Questions on Diesel Heaters in vans.

iana · Guru

Questions on Diesel Heaters in vans.

Bagmaker · Senior Member

The body gets hot enough to warrant some insulation against stored items, wood or plastic but not really really hot.
The fan doesn't make enough noise to worry anyone although there is a bit of a whine outside during startup.
The earlier ones were noisier than the current crop. There is only a possibility of smell during startup or shutdown, providing all is operating correctly.
Install so the exhaust is not facing forward and pay attention to the homemaking of wasps
They are a great bit of kit

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

All good . The longer the inlet - outlet duct the quieter it will be . I fitted an extra inlet to mine . As at times we found things can full or be stored I front of inlet . Ours is under lounge with inlet up the front . The heater part blows under the bed area . Yes very quiet after first few minutes . I think some have settings where they run high fan etc till they get to desired heat range ., better if they do . EPA wise .

Treecrest14 · Senior Member

I installed a Planar unit and added the muffler. The unit is under the L lounge in the corner.
Unit does get quite warm so I added a few air vents as well as the inlet and outlet vents. The inlet I sited near the door to take in any air coming in from the door vent.
Noise in van is minimal and outside is audible but not so in other vans.
Just ensure the diesel pump isn't placed against the frame of the van as it can vibrate and make a noise.

macka17 · Guru

Just move up here Ian.
NO need for those things then. Chuckle.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

All diesel heaters are not made the same, if you told us what make model you are talking about, the answers might be meaningful.

Cheers,
Peter

Hey Jim · Guru

iana wrote:
The heater you have in your van, does the body of the heater get hot? is separation required between it and stored items?
Does the fan make much noise?
Taking the exhaust out the back or to the side of the van, have you had complaints or comments about the diesel exhaust smell?

Hi Ian,

Stop stuffing around. Winter is just 6 months away. biggrin

Go to my blog again, ( I implanted my Planner Diesel heater.) I now have three of these 45lt tuff boxes under the bed. The third one replaces the white washup box.

I still have 150mm clearance between the two. Note the heater pipe going around the battery box as well. ALL GOOD.

As for noise, No more than a common Fart cry on startup. So stop farting around, and get on with it.

You either want Browie points smile smile smile or don"t.

Cheers Jim wink

iana · Guru

You can't rush these thing Jim, it was a bit warm today, you've got twice or more the space under the bed as we have got. But I'm still exploring all other locations as well. Our under the bed storage is shared with two batteries, and the Setec controller. being a slide out its much smaller.

Got the solar panel to go on yet, and quite a bit of wiring, and re-wiring to do. Getting near to putting the canopy on the ute, and then will be messing around with rear view cameras.

You didn't say whether the lids on the diode box of your solar panel (s) were gaffa taped on!

Ian.

macka17 · Guru

Use Sika for that IAN.
Only thing apart from welding that guarantees Salt and moisture won't get in.

I stripped one of my 35yr old BP panels when it shorted itself down to 6v
Those old ones are really 6 plus 6v. linked.

30 odd yrs it's entitled a retirement It's Mate still doing its 2.2a thingy.

Inside the cover was still dry and shiny black with copper looking wires.
I use that to fill box on roof for cables from Panels to the Reg.
and the hole in roof too.
(15 yrs that install. Plus 1 x yacht. plus 1x yacht. = another 20ish yrs)

Those old panels certainly gave 25 PLUS good yrs of life.
If anybody has them and they dropped to 6v.

Check link inside. then look along bridges on cells on front.

IF you find one.
It's possible to drill glass cold solder the bridge there, then epoxy seal again.

You'll usually get your 17\21v again.

We've done a few over the yrs.

-- Edited by macka17 on Thursday 5th of January 2017 09:24:54 PM

iana · Guru

Went to a fiber glass workshop, and they are going to put aside some flat off cuts that I will have 6 x 130 x 130 pads cut out. I will screw these to the panel feet, then sika flex the pads to the roof of the van. So no holes except for the cable in the roof. Self tapping screws or pop rivets would have no tensile strength in fiberglass, unless they go into a backing plate.

The panels are all brand new, so hope they will last a while before I need to take those steps macka.

-- Edited by iana on Thursday 5th of January 2017 11:45:13 PM