Combo Water Boiler/Furnace Heater Now Here in N. America

[cobratom]

The other question to ask, is are spare parts available? When/if the unit needs service, having a stateside source will be important, as will having a factory service manual or similar. I doubt you will find many dealers/shops/RV service locations that are familiar with this unit, and even fewer who stock parts.

We will stock parts as required for our customers for as long as we can. By the time we even come close to running out of parts, Truma NA will have seen the light at the end of the tunnel and will start selling to the aftermarket.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

The other question to ask, is are spare parts available? When/if the unit needs service, having a stateside source will be important, as will having a factory service manual or similar. I doubt you will find many dealers/shops/RV service locations that are familiar with this unit, and even fewer who stock parts.

They are popping up in production RV's, https://www.opuscamper.us/op15/
I think its a nice setup I wish I didn't have such an aversion to propane....
Also thanks to @cobratom for coming in and answering questions.

 

[javajoe79]

You do realize this is an imported product, right?

Yes

 

[javajoe79]

My point was to the person suggesting the EPA under Trump would be lax on profitable ventures that the profits in this case would benefit foreign companies so the EPA would actually be less likely to turn a blind eye, not moreso.

I just see the epa deregulating all over the place is all.

 

[Mwilliamshs]

I just see the epa deregulating all over the place is all.

Not trying to derail the thread but i see the opposite constantly. Just got some work recently that suggests lawn equipment is next. Just as the popularity of diesel pickups in the 90s and 2000s led to them being targeted by the EPA with DPFs, DEF, etc...the proliferation of 22+ hp zero turn mowers has caught the eye of uncle sam.

 

[b dkw1]

How do these work at high altitude? Any problems over 10K'? Reduced output?

 

[cobratom]

How do these work at high altitude? Any problems over 10K'? Reduced output?

Excellent. Propane Furnaces in general have very little to no problems at Altitude. No reduced output as your propane regulator will compensate for any altitude related pressure drops and the intake is a forced fan unit.

 

[86scotty]

Camper forums are riddled with people buying fancy new small RV's with these unreliable, overpriced contraptions. I honestly don't know anyone who hasn't had trouble with one. Not sure why you'd spend the money on almost guaranteed trouble and no support out there for such rarities. It seems like the perfect setup for an overpriced, unreliable Sprinter conversion so you can sit in the dealer service lot on a Sunday taking a cold shower and drinking cold coffee while you wait on service for your diesel aftertreatment system.

I'll stick with a good diesel furnace and an old school reliable propane hot water heater.

 

[762X39]

Camper forums are riddled with people buying fancy new small RV's with these unreliable, overpriced contraptions. I honestly don't know anyone who hasn't had trouble with one. Not sure why you'd spend the money on almost guaranteed trouble and no support out there for such rarities. It seems like the perfect setup for an overpriced, unreliable Sprinter conversion so you can sit in the dealer service lot on a Sunday taking a cold shower and drinking cold coffee while you wait on service for your diesel aftertreatment system.

I'll stick with a good diesel furnace and an old school reliable propane hot water heater.

Where did you get the idea that this is an unreliable contraption? It is mostly north american (and chinese) crap that that they use in stickbuilt campers that is unreliable. I have found that European, South African and Australian kit is typically built to a high standard, costs what it is worth and doesn't cause me grief.

 

[86scotty]

I've read thread after thread of people who can't get them to run reliably, or they leak, plus they're really rare here so no one is going to know what to do with it if you have trouble on the road and can't fix yourself. Very few people who spend this kind of money on some convenience are actually going to maintain it, they're just going to expect it to work great because they paid a lot (read Sprinters, which I also love but wouldn't take one more than 100 miles from a service center).

On the other hand there are 30-40 year old propane furnaces and hot water heaters working fine in thousands of cheap campers (Dometic/Atwood). These are probably the most reliable things in these campers. I'm no fan of Chinese knockoffs and generally speaking I love the quality and design of European and higher end components but I have just never heard anything good about these, especially for the price.

I have also read of constant trouble out of Espar/Webasto type diesel heaters but I use one almost every day trouble free, well at least 8 mos. of the year, and a Russian made Planar I had in the Transit in my avatar worked amazingly well too.

 

[Fadeagray]

I have an older model of the Truma Combi that was installed in the habitat of my expedition truck in 2005. It has been very reliable, no leaks, no problems and very dependable. It’s still working fine today under full time travel. I will gladly purchase a new one when my unit fails.

 

[cobratom]

Camper forums are riddled with people buying fancy new small RV's with these unreliable, overpriced contraptions. I honestly don't know anyone who hasn't had trouble with one. Not sure why you'd spend the money on almost guaranteed trouble and no support out there for such rarities. It seems like the perfect setup for an overpriced, unreliable Sprinter conversion so you can sit in the dealer service lot on a Sunday taking a cold shower and drinking cold coffee while you wait on service for your diesel aftertreatment system.

I'll stick with a good diesel furnace and an old school reliable propane hot water heater.

The only Truma product that I have ever seen with issues like this is the Truma Aquago tankless water heater. I am a member of Sprinter-Source and own a Sprinter, and have never heard of anyone having something negative to say about a Truma Combi Furnace Water Heater. Please quote your source.

 

[cobratom]

I've read thread after thread of people who can't get them to run reliably, or they leak, plus they're really rare here so no one is going to know what to do with it if you have trouble on the road and can't fix yourself. Very few people who spend this kind of money on some convenience are actually going to maintain it, they're just going to expect it to work great because they paid a lot (read Sprinters, which I also love but wouldn't take one more than 100 miles from a service center).

You seem to have a strong hatred towards sprinters and Truma units without ever actually owning one. Please quote your source. I have NEVER heard of anyone having issues with leaks or having them run reliably? It's a sophisticated unit, and according to internal Truma paperwork has the lowest warranty repair rate in the industry.

As for nobody being able to fix it?
This is now the standard in the RV industry, most North American manufacturers are moving to them or have uses them since their introduction to the US Market.
Standard Equipment in:
Airstream Basecamp Trailer
Winnebago Travato
Thor Sequence Class B
Coachman Galleria
Coachman Beyond
Lance Trailers 1475 and 1575
Sportsmobile Conversions

These are just off the top of my head, please go to any RV show and you will find Truma Combi's everywhere now, and pretty much a permanent fixture in the European and Australian markets. To suggest they are problematic, is false.

 

[shade]

Please quote your source.

Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[luthj]

About the only issues I know of, are XP campers and the previous gen Dualtops. Mostly with high altitude, and some leaks. The truma units I have heard nothing either way.