Heating thermostat placement

Mr Bounty
Mr Bounty Forum Participant Posts: 17
edited April 2023 in Motorhomes #1

Hi all,

I have a 2004 Burstner van. The living space heater works really well and heats the van to a lovely warm temperature, even in sub zero conditions. The problem is that it doesn’t want to switch on. The temperature sensor is placed on the control panel above the habitation door, which is next to wardrobe which houses the hot water tank. Heat from the warm wardrobe is trapped above the door where the temperature sensor lives, and so even with the heating cranked all the way up, it doesn’t kick in because it’s 27’C where the sensor is. A frozen bag of peas pressed against the sensor for a few minutes does the trick for a half hour, but then it goes off and stays off again. With the heating set to max. The habitation area would need to drop to around 16’C before it switches on (unless you use the frozen peas trick). I know that with more modern controls you can calibrate the system to compensate for this issue, but mine pre-dates this facility. I’m wondering if anyone has fixed such an issue and how it was done. All input is appreciated.

Comments

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,192 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #2

    Just posted on your joining thread and now I've now seen this. 

    I'm sorry I can't help but what an odd place to put it! Really silly question could you,or could you, have it repositioned?

    I love the frozen pea cure, necessity being the mother of invention.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,665 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #3

    You do not say what heating system you have, but is a remote thermostat available?

    We have the Alde system and fitted a remote thermostat for a similar reason, ours just plugged into a connection point on the control panel.

     

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,665 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #4

    That should be "remote sensor"

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Forum Participant Posts: 3,880
    1000 Comments
    edited April 2023 #5

    You may actually be lucky.  The sensor in my Bailey is at floor level and air temperature up at roof can be well above 25 degrees before the sensor decides to switch off.  Maybe this is why the heating has a manual switch?  

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited April 2023 #6
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • Mr Bounty
    Mr Bounty Forum Participant Posts: 17
    edited April 2023 #7

    Thanks for the feedback. I think the heater system is an ancient (2004) Truma system. There’s no. “Fireplace” , just a hot water tank and blown air. As far as I know there is no manual override; it has to go through the thermostat. It is an extremely odd place to put the sensor (and so is on the floor😂😂). I think that repositioning is going to be the option, but I’ll probably get a professional to do it rather than hoping to do a neat job of re-routing the wiring myself.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited April 2023 #8
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  • Mr Bounty
    Mr Bounty Forum Participant Posts: 17
    edited April 2023 #9

    DDM do you mean with a different grade of sensor? If they are a thing that would be fantastic.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited April 2023 #10
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • Mr Bounty
    Mr Bounty Forum Participant Posts: 17
    edited April 2023 #11

    I guess that’s worth a try; the sensors are cheap enough. Maybe the sensor is faulty. Thanks again for everyone’s feedback.👍

  • Chris and Malc
    Chris and Malc Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited April 2023 #12

    Google, Heat dissipation insulator, you should be able to devise a simple but effective solution to replicate your bag of peas i am sure, hope to see you on Dragons den cool

  • Mr Bounty
    Mr Bounty Forum Participant Posts: 17
    edited April 2023 #13

    Good afternoon dragons, here we have a bag of peas……..🤣🤣

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2023 #14

    They do seem to put these sensors in the most stupid of places. 

    On a previous caravan the sensor like yours was to close to the heater. Our dealer moved it to a more sensible place. 

    Our current MH had the sensor next to a spotlight and above where the TV is located on the wall, so like yours it wouldn't come on if the TV was on or the spotlight. OH moved it well away from them. It's still not perfect but that is more to do with where the heater and the vents are situated. 

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