Truma hot water mystery

[Marten]

Hi all. I wonder if any of you have any ideas about this. I have a Truma heating system and control panel (like the one in the photo attached.) . If I have the air heating on, but the water heating off, the water still heats up - enough to have a shower. I first noticed it in the recent cold snap, and presumed that it might be an anti frost measure, but it’s happening all the time now - and it’s 10 degrees outside. Coincidently, when we did have the water heating on a few days ago, we noticed a quite alarming ‘hot’ smell and switched it off. Any thoughts gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[Landy Andy]

I think you will find what is happen is the normal.

The boiler is surrounded by the water. The boiler is heating the air passing though the boiler. That heat will naturally heat the water.

 

[Marten]

Thanks Andy - my immediate thought was ‘why do they have a water heater then’ ? But of course - you still need hot water without the heating being on.

 

[Just smiffy]

As Andy said, …. the water temperature is either 40c or 60c and when on 60c mine also smells like something is burning but it does it every time and is around 9yrs old… incidentally if you do the shower shuffle, (water on to wet, off to soap and on again to rinse) then 40c is usually enough for me to have a hot shower ..

 

[Marten]

Thanks Smiffy. That’s reassuring. Yes, we do the exact same thing in the shower . Cheers.

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[Lenny HB]

As said hot water is a by product of the heating but it will take about 1½ hours to get to a decent temperature.

With the water set to Hot it will heat to 60° in about 40min (don't believe the 20 min Truma say)

With heating and water on Hot it will take about an hour to get to 60°

On Boost it will heat to 62° then turn off, if the heating is on it will turn the heating off until water is up to temp.

Don't bother with water set to Eco if heats to 40° then turn off and won't turn back on until below 27°.

Early CP Plus they labeled Eco & Hot, 40° & 60°.

Times are for gas if using electric go & get a kip for a few hours.

 

[Marten]

Hi Lenny. This is really useful info, thanks. All starting to make sense now. Cheers. Marten

 

[Lenny HB]

A tip we use to have hot water when we get out of bed for a shower.
Set the timer for 7am with room temperature say 18/20 whatever you want and set the water to boost.
The boiler will fire up but only heat the water as boost overrides the heating, when the water is up to temperature after 40/45 min the heating will turn on. Although the water heating has turned off the heating is running and will keep the water hot. So you can get up to a warm van at 8am with hot water for a shower.

This is purely an example as there is no way I would get up as early as 8 am.
(Typing this in bed).

 

[cyberyacht]

The control panel is showing the water on boost unless that is a generic library pic.

 

[Lenny HB]

The control panel is showing the water on boost unless that is a generic library pic.

That is just a Truma pic it's not mounted in a panel.

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[Burge]

We get a Burning Smell on ours when first switched on, (5 yrs Old) it's noted in the previous Owners History that is with the van He returned it but no Faults Found is the noted answer, apparently it is a thing with Trauma Boilers

 

[Marten]

Thanks everyone. All great information and much appreciated. Yes, it is a screen grab image just for reference. It was raining and I didn’t fancy getting wet going to the van

 

[Barriesimpson]

incidentally if you do the shower shuffle, (water on to wet, off to soap and on again to rinse) then 40c is usually enough for me to have a hot shower ..

Yes, the missus and I have sufficient hot water for our showers when set to 'eco', which I believe is the new 40ºC.

 

[SteveE]

Sorry if this is a stupid question… but I assume it’s ok to run the heating without any water in the tank/boiler and this won’t cause any harm?

 

[Lenny HB]

Sorry if this is a stupid question… but I assume it’s ok to run the heating without any water in the tank/boiler and this won’t cause any harm?

Yes it's OK.

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[Reallyretired]

I just leave the hot water on all the time. Perhaps wasteful but doesn't use much gas once up to temperature. I'm not organised enough to know I'm going to have a shower in an hours time.

 

[cyberyacht]

Don't you have a calendar?

 

[Palough]

As said hot water is a by product of the heating but it will take about 1½ hours to get to a decent temperature.

With the water set to Hot it will heat to 60° in about 40min (don't believe the 20 min Truma say)

With heating and water on Hot it will take about an hour to get to 60°

On Boost it will heat to 62° then turn off, if the heating is on it will turn the heating off until water is up to temp.

Don't bother with water set to Eco if heats to 40° then turn off and won't turn back on until below 27°.

Early CP Plus they labeled Eco & Hot, 40° & 60°.

Times are for gas if using electric go & get a kip for a few hours.

I'm guessing there's quite a bit of variability with these boilers over the years.

Not inly between models, but operation criteria, not sure how strict the Q.A. was back then

Probably better quality then before all the Q.A. "BS" came in

Mine is 18 years old and the water is absolutely boiling hot after 20 minutes, scalding hot I'd venture to say when set at 60 degrees.

The modern ones, I'd surmise, are probably more efficient and better controlled.

 

[JJ]

I know it is probably a tad woke but, having just had a brand new Truma 4E fitted to my van, I found all the answers to the questions in this thread written down in the instruction manual...


JJ

 

[Marten]

I know it is probably a tad woke but, having just had a brand new Truma 4E fitted to my van, I found all the answers to the questions in this thread written down in the instruction manual...


JJ

Not woke at all. It’s just good to hear that the newer manuals explain that just having the heating on warms the water and that I should expect a burning smell from my boiler.