Truma Gas/Electric water boiler

[John_Debbie]

Our gas/electric water boiler has started to trip the rcd breaker when switched to electric. Any ideas why this is happening? And is there a remedy?

Also have been advised to attach the breakaway cable to body of car as we have a 'swan neck' tow bar. Any advice would be appreciated on how to do this?

 

[Damian]

As far as the water heater is concerned it sounds like the mains element has failed and will need replacing.
The element is around the £129 mark plus fitting

As for the breakaway cable there should be a dedicated attachment point as part of the towbar, but if not there is no other way of attaching the breakaway cable other than looping around the swan neck.

 

[otherclive]

You don’t say what type of breakaway cable end fitting you have. If you have the later carabiner type it should go through the attachment point on the towbar. Sometime the attachment point isn’t totally obvious. Mines a Witter detachable towbar and the attachment point is just a hole drilled at 90 degrees across the cars width. The carabiner end of the breakaway cable just fits through it.

The link below shows the two types. The carabiner is on the right hand side. The other type on the left hand side should always be looped back on themselves even if there is an attachment point large enough to clip it on to.

https://www.caravanguard.co.uk/news/essential-guide-caravan-breakaway-cables-7707/

 

[Hutch]

Just paid £453 for two electric element to be replaced in my Truma combi 4e , heater/ water heater. 2 hrs labour at £55 ph. Elements are expensive. When the element went it tripped the caravan CB and the Bollard CB.

 

[Dustydog]

Just paid £453 for two electric element to be replaced in my Truma combi 4e , heater/ water heater. 2 hrs labour at £55 ph. Elements are expensive. When the element went it tripped the caravan CB and the Bollard CB.

Ouch! That’s a bit steep

 

[otherclive]

Ouch again.
I prefer the separate room heater and water heaters. As the system degrade much more gracefully and we can still keep warm on gas alone without the need for any voltage apart from a small 9v igniter battery. Such is progress.

 

[Hutch]

Oh yes ouch, I did check the cost of the elements, and I wasn't ripped off at all. The engineer did state that as these units get to 6 years old he starts to get people bring in Caravans and motor homes with failed elements.
One point he made was that, some, people with their units at home tend to have the heating on low over the winter, and suggested they use an oil powered heater, rather than the on board heater. To save the element. And at that price I agree.

Edit. The elements were £267. Total VAT £ 75.

 

[Raywood]

Glad I traded the caravan in at 5 years.

 

[CustardAvenger]

Also have been advised to attach the breakaway cable to body of car as we have a 'swan neck' tow bar. Any advice would be appreciated on how to do this?

This image of a Swan Neck towbar shows a loop at the bottom to clip on a Carabiner-type breakaway cable.

 

[Craigyoung]

Glad I traded the caravan in at 5 years.

I'm glad mines only 2 this year