy!

thank you everyone! keep sending me advice!

The boiler water reservoir fills from the main water inlet. Remember the water tank takes about 9 litres, in addition to the amount you put in the main water tank. Do not let this run dry. Check water level using meter on the zig unit before using the water heater.
The water heater is drained from the outside. You will see a drain plug to the bottom left hand corner of the boiler vent plate. There is also a fast drain screw to the top left. This is all explained in the AS manual and / or you can download instructions from the web if you enter the water heater make and model. We are in North Devon if you are up our way would be happy to run through what we know.

As Paul says fill the cold/fresh water tank until it over flows, then, for sure, it's full.
With electrics on (there may be a separate water pump switch on the panel) turn on one of the cold taps.
Water should now appear at the tap, there may be some gurgling until any trapped air is removed. Let that run for a minute or so.
Assuming that works, now open one of the hot taps, you may hear the pump running (that'll also give you a clue where it is!) it'll take circa 9 litres to fill the water heater tank, so be patient.
Eventually there'll be water out of the hot tap, whilst being patient go outside and look under the van to see if water is coming out under the van. If so, the drain valve for the water heater will be open. You'll need your manual to see how to close it, not difficult but I don't know where yours is.
Once water is flowing out of the hot tap, then the system is ready to use, you can now power the water heater with no risks. You should also re-fill the water tank as quite a lot will have been lost doing the above.
Your fridge will only work with 12v or the battery symbol selected on its rotary switch when the engine is running, it is never connected to your battery.
While waiting for the water heater to heat the water, take the time to read your manual!!!

Hi 

As others have said you’ll get used to it in a while.  I bought my first Motorhome just over a year ago and it did take a while to make sense of it.

On my 2003 (ish) Symbol my water pump is in the locker under the drivers side sofa to the left of the room heater.  So lift the cushion and see if like me you have a hatch there that you can lift and get to it.

One thing I have realised is that Autosleeper seem to have varied where they put lots of things from van to van.

As I think Paul said the fan for the room heater does drain the leisure battery quickly, as I found out after a cold night.  So To avoid lots of driving to keep it topped up I installed a 100W solar panel and even in winter I can now leave the heating on overnight with no problems.  I’ve also installed LED lighting since the flouresant tubes equally ran the battery down.  Oh yes and a new and larger leisure battery (110amh) that ‘just’ fitted under the drivers seat made a big difference to me.

The fridge is still a bit of a mystery to me after a year!  I’ve found that all the 12v services on mine run off the vehicle battery including the ignition for the gas.

I’ve also found it best to turn on the water pump when filling so the water heater reserve tank fills as well as the fresh water tank.  

I always wish I’d just found another owner and got them to explain it all to me since there still remain some mysteries to me (such as the mains charger -fortunately don’t use it but equally would love to know it works.). 

So if anyone in the Exmouth area owns a pre 2006 Symbol And fancies a pint, chat and share I’d love that.

Rob

Well! Thank-you everyone! We filled our tank, also our water heater, heated some water, plugged into the mains...all that remains now is the fridge and the mysteries of the Thetford...
How can you shower in nine litres of water? The water heater seems to be an immersion heater not an instantaneous one...
Am still worried about the fridge....!
We are going to have a trial run tomorrow...fingers crossed!
Thank-you!

heater is immersion - does not take long to heat up

How can you shower in nine litres of water?  Well you will be mixing it with cold water not just using the hot tank. Use the method of wetting, stopping, lathering, rinsing off so you don't use a continual flow of water when you don't need to. Also get a shower head with a trigger so you instantly stop the flow without disturbing the tap settings.

Naval showers! Of course! had forgotten the technique, thank-you! I have waist length hair so washing it does take a lot of flow....I guess the answer is to choose a campsite with nice showers!
Thank-you everyone for being so helpful!

Okay, next daft question....our windscreen wipers are fairly hopeless, is it okay to just put longer ones on? You have to slump to see out of the little sweep at the moment...

You can put whatever size you like as long as they don't hit the screen surround or each other.

hippy-chick7 wrote:We have just bought a 2000 Symbol, we have the book but I can't make sense of the systems. Anyone in Cornwall who could help? For instance, i can't find the water pump...and I don't know how to fill the heating bit....This is our first camper and I'm worried i will damage something. Do you just fill the water tank with a hose until it overflows? How do you find the waste tank? Help!

Welcome to the forum. I bought my first van just over a year ago and this forum has been so helpful. Everything from filling the gas, water, running electrics, everything. 

Don’t be afraid to ask. Everyone is helpful and most don’t bite!

Sally
X

P.S. on board showering is a ‘technique’ that will come in time. Until then, ponytail