Truma heater controls

johndailey
johndailey Forum Participant Posts: 520
100 Comments
edited June 2016 in Caravans #1

On the truma heater, the fan control has a three way switch. The middle position is 'off'. The positions either side of the off position both run the fan. Could somebody explain the use of the ones either side of the off position please?

Comments

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #2

    You are correct about switch positions.  We puzzled about ours for a long time.  When it went for it's habitation check we enquired and we learnt that the unit required to operate the fan was missing!  No wonder we couldn't suss it out.  We had the fan unit
    fitted and now we have the fan on for blown air if we want it.  Whether we are on gas or electric it seems to make no difference whether we go to the left or right of centre.  We have the blown air explained to us when we purchased it, but didn't try it out
    at the time, on getting it looked at - we discovered that it wasn't there, taken for a repair/replacement and never replaced???

    Not a technical answer, but I hope it helps.

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited June 2016 #3

    The setting to the Left will run the fan constantly at the speed set at the dial regardless of the heat output required to maintain that set at the thermostat

    The setting to the Right marked Auto will increase or decrease the fan speed, up to that set at the Dial dependant on the amount of actual heat being produced by the Electric Element or the Gas Burner.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #4

    Thanks, I think that explains why we sometimes get cool air coming through.  Simples
    Happy

  • johndailey
    johndailey Forum Participant Posts: 520
    100 Comments
    edited June 2016 #5

    Bakers, you must have been really surprised to discover the unit missing! JCB, thanks for the explanation. It was explained at the handover but there being so much to listen to, I didn't hoist it in.

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2016 #6

    In our experience, having the fan set at too high a speed makes it blow cold air out of the vents, so we don't have it set to more than a trickle - about number 2.

    In fact, more often than not, we just put the heater on and leave the fan off.

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited June 2016 #7

    Bakers2 & johndailey ,Thanks for thanks,you are both more than welcome. IanH using the Auto setting somewhat overcomes that problem as the air flow is can only be high if the actual heat output is high. Thiis is more uefull on larger vans where a good ciculation
    of air is required at the extremities 

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #8

    Bakers, you must have been really surprised to discover the unit missing! JCB, thanks for the explanation. It was explained at the handover but there being so much to listen to, I didn't hoist it in.

    We assumed that we too hadn't caught the whole explanation at the handover, it was our first - in fact it still is, we assumed it was us. Dealer a way away, spoke to them over the phone and confirmed we were 'doing it right'.  Just thought the fan was useless!!!
     It was a huge shock, but gave us a good laugh, to know it was never there .  By then that branch of the dealers had closed so we just had one fitted, it was more than cost effective and no hassle trying to prove it should have been there.

    As ian says we rarely use it unless its to heat the bathroom ? and the less the number on the dial the steadier and more consistent the warm air.

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited June 2016 #9

    Barkers are you understanding that if you set the switch to Auto, and no heat is being produced by the Electric Element because the van has reached the temperature set at the thermostat, no matter what the fan speed setting the fan will slow to a trickle
    output, and only speed up again when the Element is switched back on by the thermostat? Thus not blowing large quantities of unrequired/unheated air around the van that give rise to the cold air effect, but when the element is switched back on, the fan speeds
    up to ensure a sufficient /required airflow is maintained to all quarters.

    When using Gas the effect is similar but because the burner is turned up and down, rather than on/ off the fan speed/air-output tends to be more-or-less constant.

    I hope this is helpfull and not becomming to OTT !

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #10

    Barkers are you understanding that if you set the switch to Auto, and no heat is being produced by the Electric Element because the van has reached the temperature set at the thermostat, no matter what the fan speed setting the fan will slow to a trickle
    output, and only speed up again when the Element is switched back on by the thermostat? Thus not blowing large quantities of unrequired/unheated air around the van that give rise to the cold air effect, but when the element is switched back on, the fan speeds
    up to ensure a sufficient /required airflow is maintained to all quarters.

    When using Gas the effect is similar but because the burner is turned up and down, rather than on/ off the fan speed/air-output tends to be more-or-less constant.

    I hope this is helpfull and not becomming to OTT !

    Thanks for a clear explanation it needs to be plan and simple  as far as we are concerned. So I'll take no insult even if others think its OTT  

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