I've just had a problem with a 240v electric heater in my caravan whichs trips the electric when left on for long period of time. The problem was with a faulty fused mains switch that contained a 5A fuse. As the heater is a 2000W heater I would have expected to have a 13A fuse in it not a 5A, but the dealer and manufacturer are both telling me that 5A is correct. Surely 2000W divided by 240V is 8.33A not 5???. The heater doesnt blow the fuse when it was put onto 2000W which is baffling me. Can anyone tell me why both the dealer and manufacturer of the heater are both insisting that a 5A fuse is correct?
240v heater in caravan
- Thread starter Wallace
- Start date
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your terminology is confusing me. Where is this 5A fuse you speak of? How is the heater wired in? to a socket? or to a FCU?
a 2000w heater needs a 13A fuse. Dont use it again with a 5A fuse. You could be damaging the plug / accessory by heating it up.
a 2000w heater needs a 13A fuse. Dont use it again with a 5A fuse. You could be damaging the plug / accessory by heating it up.
Caravans are usually supplied via a hook-up cable and an RCD. It may be that the cable and wiring you have in your caravan are sized for summer use, to run lights and a small fridge, radio and so forth (not heating). That could be why the manufacturer tells you to have a 5A fuse, if the wiring is too thin to support a heavy load like a big electric heater.
Is yours a touring caravan that can be towed behind a car, or a site-based residential caravan?
Is yours a touring caravan that can be towed behind a car, or a site-based residential caravan?
most caravans can handle more than 5A, a kettle uses more than this, even the small travel ones, is the heater a portable one or one installed in the caravan?
that said, the site/ your own rcd shold trip before a fuse blows
that said, the site/ your own rcd shold trip before a fuse blows
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Am I right in thinking that the 240v heater is fitted as standard to your caravan such as Truma or Carver - rather than a free standing plug in type?
Presumably your caravan mains unit has circuit breakers rather than 'fuses'
Does seam strange though that the manufacturer states 5 amp is OK as that is too low for 2000w.
My own van is fitted with the mains and gas type blown air heater and has a rating of max 2000w - The handbook is in the van but I can check the rating on the circuit breaker if this is any help.
Presumably your caravan mains unit has circuit breakers rather than 'fuses'
Does seam strange though that the manufacturer states 5 amp is OK as that is too low for 2000w.
My own van is fitted with the mains and gas type blown air heater and has a rating of max 2000w - The handbook is in the van but I can check the rating on the circuit breaker if this is any help.
The heater is fitted as standard to the caravan and is one of the Truma blown-air types. I had my original facts slightly wrong as aparently, what I've just found out is that the heater manufacturer fits a 13A fuse. The caravan manufacturer then replaces the 13A fuse with a 5A when it is installed into the caravan....and it all appears to work. Maybe the 2000W rating that is stated on the heater is not 2000W ?? - more like 1200W perhaps, although there are 3 settings 500W, 1000W and 2000W. The plot thickens.
Sounds the same as my Truma set up, it has the same 3 heat settings and the highest is 2000w on mine- I guess you are talking about a fuse that protects the heater alone.
Seems very odd that the caravan manufacturer takes out the 13amp fuse and puts in a 5 amp one.
I will check what fuse is fitted in my system but it might take a day or 2 as its in storage but I am due a visit to check on things anyway. I will let you know ASAP.
Seems very odd that the caravan manufacturer takes out the 13amp fuse and puts in a 5 amp one.
I will check what fuse is fitted in my system but it might take a day or 2 as its in storage but I am due a visit to check on things anyway. I will let you know ASAP.
Its been a while but I have now checked the fuses on my caravan, its a 2005 model and the fuse box has the 12v system on the left and the 240 mains circuit breakers on the right.
On the 12v side, the fuse for the heater is 5 amps but this is only for the fan blower, the heater element is mains powered only.
On the mains side, the heater is lumped in with other applicances on the one circuit breaker but on checking the handbook it gives the heater rating as 8.7 amps.
Hope this helps.
On the 12v side, the fuse for the heater is 5 amps but this is only for the fan blower, the heater element is mains powered only.
On the mains side, the heater is lumped in with other applicances on the one circuit breaker but on checking the handbook it gives the heater rating as 8.7 amps.
Hope this helps.
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