Truman heater in my Peugeot Boxer, vs Truman Detector Gage?

sweet caroline

sweet caroline

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Boxer Peugot 2001
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Hi Guys,

relatively a Newbie, i have now had 4 trips, and 4 times, things keep on popping up ! mmmm

Now through another post on Facebook from a /motorhomer, it was suggested that buying a |Truman Gas Gauge to see how much is left in your calor gas cylinder, is a MUST!!

Well 95 Pound later, I invested on this instrument, looks easy to use, which is a must for this old 66 year old lady travelling around on her own! hahah.
Thankfully i have 2 cylinders, so if one does run out, then i can use the other (if i knew how to disconnect and reconnect that is, oww yet another utube video coming up , me thinks haha !)

I am desperate never to be cold in my van during the winter, whilst travelling, and i must say, so far so good !! The blow heater is wonderful and heats my van up in 7 minutes and i am toastie from getting out of bed and having my first shower ! HEaven.

So last night, i tested the said cylinder, before settling down for the night, and the lazer tool, said, that the cylinder was RED, meaning empty ????
However, the heating was still on, all last night, all this morning, and so was the hot showers ?


So i didnt change the cylinder over, as i thought, it would be a waste, and if the heating is still on, then there must be a small amount of gas in the calor gas cylinder ?
So taking off this morning, it still shows RED for EMPTY??? So my question is :

Does my truman heater work off the elctricity on site, and NOT GAS? as I thought it was, and why can it still work if the cylinder is showing RED on the new 95 pound gauge I bought ?

I am somewhat confused on this one guys ? Ow Yes! I used the lazer at the bottom of the cylinder, to get a true reading, and all the cylinder showed RED for EMPTY ! mmam
i DIDNT CHANGE OVER THE CYLINDER AT THE END OF THE DAY !
 
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Hi, I've not used a gauge preferring to weigh the cylinders, which works for me.
In you're case I can understand you opting for a device to carry out the same task, cylinders are after all lumpy things. Others who know that kit can respond on it's workings.
You can select on the Truma, Electric 1. 900w. Electric 2 1800w. 3 Electric 900w + Gas. 4 Electric 1800w + gas. 5 just gas. The seemingly bewildering choice is to accommodate the various options you will find on you're travels from no electric,through to 16amps, which will run most if not all the van on electric, if selected. Electric will be slower, and less effective on it's own. The gas gives it a good boost. All this is A.F. A. I. K. Others will be along to add to this.
Mike.
 
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BouncyBoatFolk said:
Hi, I've not used a gauge preferring to weigh the cylinders, which works for me.
In you're case I can understand you opting for a device to carry out the same task, cylinders are after all lumpy things. Others who know that kit can respond on it's workings.
You can select on the Truma, Electric 1. 900w. Electric 2 1800w. 3 Electric 900w + Gas. 4 Electric 1800w + gas. 5 just gas. The seemingly bewildering choice is to accommodate the various options you will find on you're travels from no electric,through to 16amps, which will run most if not all the van on electric, if selected. Electric will be slower, and less effective on it's own. The gas gives it a good boost. All this is A.F. A. I. K. Others will be along to add to this.
Mike.
Click to expand...
Hi Mike. Woow thanks finally yr above device, bit I think my Truman, only has two settings!! A O setting then a one flame setting n a circle setting. That's it ??
I have to go to the storage again to take a photo of it, as the person above has requested.
Dollie, is 2001 model Peugot Boxer 2 seater, Autocruise if this helps you to advise though ?
Thank you guys for all your help
 
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headlight said:
sweet caroline can you post up a picture of your Truma controller/controllers as that will show us what is running your heating and hot water.
Click to expand...
ok Dollie, is back in storage so have to go and take a phot, but she is a Peugeot boxer 2 seater autocruise which might help? Well maybe haha

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sweet caroline My van is 2006 so pre combi, and possibly what you have although I have both gas and electric options for both heating and hot water where as you might only have one.
These are my controls
IMG_20230220_123217.jpg

Above are the switches to power my heating and hot water from electric when on EHU.
IMG_20230220_123416.jpg

Above are my Truma controls, right gas left electric.
IMG_20230220_123350.jpg


This is my fire which I have to ignite to have my heating on gas.
Does any of this look familiar ?
 
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Ah, quite venerable then, so less choices.
The forums incredible knowledge base should be able to help though.
Mike.
 
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headlight said:
sweet caroline My van is 2006 so pre combi, and possibly what you have although I have both gas and electric options for both heating and hot water where as you might only have one.
These are my controls
View attachment 718488
Above are the switches to power my heating and hot water from electric when on EHU.
View attachment 718491
Above are my Truma controls, right gas left electric.
View attachment 718493

This is my fire which I have to ignite to have my heating on gas.
Does any of this look familiar ?
Click to expand...
Hi there, Thank you for all your information and pictures too 1 What a star !
Sadly my controls do not look like yours !mmm i have only one switch under bed, which is for the heater for the water only ! I do have 2 control panels though, one under the other, but not looking like yours sadly !
 
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Depends what type of places your staying, if a campsite and your on electric hook-up , then we find an oil filled radiator is the best solution for heating.
 
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sweet caroline said:
Hi there, Thank you for all your information and pictures too 1 What a star !
Sadly my controls do not look like yours !mmm i have only one switch under bed, which is for the heater for the water only ! I do have 2 control panels though, one under the other, but not looking like yours sadly !
Click to expand...
Ah well, as I said earlier post pictures of your controls when you can and I'm sure somebody will be able to tell you what they are.

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BouncyBoatFolk said:
Ah, quite venerable then, so less choices.
The forums incredible knowledge base should be able to help though.
Mike.
Click to expand...
hi guys, drove over to the storage unit tonight and took these photos of the truman heater etc
headlight said:
sweet caroline can you post up a picture of your Truma controller/controllers as that will show us what is running your heating and hot water.
Click to expand...

20230220_161108.jpg 20230220_161138.jpg
 
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sweet caroline said:
hi guys, drove over to the storage unit tonight and took these photos of the truman heater etc


View attachment 718643 View attachment 718644
Click to expand...
The top switch left hand side red up and down, is large flame and small flame, so realise that is the fan strength, large is quick heating, and bottom flame is a steady flow of heating. The red switch on the top right. is O for OFF, and up for heating, on, and if i switch it to the bottom, only cold air comes out ? bottom switch ive never touched ? as not too sure what that is for? hope this helps the experts out there hahah
 
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I think the bottom switch in first photo could be a 240volt heat element.
But I could be wrong 😊
 
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Manic said:
Yes for the water.
Click to expand...
great stuff thanks. but as for the heating? does it work from gas or the EHU? back to if there is NO GAS SHOWING on this very expensive gauge, how does the heating work ?Just im slightly well alot CONFUSED really hahah. Not changed the bottle, and it is still showing RED ! haha
 
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Hi
Can't help with your heating as not familiar with those controls but regarding your gas cylinders, you say you have two. So did you try the gauge on the other cylinder? Are you sure you are in fact using the apparently empty cylinder? Have you got gas at the hob? Is there likely to be a full cylinder you could check at your storage site? That would rule out a dodgy gauge.
Also, what sort of gas cylinders do have? The Truma gauge is not suitable for some types of cylinders.

Geoff
 
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sweet caroline so do you have to ignite gas at all to get heat or hot water ie do you have to press an igniter pietzo button to light gas ?
 
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donkey said:
Hi
Can't help with your heating as not familiar with those controls but regarding your gas cylinders, you say you have two. So did you try the gauge on the other cylinder? Are you sure you are in fact using the apparently empty cylinder? Have you got gas at the hob? Is there likely to be a full cylinder you could check at your storage site? That would rule out a dodgy gauge.
Also, what sort of gas cylinders do have? The Truma gauge is not suitable for some types of cylinders.

Geoff
Click to expand...
Hi there Georf,

Two cylinders of Calor Gas, which the gauge is practical on. One is Full and shows GREEn and NOT connected, the other shows RED, meaning empty. So my question is why is my gas heating and the oven and hob still working on a RED Empty cylinder, it is weird!
 
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Morning sweet caroline
how are you using the gas gauge? Are you moving it down the side of the cylinder until you get a green reading? it may be that it’s show a red light as there is no gas at the level you are testing the bottle. Hope I’m not be patronising or mansplaining.

think the bottom switch is for hot water. If on ehu it should automatically heat your water. There may be another switch somewhere near the boiler to run off ehu too. A bit like the one in post #6 for water heater. That’s your ultrastore

🤞
cush

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Cush said:
Morning sweet caroline
how are you using the gas gauge? Are you moving it down the side of the cylinder until you get a green reading? it may be that it’s show a red light as there is no gas at the level you are testing the bottle. Hope I’m not be patronising or mansplaining.

think the bottom switch is for hot water. If on ehu it should automatically heat your water. There may be another switch somewhere near the boiler to run off ehu too. A bit like the one in post #6 for water heater. That’s your ultrastore

🤞
cush
Click to expand...
No ALL HELP AND RESPONSES, greatly appreicated. I used the Guage all the way down to the bottom of the cylinder, ! Still ALL RED, and still heating going strong ! hahah
 
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Ah. Ok. Could just be a bottle that it can’t?. I have a mopeka gas sensor that sits under the bottle but rarely get a swap bottle that it works with.

At least you’ll always have a spare bottle on hand for when it does stop. I would try reading a different side of the bottle too. I only know I’ve run out because the fridge starts clicking!
 
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Cush said:
Ah. Ok. Could just be a bottle that it can’t?. I have a mopeka gas sensor that sits under the bottle but rarely get a swap bottle that it works with.

At least you’ll always have a spare bottle on hand for when it does stop. I would try reading a different side of the bottle too. I only know I’ve run out because the fridge starts clicking!
Click to expand...
thank you so much
 
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I also bought one of those Truma gauges. I'm not going to say that it is a totally useless piece of junk but I have found it completely unreliable. It is particularly bad with bottles that only have around a third or less gas remaining. I have never had a green light on the lower half of a bottle even when I have weighed the bottle to confirm that it was still one third full. I have even failed to get a green light anywhere from top to bottom of a full cylinder. I'm about to put it in the bin.
 
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Neilj said:
I also bought one of those Truma gauges. I'm not going to say that it is a totally useless piece of junk but I have found it completely unreliable. It is particularly bad with bottles that only have around a third or less gas remaining. I have never had a green light on the lower half of a bottle even when I have weighed the bottle to confirm that it was still one third full. I have even failed to get a green light anywhere from top to bottom of a full cylinder. I'm about to put it in the bin.
Click to expand...
OWWWWWWWW! GOsh, I had heard that before actually parting with nearly 100 Pounds! It was from the Instagram Motorhome Man ! mmmmm

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Why O Why, Don't the manufactures build a cylinder, that states the gas? grrrr saves on gas and saves on being totally inconvenienced en route!
 
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sweet caroline said:
Why O Why, Don't the manufactures build a cylinder, that states the gas? grrrr saves on gas and saves on being totally inconvenienced en route!
Click to expand...
I think the safefill bottles (fill yourself) have a window in the side so you can see the liquid level in it. I guess getting one depends on how confident you are filling one amd your access to a suitable pump. I think the company have an agreement with Morrison. May be worth a little research.
cush
 
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It's not been mentioned but could you have an "auto change" on your cylinders ? It could be that this has swapped over to the full cylinder.
 
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