Schoolboy error = burned out Truma Ultrastore heating element?

[MH04RMV]

Hi Everyone,
I think I may have made a schoolboy error...
I'd left the hot water (gas) turned on yesterday while having some work done on the MoHo, and today the hot water isn't hot (resulting in a refreshing cold shower) and the control dial is showing the usual green and (new) red light when I turned off and on again.
I think I can hear a slight "pop" from the garage/boiler area when the red light comes on (ears could be playing tricks on me though!).

There is gas available, as hob rings work no problem.

So...is it likely I have burned out the heating element due to not running any water through the system for that period of time?

Cheers,
Rich.

 

[Landy Andy]

No I don’t think you can damage the gas burner by leaving it on. It would have heated the water to the required temp then stopped the gas, until the water temp dropped enough for it to relight.

I would think it’s possibly a gummed up gas regulator which is a fairly common problem, especially if a Truma unit is fitted.

 

[Bessy765]

There is a possibility that it will have tripped the high temp stat but usually they can run on heating without water and its the same elements.

 

[Lenny HB]

Doubt if you have done any perminant damage.
I managed to run my C6 Combi for several hours with hot water on & no water in the boiler it survived.

 

[Cush]

The electric to your ultra store wasn’t turned on too was it? Or to your ultra heat. That might account from the 850 watts used from your power bank in your other post. Just a thought 2 and 2 making 5!

you might get the dual red and green if you leave the cowl cover on or are out of gas. You might have still got warm water if you had it also set to run of ehu. running of ehu would drain your eco bank

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[Nanniemate]

Have you got the anc button on without the gas will not fire up , ask me how I know , cold showers no fun if unexpected

 

[MH04RMV]

Thanks Everyone for your replies/suggestions...having just returned home and taken another look, I'm afraid the error is indeed a schoolboy one...as Cush noted, I forgot to take the cover off of the exhaust port for the boiler!!!
Just tried it again now, and it works perfectly.
*hangs head in embarrassed shame*

Luckily, we didn't get gassed and the cover didn't end up over the other side of the pitch with a "poof" of smoke...though how it managed to heat the water for the first day without any issues remains a mystery...

One to chalk up to experience!

Cheers,
Rich.

 

[Landy Andy]

Nice and easy job to sort

 

[Cush]

Never feel that way. I understand there is a sensor that means the “poof” doesn’t happen. We have all been there, trust me. I’m sure you will pay it forward some day.

I would bet money that the electric heating switch was on, though not a vast amount of money!

I have a similar aged Cheyenne if I can ever be of any help. You are welcome to message me.
enjoy the journey,
Cush

 

[MH04RMV]

Hi Cush,
Thank you...if I ever get to the stage of knowing something others might find useful, I'll certainly do so.

Ummmm..."I would bet money that the electric heating switch was on"...sorry, I'll have to relieve you of the paltry sum you've put up as a stake - the Ultraheat hot air heater wasn't turned on/in use (via gas or electric)...

Cheers,
Rich.

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[Cush]

Darn it!
But what about the switch to heat the ultra store (boiler) ?
the ultrastore isn’t worked by the control knobs when ehu is applied.
It’s a circular switch with a little orange mark on the top. Mine is near the Sargent beside the one for the ultraheat but nowhere near the fridge one. If it’s “on” then your boiler automatically heats while on ehu. I think to about 50 deg C. There is no indication on my panel or controls when its on like that.. just my final thought.

 

[MH04RMV]

Cush "the ultrastore isn’t worked by the control knobs when ehu is applied."
It isn't? I thought it was gas only

Must admit, I've not looked for/haven't noticed any other switches in/around the Sargent PSU that might be controlling the boiler "by default" - always presumed it was only by the control panel above the main hab door (alongside which is the hot air heater dial/control which has the 500w/1Kw/2Kw settings).

More sleuthing required tomorrow then, methinks!

Cheers,
Rich.

 

[PaulOH]

Thanks Everyone for your replies/suggestions...having just returned home and taken another look, I'm afraid the error is indeed a schoolboy one...as Cush noted, I forgot to take the cover off of the exhaust port for the boiler!!!
Just tried it again now, and it works perfectly.
*hangs head in embarrassed shame*

Luckily, we didn't get gassed and the cover didn't end up over the other side of the pitch with a "poof" of smoke...though how it managed to heat the water for the first day without any issues remains a mystery...

One to chalk up to experience!

Cheers,
Rich.

You can add it to this thread!

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Where we discuss those things that make us think about how much we got it wrong - and right!!

 

[Cush]

the I thought it was gas only

More sleuthing required tomorrow then, methinks!

Cheers,
Rich.

that’s understandable but there are 240 v switches for the boiler, heater and fridge on the autotrail for that era. There might even be one for the oven if it has an electric plate But I only ever use the hob on gas, not the 240v hot plate.

my fridge one is behind a false drawer right next to the fridge. Yours may be in the tall cupboard beside the fridge or in the under seat storage area. For me, the other two are in the “wardrobe” that houses the Sargent unit above the gas heater. The video I watched for a 632 SE had one on the rhs near the door hinge. To be honest they can be anywhere! It might even be under the removable floor of Sargent cupboard, above the boiler. Good luck with the search .

have a look at 5.46 on this

 

[Nanniemate]

that’s understandable but there are 240 v switches for the boiler, heater and fridge on the autotrail for that era. There might even be one for the oven if it has an electric plate But I only ever use the hob on gas, not the 240v hot plate.

my fridge one is behind a false drawer right next to the fridge. Yours may be in the tall cupboard beside the fridge or in the under seat storage area. For me, the other two are in the “wardrobe” that houses the Sargent unit above the gas heater. The video I watched for a 632 SE had one on the rhs near the door hinge. To be honest they can be anywhere! It might even be under the removable floor of Sargent cupboard, above the boiler. Good luck with the search .

have a look at 5.46 on this

Is there a prize for winning the treasure hunt

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[kevenh]

the control dial is showing the usual green and (new) red light when I turned off and on again.

Maybe not related to your state , but after getting the green AND red leds lit, the off needs to be for a minute or two to reset the error.

The Truma water heater gets in that state for low gas pressure and the vent cover not being removed.
I get the low gas pressure error often if trying to heat water first after turning the gas bottle on when 1st at a pitch.

 

[Trevor Wbm]

Thanks Everyone for your replies/suggestions...having just returned home and taken another look, I'm afraid the error is indeed a schoolboy one...as Cush noted, I forgot to take the cover off of the exhaust port for the boiler!!!
Just tried it again now, and it works perfectly.
*hangs head in embarrassed shame*

Luckily, we didn't get gassed and the cover didn't end up over the other side of the pitch with a "poof" of smoke...though how it managed to heat the water for the first day without any issues remains a mystery...

One to chalk up to experience!

Cheers,
Rich.

Ooh. Not just me then. Got half way through dismantling the surrounding wardrobe before that ocurred to me ...

 

[MH04RMV]

!!PROBLEM SOLVED!!

Sooooo...having flipped all of the MCB's and main "Charger" switch off on the Sargent PSU, opening every conceivable cupboard/door/hatch and discovering "hidden" on/off switches and turning each one on/off in sequence, I found out (as Cush mentioned) that there is indeed a separate on/off switch for the water heater (& fridge & oven (for the hot plate)), hidden under one of the seats and under the oven.
With the hidden water heater switch off, no drain on the power bank.
With the hidden water heater switch on, ~850w shows as output/drain on power bank...so...each time I've been connected on EHU at home or on site, I've been heating the water heater...even when I thought I'm using gas to do so (which I guess has ultimately been wasted as not "doing" anything)! Grrr.

Anyhoo, at least now I know where some extra switches are...

Thanks again everyone for your hints/tips/input.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[kevenh]

.each time I've been connected on EHU at home or on site, I've been heating the water heater...even when I thought I'm using gas to do so (which I guess has ultimately been wasted as not "doing" anything)! Grrr.

Not completely wasted.
With Gas & EHU both used the water heating time is quicker.
Though that is from cold
At least the gas is temperature controlled and won’t be on all the time.

 

[The Wino]

!!PROBLEM SOLVED!!

Sooooo...having flipped all of the MCB's and main "Charger" switch off on the Sargent PSU, opening every conceivable cupboard/door/hatch and discovering "hidden" on/off switches and turning each one on/off in sequence, I found out (as Cush mentioned) that there is indeed a separate on/off switch for the water heater (& fridge & oven (for the hot plate)), hidden under one of the seats and under the oven.
With the hidden water heater switch off, no drain on the power bank.
With the hidden water heater switch on, ~850w shows as output/drain on power bank...so...each time I've been connected on EHU at home or on site, I've been heating the water heater...even when I thought I'm using gas to do so (which I guess has ultimately been wasted as not "doing" anything)! Grrr.

Anyhoo, at least now I know where some extra switches are...

Thanks again everyone for your hints/tips/input.

Cheers,
Rich

I think if it's on electric and gas the water reaches temperature more quickly then the gas burner will go off so you've wasted some gas but it's not a total waste!

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[The Wino]

Not completely wasted.
With Gas & EHU both used the water heating time is quicker.
Though that is from cold
At least the gas is temperature controlled and won’t be on all the time.

Beat me to it!

 

[Cush]

Ummmm..."I would bet money that the electric heating switch was on"...sorry, I'll have to relieve you of the paltry sum you've put up as a stake

ummmm

Glad you got to the bottom of it, and for sharing for others to learn from if they search and find your thread.

 

[Hymerboy]

My hob has 3 x gas and 1electric plate which I never could get to work, one day while considering lagging the heating pipes I noticed a 13amp socket so now it works fine

 

[MH04RMV]

Cush Indeed...seems I owe you that paltry sum back...

At least now I know I can truly turn things off, and they'll actually be off!

 

[Cush]

MH04RMV, nothing Beats a good root around and a bit of trial and adjustment. Not broken anything yet that the collective knowledge of the M.F’ers couldn’t fix (thats MF’ers as in Motorhome Funsters btw).

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[MH04RMV]

Cush Well, of course it is...what else could it be???