Truma combi 6E Warwick Duo 2016

burlingtonboaby wrote:

Tinwheeler wrote:We can always smell our water heating up on electric and were told it’s normal and the smell comes from the insulation. 

Whatever, it’s been happening for 18 months from new and, once up to temp, the smell disappears. It’s not a concern to me.

Hi TW
It gets really HOT,to hot to touch, I've had vans for over 40 years and had nothing heat up and smell like this.   
Thanks for your help
Boaby

Like you, Boaby, we've not had one smell like this before. As I said, the smell vanishes once the water is heated and it’s not intrusive. 

The folk at Marquis said it’s normal (well, they would) and it seems other people notice the same thing but it's hard to say whether yours and ours are performing in the same way. I guess if in doubt getting it checked out is the safest way.

Both our vans came with smelly heaters- same smell- and have been back to Truma for assessment.

The first one, fitted in a Bessacarr, was diagnosed as having too little ventilation and having the top badly aligned. It got so hot it charred the underbed slats, which it touched. Re-fitting the top and adding extra vents did nothing so we lived with it for 7 years.

The boiler in the Broadway also smells. This has even less ventilation. Truma added extra ducting hose but it did not help.

Some weeks ago I read a blog in which the writer had taken his boiler- same symptoms- back to his dealer who had fitted what he described as “ a sump”. I wrote to the dealer to ask what this was but, without seeing the van, they can’t help. 

If anyone finds a solution please let us know: there are huge numbers of motorhomers with the same problem.

Looks like I'm not alone here,it's not the smell that bothers me to much, it's the very hot unit.
I have plenty of floor ventilation next to the dump valve, two round holes the size of a 50p coins.
See what Truma make of it when I take the unit in for a service .
Thanks for all the help and advice lads.
Boaby

Although it seems rather a lot of faff, would it help to add a small 12V computer fan to circulate air around the area that gets excessively hot? It could be wired to only run when the heater is running, and they only take a tiny amount of power, in relative terms?

I did this at the back of the fridge on a previous camper van and it worked very well (in that case I used a temperature controller so that it turned on only when a sensor detected that things were getting hot there).

Roopert wrote:Although it seems rather a lot of faff, would it help to add a small 12V computer fan to circulate air around the area that gets excessively hot? It could be wired to only run when the heater is running, and they only take a tiny amount of power, in relative terms?

I did this at the back of the fridge on a previous camper van and it worked very well (in that case I used a temperature controller so that it turned on only when a sensor detected that things were getting hot there).

Hi Roopert
Truma has replied to me this morning with some suggestions , I have requested a service slot for early June to have the Combi 6e unit serviced.
The computer fans could be an viable option for the future.   
Boaby

Roopert wrote:Although it seems rather a lot of faff, would it help to add a small 12V computer fan to circulate air around the area that gets excessively hot? It could be wired to only run when the heater is running, and they only take a tiny amount of power, in relative terms?

I did this at the back of the fridge on a previous camper van and it worked very well (in that case I used a temperature controller so that it turned on only when a sensor detected that things were getting hot there).

The inestimable Gromit got there first Roopert;

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Quilter wrote:
The inestimable Gromit got there first

I should have guessed he would have an answer! I like the simplicity of some his others - like the telescopic dog guard...

Filled up the fresh water system with Elsan fresh water tank cleaner fluid ,(as per instructions), flushed out and added fresh water.
Completed a successful habitation check yesterday .
Switched on the combi 6 to electric hot water heater this morning and 20 minutes later, roasting hot water, very little smell ??
Techie guy reckons the de-scaling would have helped if there was any build up of lime scale .
Will cancel my visit to Truma Derby.
Boaby

Good to hear all is now well. Ok course living in Wales we have lovely soft water so hopefully not too much lime scale in ours from visiting hard water areas. Also good that your habitation check went without any problems.

Thanks Paul, amazing how much scale came out of the combi unit I placed a large cat litter tray under the dump valve and let the water out into it, once flushed out ,the hot water heated up well, very little smell, nothing compared to before.
This area is well known for its hard water, kettles get replaced annually, washing machine runs on  Calgon, electric showers every 6 years.
Boaby

My sister has same problems near Southampton, she's on about her 8th washing machine in 45 years, whereas we are on our second in 40 years. Kettles last over 10 years.