If you just want the answer to the Truma Combi boiler code E81H fault here it is . . .
Deformed spark electrodes within the boiler. That meant the spark could not jump across the gap and without the spark the flame can not be lit.
Back home and I have spent some time on the internet searching for information about Truma Combi boilers and error messages. We have a operating manual that came with the Truma boiler, but it does not have error E81H in the list. There are various lists of error messages of the internet, but E81H is not appearing. I continue the search and eventually I find someone else with the same problem, that’s encouraging, at least somebody else has experienced the same problem.
The motorhome mentioned was in the US and still under warranty, the owner took it to a Truma agent and rather than simply replacing the whole boiler the technician investigated the fault in detail. A loose earth connection was discovered and that fixed the fault.
Sometimes the Truma control panel shows error 122, as E122H, then after a couple seconds changes to E81H.
Armed with that information I contacted Truma directly in Germany, via their website. From Truma I received a response in English very quickly, giving me the following information.
Fault number 81 means, that the Ignition spark interferes with electronics.
To repair your Combi heater, the following steps are necessary:
– Ensure 12 V voltage under load at appliance input and check for AC voltage components that can be
generated by the power supply unit or solar system.
– Replace ignitor
– Check / replace ignition / monitoring electrodes cable Check / adjust electrode spacings
– Replace the electronics, enter heater serial number on the new electronics using the Truma Diagnose
Tool
We recommend to contact our authorized Truma Service Partners to get the heater repaired. They can carry out the necessary inspection and repair for you professionally.
This was starting to look promising, a possible solution to our motorhome boiler problem, next step was to use the Truma website to locate all the service partners within a reasonable distance and read google reviews about them.
Most of the places I found were caravan dealers, so I didn’t think they would have the experience of the Combi 6 system, it’s normally only installed in motorhomes. Eventually I found a likely agent within a reasonable travelling distance, a specialist installer, and emailed them all the information. I got a response back very quickly saying that they did not carry out much repair work, but they were very busy and taking bookings for work to be done in four months time! Hardly encouraging.
After talking to a couple of other motorhome owners I phoned a large dealership in the Preston area, although google reviews were polarised, which is often what you find. Yes, they could undertake the work, they would hook up the electronics of the Truma combi to their computer which would enable them to investigate further. Cost would be £75 an hour for labour. They commented that this type of fault was very difficult to trace and might take 2 or 3 hours work just to find out what it was. Then there would be the cost of rectification and parts.
This was starting to sound expensive. It could be over £200 just to find out what was wrong, then the possibility of a lot more for the work. I was not happy.
These Truma Combi 6 boilers cost about £1,400 new, I could imagine a scenario where the cost to repair was around £500 – 600, so it was starting to look like a complete replacement option was worth considering.
I am not a person who gives up easily on problems, maybe it’s my background, whatever it is I do stay with problems and often wake up in the night with possible solutions. In the end it usually pays off, and in the case of the Truma Combi that’s the case.
As part of the searches I ran on the internet I came across an item on a well-know auction website that was for a service to test the control printed circuit board of a Truma Combi heating system. This is not a repair service, it’s just testing, for which the charge was £50, plus £8 return carriage. This listing is very specific, you are paying for testing only, and if a fault is found then there is an option to pay an additional cost and have the board repaired. This seemed like a good option to me, because it would eliminate a major component from my fault finding logic.
Having already done a lot of fault finding on this problem I decided to contact the advertiser because the advert suggested that one contacts them if you wanted more information. The advertiser was very helpful and asked for more information about the problem. There followed a number of emails between me and the advertiser, which resulted in the repairer suggesting that my circuit board was not faulty, but that the fault lay in another part of the boiler, viz the spark electrodes inside the boiler.
This was real progress.