Thermostat wrong?

[Len_Cuff]

Just had a call from my son who has borrowed our van. He's having a problem with the heating which is the blown air type. Using the electric heater he says the thermostat is only clicking on at the top of it's range -- 30C even though it's a heck of a lot colder than that!!

Can the thermostat be replaced - rotary type?

 

[Damian]

What heater is fitted? Truma? or Carver?
If Truma, do you have a remote sensor fitted to it?
Also, where is the control situated?

 

[Guest]

It helps if you mention the make of heating? albeit I rather suspect it's the Truma Ultraheat?
Common reason for in this case is the room thermostat is in the control switch on the wall and this is affected directly by a source of heat, either in the front, or from the back of where the switch is, rather that is than the general temperature of the van.
Most common is the back of the switch is in the Wardrobe and above the heater, or, from the front when it's above the TV shelf and affected by the heat from the back of the TV.

Solution in all cases is to plug in a remote room thermostat and attach it to the gas fires temperature sensor

 

[Len_Cuff]

Waiting for son to confirm but as far as I remember it'd a Truma, thermostat is fited at almost floor level under the front bed (when it's made). Van is a 2000 ABI Yorkshire Rose. Small panel with on/off, 1 or 2Kw switch and the thermostat.

 

[Guest]

Quote;................ thermostat is fited at almost floor level under the front bed (when it's made

Says it all really, another daft place to fit the remote stat!
I think you'll find the space under the bed is up to the temperature set on the dial and kept nice toasty by the now trapped warm air coming from the vents under the made up bed

 

[Len_Cuff]

Any easy way to fit a stat somewhere sensible? Current stat is fitted as part of the housing but am happy to dig into it and extend it if that's possible. Maybe move it up onto the shelf area at the end of the bed?

 

[Guest]

No Len, read the last line of my first post, it's a matter of bringing the sensor back to the fire and attaching to the gas fires sensor at floor level behind the fire front. You can then leave all the excess wiring coiled up neatly on the floor behind the fire
No one ever moans about the gas fire keeping an even temperature?!

 

[Len_Cuff]

Sorry should have explained it better!! This is the stat for the electric heating not the gas. Gas is fine. This is a small panel with a couple of switches -- on/off and the heat setting 500/1000/2000 plus the stat. This is the one causing the problem so I was hoping to dig into the back of it and connect a couple of wires to the existing stat and extend it up to one mounted on the side of the cupboard to get it into the main van area rather than stuck/hidden under the bed.

 

[Guest]

I see, first then there is no need to touch the control switch.
The main control board for the electric heating is behind the fire, there is a 3.5mm jack socket on this board to connect a remote thermostat, by plugging in the stat, this also automatically disconnects the present one in the control switch.
So all you have to do is plug in the remote thermostat sensor and then as I was saying, attach this sensor to the gas fires sensor on the front of the gas fire, a distance of 2ft, that's it job done.

I can if you wish supply the remote stat and full instructions on how to fit it, contact me direct via my website www.arcsystems.biz preferably using mobile phone number.

 

[Len_Cuff]

Gary, Thanks, I need to make sure which heating system is fitted first. Son is returning on Thursday so will dig out all the handbooks etc which were left in the van when we bought it.

 

[Guest]

No need to check Len, it is without doubt a Truma Ultra-Heat, in the mean time, tell your son to shut the vents under the bed when he makes it up, this way it will reduce the temperature under their and keep the heating on longer.
Or indeed, a good work around is to switch the fan off and turn the heating down overnight to 500w

 

[Len_Cuff]

Gary, OK I'll tell him that. The fire unit in this van is a very tight fit by the looks of things between the drawers and the end where the bed is. How easy is it going to be to get at that socket to plug in the remote sensor? Also with the remote sensor fitted, will the temp dial on the control panel under the bed still work as normal?

 

[Guest]

How easy is the million dollar question?!
Yours you say you only have a drawer above which makes it a stretch down to floor level behind to plug it in, but still quite possible, if the gas fires control knob is on the left hand side then this makes it all the easier. However, if it's on the right, then this puts the flue pipe 'just' in the way of your fingers so the flue will possibly need disconnecting from the fire, this then gets you into gas safety on reconnection.
As for the control switch, other than removing the temp sensor from the switch, the temperature dial and the rest work exactly the same as before.

 

[Len_Cuff]

Gary, Thanks. I've mailed you via your website ref price etc. As far as I remember, the switch which you set to automatic etc for the fan is on the right on the top but I think the gas control itself is on the left? Sound about right?

 

[Len_Cuff]

Van is back and with the drawer out I can get to the back of the heater but have no idea where the socket is!! Looks like a mirror/torch job. Looking from the front where is the socket located?

 

[Guest]

You won't see the hole Len, it's well hidden down the left hand side of the control box, the best thing to do then is contact me by mobile phone, I'm several days behind with emails!

 

[Len_Cuff]

OK thanks, just wondered what price for the sensor you do?