In the handbook it advises regularly using the heater even in summer to keep it working well. I've not used the van much this year, let alone the heater. Friday night was a little chilly so I put the propex on and it would not light, but gave the five flashes fault code. I didn't have the manual with me, and it was late so into the sleeping bag and zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Once home I checked the manual for the fault - restricted combustion air,
so I checked the inlet and outlet pipes didn't have my wading plugs in, or any mud etc, in fact removed them, all clear, and even with the pipes off the thing would not light.
This morning I called Propex who were totally helpful and explained that there is a passive fan in the airstream with an optical sensor that checks that the fan is upto speed in that 6 second self check phase, before it checks the gas valve. and if the fan isn't spinning fast enough you get the fault code. Because of lack of use the bearing lubricant becomes settled and the fan doesn't spin up quickly enough.
The solution is simple, "do you have access to an airline " he asked. I had thought of that but didn't want to try it in case there was something in there that could be damaged...."it's fine just get a good stream of air blowing through" into the steel painted inlet and out of the stainless exhaust port with the propex switched off to impell the passive fan fully upto speed and redistribute the lube and then try it again.
Ran the compressor upto pressure and used an old sock to seal the airblower gun into the pipe and ran it for 30-40 seconds and after about twenty I noticed the fan noise change slightly. Tried to light it an hey presto it started first time.
These latest units have to have all the safety interlocks because of new EU legislation which makes them slightly more complex than the old ones but it's as simple a system as propex could design that works, hence the simple solution to fix it in the majority of circumstances.
So if you have a propex 2000 remember to run it up even in the summer just to ensure that when you really need it at Dubfreeze it works. And if you get the five flash fault and the pipes are clear then blow it through very thoroughly before deciding it's foobarred.
Now I wonder if the ebers have the same thing in them ?
