Blanking Plug for Carver Hot water tank

Anyone with one of these will recognise it and know what it's for;

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It's a blanking plug which fits inside the drain hole of Carver heaters in order to by-pass the hot water tank during winter thereby avoiding the possibility of it freezing up. It's the sort of useful item which should never ever leave your van.......because it will easily get lost!

At one time every Autosleeper used to come with one of these but A/S stopped dishing them out a few years back and no longer stock them. I have managed to persuade a small local engineering company to make me one to the exact same 'spec' as an original (borrowed from a friend who had one with his van).

If there is enough interest, this company will do a short run of plugs. No idea of cost as yet but would be dependent upon customer interest.

If you have no luck, give me the specs & I will turn a load up from nylon ( wont rust ) & anyone can have them for free

put me down for one if you make them modelman
vwt4
mike

Should I swap my allegiance from the other thread to this one?

Frank

modelman wrote:

If you have no luck, give me the specs & I will turn a load up from nylon ( wont rust ) & anyone can have them for free

Where were you 'hiding' when I was after one over a year ago?!!!

Get that lathe running and turn 'em out! Oh.....and mine won't rust either. It's aluminium and also cost me nowt.

Actually your post prompted me to dig back on the forum as I posted in May last year asking if anyone had one kicking around, A/S actually could still supply.......but they were eleven quid a piece. Be more now with inflation!

I'd love to get my hands on one of these, if someone could PM me or tell me who to contact. I'll give a few quid for the part.

Just noticed this post, a couple of years back I fitted an in line isolater tap to the
carver tank feeder pipe on my Executive for the same purpose.
I access this through the small hatch under the bench seat.

Hi MM.

I can measure mine that came with the Exec and send you the measurements if you want. Ive got a vernier gauge somewhere.

Cheers. Whisky.

whisky wrote:Hi MM.

I can measure mine that came with the Exec and send you the measurements if you want. Ive got a vernier gauge somewhere.

Cheers. Whisky.

That will do nicely sir, thank you.

Vernier gauge, that wun of them lightweight adjustable spanners innit??

modelman wrote:

whisky wrote:Hi MM.

I can measure mine that came with the Exec and send you the measurements if you want. Ive got a vernier gauge somewhere.

Cheers. Whisky.

That will do nicely sir, thank you.

Vernier gauge, that wun of them lightweight adjustable spanners innit??

... and coming from Barnsley you'll well appreciate an "NCB Screwdriver" (aka "ball-pein hammer")!

Best regards,

Ian

Sorry dutto, but I happen to be a 'suvverner', i'm up this way due to a long & complicated storey & have travelled around a fair bit:smile!:

Born & lived in Gt Yarmouth unil I was about 10, can vividly remember crossing the river (short-cut to the beach) by jumping from drifter-

to drifter, ( hundreds of them ) only the odd supply ship nowadays.

Hi MM.

This is my heater plug.Its made out of aluminium.
This is the revised installation supplied by AS in 2004.

Cheers. Whisky.

hi all,

i had no idea there was such a plug - my w reg symbol didn't have one when i bought it in january

can you put me down for one please modelman.

please let me know p&p cost and i'll send it to you.

many thanks

tc

Many thanks to whisky who sent me the dimension details.


Ok, just knocked this up:

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Didn't have any alloy-bar near enough size-wise, so turned this up from a lump of tuflol rod, I ASSUME this is how it goes, fits into the drain-plug

ok, so I take it the whole lot is simply re-fitted & left in situ, yes?????

I'll order up a length of alloy & knock a few out should anyone want some.

Hi MM.

Thats exactly how it goes. Such a simple item. How the hell can they charge 11 quid for it?

Whisky.

modelman wrote: I'll order up a length of alloy & knock a few out should anyone want some.

You can put me down for one please.

Frank

Don't forget me please
mike
vwt4

MM,
Can I have one too, please.

MM - I would like one as well if possible.
If you let me know cost & P&P.
Drained my system down today,I have had the van for six years and never knew there was such an "item".
Did have a leak from the heater a couple of years ago but fortunately it was only the cold water inlet tube that had split.

Groper

modelman wrote:
Ok, just knocked this up:

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Didn't have any alloy-bar near enough size-wise, so turned this up from a lump of tuflol rod, I ASSUME this is how it goes, fits into the drain-plug

ok, so I take it the whole lot is simply re-fitted & left in situ, yes?????

Good work MM......keep it up 'n keep that lathe turning!

That's how it fits (as in photo) but it's only used during winter months. You don't need it in during summer.....unless you don't want hot water of course! Needless to say another thing which needs pointing out, once the plug is in it stops water going to the hot water tank so under no circumstances switch the heater on otherwise you face a hefty repair bill!!

Right, knocked out half a dozen from acetal-bar, this is great stuff as water is its natural lubricant, we make water-bearings from it, so no

furring or corrosion!!

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PM me addresses for those that want them & i'll get them off, I can easily make more if required.

This threads quite old now, but wondering if anyone knew a source for these isolating plugs?
I did pm you mm, but maybe I went into your spam box   

I just called A-S and they basically said they don't supply them anymore.

OK, found it, will go up the 'mancave' & see if there's any more material, if not, I'll get some in, will post again when there's something.

Great, I think you're the last source for these plugs now.

Let me know costs and I'll gladly pay the going rate.

John.

Just an update, I wrote to Truma regarding these "plugs" and they gave this answer:

Unfortunately this was a part that was specialist to the Autosleeper vans and we have not had any on stock for a long time. You may be able to source one through a breakers yard or maybe online through places like EBay.

Looks like a dead-end from A-S, and now Truma.