Gas heaters

[Macca_75]

Hey guys,

After a lot of research on gas vs Diesel and we went ahead last year and had a Truma Gas heater fitted to the van. We have had issues ever since and I've not had a weekend away where it has been trouble free.

Initially I was advised it was the gas fuses and to take them out. Several online articles suggested these may also be the culprit and now Jayco supply Gas heaters as an option and DON'T put the fuses on bottle for new vans any more. I removed them.

Our last outing the heater seemed to be working fine as we headed to bed. I turned it down to 16 degrees on the controller (expecting the heater to come on and off during the night) and ensure the van never really got "cold". We were camping in near or below 0 outside and the kids had just got better from cold's so I didn't want the temp in the van to drop to much.

In the morning I found another error code on the controller and the unit wouldn't run. All error codes to date seem to point to Gas supply issues.

I returned the van to the workshop that supplied and fitted the heater and they are looking at it again. They have been fantastic and owned the issues from the start. I expect the unit to work when it's below 0 outside. As far as gas in the van my fridge run's, the stove lights and my hot water heats in any conditions we have camped in.

Does anyone here have the Truma Gas Heater and if so, have you been away in sub zero temperatures (overnight) and run the heater without an issue?

 

[Crusty181]

Diesel heater for us. For what it's worth we've been away a few times in sub zero temps and never had any issues with gas supply to the appliances particularly the HWS which would consume the most and require the most gas pressure and flow; probably up as much as the gas heater

 

[Macca_75]

Thanks @Crusty181 - I don't think I have a Gas supply issue - the fridge/HWS/stove seem to work first time every time. However I also don't try these in the middle of the night, when temp is at it's coldest and when the heater gets the error.

Just curious if there are any other gas heater users who have camped un sub zero and left the heater running over night.

 

[Crusty181]

Thanks @Crusty181 - I don't think I have a Gas supply issue - the fridge/HWS/stove seem to work first time every time. However I also don't try these in the middle of the night, when temp is at it's coldest and when the heater gets the error.

Just curious if there are any other gas heater users who have camped un sub zero and left the heater running over night.

If it was a cold effected fault you'd expect it could only be supply issue, the heater has nothing else that could suffer from cold, and our HWS hasn't faulted

 

[Drover]

While I know bugger all about gas heaters for vans I have have sorted out a few HWS's/fridges, sounds to me like a thermo couple is fault, I would assume it fires up with a similar set up to a HWS where at ON a solenoid will open to allow gas to flow while a spark ignites the gas, a thermocouple probe will then have 5 sec or something to send a small electrical impulse to the solenoid which will keep it open, if it doesn't get this signal it shuts, if the probe is set wrong it wont get hot and the gas solenoid will close, they can run for awhile then when it shuts off poor or dirty contacts or soot will cause it to fault when restarting, I very much doubt a gas fuse would stop flow, they are designed for a large flow before they shut down more than a HWS or heater would activate unless they blew a valve off..... I have found with HWS dirty connections for the thermocouple mostly cause the problem...... Just an idea.

 

[Johnanbev]

Just confirming that you are running it off propane and not autogas.
Autogas would be problematic at low outside air temps.

 

[Drover]

Many of us refilled our barbie bottles from the same tank that we filled our Forkifts from for years with no problems, is there any great difference.......

 

[Macca_75]

I'm using standard swap and go bottles.

Apparently there was a small batch of heaters sold just as the distributor swapped from Dometic to Leisure-tec that had a faulty controler board. When a tempature of 0 registered with the incoming gas it would throw a fault.

New controller board is on the way.

Fingers crossed it's as easy as that.

 

[Johnanbev]

Hi @Drover Autogas may contain up to 60% Butane.
Butane has a boiling point of -1C, Propane -42C.
At low OAT's, with butaane in the gas mix you could be restricting the amount of gas offtake available to run apliances.

 

[Johnanbev]

Spot the deliberate error!!
I did mean up to 60% propane and 40% butane, apologies before I get castigated and abused!!

 

[mikerezny]

Spot the deliberate error!!
I did mean up to 60% propane and 40% butane, apologies before I get castigated and abused!!

Hi,
on this site, fortunately, you won't get castigated, and definitely not abused.

I doubt if there is a person on this site that hasn't made an error.

cheers
Mike

 

[Drover]

Or even spell the word.

Yet even when it was minus 4, wind chill minus 20 the gas powered beasties ran better than the petrol jobs.....

Well that would explain it @Macca_75 , fancy the gas getting cold when its cold enough to want a heater operating, hope that sorts the problem and the swap an go bottles are no different than the ones that came with your van, at least you know they are filled....

 

[Disco Duck]

I'm going to keep trying until I get abused. Besides my wife want me to be castrated....................aaaah sorry !! Castigated ??

 

[Disco Duck]

What is the freezing point of diesel ?? I'm just making sure I have made the right choice in heaters

 

[mikerezny]

What is the freezing point of diesel ?? I'm just making sure I have made the right choice in heaters

and your vehicle as well.

The paraffin in normal diesel solidifies at about 0C and gels at -10C.
It is probably worth investigating the solutions available for using diesel in a heater (and vehicle) at temperatures below freezing.

Petrol freezes at somewhere between -40C and -60C.

Well, that is my understanding after doing a bit of Googling.

cheers
Mike

 

[Drover]

When I'm heading down to Canberra where in July and some other months it is bluddy freezing I fill the ute and van heater tanks with local fuel, usually around Cowra and no dramas with fuel flow, have dug vehicles out in the morning at Perisher and similar places no dramas, we especially made sure the beer was put away properly it suffered more in the ice than fuel................

When your toes fall off it usually means its too bloody cold............. and your stupid.

 

[Disco Duck]

A bit of Googling reveals that adding Kerosene at about 15% - 18% will stop the gelling and solidifying.
I'll try it and hope it does the job.

 

[Drover]

Could possibly burn the injectors as well, if the temp is going to effect the fuel at times the blend us modified at the depot, most of the problems with waxing fuel occur when people are using fuel they loaded up with in places like Sydney then are still using in the Alpine areas...in regards to heaters I really haven't had any dramas to date and my heater in Canberra last July and August was fair cooking for about 15 hrs a night...

 

[Disco Duck]

At only 15%, it isn't going to burn the injectors but over that and the diesel will start to lose it's lubricating ability and the little pumps on the heaters will wear very quickly because they are relying on the diesel to lubricate.

 

[Macca_75]

What is the freezing point of diesel ?? I'm just making sure I have made the right choice in heaters

If you are considering Diesel heater and cold/sub zero tempatures just make sure you use "Alpine fuel" (which just has Kero in it from what I understand) and dump the fuel at the end of your trip (into your car is you wish) and use fresh fuel at the next outing.

Heaps of threads out there with the Pro's and Con's of Diesel vs Gas