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Whale Under Floor Space Heater
The Whale Under Floor Space Heater is a new and revolutionary space heater for caravans.
So what’s different? Well, the first thing you’d notice is that you don’t see a heating unit taking up space in the living area of the caravan and that gives caravan designers a chance to re-think the layout of caravans.
Capable of operating from mains electric, butane or propane gas, the heater is located in a galvanised housing under the floor of the caravan between the chassis members, and that gives another advantage, one of quieter operation. Traditional ducting enters and travels round the caravan, with the usual outlets, so you can still toast your toes and warm your slippers.
Whale heater fitted under chassis
The heater vents under the floor using a stainless steel exhaust pipe to the caravan’s offside and thereby eliminates the need for a traditionally mounted roof vent, thus removes the risk of water ingress from that source.
Extensively tested over several months, the heater has valid accreditation from several third parties. At Millbrook Proving Ground a caravan fitted with the heater and Whale’s water heater, AquaSmart pump and taps, tests demonstrated that Whale had designed and engineered an energy and thermally efficient water and heating system capable of meeting Grade III Classification of Thermal Insulation (EN 1645-1). The caravan was put into the climate control chamber and the temperature reduced to minus 15°C over ten hours and held for the test. The heater was used to raise the temperature to 20°C over four hours, and held for one hour. Next, the water system was turned on and flowed freely from the hot and cold taps in the kitchen and the shower room. Finally, the energy needed to maintain 20°C (±2°C) in the caravan was measured and produced a best in class U value of 0.718W/sq.mK; that’s a saving of 25% over other models. So, more heat for less energy.
Space saved in your caravan
Ongoing tests in the snowy weather recently have endorsed its powerful heat generating properties and the design team at Whale tell me that they do believe that a temperature of 32°C is possible.
The Whale Under Floor Space Heater and the smaller Whale space heater for internal fixing follows the successful launch last year of the Whale water heater.
There has been very little in the way of innovation in heating systems for a caravan for many a year and this one has obvious benefits. It’s compact, lightweight, easy to fit during the caravan’s construction and is simple to operate with only two rotary control knobs to control the heat and heat source. Another benefit – it’s UK made!
Whale heater control panel
The first caravan manufacturer to fit the heater is Elddis in the new Xplore 302.
The Whale Under Floor Space Heater will be shown to the public for the first time at the Boat and Caravan Show at NEC this month on the Whale stand, number 5360 in Hall 5.
Fact File
Weight 9.5kgs including the heater, cover box, flues and floor interface plate.
On mains electric:
Three power level settings: 500w/1000w/2000w
Maximum electricity input: (230v) 9amps.
Electricity input (12V): 2.2 amps
On gas:
Gas heat input: 2KW:
Electricity input (12v): 1.6amps (< 20W)
Thanks to this forum, and my comment questioning the functionality of the new (then) Whale underfloor heating, Adria’s marketing advice expert – Kirstie Howe recommended the Truma S3004 as fitted in the Adria Altea range. We then discovered the new Adria Altea Trent just imported at Pearman Briggs at Gloucester. A good deal was completed on the new 2013 Trent, and the caravan was collected on Christmas Eve 2012! We have had a completed fault free 7 years’ caravanning with the Adria Trent, and wish to thank Kirstie Howe at Adria HQ for her commendation, and all at Pearman Briggs for their very good and efficient Customer service.
Kindest regards to all, John Case.
Same here, Colin. New Elddis Accordo 140 bought in Sep 2015. Faulty leisure battery (covered under warranty after protesting). Bathroom door latch spring has broken (not covered under warranty). Whale water heater pcb fried. (not covered under warranty). Habitat entry door catching and needs ridiculous force to close (not covered under warranty) and broken door stay, (not covered under warranty).
We have clocked only 3001 miles so I won’t be buying another Elddis (not covered under warranty) motorhome.
I bought a new Elddis Xplore 304, and the Whale heater will not come on unless I turn the thermostate switch full on and when I turn it back a notch it cuts out luckly every time we have had a portable fan heater which is reliable, we had a old 1995 elddis whirlwind and that heater was great, please is there a way where I can turn the thermostat up thanks
Hi Patrick, I’ll pass your query onto Elddis. They may have a solution.
Will let you know as soon as I hear anything.
Many thanks
Lucie
Patrick, if you could contact Elddis’ Customer Relations department on 0871 964 2113 or email [email protected]. If required, Eddlis we will seek advice from Whale.
Hope this helps.
Lucie
Whale underfloor heater, our van is new March 2014 from Marques a Majestic 195 built by Eldis, I agree the heater is like a jet plane noise and not efficient at all an entire front 2 seat locker taken up with pipes renders locker unusable if you can bear the noise it eventually heats space then cuts out then doesn’t come back on, you cant slow the fan to lessen the roar, only solution we found! you have to use mains, get a cheap fan heater. Van a disaster, rear window leaked, sinks will not drain, bathroom door latch doesn’t work spring gone, no seal between van and awning box, locker access useless poor design by Eldis
Whale heating not working properly in my Bailey Orion,sometimes cant get it to switch on to hot air and then it automatically comes on of its own accord.
Hi Doreen,
Have you raised the issue with Bailey or your dealer?
My space heater blower on a Eldis Avante pulses when switched on and cant be stopped with its switch. The only way to stop it is to remove the fuse. There are no warning lights and no heat coming from it.
Hi M Parker,
That doesn’t sound great. Suggest you ask your dealer for advice on that one. Have you spoken to anyone at Elddis about it?
Thanks
Lucie
Caravan Guard
We have just bought a Bailey Pegasus GT65 and have been getting used to the heating system, it seems the fan has to be on all the time. The fan noise is intrusive and we are concerned that when we want the heating on all night about the noise and more so about the electric consumption. We have had caravans for years and were very satisfied with the Truma system.
Re. Trevor Richardson’s experience with heavy battery drain, it’s really a case of OMG, – whatever are caravan manufacturers doing – fitting gas heaters consuming considerable electrical power, on touring caravans?
It’s about time that the caravanning clubs took up the cudgels on behalf of their members!
Thanks to contributor Kirstie Howe’s advice earlier, I now have an Adria Altea with the excellent Truma S3004, working on either gas only or gas/elec combi, and the S3004 heater also works without any 12V power at all. We used it this weekend on a non electric site and despite being somewhat chilly overnight, used negligiable battery power in conjunction with Adria’s new LED lighting.
Caravan purchased from Pearman Briggs at Gloucester at a very reasonable price in a no-nonsence manner (commendation!).
Kind regards, John.
I have a new carlight cosmopolitan 46-2 with a whale underfloor heater. Just had my first weekend out on a rally with no electric. In 5 days the heater used up 3 120 amp hr Batteries and this was even with a large solar panel connected. The system is completely incorrect for a caravan. I shall be taking the problem up with Carlight tomorrow as I am very unhappy
With reference to C A Keeble Eldis Autoquest 165 comments. We have just bought this model and found the same problem, the heating is not fit for purpose and does not produce enough heat for the front sitting end. We have written 2 weeks ago to Eldis, Marquis (who we purchased from) and Whale heating with no realistic response from anyone. Has this problem been resolved yet? Perhaps someone can help us? Thanks
We have just purchased a Elddis Avante 636 caravan with whale heating. We have been testing it out on the drive today and found the heating system to be noisy (like a jet engine). Is this normal as very annoying, and would no be able to sleep with it on?
I have sent an Email and waiting for a reply. I have just brought the Elddis Autoquest165 and I consider the heating is not fit for purpose , as apart from the noise it do not turn down it speed as it suppose to do when up to temp. I use the motorhome all year round . The top end of the cab is vary cold because there is no outlet that end to keep it warm. If I had known this I would not had brought this motorhome , It kills the two batteries in one night Mr C A Keeble.
Reference the above query, Whale under floor heating, problem seems to be solved, remove the covers on the air intake, and now seems to be working okay.
I have recently bought a Compass Venture 302 with Whale underfloor heating, but am having a lot of trouble, it will not stay on, I spend all my time clearing lockout, it only stays on for a few minutes at a time, can you help. Have been back to the caravan supplier and they spoke with Whale, but did not solve the problem. I cannot use at the moment without heating, as you will appreciate, We were in Keswick last week but had to cut our trip short because of heating problems
Thanks Kirstie, until your advice – re. the Truma S3004 space heater as fitted for the Adria Altea Shannon, I was only interested in the Elddis Xplor 304. But now, actually prefer the layout offered by the Sharron. And no need for continuous 12v to heat the accomodation either!
Provided that I can get the right deal for no p/x, then we’ll probably be following your commendation via our nearest convenient Adria dealership at Highbridge.
Thanks so much for responding.
Kindest regards, John
Hi John, Adria offer the Altea Shannon, a small compact 4 berth under 6 metres, lightweight at only 1100kg and offers the Truma S3004 on either gas only or gas/elec combi. This S3004 heater also works without any 12V power.
I really wanted to change my Elddis 450EB, bought new in 1991, for a new Xplor 304, but would lose space heating as the Whale system is no use – without continuous 12v power, even when on gas! It’s absolutely useless on gas, unless one spen
ds £mega money (and weight) on big solar panels and large capacity batteries. All we need is a simple gas heater that we can just leave on low when we drive to the coast (or wherever) and return in the evening to a nice warm and dry caravan.
Would Elddis be prepared to supply a Xplor without either space and water heaters, and instead fit a conventional gas only heater in a reduced capacity wardrobe or cupboard?
Kind regards, John.
As above I rally most weekends most rallies are around village halls or clubs ,the other weekend we had frost at 4 in the morning my heating system whent down on me because of the battery. We could,nt put the generator on at this time of the morning so we had an early breakfast. I am after advise on what size solor panel you would reccomend I fit to keep this system working over night. What amps do I need per hour. I go away at christmas and new year so I do need good heating . over this period. We have just bought the auto sleeper westminster caravan
Hi, with regards to the Whale underfloor heating, what does it mean by with quiet night time setting,?
Thanks
Martin.
I have recently bought an Elddis 180 fitted with your underfloor heater. 1.There are 4 vents 2 of which have flaps inside the vent. The dealer tells me that the other 2 are are inlets used to circulate the air back through the heater. I have had the system working (extremely well) but I think that there should be a flap on one other outlet and a grill on the inlet vent. That would be 3 vents with a flap and 1 with a grill for inlet. Am I correct?
I am awaiting the necessary handbooks from the dealer.
Thanks
James MacQueen
I mostly rally at weekends with my Orion 44/2 and use only gas and 12v. with a solar panel. I find that my heater will operate both day and night. The Orion also has LED lighting so that too is a minimum drain on the battery. The size of my battery is 110amps. I hope that helps.
Hi how long could you run the heater on the 12volt system as we very rarly go on hookups been looking at the orion but this system seems to be only suitable for hookup use a shame i like the new van maybe baily should offer an alernative heating system
Can the fan be isolated to avoid battery drain when not on mains electrics?
Hi Matt
I have put your question to the guys at Whale, so hopefully we’ll have a response in the next few days. If you want to contact them yourself, you’ll find their contact details here: http://www.whalepumps.com/contact_us/index.php
Hi Matt,
Here’s the response from Whale:
“I imagine that your query is coming from a customer who wants to run the heater on gas only.
However even when running on gas the fan must operate to circulate the air.
In addition to this 12V is required for the circuit board in the heater which controls all the temperature and other setting on the heater when operating on gas or electric.
“That’s the complicated answer, the simple answer is no the fan cannot be isolated to avoid battery drain when not on mains electric.”
Hope that helps!
Im after a under floor hot water system.do you make one or do you know who may make one.
regards leigh
Hi Leigh, Whale would be the best people to contact. Their website address is http://www.whalepumps.com/ and there’s a ‘Contact Us’ link at the top of the page with an enquiry form and phone numbers. Hope that helps.