Truma CombiE - blown air pathetic (1 Viewer)

Happy Jim

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Hi,

Having a day in the van reacquainting myself with everything so decided to test out the heating whilst on EHU, warm air does come out of the vents (just) but not with any force and it’s pretty tepid. Hot water was hot eventually , heating was pants.
I’m fairly patient by nature so let it do it’s thing for 5 hours (thermostat set to 5) whilst I sat in the house reading! I checked things over the period but nothing changed.
Finally got bored and flipped to “Gas & Elec”, boiler kicked into life, and within a couple of mins the vents were bellowing hot air out of them.
20 mins and the van was toasty/too warm.

Sooooo, question to the wise and great, should Elec heating only be pants? Or have I got a fault?

Thanks

Jim

Rapido 9095DF, Truma Combi E
 

DuxDeluxe

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Jul 10, 2008
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Yes, really the electric heating will only warm up very slowly, if at all. The gas/electric combination gets it really toasty really quickly. Nothing wrong with the system
 
May 7, 2016
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Exactly what I expect and get from my heater. Only 1800 watts of electric heating and it is asking a lot to heat the water and air at the same time in cold weather. Much more power in the gas.
 

mikebeaches

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I believe there are two electric space heat elements, each rated at 900 watts.

Whereas, the gas - depending on the Truma model - is probably 4,000 or 6,000 watts equivalent - so much more powerful.

When it's cold, like today, we generally heat the van up with gas and electric, but then can usually maintain the temperature pretty well with just electric - both elements ie 1,800 watts (slightly less than the typical 2kw fan heater). Obviously, if the weather is Arctic, or strong wind blowing, then probably need gas as well.

I don't know what age your outfit is, but I've heard of the electric elements failing, which might explain why you are only getting a miserly amount of heat out if only one of them is working (also, some heat will be lost in the ducting before it emerges through the blown air ducts in the van) - so 900 watts on a day like today wouldn't go far on its own? :(
 
Last edited:
Jan 8, 2013
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Buy one of these from Screwfix £11.99. 2Kw fan heater -
ae235.jpg
it's all we need to be toasty

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Feb 8, 2014
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1720hrs 4 deg C outside, been out to the van to turn on the Leccy heating on full at 1800w on setting 5(full) will check and post. Our van is a 20'/6m PVC so will see how it does - no outer or inner screens and no inner blinds down to replicate daytime usage.
Vin
 
Jan 8, 2013
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Fortunately we only do EHU 2 or 3 times a year

So do we, but if we have to pay for the leccy - I want my monies worth. :hi5:
I think you do need some outer screen if you are going out at this time of year.

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OP
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Happy Jim

Happy Jim

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Wow,

Thanks for the feedback all.

I didn’t realise there was that much difference in heat output between gas & elec, will be interesting to see how Vin reports it goes

I suppose my next check is to get hold of an Amp Clamp and measure the power drawn when I flip the elec heating on (just to confirm if only 1 element is working), if 1 is duff then I’m guessing £12 worth of Screwfix’s finest is probably going to be waaaay cheaper than any fix!

Jim
 
Feb 9, 2008
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Turn it to the gas setting, Truma heaters are great....
 
May 7, 2016
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You could test your elements by wating until the sytem is stone cold again. Turn on electric heating on one element only, after a while you should at least get the chill taken off the air from the vents nearest the heater. This would prove at least one element was working. Then leave the heating on one element for a while so that it gets as warm as it is going to get. Finally turn on the second element and see if starts getting any warmer, if it does this would suggest the second element is also working. I would do this test with the water heating off, it could confuse the issue.

I suspect your heating elements are fine. In Cold weather I usually find I need to use gas to get the system up to temperature in my 7m A Class and I think your van is bigger. I believe the sytem is primarily a gas one and is sometimes sold without the electric option. Some sites only have 10 amp power supplies (or less) and 1.8kw of heating will be using between 7 and 8 amps. The manufacturers would soon become unpopular if we were regularly popping breakers all over Europe.

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Mr B

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What’s it like on gas.
Is it a combi 6e
How old the van???
 

mikebeaches

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Feb 22, 2010
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Wow,

Thanks for the feedback all.

I didn’t realise there was that much difference in heat output between gas & elec, will be interesting to see how Vin reports it goes

I suppose my next check is to get hold of an Amp Clamp and measure the power drawn when I flip the elec heating on (just to confirm if only 1 element is working), if 1 is duff then I’m guessing £12 worth of Screwfix’s finest is probably going to be waaaay cheaper than any fix!

Jim
Unfortunately, if a heating element has gone I think they can be a bit expensive to get fixed.

Just found what I reckon are probably the ones - £99 for a pair:

https://tinyurl.com/y85ymbmz

But the bugger (am I allowed to write that?) is fitting them, depending on how accessible your Truma is?

Could be a lot of labour if your dealer does the job...
 
Last edited:

Mr B

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Unfortunately, if a heating element has gone I think they can be a bit expensive to get fixed.

Just found what I think are probably the ones - £99 for a pair:

https://tinyurl.com/y85ymbmz

But the bugger is fitting them, depending on how accessible your Truma is?

Could be a lot of labour if a dealer does the job...
There a bargain at that ;)

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Bobby22

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Dec 15, 2013
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Wow,

Thanks for the feedback all.

I didn’t realise there was that much difference in heat output between gas & elec, will be interesting to see how Vin reports it goes

I suppose my next check is to get hold of an Amp Clamp and measure the power drawn when I flip the elec heating on (just to confirm if only 1 element is working), if 1 is duff then I’m guessing £12 worth of Screwfix’s finest is probably going to be waaaay cheaper than any fix!

Jim

The screwfix option every time, keep the heating in good condition. Tis easier to replace the £12 fan heater than the leccy element in your van.

Your element will be working.......keep it that way
 
Feb 8, 2014
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Just checked the van, thermometer from sun lounge was showing 4 but now showing 11deg C after 80 minutes so a little better but no way suitable for sat reading. Ok for sleeping on 1 element to stop any freezing but a plug in heater when on EHU will be far more efficient at getting the place warmed up. Gas heating for us is very good when no EHU and will be tested again this weekend at Lisa's and Terry's meet at Cuckney:)
Vin
 

JeanLuc

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Never had the problem - ours is gas only and very efficient. I have never been convinced that an electric option is of much value on a Truma.

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mikebeaches

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Turn your free-standing fan heater into remote control on / off for £7.99! :)



I take the remote to bed and can switch the fan heater on from the opposite end of the van, without having to leave my cosy pit on chilly mornings... ;) (y)
 
OP
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Happy Jim

Happy Jim

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What’s it like on gas.
Is it a combi 6e
How old the van???

On gas it is awesome, blast furnace would be a good description.
Yup Combi 6E
2010

Unfortunately, if a heating element has gone I think they can be a bit expensive to get fixed.

Just found what I reckon are probably the ones - £99 for a pair:

https://tinyurl.com/y85ymbmz

But the bugger (am I allowed to write that?) is fitting them, depending on how accessible your Truma is?

Could be a lot of labour if your dealer does the job...

There a bargain at that ;)

Went off for a google-hunt and also found those.....sadly out of stock, £300+ for those in stock - gulp

Just checked the van, thermometer from sun lounge was showing 4 but now showing 11deg C after 80 minutes so a little better but no way suitable for sat reading. Ok for sleeping on 1 element to stop any freezing but a plug in heater when on EHU will be far more efficient at getting the place warmed up. Gas heating for us is very good when no EHU and will be tested again this weekend at Lisa's and Terry's meet at Cuckney:)
Vin

Thanks Vin, that’s very kind of you and reassuring that “not great” is probably the norm.

I’ll get an Amp clamp from somewhere and if that proves both elements are working then I’ll pop a cheapy blow heater in for emergencies

Thanks all

Jim
 

Christoph

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Best tip I got off this site was to put the heating on mix, fuel and electricity. Works a treat! Truma 6e

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Mr B

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As yours is the same model as ours. The combi is buried under the sink, so it’s a few hours job to remove and refit.
Then parts@£300. Buys you a lot of gas imo
:);)
 
Feb 8, 2014
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So do we, but if we have to pay for the leccy - I want my monies worth. :hi5:
I think you do need some outer screen if you are going out at this time of year.
Yes agree there, outer screens on this weekend, top lights and all screens covering at night - new sleeping bags testing 50oz! what the hell happened to TOG rating? Lots of spare gas, no jenny but always got engine to fall back on(y) hope our neighbours have quiet jennys.
Vin
 

Allanm

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We had a Truma 4 in our Autosleeper and the heating on electric was pretty good, but gas was definitely better. We only really used the electric setting to keep the van warm if it wasn’t being used in the winter.
Our current 20 year old van with Carver heating is far warmer on electric than our previous Autosleeper was.

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two

Aug 4, 2011
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Electric heating in motorhomes seems to be a Brit thing and it perpetuates the desire for 16A hook-ups on our sites. Electric elements are usually an option on continental vehicles but ignored because it’s not worth the premium and sites over there tend to offer much fewer amps as a consequence (bit of a vicious circle).

My advice is to set your combi boiler to “mix” in the UK, if you have it. Your boiler will then use as much ‘leccy as it can, only using the gas when needed for responsiveness.

If you’re paying extra for the electricity you use, then use gas only. Heating by gas is cheaper than by electric if you have to pay for it, even if bottled.

There should be more than enough power from gas alone. The additional mode is an unnecessary supplement but good for heating the water in milder climates.
 
Feb 22, 2016
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We're currently at a site on the Algarve. Beautifully sunny all day but a chilly wind and quite cold at night. We have 10amp hook up included in the price and use the TrumaCombi to heat both water and the van on electricity only.

It's true that, if you need instant heat, gas is quicker. But we've found that with electricity only and the thermostat at 2 all night, we've woken up and the van is nice and warm when making the morning coffee!
 

soreeyes

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im a newbie
As said the 6000 w is obtained on gas+ electric . Electric is supplied by 2 elements with a choice of running one or both .

My 6e running on gas is far more efficient in these minus temps at the moment my electric setting has very poor heating .

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