Truma trauma!

[artymar]

Hi everyone,
I've just removed the heating element from my Truma 10 water heater, tested it and found it dead, so I proceeded to price a replacement and nearly choked on my cuppa, when I found the average price in the region of £130!!
A 1.5kw element for my washing machine is £18 and my 1.5kw kettle, which is of similar size to the Truma, around £8.
I'd expect to pay a small premium, as with most caravan related stuff, but this takes extortion to another level!
Does any member know of an aftermarket element available, at a sane price?, if so I'd be most grateful for the link please.
Rather than pay Truma £130 for a glorified kettle element worth £8, I'll re-fit the old element and run it on gas only.....£130 buys you a whole lot of gas.
Shame on you Truma 😡

 

[otherclive]

Sadly as you’ve indicated it’s the world of caravans. Pity they couldn’t have designed the element to use a common kettle one. But no profit there.

 

[Jcloughie]

Hi everyone,
I've just removed the heating element from my Truma 10 water heater, tested it and found it dead, so I proceeded to price a replacement and nearly choked on my cuppa, when I found the average price in the region of £130!!
A 1.5kw element for my washing machine is £18 and my 1.5kw kettle, which is of similar size to the Truma, around £8.
I'd expect to pay a small premium, as with most caravan related stuff, but this takes extortion to another level!
Does any member know of an aftermarket element available, at a sane price?, if so I'd be most grateful for the link please.
Rather than pay Truma £130 for a glorified kettle element worth £8, I'll re-fit the old element and run it on gas only.....£130 buys you a whole lot of gas.
Shame on you Truma 😡

100% agree. Some mark up might be expected. But that really is extortionate.

John

 

[Damian]

It is absolutely no use trying to draw a comparison between domestic spares and spares for caravan related items, or boat spares, or any leisure related item.

First of all you have to think how many kettles etc are sold worldwide and then think how many caravans are.
The difference is what causes these spares to be so high.

As far as an aftermarket element is concerned, there is none as the Truma items have specific overheat safety cut offs as part of their construction whereas domestic ones do not.

If anyone thought caravans were a cheap way of leisure, they are very much mistaken.

 

[Jcloughie]

It is absolutely no use trying to draw a comparison between domestic spares and spares for caravan related items, or boat spares, or any leisure related item.

First of all you have to think how many kettles etc are sold worldwide and then think how many caravans are.
The difference is what causes these spares to be so high.

As far as an aftermarket element is concerned, there is none as the Truma items have specific overheat safety cut offs as part of their construction whereas domestic ones do not.

If anyone thought caravans were a cheap way of leisure, they are very much mistaken.

I really don’t think anyone is disputing that there will always be a differential. It’s just when it gets to be 1000% that it seems so unrealistic.

Domestic emmersion heaters do have thermal cit outs, I think it’s a legal requirement.

EG here, including thermostat.

John

 

[otherclive]

It is absolutely no use trying to draw a comparison between domestic spares and spares for caravan related items, or boat spares, or any leisure related item.

First of all you have to think how many kettles etc are sold worldwide and then think how many caravans are.
The difference is what causes these spares to be so high.

As far as an aftermarket element is concerned, there is none as the Truma items have specific overheat safety cut offs as part of their construction whereas domestic ones do not.

If anyone thought caravans were a cheap way of leisure, they are very much mistaken.

Often referred to as the “ money pit”.

 

[Buckman]

The majority of items like taps, electrical stuff, handles, hinges elements etc are used in the domestic environment. To manufacture an element solely for caravan industry would probably price them at £1000 just to manufacture given the limited run. The issue is finding the equivalent part in an domestic environment.

 

[Raywood]

As Damian says the comparison is not valid although as Truma have a monopoly on the part I suspect some profiteering, but I have no figures to be sure.

 

[ProfJohnL]

As Damian says the comparison is not valid although as Truma have a monopoly on the part I suspect some profiteering, but I have no figures to be sure.

Oh yes.

From other projects I have worked on during the 1990's a similarly specked immersion heater was sourced, and cost us about £7.50 +Vat . Translated to todays prices that wold about £10 +Vat.
Even allowing for stocking and delivery charges and dealer mark ups such a specific part should only be costing in the order of £35 to the end user. The rest is profiteering on the basis of exclusivity of of available sources.

 

[Damian]

I actually fully agree about "price fixing" being a major part of the cost.

I know that the majority of outlets have a 50% mark up on all the bits and pieces, but if you need one, then there is little choice but to buy it.

 

[Dustydog]

And again full circle . Why aren’t the Clubs, Magazines like ours batting for lower prices. The screw from Thetford that holds the spinflo grill gas pipe and jet assembly in place is £3.95 ppp. Screwfix sell the same thing.SS for pennies.

 

[Thingy]

Why aren’t the Clubs, Magazines like ours batting for lower prices

Well lets be honest, neither club has ever been a club in the true sense of the word and is not run with the benefit of the members in mind. No magazine will campaign against the manufacturers because of the advertizing revenues they receive, and again, are there to sell copy rather than any real concern for its readers. The manufacturers themselves have a free run at what is in essence a monoploy and overall we are dealing with what has to be the most unregulated industry in the land. Lets face it, if cars were built as badly as caravans, the watchdogs would be up in arms.

 

[bertieboy1]

Hi everyone,
I've just removed the heating element from my Truma 10 water heater, tested it and found it dead, so I proceeded to price a replacement and nearly choked on my cuppa, when I found the average price in the region of £130!!
A 1.5kw element for my washing machine is £18 and my 1.5kw kettle, which is of similar size to the Truma, around £8.
I'd expect to pay a small premium, as with most caravan related stuff, but this takes extortion to another level!
Does any member know of an aftermarket element available, at a sane price?, if so I'd be most grateful for the link please.
Rather than pay Truma £130 for a glorified kettle element worth £8, I'll re-fit the old element and run it on gas only.....£130 buys you a whole lot of gas.
Shame on you Truma 😡

Hi,
Did you try getting replacement element manufactured.There seems to be a lot of companies out there that will manufacture bespoke elements for you. Having said that I only did an internet search without contacting any of them.