Heating your van and water in winter?

barryd

barryd

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I love my new van and tomorrow will be the first winter trip. We were away all summer in it right into November and in the back end we were on hookup all the time as we will be over Christmas and New Year (I know not very well ard wild camper stuff but there you go).

So all through October and November I pretty much had the water set at 40 degrees all the time and the Truma blown air heating on most of the time. Generally on a low setting on eco when we were out. I suspect it will be the same over Christmas and New year but I did start wondering with us spending so much time away in it if the Truma units were designed for constant use. Would it make sense perhaps to just use a convector heater for space heating? We carry one anyway and a fan heater back up just in case. My thinking is you can replace a convector heater for twenty quid but I bet the Truma system will be a heck of a lot more if it fails. Just interested in peoples thoughts.
 
I completely agree with your thinking. I use our Truma heating as it is needed (usually on gas) for a couple of hours in the evening, but then we don’t do extended winter trips.
Similarly, usually the water heater is only used for showers, otherwise I just boil a kettle or use the water that is incidentally heated when using the space heating. I tend not to heat water on electric unless it is our own water from home simply to reduce the potential for limescale when filling away from home.
Cost of repair or replacement is always in the back of my mind. I do recall a post on a forum many years back when a warranty claim was disallowed by the manufacturer on the grounds that the user was making too much use of the vehicle and that it was only designed as a recreational vehicle for an unspecified amount of use each year. I don’t recall the reason for the claim, but it colours my thinking as to the potential lifespan of the many parts of a Motorhomes equipment. Given the short life of many domestic appliances etc at home, it seems sensible to adopt the same thinking about camper equipment.

Davy
 
Having the old fashioned style Trauma heater it keeps the van warm but we tend to sit on what are our single beds so a duvet and decent jumper/sweatshirt is all we've ever needed, I'm off on my own early February so I hope it all works as usual.
 
Thanks. I think ill adopt a mixture. At the backend last year for a couple of months it was fantastic. Great to be able to just set the van at a temperature you desire and it just silently keeps it there but I think ill deploy the convector heater as well for an evening and then leave the heating on low overnight or while we are out. Michelle has just pointed out though that she loved the bathroom being all toasty with the heating on which of course it wont be with a convector heater. Will see how it goes. We do tend to leave the water on hot all the time but I guess same applies to that also.
 
barryd said:
Thanks. I think ill adopt a mixture. At the backend last year for a couple of months it was fantastic. Great to be able to just set the van at a temperature you desire and it just silently keeps it there but I think ill deploy the convector heater as well for an evening and then leave the heating on low overnight or while we are out. Michelle has just pointed out though that she loved the bathroom being all toasty with the heating on which of course it wont be with a convector heater. Will see how it goes. We do tend to leave the water on hot all the time but I guess same applies to that also.
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Not forgetting that we never get EHU so have to consider the LPG/Calor usage, the water heater only goes on as and when needed.
 
I am also concerned about the longevity of the Truma so have been using a convector heater like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daewoo-Sta...d=1734893663&sprefix=convector+,aps,87&sr=8-3.
Not the actual one but there's loads which are much the same. It heats well but is not a good shape for our 6.4m PVC. SWMBO found she was always having to dodge round it.
As an alternative we have bought one of these as its proportions will work better for us;- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dreo-Oscil...g-ECO-Mode/dp/B09W9DTMDL?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1. Not tried in the van yet but it seems OK at home and no noisier than the Truma fan.
We're away New Year's so will see how it goes then.
 
Our truma heater is gas or electric, in the winter if on hookup I just leave it ticking away on electric 24/7 on a low temp setting as I don’t like to be too warm
 
Why would a van system not be expected to last similar times to a domestic system??

If I had one it would be used same as if I was in a house. I know Charlie has had a few Truma systems and he is full time with no problems.
 
Nabsim said:
Why would a van system not be expected to last similar times to a domestic system??

If I had one it would be used same as if I was in a house. I know Charlie has had a few Truma systems and he is full time with no problems.
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Good to know. I think there is also maybe an argument that less use or none at all might not be such a good thing. Don't know really, just wondered what others did.
 
barryd said:
Good to know. I think there is also maybe an argument that less use or none at all might not be such a good thing. Don't know really, just wondered what others did.
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I've owned my Autotrail for 9 years now with the gas/electric Truma convector/blown air heater. The heater has been used every Winter for heating the 'van for prolonged periods and it's been fine. I agree that regular use, as with most things, is likely to extend life.
 
We spend a good deal of time in ours in winter and on hook up Barry. As you mention the Truma heating is OK for setting a back ground heat on EHU but we carry and use one of these too...

ANYDAY John Lewis & Partners Hot and Cool Mini Fan and Heater, White

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It's a great little heater and quite small. We only use it on the first setting which throws out ample heat. Just be aware of how many amps you have available if on hook up though if this is on plus your Truma and if you pop the kettle on for example.

In terms of the Truma we have it on all day mostly and turned down at night. At the moment I think one of the elements has blown on ours so it isn't performing at optimum levels.
 
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