I would like to get some feedback from members of the Forum who are using diesel heaters in their vans. Specifically, I would like to hear about the amount of diesel that is used to run these heaters. I have purchased a 2-5Kw Chinese heater and will install it in the next couple of weeks. Just curious about the rate of use of diesel. Also, do members run them all night or just evening and mornings. TIA.
Tones
-- Edited by Tones on Friday 25th of August 2023 09:22:04 AM
Hi Tones, I have one, although I have never actually measured the usage I can say that they use very little diesel, I ran it one evening for a few hours and back on again for a few hours in the morning, with just a visual look at the tank I would say it used less than 300ml. We don't leave ours on at night.
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
I would like to get some feedback from members of the Forum who are using diesel heaters in their vans. Specifically, I would like to hear about the amount of diesel that is used to run these heaters. I have purchased a 2-5Kw Chinese heater and will install it in the next couple of weeks. Just curious about the rate of use of diesel. Also, do members run them all night or just evening and mornings. TIA.
Tones
My diesel heater uses around 1 litre for 8 hours overnight, but is generally used only for only a couple of hours in the morning, and a bit longer in the evenings.
Mine also supplies hot water, so is run every day, but I leave it on overnight only when temperatures are around zero.
Just set it on 19 degrees and the thermostat ensures that I enjoy a comfortable night's sleep! Cheers
Just a tip, I installed the fuel tank for the heater on the front of the caravan on the same side as my vehicle fuel filler, easy to fill vehicle and heater at the same time, I also made a protective cover for the tank out of checkerplate and had it powder coated to match the front of the caravan.
Thanks so far everyone some good feedback here. I am looking forward to getting it fitted. I have heard a lot of positive feedback and a little negative feedback but based on the differences in prices I am prepared to give the oriental version a go and see how it turns out. Thanks everyone for the comments and feedback.
I have both an "expensive" version and an "el cheapo" version .....both perform without any problem. Only stipulation is to make sure the wiring between the battery and heater is heavy enough to carry heater "start up" currents without voltage drop. Also I add some kerosene to the diesel to prevent the diesel from "gelling" in low temperatures and rendering the heater useless right at the time you need it! (learnt from experience) .
I have both an "expensive" version and an "el cheapo" version .....both perform without any problem. Only stipulation is to make sure the wiring between the battery and heater is heavy enough to carry heater "start up" currents without voltage drop. Also I add some kerosene to the diesel to prevent the diesel from "gelling" in low temperatures and rendering the heater useless right at the time you need it! (learnt from experience) .
Hi Kerry. Youve refreshed my memory as the wiring to my heater was replaced with a bigger gauge after minor start-up issues.
Like you, I add kerosene to the fuel tank now and then, usually works out at about 5% of tank capacity, but I believe that the heater also will run on straight kero, if needed?
Read somewhere that it also will run on turps?
Reg offers good advice too, although I custom-built a 20 litre tank that sits in the front boot. Eliminates the chance for youngsters in the bush to either "borrow" the fuel, or contaminate it.
All fillers and outlet hoses for my car's on-board 190 litre water tanks are in the locked canopy, for similar reasons. Cheers
Usage depends on the setting. Bugger all on low. Don't forget to let it run flat out for a bit before turning it off - helps burn off any crap built up whilst running on low.
My 3kw ... Would'nt be without it... Turn it on full blast.. "Helps keep it clean" they say... When the van is hot inside.. And that's with the door open you can turn the dial down too about half and shut the door if so desired.. Further adjustments may be required... I turn it on as the outside temperature alerts me that's it going to get colder.... I find that when the door is closed for the night, the heater is fine when ticking along on level three ..I have a round dial 1-10, so three is a warm breath... And that can stay on until morning wake up.. Stick your nose outside and decide as to leave it on or turn it off... The heater that is.. My next fuel tank will be a five litre tank...With the ten litre tank I find I cant see the fuel moving a great deal at all.. Not that i'm complaining with the price of diesel where it is..
Just a quick tip, don't put the pump under the van near your bed, too noisy, we have a rear bed and I relocated the pump from the rear to just under the tank which, like rgren2 says above, is mounted on the A frame same side as the car fuel filler for easy filling.
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
We have our Webasto running all night in really cold weather. It is quieter running all night than if you turn it off after a while, then turn it on in the morning when it has to go through a start up procedure and wake any neighbours.
As far as the pump position goes, ours is directly under my pillow position and I have to strain to hear it. Took a few try's to get it quiet but in the end I have the pump hanging on a exhaust pipe rubber mount. Very, very quiet.
We have our Webasto running all night in really cold weather. It is quieter running all night than if you turn it off after a while, then turn it on in the morning when it has to go through a start up procedure and wake any neighbours.
As far as the pump position goes, ours is directly under my pillow position and I have to strain to hear it. Took a few try's to get it quiet but in the end I have the pump hanging on a exhaust pipe rubber mount. Very, very quiet.
I'm yet to own one so no first hand experience, but a rig we are in the process of buying has one with some sort of electronic solution to ensure it does the flat out bit before turning off automatically.
Thanks everyone, I am learning a lot from this thread.
Tones
-- Edited by Tones on Saturday 26th of August 2023 11:33:30 AM
Hi Tones,
I've installed 5 of these heaters. I'm not familiar with the 2-5kw model, maybe that is an adjustable more modern type. I've stuck with the 2kw model and once a 5kw that I wouldnt recommend unless you own a poptop or very large caravan. At any rate the 2kw is far more economical than anything larger.
Some notable modifications are-
A on/off switch between the LED controller and the battery. Once cooled down turn it off. That saves the LED screen from fading over time.
Exhaust out the drivers side away from awning and pointed away from windows and possible close neighbours in caravan parks
Fuel pump - wrap it in pool noodle or similar and mount it under a drawbar toolbox or up under the hitch
Buy a heater with a remote and I prefer not to run it overnight but use that remote to start it in the morning thereby getting out of bed in a warm van
I do mix 2-3 cups of kero in the tank when I get home then fill up at the servo when I'm filling my diesel tug. In fact I went to the trouble of mounting my heater tank inside the front boot with a proper external filler see pic
-- Edited by Eaglemax on Saturday 26th of August 2023 02:43:03 PM
-- Edited by Eaglemax on Saturday 26th of August 2023 02:43:46 PM
I had a Webasto air heater fitted, as the heat exchanger on the Webasto hot water heater is a bit noisy and not able to deal with really cold nights. The Webasto screen blanks out, so no need to manually turn it off.
Initially I didn't have an air return from the cabin area fitted, as I was concerned about it increasing the noise level. But without it, the heater runs more often, as in my case it was always heating cold air, and the thermostat reading was not reflective of the cabin temp, which made it hard to set the temp. So I had a return fitted, which solved the temp setting issue and made it more efficient. It is now noisier at startup when it runs flat out, but once it settles back it's not that much worse. We've been camping recently in very cold nights and we set the temp at 8-10 degrees to keep the chill off the cabin, and turn it up in the morning. Works well, and the overnight noise is not all that intrusive.
I haven't tried to measure fuel consumption, but given that the tank is feeding two heaters it wasn't too bad. If you use it a lot, then you will need to refill it, perhaps once a week. I carry a 5L jerry can and 1L bottles of diesel, so that when the tank drops below half, I add the 5L plus half a litre of the kero.
Hi Eaglemax, That doesn't look like your home made van? Do you still have the JBA?
Cheers Vince56
That filler is on a Jurgens, purchased 12 months ago. Both home made vans in pics below. Yes, still have the JBA. Has V6 Buick (VN) engine. It has towed both those vans but recently purchased a new car that does our towing now.
Once again many thanks for all the input and advice. Well over the past three days I have installed the new oriental 2-5Kw. (I assume 2Kw) unit in our Jayco poptop. So far it is doing quite a good job. No hassles with the install. After having the benefit of all the advice here on the Forum as well as the many You Tube videos on the subject, I think it went quite well. I have installed it under the bed and used a single outlet aimed towards the rear of the van and blowing down the centre of the van in the general direction of the ensuite. I fitted the fuel tank inside the front boot and the exhaust is towards the off-side (drivers). The only thing that I have left to do is to put a slight extension on the muffler to get it out near the outer wall on the side of the van and with a bit of a turn downward. Whilst I can only hear the pump during startup, I can hear (what I would describe) as a resonance sound in the exhaust. I am guessing at this stage that it will be because I have used ss hose clips to locate the exhaust pipe along and below one of the cross members. If the noise is still there after I add to the exhaust pipe, I might try a couple of exhaust rubbers as mentioned earlier in the thread. I also upgraded the wiring from the battery and installed a master switch between the batteries and the unit. I did note the many warnings about not using the master switch to shut down the heater because of the potential to overheat and cook the heater. The clear message that I have read is that the unit must go through the normal shutdown process so that the internal heat is cooled by the fan...so the master switch will be used with much caution. One last thing; if anyone would like assistance from me in the translation of the Chinese / English "how you do it" manual that came with the unit, please ready yourself for a very courteous "no thanks, I cannot help" type of reply. (My attempt at a bit of light hearted humor). Again, many thanks to all who have responded earlier. That is what makes a good Forum better i.e. members helping members!!!!
Cheers
Tones
-- Edited by Tones on Wednesday 30th of August 2023 03:56:55 PM
