Descaling Truma water heater

[AlanR]

Hi,

 

I have a Truma C 6002 water heater fitted to my Motorhome. After several years of using high scaling Spanish water, does anyone have detailed instructions of how to descale this unit.

 

AlanR :-) :-)

[Derek Uzzell]

AlanR:

 

You may well have read the descaling information in Truma's Operating Instructions for this heater, but (just in case not) I'll repeat them below:

 

"Use wine vinegar for descaling the water heater, this being introduced into the appliance via the water supply. Allow the product to react and then thoroughly flush out the appliance with plenty of fresh water.”

 

As far as I'm aware, that's it - there's no step-by-step guidance for an owner to follow, nothing about the strength of the vinegar solution or how long to leave it in - it seems that you are expected to work out your own method and hope it's effective.

 

However, there was an article in the July 2006 issue of the French motorhome magazine "Le Monde du Camping-car" that describes the descaling process in more detail and I guess it's reasonable to assume the article is based on Truma's advice.

 

The method used to get the vinegar into the boiler involved first emptying the heater and then disconnecting its water inlet and outlet hoses. Then a length of plastic hose - longer than the appliance was tall - was attached to the water-inlet at the base of the heater. A plastic funnel was pushed into the open end of the hose and the funnel firmly supported above the top of the heater. Vinegar was then poured into the funnel until it ran from the water-outlet located towards the top of the heater. The heater was then switched to water-heating mode (selecting the maximum water temperature setting) and the vinegar inside heated until vapour emerged from the water outlet. The heater was then switched off, emptied of vinegar and (after reconnection of the water hoses) refilled with fresh water.

 

Now, if I were carrying out this exercise, I'd add a length of hose to the water-outlet so that I could lead away and collect the vinegar that will inevitably spew out of the outlet when the appliance heats up. I'd also make sure that the hose attached to the water-inlet was sufficiently long for me to lead the end that takes the funnel to a suitable container to catch, at the emptying stage, the 12 litres of vinegar contained in the boiler.

 

Incidentally, the article said that Truma recommended descaling be carried out at least annually, or twice per year if the appliance were used intensively. Ho, bloody ho - that's a good 'un given how difficult to get at these heaters usually are.

 

Suggest you try asking Truma(UK) about this, just in case there are 'official' instructions on how to do it. The website is www.trumauk.com email is technical@trumauk.com and phone is 01283 586020. It would be interesting to learn what sort of response you get as I've yet to encounter anyone who has descaled their Truma heater.

[AlanR]

Hi Derek,

 

Many thanks for the very informative reply.

I will certainly get in touch with Truma Uk and see what they have to say on the subject.

 

I will post any advice under this heading, meanwhile it looks as though I may have to start saving for 10 ltrs of wine vinegar !!

 

 

Regards

 

AlanR :-)

[Ocsid]

Shocked at the cost of "wine-vinegar" I have been using catering size 5 litres of "White Vinegar" from Makro. Buy two x 5 litres. Done it each year since 2002.

Vinegar is acetic acid so the stainless steel boiler can cope with that whatever the origins of the acid. Just dont get Malted Vinegar as I feel it would take a while to lose the residual smell.

Starting with an empty Truma; closed drain.

I just pump in neat vinegar from the tank till it spits out the tap.

Now the important bit, leaving tap open switch off vans DC to stop the pump leaving water system vented via that open tap. Leave cold for two hours then pump a bit more through, using the vans DC switch, leave another hour then multiple flush out.

I know putting the heater on will increase the chemical reaction speed but I most definitely would not do that; doing it cold works.

 

The scale will only be at the bottom of the boiler where its heated and on the element so it is not essential to fully fill it.

[AlanR]

Thanks for that info OCSID,

 

Here is what Truma UK advised me to do :

 

Dear AlanR

 

 

 

I am replying to inform you that to to de-scale your unit, you should use a non-chlorine based liquid or white wine vinegar. The ratio you need to use is 2:10, two litres of white wine vinegar to every ten litres of water. Leave the mixture in the unit for 4-5 hours then just simply flush it through your system.

 

 

Any further questions then contact us on the above number.

 

 

Kind Regards

 

Jason

Service Engineer

 

[Derek Uzzell]

AlanR:

 

Thanks for posting Truma(UK)'s advice - 2 litres of vinegar will be a whole lot cheaper than 12.

 

Presumably your C-6002 shows signs of needing descaling - like it's slow to heat up the water or serious lime-scale deposits are visible at the water inlet/outlet points - in which case you may need to repeat the exercise a number of times to make a major improvement. I'm rather doubtful that a few hours exposure to a cold 1:5 vinegar/water mixture will be effective in removing several years worth of Spanish hard-water scale, but the proof of the pudding, etc...

 

Ocsid seems to be describing a Truma Ultrastore gas/230V boiler that has a 'kettle-like' design. I would anticipate with a Trumatic C-Series appliance that lime-scale will tend to be deposited over the whole interior surface of the water reservoir and, consequently, the descaling procedure will require the reservoir to be completely filled with the vinegar solution.

 

Please let the forum know how you get on.

[Ocsid]

Derek Uzzell - 2008-10-25 7:24 AM

 

I'm rather doubtful that a few hours exposure to a cold 1:5 vinegar/water mixture will be effective in removing several years worth of Spanish hard-water scale, but the proof of the pudding, etc...

 

Ocsid seems to be describing a Truma Ultrastore gas/230V boiler that has a 'kettle-like' design. I would anticipate with a Trumatic C-Series appliance that lime-scale will tend to be deposited over the whole interior surface of the water reservoir and, consequently, the descaling procedure will require the reservoir to be completely filled with the vinegar solution.

 

Please let the forum know how you get on.

 

Yes Derek my Truma is an Ultrastore; apologises I should have read Alan's opening post more carefully.

The burner in the Ultrastore is at the bottom, I don't know where the flames play on the "C" series.

 

As you I am doubtful that such diluted vinegar as 1:5 will have the required impact; it could be tried first in a kettle where it's visible to see if it does.

[Derek Uzzell]

On page 32 of the December 2008 issue of The Caravan Club Magazine there is an ASK YOUR CLUB article headed "DE-SCALING A TRUMA WATER HEATER". The article reads as follows:

 

"QUESTION: I have a Truma Ultrastore Rapid water heater in my caravan. Can I use one of the 'all purpose' proprietary products on the market to de-scale it?

 

ANSWER: Truma advises that you should not use a de-scaler containing chlorine, as the water tank is made of VA stainless steel. Its recommendations for de-scaling are contained in the manual; however, for those who are not in possession of the latter, Truma recommends that five litres of water and five litres of white wine vinegar are put into the fresh water tank and that this mixture is then run into the Ultrastore. The water should then be heated up to the maximum temperature then allowed to cool down again. When this has taken place, rinse the heater out with plenty of fresh water again from the water tank in order to ensure that it is given a thorough rinse through."

 

I've not seen an up-to-date 'manual' for a Truma water-heating appliance, but I'd be surprised if current instructions are any more explicit about the de-scaling procedure than the 2004-vintage single-paragraph description I quoted in my first posting.

 

Anyway, to summarise Truma's latest advice:

 

1. Make up a solution of 50% water and 50% white wine vinegar.

2. Completely fill the appliance's water-tank with the solution.

3. Heat solution to the maximum water temperature the appliance can attain.

4. Allow solution to cool.

5. Empty solution from water-tank.

6. Rinse water-tank thoroughly by pumping plenty of fresh water through it.