Diesel Heaters

[GraemeL]

Anyone use one in their CT?

Our CT has a Webasto Diesel hot water system and I was thinking about putting a Webasto Diesel heater in it as well, for those times when it's raining and cold.
I'm not worried about the bed, because once we are in bed we will be warm. I am wanting to heat up the tent area.

Now I know some will say, don't be a pussy and suck it up, but the truth is I HATE the cold, I'm 65kg wet so no fat on these old bones and my son has Huntington's Disease and has trouble regulating body temp.

Are they worth it and are they easy to install?

[xcvator]

Nothing woosy about being warm mate. I'm doing an install atm in our Tanami. I bought the unit through "Aliexpress" from China for about $550-00 on my door step, took about 10 days to get it . If you do a search for diesel heaters there have been lots of others that have done the same thing . 

[kiva]

We also have a Webasto diesel HWS. For heating, there is a blower fan against copper coils containing the hot water, thus providing warm air.




Some other discussion here - http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=29522.0

[BrindiCruiser]

Nothing woosy about being warm mate. I'm doing an install atm in our Tanami. I bought the unit through "Aliexpress" from China for about $550-00 on my door step, took about 10 days to get it . If you do a search for diesel heaters there have been lots of others that have done the same thing . 

How have you found performance of the model you bought? Did it come with the tank and all fitting or did you need to buy other stuff as well?

[austastar]

Hi,
   This is my install in the Innovan.



I was some what bewildered by all the stuff in the box, but the 'kit' they sent included everything one could possibly need for almost any install.


I just laid the stuff out and worked out what went where, did a couple of mockups to get a good fit where I wanted it mounted, then pulled it all out once I had fired it up and checked it was working.
Then I cut wire looms and tubing to the correct length and put it all back in again.


Tip 1:  Put the control where you can easily reach it with just an arm out of bed.


Tip 2:  Use some plastic sink drains to pass the combustible air in and exhaust tubing through the external skin of your camper.


cheers

[Bird]

have a bit of a search, theres about 500 threads on it.

[xcvator]

How have you found performance of the model you bought? Did it come with the tank and all fitting or did you need to buy other stuff as well?

Performance is unknown atm 
Had to provide the fuel tank, just bought a 10 litre jerry can and drilled a hole in the top to take the fuel line 
Everything else is in the kit, including the Chinglish install manual 
cheers Keith

[GraemeL]

Thanks for the replies and info.

We also have a Webasto diesel HWS. For heating, there is a blower fan against copper coils containing the hot water, thus providing warm air.

How much pressure does that put out? I am wondering if it would be enough to get warm air into the tent, from where the unit is mounted.

[kiva]

Thanks for the replies and info.

How much pressure does that put out? I am wondering if it would be enough to get warm air into the tent, from where the unit is mounted.

Water pressure? Not sure, however I'm sure the Webasto HWS has specs somewhere. The blower fan has both a low and high setting and pushes quite a bit of air around.

[TOPNDR]

G'day Graeme,

We optioned a diesel heater in our Quantum, $2500 back in '09.  What a bloody ripper!   

It has a 10 litre diesel tank that lasts almost forever, and makes the camper as warm as toast.  The thermostat can be set low so that the thing cycles on and off during the night, if desired.

They're susceptible to dust ingress, so make sure the install is sound.  Ours was modified at the behest of AOR after it failed due to sucking dust into the inlet, which was located under the van.  The inlet is now under the seat, inside, so dust free, and all exhaust vented overboard.

Bloody well worth the effort I reckon!

[Spada]

My camper came with the Wabesto heater. I thought bit was bit of a wank gadgt, but thn I sat out a bloody cold (- didget) cold snap for a few days.

Now I reacon its money well spent.

[GraemeL]

Well it looks like I will be getting one then, I just have to figure out how to run the hoses.

Thanks for the replies.

[red t ute]

Well it looks like I will be getting one then, I just have to figure out how to run the hoses.

Thanks for the replies.

What type of Camper do you have?

[GraemeL]

We have purchased an Adventure Offroad Camper, Grand tourer Elite and hopefully we take delivery of it this month.

It is a little different to regular CT's, the bed slides out from the back of the trailer, rotates around and folds out with the tent attached.

Adventure Camper Tent/Bed Setup	Small | Large

The trailer already has a Webasto Hot Water System installed and I was wondering if I could use this to provide heating,  but I am thinking I may have to install the Webasto Heater as well.
Not having seen them and not knowing anything about these heaters or how they connect, makes it difficult to try and work out how to have it.
I might just wait until we pick it up, then I will have a better idea on what needed, I will also try and find a dealer here in Perth that sells them, so I can see what they are and how they fit.

[Spada]

Dont know that there are differant versions, but with mine, the heater componant is just an extension of the hot water system.

There is a supply line and a return line for hot water to run from the main (hot water) unit to a heat exchanger with a fan.

It is esentially a radiater that is about 180mm square and deep. This is mounted in a cavity somewhere inside the camper so the fan can suck air from within the camper, through the heat exchnger, and back into the camper. Plumbing runs from that to the hot water system, and fan electrics run to your power source.

KIVA's earlier post is a picture of the wabesto heater.

Hope that helps.

[GraemeL]

I was thinking about the hot water/heater, but I wonder if there would be enough air pressure from the fan to get the heat into the tent.
From what I understood it is just part of the hot water unit and not specifically designed for heating?

I am hoping that I can either use the hot water unit to get the heat from, or get an attachment that utilises the hot water unit.

[austastar]

Hi,
  I have the air heater only, so not all that familiar with the water coil/blower heat exchange.


Mine circulates the cabin air through the body of the unit, measuring the cool intake against the temperature setting on the control.  If the room is warm, and the control on a low setting, the heater will slow down the air fan and slow the impulse fuel pump so that it goes into 'cruise' mode. It can even turn off for a while, with a very slow draught of air drawn through the heater so it knows when to warm the glow plug, pump fuel and bring the air fan back up to speed.
Open the door to out side and let in a draught of cold air, and the thing springs into gear very quickly. It can seem quite busy at times.


Now if you changed the plumbing around a bit, so that only outside/fresh air was drawn into the unit, this would stay at out side temperature and never be warmed by the heater.
I haven't done it but I suspect the heater would not cycle, just run flat out, or maybe on a low setting run continuously at a slower rate.


It would be something to check on with the water/air heater models as to whether they are designed for fresh or recirculated air, and how or even if they will adjust to a warming ambient temperature in your camper.


cheers

[GraemeL]

Thanks for the informtion, it does give me something to work with.

[xcvator]

Update ! just tested the cheapy from China. The pump is very quiet,heater unit itself is a bit noisey when on full blast but nothing unbearable ( a bit louder than a cheap 2000 watt fan heater ), the exhaust noise is not too bad but I may get a muffler for it later. Does it put out much heat ? Ya bet your boots it does, even swmbo said that when the doors were zipped up you would only run it for a few minutes on high before it got tooooo hot

Absolutley no more powered sites for us now

Yeah I know 
cheers Keith

[GraemeL]

Do you have a link for it? and how easy is it to install?