Heating not working cb516

[Andy s]

Hi. New to this but been motorhoming for 15 years. My chausson flash 10 (2013) is on hook up on my driveway.

Tried the heating today. It makes a whirring sound at the cb516 but no warm air, no fan sound. Red light is on so I know it's charging. Have switched it off and on again (about the level of my expertise). Do I just hit it with a hammer next?

[Andy s]

Sorry just pushed the cushion out of the way. The noise is coming from the truma (or more accurately, trauma?) thing behind it. Hot water working well. Drained it down last week. Refilled it today. 

[GandJP]

Its diesel? If so first check you have plenty of fuel in your tank as it will not operate if you are too low. Failing that is the light on the operating dial showing? If not it could be just a fuse but I expect it needs looking at by an engineer. I start mine up every month for an hour to make sure its all working ok if I having used it that is. You must have the engine running or be on electric hook up to use it as it will drain a battery very quickly if you are not careful. If I am useing the van in winter and not stopping at night with electric switch the heating on whan you are traveling so when you do stop its all up to temperature and that way you can have your heating on when stationary or at least it will keep running longer that it might if you didnt. If like my Flash the water is totally seperate and the Truma runs on both gas and electric but not diesel and if like mine will be situated under the van with its own exhaust pipe. 

Edited November 25 by GandJP

[Alanb]

Help where do I start?

The CB516 is the battery charger.

The hot water and space heating will most probably provided by a Truma Combi, some models of which have electric space heating capability, but a common energy source is LPG.

If heat turned on, is the gas turned on at manifold, and cylinder?

@GandJP Do Truma make diesel heaters?

Alan

[Robinhood]

I think Chaussons of that vintage used a Truma Boiler (or sometimes Ultrastore) for water heating (only), and space heating was separate (and probably diesel), which would probably account for the OP having hot water, but no space heating.

If that surmise is true, it would be useful to know what the space heating unit is. 

[Andy s]

Thanks for your interest. I think we can forget the battery charger.

I have gaslow fitted which tells me I have lots left, though the guage is, as usual, rubbish.

Have done the drain down/refill thing many times with no problems.

[Derek Uzzell]

On 25/11/2024 at 21:10, Robinhood said:

I think Chaussons of that vintage used a Truma Boiler (or sometimes Ultrastore) for water heating (only), and space heating was separate (and probably diesel), which would probably account for the OP having hot water, but no space heating.

If that surmise is true, it would be useful to know what the space heating unit is. 

As you've said, I'd expect a 2013 Chausson Flash 10 to have a Truma gas-fuelled (or gas/240V) water boiler and a diesel-fuelled Webasto (or Eberspacher) air heater.

Photos on this advert for a 2013 Flash 10

https://www.motorhomedepot.com/vehicle/chausson-flash-10-2

show the outlet for the Truma water boiler at the front-left corner of the bodywork. There is no sign of an intake/exhaust outlet of a Truma Combi air/water heater and the intake/exhaust of a diesel-fuelled air heater would be beneath the chassis.

If Andy's Flash 10 has a diesel-fuelled air heater, Gaslow and gas quantity would be irrelevant. I can't see why a Truma water boiler would make a whirring noise (and it would definitely not provide warm air).

It's POSSIBLE that Andy's motorhome has a gas-fuelled Truma air heater (or even a Truma Combi) but, if that's the case, he will need to confirm this.

[Derek Uzzell]

This hand-over video relates to a 2013 Chausson Flash 10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFJZBjMy02M

The electrical equipment is CBE- made and it's evident that water heating is via a Truma water boiler (intake/exhaust in the body's front-left corner).

Air-heating is via a diesel-fuelled Eberspacher "Airtronic" model and its control-panel is the basic 'mini' version as shown below

(I believe that, when Chausson motorhomes had this type of diesel-fuelled air-heater, Webasto or Eberspacher units could be fitted. The basic control-panels look similar, but the Webasto panel will be clearly marked "Webasto".) 

[Andy s]

Thanks all. I thought I'd grin and bear the noise and see what happens. After a short while the noise stopped. Another 30 or so seconds the fan started and I had warm air! Not used the heating for sometime, perhaps something just needed a kick up the usual.

Van being traded in next month so I'll be starting with a new snagging list!

[Derek Uzzell]

Assuming that your Flash 10 has an Eberspacher "Airtronic" diesel-fuelled heater (as the motorhome in the video I provided does) the "Airtronic" Troubleshooting and Repair Instructions advise as follows:

Switching on / starting the heater

When the heater is switched on, the control lamp in the control unit lights up.

The fan starts up in the fan stage "LOW". The glow plug starts with a 3 second delay. After approx. 45 seconds the fuel supply starts and the fuel / air mixture in the combustion chamber ignites.

The fan switches from fan stage "LOW" to fan stage "MEDIUM". The glow plug is switched off after 165 seconds, when a stable flame has formed. 

As you've said that the heater has not been run for some time, it's quite likely that the fan will be very quiet to begin with and that this will continue to be so until the fuel/air mixture in the heater's combustion-chamber has properly ignited and the fan speed has increased. (Obviously, until the heater has fully fired up and its fan has speeded up, warm air will not emerge from the outlets in the habitation area.)

[GandJP]

Deisal heaters are a little noisy on start up and then when up to temperature they run quietly. Sounds like you got away with it being ok. 

As to Truma making diesel heaters I have no idea Alanb but suspect they don't as I have a Webasto diesel heater and a Truma water boiler. 

[Derek Uzzell]

Truma markets the Combi D range of diesel-fuelled and diesel-fuelled/240V heaters.

Examples of the latter are shown here

https://pbautoelectrics.co.uk/product-category/parts/heaters/truma-heating/?srsltid=AfmBOoq75zxW0wxKDig8vbrXpFrZLUBrbghScWPg9ceRN2EX-U50p0ox

(Whatever air-heater is in Andy's Chausson Flash 10, it ain't a Combi D)

[Robinhood]

Truma have made Combi heaters in a diesel rather than gas version for a good few years.

[rayc]

Perhaps the sound that was heard was the heater diesel pump which on earlier models was relatively loud during the start up phase.

[GandJP]

7 minutes ago, rayc said:

Perhaps the sound that was heard was the heater diesel pump which on earlier models was relatively loud during the start up phase.

I think so as it can be quite loud when it first gets going and if its anything like mine its situated right next to the water heater though under the flooring and not inside the van and so you might think its the water heater making the noise and not the diesel one. The Truma is silent of course wether on gas or electric. 

[Derek Uzzell]

This link is to a 09/2013 Chausson camping-car USER's MANUAL 

https://www.motorhomes-chausson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/MANUEL-Chausson-2014-Anglais.pdf

Water and air-heating are covered at some length and the equipment fitted (depending on model) could be either a diesel-fuelled Truma Combi D4, D6 or D6E combination air/water heater, or a gas-fuelled Truma water-boiler (with a 240V option) and a Webasto "Air Top" or Eberspacher "Airtronic" diesel-fuelled air heater.

This 2012 Out&AboutLive forum advice was from a Chausson Flash owner fitted with an Eberspacher "Airtronic" heater (that seems to have been the norm for Flash 10 models).

Eberspacher heaters do exhibit the characteristics you mention however with experience they are quite good and work economically and efficiently. When you first start the heater it will whirr and buzz a bit whilst the glow plug warms up and ignites the diesel. it can be a bit smelly at this stage (out of the exhaust) then when the heater starts to warm up the circulating fan starts. This sounds like a jet engine starting and this noise keeps going until the interior warms up to the preset temperature when the fan will slow down or stop. Within 10 - 15 minutes of starting the air coming out of the interior vents should be HOT. The exhaust always runs very hot but i have experienced no problems as it points well away from everything on the van and is a way from the ground. The trick to the heater's operation we think is to set the thermostat to max and warm the van up then gradually reduce the thermostat so the fan slows down to a whirr but does not switch off  -this keeps the temperature up without the heater keeping stopping then starting. The reason for this is when it starts up the heater imposes quite a hefty drain on the battery as the glow plug warms up, however when 'ticking over' it only draws a modest current. This is important if you need the heater on all night without draining your leisure battery. At times the diesel injector makes a knock knock noise which can be confusing until you know what it is, Oh, don't forget before the heat coming out of the vents is hot it has to warm the ducting up which can take quite a few minutes in very cold weather.

[GandJP]

On 27/11/2024 at 08:38, Derek Uzzell said:

This link is to a 09/2013 Chausson camping-car USER's MANUAL 

https://www.motorhomes-chausson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/MANUEL-Chausson-2014-Anglais.pdf

Water and air-heating are covered at some length and the equipment fitted (depending on model) could be either a diesel-fuelled Truma Combi D4, D6 or D6E combination air/water heater, or a gas-fuelled Truma water-boiler (with a 240V option) and a Webasto "Air Top" or Eberspacher "Airtronic" diesel-fuelled air heater.

This 2012 Out&AboutLive forum advice was from a Chausson Flash owner fitted with an Eberspacher "Airtronic" heater (that seems to have been the norm for Flash 10 models).

Eberspacher heaters do exhibit the characteristics you mention however with experience they are quite good and work economically and efficiently. When you first start the heater it will whirr and buzz a bit whilst the glow plug warms up and ignites the diesel. it can be a bit smelly at this stage (out of the exhaust) then when the heater starts to warm up the circulating fan starts. This sounds like a jet engine starting and this noise keeps going until the interior warms up to the preset temperature when the fan will slow down or stop. Within 10 - 15 minutes of starting the air coming out of the interior vents should be HOT. The exhaust always runs very hot but i have experienced no problems as it points well away from everything on the van and is a way from the ground. The trick to the heater's operation we think is to set the thermostat to max and warm the van up then gradually reduce the thermostat so the fan slows down to a whirr but does not switch off  -this keeps the temperature up without the heater keeping stopping then starting. The reason for this is when it starts up the heater imposes quite a hefty drain on the battery as the glow plug warms up, however when 'ticking over' it only draws a modest current. This is important if you need the heater on all night without draining your leisure battery. At times the diesel injector makes a knock knock noise which can be confusing until you know what it is, Oh, don't forget before the heat coming out of the vents is hot it has to warm the ducting up which can take quite a few minutes in very cold weather.

I have not seen this before Derek but this is exactly as I have experienced to the letter. I will add that it is a very cheap way of heating our van and have been very impressed with the system in our 2018 Chausson Flash 634.

Edited November 28 by GandJP