Electric space heater
We are just approaching our first winter in a Swift Select 184. We have a Truma dual energy water heater, but what we only realised last week for the first time was that the space heating is gas only. We had been expecting to be able to keep using the van during cold weather if we were using an electric hookup pitch, and run the water heater, space heater (and mini kettle to boot!) all off electric (though not necessarily at the same time!) to save on precious gas (for which we have still only been able to get 3.9kg cylinders).
So, coming to the point, for anyone who continues to use their van over winter, and doesn't have a built-in electric heater, what do you use to keep the space warm other than the gas?
The main choice seems to be between noisy but fast fan heaters & quiet but slow oil-filled heaters. However, I'm more particularly interested in actual models, with good/bad points from people's experience. There's a huge variety out there on the market of both types, not forgetting that 1kW is about 4A and 2kW twice that, and there are very few <1kW heaters (which would be slower to warm up a given space anyway).
Thanks!
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I presume you've double checked your heater doesn't work on dual supplies. When we bought our van we were told at the handover ours didn't work on gas...but it did.
Have you considered a convector heater, they are silent and warm the air well, lightweight too. If you get a 2kw one with a thermostat it should be OK. We've used one in a previous van.
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The spec for the 184 states it's dual fuel blown air heating🤷♂️🤷♂️
The instruction book should tell all.
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My first caravan from 1999 had duel fuel so how old is your van? I'm not trying to suggest anything but are you sure?
A convection heater as Brue says is your best option. I don't know about these things but is having a new heater installed possible or viable?
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Ideally a fan heater rated at less than 45dB otherwise you won’t be able to hear the TV!
If money is no object, there’s always those fancy bladeless fans from Dyson, virtually silent and very efficient
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Thanks for all the replies.
I have to say, I was originally convinced the warm air blower was dual energy too - I'm sure that's what I got from the original blurb. However, we were unable to switch it to use electricity.
The Truma control panel we have is this one: https://www.truma.com/dam/jcr:0f4d9fb3-9546-4c6c-8dc6-46d02bccbb58/truma-heating-cp-plus-operating-instructions-EN.pdf
As per pages 7/8, It allows you to select fuel (gas/lecky (2 settings)/mix (2 settings)). However, it also states that that mixed or electric modes are "Only possible with heaters that have electric heating elements e. g. Combi E CP plus ready."
So, we set the operating mode to EL2 (we were on a 16A EHU), and turned on the water heater. That appeared to function correctly. We then turned on the space heater, and the "flame" symbol appeared.
At which point, on going through the process again in my head, two things now occur to me. Firstly, was the heater on gas because the boiler was already on (electric)? I should really have tried with the boiler off to see what happened. Secondly, does the "flame" symbol simply mean that heating is on, and nothing to do with the fuel being used? Which would be another of those misunderstandings you get from daft iconised systems that don't include plain English text too!
Or, thirdly, might there be a malfunction or even bad design in the panel? After all, the panel's also got a clock and the ability to set time on/time off for heating/hot water. But since the clock doesn't get its time from the van, but resets itself to 00:00 every time you turn the engine on, it's fairly useless!
Anyway, I shall need to look into it further, try some things, and seek advice from the dealer/Truma before I rush out and get a separate electric heater.
Thanks again!
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The flame symbol will flash until the desired ‘room’ temperature is reached. Set fuel at EL1 or EL2 and set the thermostat to max - the flame icon should flash indicating the space heating is on.
Clock reset every time you turn the ignition on sounds wrong - the control unit should have permanent 12v supply. You’ll need to get that checked/sorted.
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The flame symbol just shows the heating is on and when flashing it means it is heating it the same symbol for both gas and electric. ;
My OH thinks because it show a flame it is on gas mot was difficult to convince her otherwise ,even when I turned the gas cylinder off
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JVB is right. The flame symbol indicates heating, not the fuel source.
If your Truma Combi is the 6E, it is definitely dual fuel. See my earlier post re the spec of the 184.
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Thank you - I'll check (by plugging into the garage & turning the gas bottle off!) but I'm sure you're right. A particularly bonkers icon to use in the context then...!
I shall also go back regarding the clock losing its time. When I mentioned it to the dealer before they told me it might be that the backup battery had run out or wasn't present. When I check, not only was there no backup battery, there was no space for a backup battery... it's not something I'm particularly bothered about as it's not a facility we're ever likely to use. But if it's a definite fault (and not just a design issue) I shall ask for it to be sorted...
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Others have given you the correct answer....from the website...
Dual fuel blown air heating with Truma Combi 6 boiler (1.8kW electric/6kW gas/6.9kW combined)
in actual fact, the above combined figure is incorrect....when running in mixed II mode, it combines 4kw of gas with 1800w of electric to give 5.8kw total.
agreed, the use of a flame for heat used to be confused with the same symbol for gas....however Truma now use a gas bottle as the icon for gas fuel selected.
re the clock/timer...our 12v supply is maintained to the Truma with the engine on or off, the main control panel on or off, the Truma CP panel on or off.....
the only thing that will cut the supply is to turn off the main habitation isolator switch....so, as we don't do this, our clock is always right.
however, ours is a German van with electrics that don't get cut off for every reason going...it's left to the user to do this...
the timer is useful for turning on heating prior to returning to the van or, as we do in winter, set the hot water for (say) 6:30-7:00am and then, when it's hot, turn on the heating as I make the morning cuppa....the water will remain hot for the shower while warming the van...
edit...PS...
Be careful when generating error conditions (which you will do if running on gas with no gas...) some units (installations) can be a pain to return to error free....ours is fine but some are awful....my advice do the test the other way....select gas but have the gas bottle on...you should hear the boiler ignite with a few soft clicks, then a roar as the unit fires up and then a gentle flow of air, getting stronger after 2 or 3 mins. Ensure the temp is set up to 25+ and the fan set to HIGH. This will give you the quickest response from the unit.
good luck.
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Right, fantastic response from everyone, many thanks :-)
Yes, I have just checked. On electric, with a handy plug-through meter, with the only load taken being the battery charger, it's taking about 1.5A. On EL1, with the heater & fan on, it's about 5A. On EL2, it's about 8.5A. All of which is what I would expect. And yes, the flame symbol is on.
"the use of a flame for heat used to be confused with the same symbol for gas....however Truma now use a gas bottle as the icon for gas fuel selected."
I would suggest that it's still being confused, since the flame is a fairly standard symbol everywhere for fire/flame/gas. Changing the gas icon to a bottle makes sense, but to be completely unambiguous they needed to have changed the "heating on" symbol as well!
Anyway, thanks again, all appears to be good - apart from the clock that is.
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Our current motorhome, after a previous motorhome and a long line of caravans with Truma heater with manual controls, is the first one with the CP control panel. I found it did take a bit of getting used to. BB comments about the error codes struck home as I have caused a few of those!!! You will get used to it and I prefer the CP panel to the manual option now I seem to have mastered it!!!
David
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Yes, a fan heater is a good thing for back up....some Combis can be a bit temperamental...
One hint about 'errors' is that one of the most common ones is when, on leaving day, folk pull the EHU cable prior to turning the CP unit completely OFF.
This 'shouldn't' be an issue but in some installations it needs a reset on the unit, can be a logistical nightmare depending on where the unit is sited.
Try and get into the habit of turning the CP OFF when you've finished with it.
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I see you have two 3.9,g bottles but the spec says the lockers are designed for twin 6kg bottles...is this a stopgap until the dealer gets you some correct sized units?
carrying just 7.8 kg of gas over two bottles (not refillable) means a lot of bottle swapping...
depending on your camping habits, this might be continual pain....
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I am hoping that when our 6kg lites run out one has been on for over two years now.
and am now carry a full 6kg lite in the car. both exchanged at the same time ,We will be going for 3.9kg cylinders, on exchange next time to save weight and space,,
We have always carried a fan heater as back up ,,the much quieter upright with larger fan
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Yes, it's definitely horses for courses...
for users like yourself, always on sites with EHU (probably with three pots stacked on the single hot plate) gas usage will be at a minimum...
we have a gas oven, no electric hot plate (3 gas rings), camp regularly without EHU, all year round, so usage will be at the other end of the scale.
it really depends where the OP sits as to whether swapping two small bottles will be a regular pain or not an issue...
either way, being equipped with two 3.9 when the spec says two 6kg should be addressed when stocks become available.
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As you say depends on usage, ,on the upside for us more space in gas locker with 3.9kg ,we only normally have been carrying one cylinder for the First 18months then have a full in the car for when? the one fitted runs out
,PS veg are normally done in microwave ,and we have a. Lidl mini oven
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Yes... learnt that the hard way, having managed to blow the fuse for the dashboard 12V/USB charging socket. Not only did I have no spare fuses at the time, I wouldn't have been able to fit one since the Fiat Ducato cab fuses are under the bonnet tucked away into an almost inaccessible corner needing a screwdriver to get the cover off...!
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Correct, should be 2x 6kg.
When we picked the van up the dealer showed us over it then said "you have brought your own bottle haven't you?" We said no, he said "well you can borrow the one that's in it while you stay overnight, but you'll have to give it back in the morning, there's a huge shortage of bottles..." Which I do remember reading about last year, but had thought was all over by now, given that Calor et al had had a year or more to get sorted out for a whole load more leisure vehicles out there requiring bottles.
Thankfully, the dealer's on-site shop did have one 3.9kg left, no 6kg. In theory, that can be swapped up when emptied to a 6kg, but Calor are still refusing to give 6kg bottles out unless you've got a 6kg to give back.
We then got a second 3.9kg bottle from Flogas - again, at present you can't get 6kg from them, unless you've got a 6kg bottle to hand back.
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What's your usage pattern going to be like?
...camp all year round?, camp off grid? Camp overseas where these tiny bottles can't be swapped when they run out?
the more 'ticks' to the above list, the more I would consider a refillable system. A pair of 6kg incl filling nozzle easily available now on eBay..
not cheap but depends on camping style and will have a large residual if you ever want to sell.
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Yep, that's another option, and one I have contemplated. Saving the cash for a towbar+4x bike carrier at present though:-)
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