blackfingers Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 In the review it mentions this panel van has achieved Grade 3 insulation (20deg.C inside whilst minus 25deg. C. outside, I believe). The spec. lists Truma Combi 6kw gas/mains heater. The fitted gas tank is 20 litres. So, 16 litres of LPG running a 6kw heater - I don't think one would be static for very long before seeking a re-fill! One assumes this is actually a diesel heater? But, really, a 6kw heater in a panel van? It must be like being in the freezing snow in your underpants standing next to the exhaust of a Rolls-Royce jet engine being wound up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Simple the way the thermal insulation grades are worked out you can actually improve the insulation or simply stick a dirty great heater in! A reaction on their part no doubt to AutoTrail getting grade 3 with their new V series. The heater used is a gas heater that if used on gas and electric has a total output of 7.8 Kw. If it was ever used like this you'd probably blow the windows out. We had one of these in our old Rapido and one night when it was freezing cold and I'd forgotten to leave the heater on a low setting I turned it on to the full output. Sounded like Concord taking off but it sure did heat the motorhome up quickly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 blackfingers - 2013-10-30 4:23 PM The fitted gas tank is 20 litres. So, 16 litres of LPG . Not quite - 25 litre tank holding 20 litres of gas! Our Warwick Duo came with no insulation in the back door cavity and doors that left daylight when they were supposed to be shut. With both flaws sorted it is a lot warmer inside and even with night temperatures close to zero in the Alps in September we only needed the heating on low and most nights it didn't run at all. Perhaps Mrs Tracker is a lot hotter than I realised! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 The MMM article is correct - the vehicle has a Truma Combi 6E 6kW-output combinnation air/water heater that can operate on gas and/or 230V. A Combi 6E has a helluva thirst for gas at maximum output but, realistically, it would only be running flat out in a motorhome the size of the Warwick for a very short time before throttling down to a lower setting. The advantage of a 6E over a lower output version (logically a Combi 4E) is that it can provide a very fast warm-up of a very cold vehicle. A Combi 4E SHOULD be perfectly adequate, but a 6E won't be much more expensive for Auto-Sleepers to buy, so it makes some sense to fit it and advertise the fact as a selling point. Is a 6E over-kill for a Warwick XL? Well maybe, but it won't be that much harder on gas than a lower output Combi and at least there's a refillable LPG tank. Incidentally, Combi "E" appliances operating in 'mixed mode' (gas + 230v) have a lower maximum heat ouput than when operating on gas alone. A Combi 6E on gas alone can produce 2kW, 4kW or 6kW, but on gas + 230V, it is restricted to 5.8kW (4kW/gas + 1.8kW/230V): a Combi 4E on gas alone can produce 2kW or 4kW, but on gas + 230V, it is restricted to 3.8kW (2kW/gas + 1.8kW/230V). The only Truma gas/230V appliance that could 'sum' its gas and 230V outputs was the C-6002EH. This had a maximum output on gas alone of 6kW, on 230V alone of 1.8kW, and in mixed mode of 7.8kW (6kW/gas + 1.8kW/230V). (There is a Combi "D" that's diesel-fuelled. This is essentially a Combi gas heater with an Eberspacher burner grafted on. I think a DE variant may now be available that can also heat via 230V. Not sure how many motorhome converters offer it.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Derek Uzzell - 2013-10-30 5:46 PM The MMM article is correct - the vehicle has a Truma Combi 6E 6kW-output combinnation air/water heater that can operate on gas and/or 230V. A Combi 6E has a helluva thirst for gas at maximum output but, realistically, it would only be running flat out in a motorhome the size of the Warwick for a very short time before throttling down to a lower setting. The advantage of a 6E over a lower output version (logically a Combi 4E) is that it can provide a very fast warm-up of a very cold vehicle. A Combi 4E SHOULD be perfectly adequate, but a 6E won't be much more expensive for Auto-Sleepers to buy, so it makes some sense to fit it and advertise the fact as a selling point. Is a 6E over-kill for a Warwick XL? Well maybe, but it won't be that much harder on gas than a lower output Combi and at least there's a refillable LPG tank. Incidentally, Combi "E" appliances operating in 'mixed mode' (gas + 230v) have a lower maximum heat ouput than when operating on gas alone. A Combi 6E on gas alone can produce 2kW, 4kW or 6kW, but on gas + 230V, it is restricted to 5.8kW (4kW/gas + 1.8kW/230V): a Combi 4E on gas alone can produce 2kW or 4kW, but on gas + 230V, it is restricted to 3.8kW (2kW/gas + 1.8kW/230V). The only Truma gas/230V appliance that could 'sum' its gas and 230V outputs was the C-6002EH. This had a maximum output on gas alone of 6kW, on 230V alone of 1.8kW, and in mixed mode of 7.8kW (6kW/gas + 1.8kW/230V). (There is a Combi "D" that's diesel-fuelled. This is essentially a Combi gas heater with an Eberspacher burner grafted on. I think a DE variant may now be available that can also heat via 230V. Not sure how many motorhome converters offer it.) I stand corrected it was indeed the C-6002E that we had, I just assumed the Combi 6E could do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfingers Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thank you for that info, Derek. I've been monitoring for some while how my Propex 2000E 2kw gas/electric space heater has been performing in cold conditions, but these heaters are in a different league. Are there many folks who would want to use a van below, say, minus 5? IanL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 blackfingers - 2013-10-30 7:24 PM Are there many folks who would want to use a van below, say, minus 5? . Yes there are - but I ain't one of 'em - and many of them use a German built van with allegedly better insulation! Personally I see little joy in cold, often damp or wet or windy or all, gloomy, short daylight type camping - but each to their own!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 blackfingers - 2013-10-30 7:24 PM Are there many folks who would want to use a van below, say, minus 5? IanL. The week leading up to easter this year the temps across large ares of this country where at or around -5 overnight, nice crisp sunny days and we where in the van nice and cozy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfingers Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 When we came back from Spain in March this year the temperature at Nolay was about minus 5 overnight. It was fine in the van, but topping up with water and emptying the toilet in the morning was a bit of a struggle. I guess too much of a shock to the sysytem when you've been sitting outside in the sun at 18-20 degrees a couple of days before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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