Bobontour Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 Hi, apologies if this has been raised and answered in the past but I'm new to the Forum. We have an electric water heater and, as several sites that we use are starting to meter or charge for high electric usage I would like to fit a timer to the water heater, it is currently either on or off and the switch is not ideal for access when the bed is set up. It runs from mains electric so I would expect to be able to fit a domestic type timer so that it can be turned on and off at appropriate times. I've looked at the wiring to the switch and that is definitely not normal domestic wiring that I could fit such a timer into. I believe that it is a Thetford heater if that helps. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 Is there an isolation switch for the water heater? Many MH's use domestic style isolation switches, possibly including a fuse or red tell tale light. If yes then that would be my go to point for a time switch. Check the heater does turn back on correctly if you switch the isolator off and then back on? Also make sure the heater instructions do not say anything about cool down cycles requiring power after the heater is switched off. I know Diesel fuelled water heaters do but not sure on Thetford mains powered water heaters??? Keith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums, Bobontour. To the best of my knowledge Thetford has never made heaters, with the company specialising in kitchen equipment and toilets. It may be that your electric water heater is a TRUMA product (though the type of Truma water heater usually fitted to motor homes/caravans is gas/electric rather than electric-only). It could help with identifying your water heater (and then providing focussed suggestions) if you provided details of your leisure-vehicle. https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/66959-identify-your-vehicle-please/#comment-719794 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 3 hours ago, Bobontour said: Hi, apologies if this has been raised and answered in the past but I'm new to the Forum. We have an electric water heater and, as several sites that we use are starting to meter or charge for high electric usage I would like to fit a timer to the water heater, it is currently either on or off and the switch is not ideal for access when the bed is set up. It runs from mains electric so I would expect to be able to fit a domestic type timer so that it can be turned on and off at appropriate times. I've looked at the wiring to the switch and that is definitely not normal domestic wiring that I could fit such a timer into. I believe that it is a Thetford heater if that helps. Any suggestions? ????????? Post some photos of your set-up ? Make , year and model of your motorhome I am intrigued by the content of your post (. I've looked at the wiring to the switch and that is definitely not normal domestic wiring that I could fit such a timer into. I believe that it is a Thetford heater if that helps.) Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimuck Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 On your 2020 motorhome you can set a timer for on and off on the control panel. Truma 4e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayc Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 (edited) I would have thought that any decent heater had a thermostat that only cut in when the temperature of the water dropped. In times of little hot water usage there should be minimal electric demand once the water is initially up to temperature. I wonder how much difference in cost there is in letting it cycle rather than if it cools down and has to be reheated from scratch? Edited October 1 by rayc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 If it's a Truma Combi, then it appears to have very poor insulation, I would never leave ours on 24/7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 There are 240V-only water heaters designed for leisure-vehicle usage. Truma markets the 14-litres capacity "Electroboiler" and the 5-litres "Therme" (that's mostly found in caravans); Propex markets several sizes of 240V heater: Heatek offers 3, 6 and 10-litres models, etc. I'm pretty sure that none of these will have a built-in timer and I wouldn't surprise me in the least to learn that the cabling from the heater to a remote ON/OFF switch did not follow normal domestic 'immersion heater' practice. On the other hand, there will be an ordinary 'domestic' cable to provide the heater with a 240V power-feed and some relatively simple modifications should be practicable to allow a timer to be inserted into that feed. Or, if Bibontour's heater has a remote ON/OFF switch that is hard to reach, an alternative approach to the timer ploy might be to relocate that switch to a more accessible position. Truma Trumatic-C gas-fuelled air/water heaters had the option of a low-powered (450W) 240V heating-collar that wrapped around the water storage tank and - because this system was naturally slow to heat up the water in the tank - it was the norm to leave it operating continuously. (Anyway, whatever water heater Bobontour has, it ain't a Thetford product...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 23 hours ago, Bobontour said: Hi, apologies if this has been raised and answered in the past but I'm new to the Forum. We have an electric water heater and, as several sites that we use are starting to meter or charge for high electric usage I would like to fit a timer to the water heater, it is currently either on or off and the switch is not ideal for access when the bed is set up. It runs from mains electric so I would expect to be able to fit a domestic type timer so that it can be turned on and off at appropriate times. I've looked at the wiring to the switch and that is definitely not normal domestic wiring that I could fit such a timer into. I believe that it is a Thetford heater if that helps. Any suggestions? We await your reply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobontour Posted October 1 Author Share Posted October 1 On 30/09/2024 at 12:04, Bobontour said: Hi, apologies if this has been raised and answered in the past but I'm new to the Forum. We have an electric water heater and, as several sites that we use are starting to meter or charge for high electric usage I would like to fit a timer to the water heater, it is currently either on or off and the switch is not ideal for access when the bed is set up. It runs from mains electric so I would expect to be able to fit a domestic type timer so that it can be turned on and off at appropriate times. I've looked at the wiring to the switch and that is definitely not normal domestic wiring that I could fit such a timer into. I believe that it is a Thetford heater if that helps. Any suggestions Thanks for your replies. The boiler is as you suspected a Truma not a Thetford, sorry, it will run on gas and / or electric. I only want to put the timer on the electric side. The van is a 2019 Chausson Welcome Premium 610. There is no isolation switch. The on / off switch is the only control, there is no control panel. Experience confirms that it uses much less electricity when it's only switched on for the hour or so in the morning that we need it. Rather than if it's left on all day even if it does turn on and off when reaching temperature. There is a connection box, sealed with a plastic strap, that is suspect would reveal some "standard" 240V wiring but I'm reluctant to break the seal without some confidence that this is the case. I was hoping that someone may have already done something similar. Photos attached. Thanks for any further advice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 The Installation Guide and User Manual for the Truma Boiler EL can be viewed here https://www.manuals.co.uk/truma/boiler/manual?p=8&file=3103352 Page 8 of the Installation Guide provides details of the 230V electrical connection and there's a diagram (copied below) that relates to what you have referred to as "...a connection box, sealed with a plastic strap". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 I would guess that you could possibly fit a CP Plus control panel, this has a timer but is around £120. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 No, the CP Plus control-panel can only be used with a Truma "Combi" combined air/water heater. The water heater fitted to a 2019 Chausson Welcome Premium 610 is a Truma "Boiler" with the 240V "EL" feature. This is the Truma "Ultrastore Rapid GE" gas/240V water heater that Truma (apparently) now just calls "Boiler" and its 240V heating element can be switched between 850W and 1300W. There's a video on its use here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyoLUo_khEU There's a 'handover' video of a Chausson Welcome Premium 610 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILe9gPxjK4g and (about 10 minutes in) are pictures of the CBE-made 240V and 12V electrical 'service boxes' housed in an externally-accessed storage locker. The Chausson Welcome Premium 610 has diesel-fuelled air heating with its own controls, and the problem bobontour has is that the Truma water heater's control-switches are located low down (on a seat base?) and, when the motorhome's drop-down bed is lowered, those switches become difficult to reach. There will be an electrical cable running from the 240V service-box in the external locker to the Truma Boiler's connection-box, entering the box at position "2" on the diagram in the previous posting. The image below show's the 610's layout and I think the Truma Boiler is in a seat-base (arrowed in red) and just in front of the external locker that houses the 240V service-box. Based on bobontour's 5th photo, it looks straightforward to 'break into' the 240V cable that connects to position "2" on the connection-box and insert a 240V timer (there are many types advertised online) into that cable, positioning the timer where it could be reached more easily when the bed has been lowered (eg. where I've green-circled). George Collings used to edit MMM magazine's technical enquiries column. I remember asking him, at a NEC Show, what his reaction was to the more ambitious DIY questions from MMM readers and he said "For anyone who feels it necessary to ask about a challenging DIY task, the best answer is "Don't do it!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 Why not relocate the current switch to a more convenient location? It appears to use a 4 core cable so should be a far simpler job than adding a timer. Just make sure to match the size and rating of the current cable as it does carry the full power of the heater. Keith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 That's OK, but then there would be a large hole where the original switch is at present (bobontout's 2nd and 3rd photos) and another large hole would need to be made where the switch was moved to. I considered inserting a supplementary ON/OFF switch into the 240V power cable, but if one were going to do that, a timer might as well be fitted instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 Hi I think it would be prudent if you are unsure to get the advice of a good electrician on installing a timer for you. Not really a DIY job if you are not qualified to do the job. Safety is important when dealing with 220/240 v AC Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobontour Posted October 2 Author Share Posted October 2 Thanks again for your input everyone, especially Derek with the research and diagram provided. I will look at them closely and decide on my way forward. If I go ahead I will come back and let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 A GOOGLE-search on caravan heater timers will retrieve a of number past online discussions. I wondered about the genuine usefulness of water-heater timers in a motorhome, where the connection of the vehicle to a 240V power supply probably would not be for long periods. However, if the timer has a long duration back-up battery that might be OK. For example https://www.rainbow-conversions.co.uk/heaters-motorhome-caravan/propex-lcd-digital-programmable-heater-timer.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.