Trumatic S3002 problems

Hi,

We bought a 2005 Inca EK a few weeks ago. After picking her up from the dealers, we ventured off on our first trip. During the night, the Truma heater tripped the RCD. We reset but next morning but it went again along with the water heater. We reported this back to the dealer who have had a look and say there is no problem with the system.
When the heater is on electric only and set on 2000, the left side of the heater gets extremely hot, yet the right side is only warm. Is this normal???? 

My feeling is that perhaps an element has gone and the heater is putting too much heat in the remaining element, so the first line of defence is the circuit breaker????? Yet the dealer recons that there isn't a problem.
Any ideas of what we are doing wrong???

Any info would be great as we are planning to go away for a week, but want to make sure that the dealer has mended it first. Glad we took out the extra warranty.

Shaun

Thanks Daisy mae, but does your heater only get hot on one end, or is it equally hot all over the grills?

Also, we tried it at home by request of the dealer, and with nothing else being used in the van, it still tripped??
Any ideas??

My heater seems equally hot across the grill, (problem with fan operation is to be investigated).

Elements are full width so one sided heating should not be possible.

Replacement elements if needed. http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/gas/product_37342/truma_ultraheat_element_complete.aspx

Thanks for the help on this Peter. I will phone Truma tomorrow before speaking to the dealer who has the van in their workshop. I didn't think the element would be just one side. Do you think the element fault could be the cause of tripping the RCD?

I am no electrician, but a failed element could short, and trip the RCD. The element link shows a two part (coil) which I assume operate independently,so one failed might be the problem.

Hi Shaun
Lots of good trouble shooting info on the Truma website .
Boaby

Sorry Peter, but at work all day and only just got online. The RCD is rated at 10 A. The dealer has called today and said again that they can't find a problem, although still not actualy aditting that the element only heats at one end. I spoke to Truma this morning who say that it is very rare for an element to go, but there is always a first time. The element should heat equally................and so the dealer still say nothing is wrong????????? My argument with them is on hook up at home, with no other electrics being on in the van, the heater still trips its own RCD switch..............................

Hi Peter, you are correct, it is the circuit breaker/trip switch that is 10 A. It doesn't trip straight away. We put on the heater on 2000 setting on electricity only, no gas. The van warmed up nicely, although the front of the heater was hot to touch on the left, but not on the right. We turned down the heat as to have a nice ambient temp for sleeping. No other electric on at all apart from the fridge. Woke up in the early hours feeling really cold. The heater had tripped so reset. worked again until morning when we had the water heater on, then after a while both tripped. The dealer asked me to try at home on hookup which again after a few hours would trip. Yet they have supposedly tried it for hours in the workshop and it hasn't tripped????

Thanks again Peter. I wil try that on saturday when I get her back. I will of course keep you posted, but as complete newbies to motorhoming, your help in gratefully received.
 

Truma said it is unusual for any issues to occur but it does seem odd that the element only gets hot on one end?? The dealers are adamant that there is no problem. With taking out a 3 year warranty with the dealer, I am a little annoyed that they are not listening to the facts. Truma are happy to help either myself or the dealer. They are also happy to have the van in but at a cost. Don't see that happening as the dealer should sort. It is a problem from the first minute of leaving the forecourt, not 6 months down the line.

to start, it was on full, then turned down during the night to give us a nice temp, but tripped sometime during the night

Well the bathroom was like a sauna..............lovely. We tried it on both settings but it has tripped 3 times. As we are picking her up on Saturday, we will have to keep testing. If it still happens, I may contact a mobile Truma technician, then send the bill to the dealer. Hope you have a great time away. We plan to do the lake district next year, but we are going away end of October for 4 nights. 
You are from my neck of the woods ish. I originate from Burton on Trent.
Many thanks for all your help.

Lovely place cheadle. 
i have just had a look at our book pack and I have a full RCD circuit diagram.......probably make way more sense to you than me though

I notice on my heater the elements are behind the gas heat exchanger, with a larger gap on the left tan the right. That may be why the heat reaches the left more than the right.