Truma Combi 4E (1 Viewer)

[Phileas Fogg]

In Benedot currently and Truma combi has stopped working. Turn on orange light on controls then after a few seconds goes red.
Sounds like fan is trying to turn but failing. Fuses look OK vents are clear and water punps in when drwan off.
Ideas on the back of a baguette please.

 

[daveinspain]

Red light on my Truma combi 4 means no gas getting through.

 

[Fontie]

Low on gas not sufficiant pressure

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[Phileas Fogg]

Thanks Guys but plenty of gas from full tank and cooker working fine.

 

[robrace]

Cover on external vent?

 

[mitzimad]

Try to run it with van engine running to rule out low voltage problems

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[poppycamper]

Try to run it with van engine running to rule out low voltage problems

Only if not one of those vans that the habitation electrics turn off when engine is running !!!
Edit.... OP not stated if on mains or 12v????

 

[Pausim]

Thanks Guys but plenty of gas from full tank and cooker working fine.

Sometimes a gummed up gas regulator will provide enough gas to supply other appliances but not the heavier demand of the boiler. Truma regulators are particularly susceptible to this problem.

 

[RichardandKaren]

It may also be cracked/split exhaust or inlet ducting pipe. This can show up as problem with the red light coming on. I have this problem currently. Sometimes boiler may light and sometimes it doesn't. Seems to depend on if in transit the duct has shaken itself in to a good position or not! I have just received new ducting ( both inlet and exhaust) and will be fitted next week and this will hopefully resolve the issue. if you do find a crack or loose ducting connection you could try sealing it with aluminium heat proof tape and that might temporarily resolve your problem.

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[Phileas Fogg]

Some good suggestions thanks. It was all working fine now the red light comes on after a few seconds whether on gas or electric or 12v. It does not run air heating only or any combination of settings. It sounds as though the fan is trying to run but cuts out after a few seconds. I have checked all th outlet connections the vent pipe is clear as well. I tried dumping the water through the frost valve and the pump refilled the boiler so water is getting in. Visually both fuses look OK but I don't have access to new ones just to be sure at the moment. I am suspecting some sort of pcb failure but not sure how rare that is.
If I can't fix it I will try to find a Truma agent near Quimper to have a look.
Appreciate all the ideas thanks to all

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Only if not one of those vans that the habitation electrics turn off when engine is running !!!
Edit.... OP not stated if on mains or 12v????

It is!

 

[Phileas Fogg]

To run this one to ground back home now and checked error code by removing the cover at the back of the unit and the flashing lights reveal error code 6. E mailed Truma who replied the fault is with the combustion air motor which I assume is the one on the side with the fan attached in which case it looks very simple to replace. Asked Truma to confirm this and they say it is ESSENTIAL the work is done by a trained caravan repairer.

Then, they would say that wouldn't they!

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[jezport]

too late see youve read the code

 

[Pausim]

To run this one to ground back home now and checked error code by removing the cover at the back of the unit and the flashing lights reveal error code 6. E mailed Truma who replied the fault is with the combustion air motor which I assume is the one on the side with the fan attached in which case it looks very simple to replace. Asked Truma to confirm this and they say it is ESSENTIAL the work is done by a trained caravan repairer.

Then, they would say that wouldn't they!

Take care not to confuse the air circulation fan with the combustion air motor assembly. The first is a simple fan for pushing warm air round the habitation area but the second is a more sophisticated bit of kit that feeds air into the gas combustion chamber.

 

[RustyRuss]

Please make sure to post your solution to the problem to help other funsters with similar issues!

Cheers!


Russ

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[Phileas Fogg]

The latest... bought a new combi combustion fan on line through ebay from Kenmore Caravans, best price and delivered next day for free so £269 all in. Excellent service so well pleased. Leisureshopdirect would not price match and I spent 30 minutes waiting for outdoorbits on the chatline before giving up.
Just three screw to refit the unit took a couple of minutes as easy to access in my case, turned on and everything operating normally. If you can access it really a very very simple task.
BUT
Now a new problem...
error code 45 . No 230V, except there is!
On all settings the unit is operating normally, air heating works, water heats up, but, when run on gas alone the no 230V error comes up and the control indicator pulsates red. Yet it still operates as normal. Plug in the 230v and the light goes out and the indicator shows 230V is present even though it is running on gas.
Spoke to Truma who were a bit mystified, suggested it might be a fuse ( it isn't), it might be a fault in the control knob or the wiring to it, other than that no idea really. Did offer to check the PCB if I return it to them for free.

I asked as everything is running normally could I use the boiler and the reply was "depends how cold you are" which was amusing but not a lot of help. Any suggestions or previous experience here appreciated, bit of a mystery.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Correction the water is not heating on gas but the air heating is fine.

 

[Pausim]

Correction the water is not heating on gas but the air heating is fine.

That is very hard to understand because the water normally gets reasonably hot even when only the air heating is on. Ours gets to about 45C when the hot water is off but the heating is on. The same gas burners and electric elements heat both sources.

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[Phileas Fogg]

I left it on for about two hours and it did get tepid maybe that was not long enough. I will recheck the fuses tomorrow.
Thanks for the help really appreciated

 

[Ingwe]

Hope you get it sorted and thanks for keeping us up to date. I’ve got the same combi boiler and dread problems with it. Off to France on Tuesday for 5 weeks.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Update as requested
Relented and decide to call in a mobile engineer after fitting a new combustion fan and still getting the error code. He attached his diagnostic machine reset all the codes and suggested a new air circulation fan. Fitted and everything appeared OK then up came error 45. On electric the system calls for the lower voltage but switch to higher voltage and nothing happens. It is not the controller as even through the computer the same thing happens. On gas the air heating works fine but the controller is flashing red and an error code comes up. The water heating does not appear to heat up on gas.
Even the engineer is now lost but thinking it may be the PCB and taking further advice, so far then £380 in parts, two visits from the engineer and facing another £280 for a new PCB. This is beginning to look expensive!

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[Marauder]

the reply was "depends how cold you are" which was amusing but not a lot of help.

They may have been referring to the valve auto-emptying at temps less than about 4 celsius

 

[Phileas Fogg]

New PCB fitted today only £250 for the part and guess what that isn't fixing it either. Now have new controls coming this bill is getting close to £1000 now.
Good news is I will have a great stock of used but serviceable parts.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Finally! As promised the final story.
New controllers fitted (analogue) and everything is now running fine, so both pumps, PCB and controllers have all been changed before normality is resumed. All parts will now be sent to Truma for checking.
Engineer believes this may have ben caused by some sort of electrical spike which could have damaged all of the above which have PCB's, can't be proven of course but got me thinking I should buy a surge protector to use when plugged in at home.... just a thought!

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