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Post Info TOPIC: Diesel heater


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Diesel heater


Our Diesel heater works fine but cuts off about 30min after startup. Will decreasing set temp (30) help. Or maybe green fuel line collapses. Intake all clear, pump sounds fine. Timer not set either. Any advice appreciated.

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johnnie jeppesen


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Have you got a small breather hole in your filler cap. If not, vacuum develops and fuel won't leave the tank. Would take 30 minutes to get to that point.
Tony

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Our neighbor had a heater professionally installed,but they had left a sticker over the breather hole.It caused the plastic tank to collapse inwards.



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Had a friend restore an international truck. New engine. No breather in new fuel cap. Truck would stop every 5 kms then start up after 5 minutes and run good. That's the symptom of lack of a hole in the cap.

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Jeppo wrote:

Our Diesel heater works fine but cuts off about 30min after startup. Will decreasing set temp (30) help. Or maybe green fuel line collapses. Intake all clear, pump sounds fine. Timer not set either. Any advice appreciated.


 This is very similar to what we experienced with our diesel heater back in April. About 25 minutes the heater would go into shut down mode and we could restart it straight away, this happen about 8 times and in the scheme of things it was not a real problem as the caravan was warm enough by this time.

As we were on the move again, car needed fuelling, while there I added about 6 litres to the 10 litre tank to bring it to full.

The next time we used the heater it operated without a problem until we shut it down and for another 25 mornings after. We went home and ever couple of weeks at home, I would run it for about 40 minutes each time to check it's operating.

Mid June temps getting low and we are on the road and now the heater will not start, shows errors each time.

There is no clicking of the fuel pump, have checked and there is fuel and 12volts at the pump.

Looks like a job to be done when at home base later on in a couple of months. Suspect it is the small pump.

They are such a great warming device for the caravan, for now a hot water bottle.



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Newbie

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Our diesel heater starts with the fan working and the pump clicking, but will not fire up with hot air. I have purchased a new glow plug, but it made no difference. The battery is likewise perfect, so plenty of power. Any ideas out there. Old Cliffy

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A Mathews


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Many no-starts are due to low voltage at the heater

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Senior Member

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Go here, all the info you need on these heaters.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLne7MoW21Rk01DYGGfOqIbYt6H1ZFSFks



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Regards,

Mike L.



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Is this afresh problem or since installation? Do you smell unburnt fuel at the exhaust? If there is no smell, it could mean no fuel delivered to combustion. Maybe an airlock.

Check you have fuel flow by disconnect the fuel inlet at the heater. If there is fuel flow, then I agree it is most likely insufficient voltage, perhaps due to bad connection or wiring too small. Can you see amps usage when it tries to start. I think the glow plug should use about 10 amps.

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Old Cliffy wrote:

Our diesel heater starts with the fan working and the pump clicking, but will not fire up with hot air. I have purchased a new glow plug, but it made no difference. The battery is likewise perfect, so plenty of power. Any ideas out there. Old Cliffy


 My 3kw diesel heater wouldn't fire up. Pump goes etc. Found out I had a crack in the fuel hose just before where it goes into the heater. It had a bend in it as it had to avoid the chassis. Fuel would get pumped out and travel along the chassis to under the van. 

I bought a new 2kw heater. Found that damaged fuel line. So now I've got a larger heater for my shed. 

Our 16ft van is better off with the smaller heater. It ticks over very economically and doesn't need stop start if too hot.

So if you can disconnect the fuel line at the heater to view fuel flow. I also use 10% kero.

Tony



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Hi'
I discovered a problem with my heater 8kw, Before I installed it I set it up and ran it in my garage according to the instructions and it ran fine for about an hour then it went in to shut down mode and stopped, it Started no worries then I noticed the fuel line from the pump to the heater started to expand and contract slightly (Pulse) after a few minutes, these pumps pulse a tiny amount of fuel under pressure to the heater, I used the hose supplied with the heater, it's not suitable for pressure, so I replaced it with 1/8" copper tube and thick rubber diesel spill return fuel hose (it's smaller diameter) to the pump end and heater end with the copper in between, that fixed the problem.

I bought mine on flea bay, rated at 8kw, my mate bought a 5kw unit exactly the same in every way, it's just the printing on the box is different, these are made in China there is nothing wrong with these unit's just don't use the fuel lines supplied, I also needed more ducting, vent outlets and tee's as well as longer exhaust pipe, these are all much cheaper on AliExpress if you can wait for a longer delivery time also got a couple of spare remote controls. These are called Parking heaters on AliExpress

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Newbie

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The fuel line is good with no leaks. Have now put heavier flex to avoid voltage drop. New glow plug. Just cold air. It looks like a new complete unit. At least I'll know how to install it.
Thanks for the tips anyway.

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A Mathews


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mysterytour wrote:

I bought mine on flea bay, rated at 8kw, my mate bought a 5kw unit exactly the same in every way, it's just the printing on the box is different, these are made in China there is nothing wrong with these unit's just don't use the fuel lines supplied


The fuel line from the tank to the pump may be anything which is good for diesel.

The fuel line from the pump to the heater *must* be made of a material which will not substantially expand under pressure. I have bought two diesel heaters from e-bay (one for a spare) and both were supplied with the correct fuel line; white, hard plastic, about 5mm OD. Metal fuel line will also be fine.

For my 5kW heater the metering pump delivers 20uL per shot, a very small amount, and if the fuel line expands under that pressure burst the correct amount of fuel will not be delivered at the correct interval to the heater. 

And with today's temperature at 7C (12.30pm) today in north central Victoria my heater is truly earning its keep :)



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