Just taken delivery of a new Lunar Ultima (Quasar) and had a few days away to snag any problems.
Using any combination of the Truma programmer- Mix 2, Gas, Elec 2 and Boost, we have failed to find a way of delivering enough hot water for us both to have a hot shower.
We had a great system on our last van, a Clubman with an older Truma system and this was easily achieved with enough left over to do the washing up!
Are we doing something wrong and is there a trick to create a better result? Or, is this just a poorer down-market substitute?
dead easy! stand in shower get wet, turn off water, soap up everywhere turn on water and rinse, the trick is not to leave the water running while you are washing down
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I'm watching this thread with interest as we have the same problem but with an Alde system. I have long hair so rather than take up too much water I wash my hair first then leave the water to heat up again then shower but even doing that there's still not nearly enough hot water.
We have a boost programme too and have tried that but still no joy even for one shower.
yes seriously that is what you do, yeah sure the book gives that impression but no caravan shower will last that long esp when washing hair unless you do as I have said, unless of course you like rinsing with cold water?
Truma boilers are usually between 10 & 14 litres which is pushing it for two showers.
http://www.truma.com/uk/en/water-systems/overview-water-systems.php
Agree with kazo2014 method
Quote: Originally posted by Wendyhouse on 30/4/2015
Truma boilers are usually between 10 & 14 litres which is pushing it for two showers.
http://www.truma.com/uk/en/water-systems/overview-water-systems.php
Agree with kazo2014 method
Yes but bear in mind those 10/14 litres are at about 70 C and a maximum safe shower temperature is 42 C so a significant contribution comes from the water storage tank or Aquaroll.
So the water storage tank temperature has a big effect on the blend ratio and what amount of shower water you get will vary depending if that is nearer 0 or 18 C.
In cooler times one method to increase the showering water volume is to store an Aquaroll in the van say over night for a morning shower, or next time buy a van with an inbuilt water tank.
But of course no van system yet offered or every likely to be can hope to replicate a domestic shower where 30 odd plus litres are available. As others have said you need to adapt your showering technique to recognize the limitations.
Always get two showers from ours, with aquaroll nearly full, and some left over. This is with it running all the time. Maybe we're just quick.
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We have the alde system with an on-board tank as well as the water hog (90 ltr) we also fitted an Eco-camel halo type shower head put the alde on gas and maximum electric and you can get two showers out of it (but turn the water off mid soap)
I don't run out of water as in addition to the onboard tank we use a large water tank outside which we fill with a hosepipe and put the pump in. The additional tank holds 91 litres.
I did a bit of a test yesterday using the hot water booster and found I could get one decent shower. Obviously I have over-estimated how much hot water you get in a caravan.
This brings another question to mind (forgive all the questions but I'm new to caravan ing) ... Why does the hot water stop when the water supply is plentiful? I assumed the boiler works like a household combi-boiler - so as long as there's water going through it will heat it. This is obviously not the case, so how does the Alde system work?
Whilst the Alde etc does put heat into the water as it is being used the "power", ie the kilo-watts of that energy is very much smaller than in a domestic case so can't achieve the same temperature rise on the incoming water. An instantaneous feed domestic shower needs at least 10 more usually 22kw energy input. The Alde on electricity alone could be just 2 or 3 Kws depending on build spec; on propane it can achieve 5.5 kws; both gas and electricity heating of the water can be combined.
The boiler in the Alde case stores 8.4 litres of warm water at up to 85 C if on hot water boost or 70 [I recall] if not on boost. If the central heating is running at the same time this saps heat from the water so much lower temperature can be encountered.
So to optimise the water heating, use the water boost setting 10 minutes before showering; this auto shuts off the CH and raises to the higher temperature; and whilst showering have on both gas and electricity; however it will never replicate a domestic showers capabilities, there is neither the heat input or the stored hot water capacity to do that. Having said that we find it is still a very good shower but needs adapting your technique to conserve wasting heated water.
If I need to wash my hair I use the on site shower. When using on board shower it is wet, off, soap, rinse. Both me and Dh get a shower, he can shave and do washing up for that. Also kids have shower each at other end of day. It don't know the technical aspects but to me it seems more sensible than running out of hot water when I am soapy. That and I always go first
We have a 65 litre tank in our motor home and are a family of 4. This is how I manage to shower using minimal water: (I have long hair). I fill the wash basin and wet my hair and body with this water, soap up including shampoo hair and only then turn on shower and rinse from hair down. I manage on 16l ish of water and the tank does not go cold . Also I have bought an eco shower head from Amazon that really helps rinse shampoo out of my hair . We all manage to wash on the 65l daily . For my youngest child I half fill a flexible bucket from the shower and wash him in there. Hope this helps anyone out there.