Truma Heating on Hook Up

[Crazydave]

On my 2020 Autotrail the blown air heating struggles to heat the van when just running on electric. When I put it on combined with the gas it pumps the heat out and warms the van a treat. Also the fan seems to speed up. Is this normal?

 

[stevewagner]

They are never that great on EHU only

 

[Jake Royd]

It sounds normal to me.
My Truma does not have an electric option but the fan speed and output vary according to the difference between the actual temperature and the set temperature.
It can take over 5 minutes to start blowing at max , always a slightly anxious wait.

 

[Crazydave]

They are never that great on EHU only

A bit concerned how much gas it must use when on this setting.

 

[Lazyboy]

That is how they work. Electric designed to heat water and very gentle background heat ( no good at this time of the year). Gas is the fuel to use for space heating when it is cold. You can use a combination of electric and gas to heat the van but electric on its own will not produce sufficient heat output in winter as it is not designed to do that.

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[glenn2926]

On my 2020 Autotrail the blown air heating struggles to heat the van when just running on electric. When I put it on combined with the gas it pumps the heat out and warms the van a treat. Also the fan seems to speed up. Is this normal?

Yup, that’s how mine works as well. I do have an underslung LPG tank of 60 litres so using gas isn’t a problem for me.

 

[Crazydave]

That is how they work. Electric designed to heat water and very gentle background heat ( no good at this time of the year). Gas is the fuel to use for space heating when it is cold. You can use a combination of electric and gas to heat the van but electric on its own will not produce sufficient heat output in winter as it is not designed to do that.

Thanks for the info. That explains it.

 

[Lenny HB]

Only 1800 watts on electric, 6000 watts on gas.

 

[two]

If you want to be warm you must use the gas, but gas is not expensive.
Be satisfied that, if you are on "MIX" (using both EHU and gas), the system will choke back the gas as you near the required temperature, using EHU to maintain it. It only uses gas when the differential is high.
The temptation might be to just use 'free' EHU and save gas but the puny amount of heat obtained from the electric heater will not be enough. It's fine in Summer, for heating the water (but less so when showering). In the scheme of things, the cost of gas is small and comfort is worth every penny.

 

[TinaLes]

Its easy to see why self fit Diesel Heaters are becoming so popular, infact essential if you are travelling for long periods in cold temperatures or countries with limited LPG.
LES

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[two]

Its easy to see why self fit Diesel Heaters are becoming so popular, infact essential if you are travelling for long periods in cold temperatures or countries with limited LPG.
LES

I think the gist of this thread was about the economy of heating methods. Whilst a diesel heater would provide you with an alternative source, it would be a rather expensive one due to the addition of fuel duty.
If LPG was difficult to find, I'd make sure that I kept my supply topped up at every opportunity.

 

[TinaLes]

I think the gist of this thread was about the economy of heating methods. Whilst a diesel heater would provide you with an alternative source, it would be a rather expensive one due to the addition of fuel duty.
If LPG was difficult to find, I'd make sure that I kept my supply topped up at every opportunity.

Keeping our tanks full of LPG is becoming a PIA, involving sometimes a change of route or a detour to get it these days.
Diesel heaters can run on anything that's flammable, including red diesel. They will be become increasingly popular with the demise of LPG availability filling stations, I know many are struggling already to find local suppliers in certain areas of The UK, so it may prove to be the only viable future option when touring in remote places like the Highlands of Scotland or even Sweden where there is none.
They apparently only use 0.5Ltrs of fuel an hour flat out, so I would be happy with that cost to keep warm in the wilds of winter, or somewhere remote.
I am sure the diesel heater users on Fun would support how cheap & effective they are to run, over and above electric or LPG for heating purposes.
Best wishes.
LES

 

[glenn2926]

Keeping our tanks full of LPG is becoming a PIA, involving sometimes a change of route or a detour to get it these days.
Diesel heaters can run on anything that's flammable, including red diesel. They will be become increasingly popular with the demise of LPG availability filling stations, I know many are struggling already to find local suppliers in certain areas of The UK, so it may prove to be the only viable future option when touring in remote places like the Highlands of Scotland or even Sweden where there is none.
They apparently only use 0.5Ltrs of fuel an hour flat out, so I would be happy with that cost to keep warm in the wilds of winter, or somewhere remote.
I am sure the diesel heater users on Fun would support how cheap & effective they are to run, over and above electric or LPG for heating purposes.
Best wishes.
LES

I’m pretty sure your aforementioned demise of LPG pumps in a southern thing. We have 50% more than we did a couple of years ago. LPG is much cheaper than diesel so I’ll be sticking with it.

 

[Lenny HB]

I’m pretty sure your aforementioned demise of LPG pumps in a southern thing. We have 50% more than we did a couple of years ago. LPG is much cheaper than diesel so I’ll be sticking with it.

No problem in the south east where we live.

 

[glenn2926]

No problem in the south east where we live.

I’m not really sure just where Surrey is in relation to the south east but the poster seems to be having trouble finding LPG.

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[two]

Keeping our tanks full of LPG is becoming a PIA, involving sometimes a change of route or a detour to get it these days.
Diesel heaters can run on anything that's flammable, including red diesel. They will be become increasingly popular with the demise of LPG availability filling stations, I know many are struggling already to find local suppliers in certain areas of The UK, so it may prove to be the only viable future option when touring in remote places like the Highlands of Scotland or even Sweden where there is none.
They apparently only use 0.5Ltrs of fuel an hour flat out, so I would be happy with that cost to keep warm in the wilds of winter, or somewhere remote.
I am sure the diesel heater users on Fun would support how cheap & effective they are to run, over and above electric or LPG for heating purposes.
Best wishes.
LES

I would agree that diesel heaters are effective.
I'm not sure that a separate tank is feasible and, if it was, red diesel might be just as much a PITA to find as LPG.
I've not had difficulty finding LPG, but neither have I been out travelling much.
As you suggest, Sweden would require better planning, but once is enough.

 

[TinaLes]

I’m pretty sure your aforementioned demise of LPG pumps in a southern thing. We have 50% more than we did a couple of years ago. LPG is much cheaper than diesel so I’ll be sticking with it.

Yes it is a problem down here in leafy Surrey, we have massive new Morrisons, even Asda's none of them offer LPG.
If they pull out the pumps on The M3 at Fleet, or the last remaining Shell garage offering Flogas in Addlestone ((not that near to us), then we will be stuffed locally.
Its the Highlands & Islands that worry me on LPG availability, its sparse enough already, so the diesel heater would be a sensible option for those regions, as no way would we consider them in the Summer when its either packed with other vans or blood sucking midges.
LES

 

[glenn2926]

Yes it is a problem down here in leafy Surrey, we have massive new Morrisons, even Asda's none of them offer LPG.
If they pull out the pumps on The M3 at Fleet, or the last remaining Shell garage offering Flogas in Addlestone ((not that near to us), then we will be stuffed locally.
Its the Highlands & Islands that worry me on LPG availability, its sparse enough already, so the diesel heater would be a sensible option for those regions, as no way would we consider them in the Summer when its either packed with other vans or blood sucking midges.
LES

The Highlands and Islands aren’t too bad for LPG. There’s a station in Stornaway, one on Skye and one in Ullapool. These are ones I’ve used. I’m sure there are others though. Just had a thought, these are LPG pumps I don’t know about cylinder dealers if that’s what you need.

 

[TinaLes]

The Highlands and Islands aren’t too bad for LPG. There’s a station in Stornaway, one on Skye and one in Ullapool. These are ones I’ve used. I’m sure there are others though. Just had a thought, these are LPG pumps I don’t know about cylinder dealers if that’s what you need.

Gaslow refillables is what we have, apart from Tain on the east coast of Scotland just off The A9, I think you have listed nearly all the remaining LPG filling stations that I know about. The one in Ullapool, is that the one outside the town in the service workshop on a small industrial estate?
Yes, but that's about it!, only 3 LPG stations to cover the Hebrides, one before you get on the ferry at UIG, Skye or another at the Co Op as you cross the bridge to Skye, the one and only other is if you happen to be on Harris/Lewis at Stornoway, providing of course they haven't run out of the stuff.
The lack of LPG has curtailed many a winter trip for many in the past, they will not make that mistake again I guess.
LES

 

[glenn2926]

Gaslow refillables is what we have, apart from Tain on the east coast of Scotland just off The A9, I think you have listed nearly all the remaining LPG filling stations that I know about. The one in Ullapool, is that the one outside the town in the service workshop on a small industrial estate?
Yes, but that's about it!, only 3 LPG stations to cover the Hebrides, one before you get on the ferry at UIG, Skye or another at the Co Op as you cross the bridge to Skye, the one and only other is if you happen to be on Harris/Lewis at Stornoway, providing of course they haven't run out of the stuff.
The lack of LPG has curtailed many a winter trip for many in the past, they will not make that mistake again I guess.
LES

Yeah the one in Ullapool is at the industrial estate on the way north out of town. There’s one at Tore on the Black Isle, one at Dornoch, one at Lairg, one not far from Nairn. Can’t think of any others.

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[Crazydave]

I was thinking of fitting a Gaslow system but now after reading these comments
I am getting a bit worried it will be difficult to find places to fill up in the future.

 

[Lenny HB]

I’m not really sure just where Surrey is in relation to the south east but the poster seems to be having trouble finding LPG.

He is actually not that far from me but I think Les has complained before that he has to go 20 miles to fill up, that wouldn't bother me. My nearest is 9 miles but I use a Morrisssons that's 12 miles as it has much better pump access and is a lot cheaper.

 

[glenn2926]

He is actually not that far from me but I think Les has complained before that he has to go 20 miles to fill up, that wouldn't bother me. My nearest is 9 miles but I use a Morrisssons that's 12 miles as it has much better pump access and is a lot cheaper.

Yeah 20 miles might be what he doesn’t like. I just fill up on my way, either way I go through my nearest town passes, or very nearly passes one of our LPG stations.

 

[Pablo19]

I would agree that diesel heaters are effective.
I'm not sure that a separate tank is feasible and, if it was, red diesel might be just as much a PITA to find as LPG.
I've not had difficulty finding LPG, but neither have I been out travelling much.
As you suggest, Sweden would require better planning, but once is enough.

Red diesel is being phased in April 2022 out to pretty much all users apart from a very select group. See here for full info. https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ed-diesel-and-other-rebated-fuels-entitlement

 

[Mountain man]

Yeah the one in Ullapool is at the industrial estate on the way north out of town. There’s one at Tore on the Black Isle, one at Dornoch, one at Lairg, one not far from Nairn. Can’t think of any others.

None in Lairg.But there is one at the Skiach services just of the A9 on the B9176 about 6 miles north of the Tore roundabout .

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[BouncyBoatFolk]

Yes it is a problem down here in leafy Surrey, we have massive new Morrisons, even Asda's none of them offer LPG.
If they pull out the pumps on The M3 at Fleet, or the last remaining Shell garage offering Flogas in Addlestone ((not that near to us), then we will be stuffed locally.
Its the Highlands & Islands that worry me on LPG availability, its sparse enough already, so the diesel heater would be a sensible option for those regions, as no way would we consider them in the Summer when its either packed with other vans or blood sucking midges.
LES

Sainsbury's Cobham.
I have used, it's a little slow, but not far for us.
Mike.