Truma thermostat

[yanis]

Hello All,

We have a Autotrail Cheyenne(2004) with a Truma thermostat. Can anyone tell me if it can be disabled/overridden? If so, how? Perhaps most importantly, is this even sensible?!?!

Many thanks, Yanis

 

[Keithl]

Hi Yanis,

 

I assume you mean for your Trumatic heater? If so I have to ask why?

 

If you turn it up to full then surely this achieves the same thing, or am I missing something?

 

Keith.

[Robbo]

You can disable the thermostat by removing the wires at the back (assuming you mean the button type sensor). This would mean that no signal would be relayed to the Truma brain box and no heating, presumably !!!

 

If you suspect that the sensor is faulty, then just remove the wires and join them together to see if the space heating fires up.

 

Please explain why you want to disable/override the thermostat.

 

 

 

 

[yanis]

Hello,

Thanks for replying. When we're hooked up we prefer to use the electric habitation heater and fan. But we have found that the heating cuts out after the van has warmed up a bit. We think this is because the thermostat is reading 26c (even though it's nowhere near that hot). It doesn't cut out if we run it from the gas. So we thought, probably incorrectly, that if we disable the thermostat we could just switch off the heating manually when warm enough. We're going through Europe towards Greece for a few months in the van soon, so we want to be able to use the hook up heating when available.

Thanks

Yanis

[Derek Uzzell]

I think a 2004 Auto-Trail Cheyenne will have a Truma S-Series 'fire’ for air-heating (gas + 230V “Ultraheat”) and a Truma “Ultrastore” gas-fuelled boiler (possibly with 230V as well) for water heating.

[PJay]

yanis - 2016-11-12 2:48 PM

 

Hello,

Thanks for replying. When we're hooked up we prefer to use the electric habitation heater and fan. But we have found that the heating cuts out after the van has warmed up a bit. We think this is because the thermostat is reading 26c (even though it's nowhere near that hot). It doesn't cut out if we run it from the gas. So we thought, probably incorrectly, that if we disable the thermostat we could just switch off the heating manually when warm enough. We're going through Europe towards Greece for a few months in the van soon, so we want to be able to use the hook up heating when available.

Thanks

Yanis

 

as you will be on "Hook Up" as you say,, then why not just take a fan heater with you? it will have it's own thermostat , AND more importantly can be place any where in the van to direct the heat where you want it. Take a small extension lead with you, as well. The only thing will be to make sure the supply is sufficient for the fan . If you are not sure then just be sure not to overload it. Ie don't put on water heater/kettle at the same time.

PJay

[lennyhb]

Taking the fan out and clean all the fluff of the blades and housing will probably cure it, common problem on those heaters.

[Robinhood]

Derek Uzzell - 2016-11-12 6:25 PM

 

I think a 2004 Auto-Trail Cheyenne will have a Truma S-Series 'fire’ for air-heating (gas + 230V “Ultraheat”) ......

 

The Ultraheat "add-on" has overheat protection built in. This may trip if the fan is run on too low a setting on electric use, allowing the elements to get too hot.

 

It is also reported as a fairly common occurrence that these overheat protection units will play up over time, and cause the elements to cut out prematurely.

 

From your description of symptoms, it appears that this might be the issue, rather than the "room" thermostat.

 

They don't appear to be over-expensive (although there are potentially two separate parts to replace - a temperature control device, and a temperature limiter), even a kit of both parts is available under £20.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CARAVAN-MOTORHOME-Truma-Ultraheat-Temperature-Limiter-Control-Device-Set-/271750742821?hash=item3f459b4325

 

The "breakdown" diagram here gives an idea that it might not be a difficult replacement job for a competent DIY'er (and prices the individual units as well).

 

https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/gas/caravan-gas-fires/truma-fires/truma-ultraheat-electrical-supplementary-heater-spare-parts#ppSpecs[iframes]/0/

 

edited to add:

 

As Lenny says, if the fan isn't turning properly (fluffed up or whatever) the overheat protection will probably trip, as per my fan comment above).

[Cliffy]

An interesting thread.

 

We have an AT Tracker which cuts out in a similar way. We find that if we turn the temperature up to maximum it works OK.

 

I will be looking to clean the fan before next season though.

[Derek Uzzell]

I’ve no hands-on experience of Truma S-series heaters, but I notice that the “Ultraheat” control-panel includes a room-temperature thermostat (with a remote thermostat as an option).

 

If an Ultraheat control-panel were to be installed in a ‘hot’ position (eg. towards the ceiling and/or directly above the heater) it’s to be expected that the heater will switch off well before the motorhome’s living area warms up properly.

 

As Yanis only bougt the Auto-Trail in late-August, it would be worth trying Cliffy’s method and turn the control-panel’s rotary control knob to its maximum setting.

 

Truma’s advice is

 

"Set rotary control knob to the desired room temperature.

 

The thermostat setting on the control panel (1 – 9) must be determined individually depending on the heating requirement and the type of vehicle.

 

For an average room temperature of about 23 °C, we recommend a thermostat setting of about 6 – 8.”

 

but this assumes that the control-panel will have been installed where significant temperature fluctuations won’t occur.

[PJay]

That's an interesting point Derek has raised

our control panel is mounted on the side of the wardrobe. The heater is mounted under the wardrobe ! The wardrobe does get hot when the heater is on.we thought We had a problem with our electric heating last month, but when we got home , and checked it out, we found that we had been setting the knob wrong, as it is not easy to see, when it's dark in the van, IE early am or in the evening!!

 

PJay

 

Forgot to say, the heating was OK on Gas, as the thermostat i believe is in the fire. Bearing in mind that heat rises, maybe the thermostat, should be away from the fire? In houses you usually have the thermostat in the hall, which is much colder than living rooms, (well it should be) In our house we tend to have the temp a bit like a "hot House"

[Derek Uzzell]

There’s a long posting in the following Practical Caravan thread

 

http://www.practicalcaravan.com/forum/technical/34996-truma-thermostat

 

advising about the “Ultraheat” option and the operation of its thermostat.

[yanis]

Thanks everybody for the useful replies. We're a bit nervous about digging around for the thermostat, so we've chickened out and bought a Warmlite small oil filled radiator, which should be good to keep the place warm once the Truma has done its work. Looked at some reviews and the radiator has the advantage of staying warm for quite a while after switch off due to the oil. Thanks again all!