Electric water and heat

[Javert]

Just trying to test all the features on our new caravan before taking it out for the first time so I will probably be here asking a lot of silly questions.

For starters - is it normal that if I turn on the electric heating and hot water (without gas), the space heater seems to take priority so the water hardly heats up at all unless I turn off the space heater?

Also is it normal that the electric space heater on a cold day like today (5 degrees) struggles to get the van up to temperature unless you switch to the mixed gas/electric mode?

Just checking that this is as expected?

Also - when I am towing, do I need to detach the gas cable from the gas bottle, or is it enough just to close the valve at the top of the bottle?

 

[Andy Norfolk]

What heating system do you have?

I don't disconnect the gas pipe, I just turn the gas off at the bottle when towing.

 

[Ottosdad]

Hi Javert, If it is a Truma system then yes that is what usually happens. I tend to run just space heating initially to get up to temperature, and then switch to just water heating - the water only generally takes 20 - 30 minutes to get to hot. Once everything is warmed up the system will comfortably maintain both.

 

[Mr Plodd]

As Otto has said, just use the heating first. Turning the gas off at the cylinder is the "normal" practice. Removing the hose achieves nothing further.
Just remember there I no such thing as a stupid question, onky a fool who doesn't ask it, and we ALL had to learn which is what this forum is brilliant for.
Oh, and welcome!
P.s. always turn the gas off at the cylinder when I storage/not in use.

 

[Javert]

Hi Javert, If it is a Truma system then yes that is what usually happens. I tend to run just space heating initially to get up to temperature, and then switch to just water heating - the water only generally takes 20 - 30 minutes to get to hot. Once everything is warmed up the system will comfortably maintain both.

Thanks - yes it's a Truma system.

 

[birdman101]

On your Truma setting you can select power 4 amp or 8 .amp also water temp 40 degrees or 60 degrees and if you want to heat up quickly set Gas/Elect 2. We keep our water set at 60 and Electric 8amp which is Elect2 and find this sufficient

 

[Javert]

On your Truma setting you can select power 4 amp or 8 .amp also water temp 40 degrees or 60 degrees and if you want to heat up quickly set Gas/Elect 2. We keep our water set at 60 and Electric 8amp which is Elect2 and find this sufficient

Mine does not seem to have these options (at least not written that way).

It has Ele 1 and Ele 2 and it has water settings eco, high, boost.

Maybe this is the same as what you mean - maybe High = 60 and Ele2 = 8.

 

[birdman101]

Yes El 1 is 4 amp EL2 8 amp the monitors do vary

 

[ProfJohnL]

I don't know if you have told us previously about the make model and age of your caravan appliances, but I for one don't have perfect memory and I'm not going trace back through multiple threads to find out what ou may have previously told us, so its really helpful if when starting a new technical thread to give us chapter and verse Make Model and year of caravan, and the same for any specific appliances you are asking about.

 

[Beardy]

It has Ele 1 and Ele 2 and it has water settings eco, high, boost.

Water settings eco=40 degrees (mine doesn't feel anywhere near this), high=60 degrees. Boost switches priority from room (blown air) heating to water heating. In normal operation the water doesn't heat up until the caravan is up to temperature.

I found that the heating took quite a while to warm up the caravan when I was away a couple of weeks ago and the outside temperature wasn't much above freezing.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Many (most/all?) Truma heaters have 2 elements, and you have no way of knowing if just one of them has failed other than much longer warm up time.
Some simple tell-tale, like an LED not lighting up, would really help to identify if an element has failed wouldn't it Mr Truma?

 

[RogerL]

Water settings eco=40 degrees (mine doesn't feel anywhere near this), high=60 degrees. Boost switches priority from room (blown air) heating to water heating. In normal operation the water doesn't heat up until the caravan is up to temperature.

I found that the heating took quite a while to warm up the caravan when I was away a couple of weeks ago and the outside temperature wasn't much above freezing.

I seem to recall that hot water systems should be run at 60 degrees C, or more, at regular intervals to prevent things like Legionnaires Disease - ie not run at eco temperatures continuously - the Alde wet system does that automatically.

 

[Hutch]

I seem to recall that hot water systems should be run at 60 degrees C, or more, at regular intervals to prevent things like Legionnaires Disease - ie not run at eco temperatures continuously - the Alde wet system does that automatically.

The Trauma Combi system, in my Coachman does that as well, it raises the water temp to 70c then maintains at 60c( winter setting) or 40c , summer setting.

 

[Beardy]

I seem to recall that hot water systems should be run at 60 degrees C, or more, at regular intervals to prevent things like Legionnaires Disease - ie not run at eco temperatures continuously - the Alde wet system does that automatically.

I don't use the eco (40 degree) water setting at all, it feels luke warm.

 

[otherclive]

Here’s an interesting link on Legionairres disease and influencing factors

Hot Water Temperature - Scalding and Legionella - HeatGeek

www.heatgeek.com

 

[IanB1485]

I spent 20+ years working in an industry where the subject of control Legionella in commercial buildings was often detailed in the architects specifications and some council approaches were laughable ,it was like the sword of damocles was hanging over their head, some insisted on running the hot water systems at 70 Deg C 'just in case ' Yet the main cause of legionella is inhalation (Loch Goil fever, Pontiac fever et al) and this occurs at the outlets such as shower heads and taps ( also aerated jacuzzis , which we don't often get in a caravan or motorhome!)where the water temperature is reduced to about 37-42 Deg C, perfect incubation temperature and each a potential 'dead leg' where the bacteria can sit un-molested until next use. The Truma combi system heats the hot water from inside the jacket when on gas and from the outside when on electric, where the room air circulation air is passed over aluminium fins that the heater elements are clamped to. Please also be aware the gas power is approx 4kW in the combi 4e and only 1.8kW on electric(EL2) also air has less heart capacity than water ( air =1.0 kJ per Kilogram per Deg C, water =4.18 kJ per kilogram per Deg C) and as air is a lot less dense than water, will warm up faster than water.

 

[Buckman]

I spent 20+ years working in an industry where the subject of control Legionella in commercial buildings was often detailed in the architects specifications and some council approaches were laughable ,it was like the sword of damocles was hanging over their head, some insisted on running the hot water systems at 70 Deg C 'just in case ' Yet the main cause of legionella is inhalation (Loch Goil fever, Pontiac fever et al) and this occurs at the outlets such as shower heads and taps ( also aerated jacuzzis , which we don't often get in a caravan or motorhome!)where the water temperature is reduced to about 37-42 Deg C, perfect incubation temperature and each a potential 'dead leg' where the bacteria can sit un-molested until next use. The Truma combi system heats the hot water from inside the jacket when on gas and from the outside when on electric, where the room air circulation air is passed over aluminium fins that the heater elements are clamped to. Please also be aware the gas power is approx 4kW in the combi 4e and only 1.8kW on electric(EL2) also air has less heart capacity than water ( air =1.0 kJ per Kilogram per Deg C, water =4.18 kJ per kilogram per Deg C) and as air is a lot less dense than water, will warm up faster than water.

Currently our local council offices in the City of Worcester are closed due to Legionnaires and an asbestos scare. They have been closed for nearly a year!

 

[Dustydog]

Currently our local council offices in the City of Worcester are closed due to Legionnaires and an asbestos scare. They have been closed for nearly a year!

I suppose they keep the heating on just in case someone returns to work from home🤪

 

[Ferrodo]

When in doubt, read the instructions 👍

 

[Buckman]

I suppose they keep the heating on just in case someone returns to work from home🤪

Probably! The annoying part is that they are right next door to the hospital where parking is very difficult and the town council now has a totally empty huge car park that could be utilised for hospital parking! That is beyond their tiny minds.