Installing an Ecotherm Heater in a Jayco Poptop

Mack Truck · Member

RE: Installing an Ecotherm Heater in a Jayco Poptop

Candyman · Member

Mack Truck wrote:
To Outback.MK & all you other guys out there with the Ecotherm heater, would you please answer my one simple question. Does it heat the van to about 20 degrees in near zero temps? You have all supplied great info on fitting but does it work well. Regards John

I got a reply from the Caravaners Forum which said "yes" to the question "will it warm the van from zero degrees?" but did not say to what temperature. They also commented the diesel heaters will do a better heating job but the Ecotherm was ok for the price ...John

munoos · Newbie

Just bought an Ecotherm

The wiring instructions are a bit vague, how did you wire yours

regards

Munoos

The Travelling Dillberries · Guru

Have a read of some comments here Munoos before you install.

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t65163970/ecotherm-caravan-heaters/

mark r · Member

Hi Brian, I see you've had your ecotherm for a few years now. I've got a new journey o/b 17.53 (full size) being built & looking at options for off grid heating. I've had a diesel before - but like this due to now venting external to van. We plan to travel kimberleys - so don't like the idea of venting points exposed to dust/water inhalation. Trying to get a balance report on the unit from socials has been difficult - 50/50 views,,,,, so cautious about committing on face value.

I understand the heating power will not match a diesel, but not looking for that - rather a comfortable warmth without need to multi layer! Just seeking your views after having for a number of years now....

Thanks
Mark

Candyman · Member

Mack Truck wrote:
To Outback.MK & all you other guys out there with the Ecotherm heater, would you please answer my one simple question. Does it heat the van to about 20 degrees in near zero temps? You have all supplied great info on fitting but does it work well. Regards John

My Ecotherm heater will not heat our 21' van to 20 Celsius from zero. My only doubt is whether my wiring is sufficient to run the fan top speed - I tapped into the bedside light 12v circuit, A true test would be to power direct from the battery - but we now have lithium 375AH with 3000w inverter so we can conservatively use our van's aircon for some short term heating.

Candyman · Member

One problem I found with the Ecotherm heater was the thermostat dial does not swithch OFF. The caravan was in storage, the temperature got down very low (near zero), the Ecotherm was running (cold water). The thermostat dial was turned down as far it could go but would not "click" OFF. Once the day warmed up it switched OFF ok and I could here the "click" again when turning the dial. Contacted the supplier who advised to install a switch before the dial - which I did. That has to be a fault surely. What if I had drained the water tanks? The Ecotherm water pump would run dry!

wfdTamar · Veteran Member

Candyman wrote:
Mack Truck wrote:
To Outback.MK & all you other guys out there with the Ecotherm heater, would you please answer my one simple question. Does it heat the van to about 20 degrees in near zero temps? You have all supplied great info on fitting but does it work well. Regards John
My Ecotherm heater will not heat our 21' van to 20 Celsius from zero. My only doubt is whether my wiring is sufficient to run the fan top speed - I tapped into the bedside light 12v circuit, A true test would be to power direct from the battery - but we now have lithium 375AH with 3000w inverter so we can conservatively use our van's aircon for some short term heating.

Hi. Tossing up between one of these (Ecotherm or Kalori Silencio) with a Suburban water heater, or a 2kw diesel heater in a 6 metre European motorhome (well insulated). To be used in Tasmania. What puts me off the diesel is the noise. The motorhome did have a Truma LPG water/room heater with ducting all around the van. That was taken out either because it died, or when the van was imported.

Doesn't the heating performance of an Ecotherm largely depend on the capacity and temperature of the hot water tank it's connected to? So wondering in the above case where the user wasn't happy if their HWS was too small?

Are We Lost · Guru

wfdTamar wrote:
Doesn't the heating performance of an Ecotherm largely depend on the capacity and temperature of the hot water tank it's connected to?

The performance depends on the temperature of the hot water, but capacity not really.

Normally, it would attach to your storage hot water system. It works by recirculating hot water from the tank through a radiator. A fan blows over the radiator into the living space. The temperature should be consistent because the hot water system is thermostatically controlled. So when the water circulates and the tank temperature drops, the hot water thermostat should activate, bringing the temperature back up again.

This is exactly the same principle as the heater in a car. But there are very significant differences in results. In a car, the space to be heated is tiny compared to a van. Put that same car heater in a van and it will struggle to warm you. But it gets worse.

In a car, the coolant temperature is about 100 degrees. So if the temperature in the cabin is say 10 degrees, that is a 90 degree differential. But with the Ecotherm, it relies on the temperature of the hot water which is nowhere near as hot, and may be around 60 degrees. So that gives a 50 degree differential. So instead of hot air as produced in a car heater, you only get warm air from the Ecotherm.

So there is no real comparison between an Ecotherm and a diesel heater. The diesel heater puts out much more heat. My van came with an Ecotherm installed, and I put in a diesel heater. The Ecotherm is still there but now never gets used. If I had campers in a tent next to me on the exhaust side maybe I would use it then.

There are plenty of discussions on here about solutions to make the diesel heater quiter.

Cuppa · Guru

www.beliefparkingheater.com/product-detail/diesel-combi-heater/

Bicyclecamper · Guru

I was going to fit a diesel heater for next winter in our camper trailer, after enduring 2 weeks in the height of winter, here in the New England, with average overnite temps of down to minus 8. At the end of the first week, I had not used the portable gas heater, which I normally use, I just used a queen sleeping bag opened up, to cover my lower body, whilst I was up reading., listening to the radio, in my camp chair, on the hard floor of the camper. Now for my wife to come out, I would need the diesel heater, but she has told me, winter camping is not for her anymore, so it will just be me and my dog. So decided not to put a heater in, or even to use the gas heater. The bedding I use is minus twenty sleeping bags, opened out for the dog an I. I realised I had gotten too soft, in the past. After coming home I found the house too hot, and it took me 3 weeks to get used it again. I am 64 now, and will contin ue to do cold weather camping without heating in the future.

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Sunday 24th of September 2023 11:54:05 PM