van heaters

[Pedro_The_Swift]

anybody run one of these?

any thoughts?

Webasto - Heating Systems (http://www.webasto.com.au/products-and-markets/recreational-vehicles/ena/html/8704.html)

[Drover]

Haven't got one but these are the go.

Pretty exxxxy though.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

any $$ ideas?

[Scouse]

There was an ad with one of the 4WD Action newsletters recently with some super duper special on these.

Link here with prices:
Online Store | Dometic Australia (http://www.dometicrvcentre.com.au/onlinestore1#specials-61/dh-d2-single-12v)

[Yorkie]

i heard in the $2000 range, not cheap but effective. :)

[austastar]

Hi,
I have one in a slide-on camper (Innovan) on the back of my D130 Ute.
Very happy with the diesel version - more heat than I need in -5 C out side.
Economical on fuel, but can be a bit heavy on battery using the glow plug if it is cycling on and off. Best to keep it running or turn it off.
Consider the gas version if you are in a warmer climate than Tasmania. Some advantages are no pump, less Amps to start etc, but you have the hassle of nearly empty gas bottles at the start of a trip some times.
Not sure if you need a gas fitter to sign the install for compliance with any regs etc - don't need that for diesel.

Happy to answer any particular questions - PM me in case I miss the post.

cheers

[incisor]

here i was thinking that is why the supreme being put rocks near fires...


:angel:

[Pedro_The_Swift]

The Keeper Of The Keys has forbidden open fires in the van,,:(

pricing from a brizzy distributer,
1300 for the small one,,
and another 1K to install it,,,

I can see the 1300,, but the install has to be by NASA techs,,:eek:

[austastar]

I can see the 1300,, but the install has to be by NASA techs,,:eek:

Hi,
I'm no NASA tech, it is not all that difficult physically, just join bits together.
It does take a little deciphering the variations in the instructions, but that just means there is more than one way to do it.

If you can drill a hole, cut a rubber/plastic tube, put in a screw, tighten a nut with a spanner, cut and solder a wire, honestly, you can do it.

cheers

[Blknight.aus]

I've done an incar preheater version install, I cant see it being much harder with the possible exception of needing to ventilate it.

[Brad110]

I have one of these in my boat. It uses 2 litres in 24 hours and puts out an amazing ammount of heat. The only negative is the electric fuel pump 'ticks' so I would investigate the gas. It could easily warm up to an uncomfortable heat in Tassie winter and dry everything out.

I bought mine 10 years ago when they were introduced and I installed the unit itself and the supplier demanded that I use their installer in order to warrant installation and unit. There was no need. The installation is not difficult. I then installed one for a friend

I am taking the unit out of the boat and transferring it into a camper im building. (everything is being designed around the heater) When I investigated the suitability for a vehicle, there is endless information on European sites as they are fitted to ambulances and trucks. You can get heat exchanger type fittings for hot water as well.

There are 3 different brands that I found, of very similar look and performance. There is enough competition to lower price.

Good luck.

[Blknight.aus]

There are 3 different brands that I found, of very similar look and performance. There is enough competition to lower price.

Good luck.


webasto, espar and eberspaecher?

[TerryO]

We have a Webasto and it is excellent, they supposedly require the least amount of maintanance out of all of them and parts are cheaper and eaiser to get then the similar Dometic diesel heater.

Re the clicking on any diesel heater it will drive you absolutely mad with the bloody noise and people with LPG heaters will tell you theirs are far superior because they don't click. They won't mention that they use heaps of gas and that hurts when you also cook and heat your waterheater with LPG.

Re the annoying clicking, I mounted the pump on top of a piece of suspending rubber mat (ute liner) between two chasis rails and all of a sudden there is no noise at all from the pump, as quite as a mouse inside the van other then the fan.
As Brad said about 2 litres of fuel per 24 hours which is amazingly cheap to run compared to the LPG ones.

Most installers want about $500 to install one as it usually takes about 3 -4 hours. The most common place to fit one is under the bed.

You won't regret getting one, they are great. If you go back to that caravan forum I told you about the old buggers on there will tell you the cheapest place to buy one and there are folders on how to install them as well.

cheers,
Terry

[spudboy]

Here's an alternative thought.

UK Diesel Freelanders (and some early D3's) come with one of these Webasto heaters:
LANDROVER FREELANDER WEBASTO ENGINE HEATER DIESEL | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LANDROVER-FREELANDER-WEBASTO-ENGINE-HEATER-DIESEL-/221074056719?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item33790a660f)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/07/708.jpg

You can get them for about $150, but the postage is over $100 (I got a quote from these guys a few weeks ago).

You also have to make sure you get the little pump that feeds it. Can't remember the name but if you google you'll find out about it.

HTH
David

[spudboy]

Search for FBH - Fuel Burning Heater....

The pump is called a Dosing Pump....

[d2dave]

You won't regret getting one, they are great. If you go back to that caravan forum I told you about the old buggers on there will tell you the cheapest place to buy one and there are folders on how to install them as well.

cheers,
Terry

Terry. Which Caravan forum?

[TerryO]

Hi Dave,

pm me and I'll give you the details, believe it or not you have to know someone who is a member to be able to join it as it has a closed membership.

cheers,
Terry

[mowog]

Ebay...

diesel heater | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m570.l1311&_nkw=diesel+heater&_sacat=See-All-Categories)

I have a Diesel heater in the van... It is simply awesome... Clicking... very very faint click sometimes. I guess the higher you run them the more fuel the more clicks.

We set ours to 17deg for overnight this gives a very low fuel burn and it keeps the cabin around 18-20deg. This works down to -1 to -2deg and I don't hear any clicking.

If you want to sleep without blankets you can set it to 22deg but I find it makes the cabin too hot.

[TerryO]

You can get rid of the clicking noise altogether if you want to Mowog.

I bolted a piece of rubber ute floor matting between two chassis rails with the pump bolted to the top of the matting. This not only protects most of the potentially vulnerable bits like filters and fuel lines from stones when driving but has totally insulated the van of any fuel pump clicking noise which everyone who has a diesel heater always complains about.

It took me about an hour and the matting cost about $20 from a hardware store.

The new to the market Chinese heaters are meant to be pretty good, you still need to buy all the lines and exhaust etc but that will only cost about $100 from Webasto which the heater supposedly is a copy of.

Our Van heater is a Webasto which I believe was the company that first made diesel heaters like this, bang for your dollar they are excellent value and are known for being very reliable and cheap to maintain.

Cheers,
Terry

[mowog]

You can get rid of the clicking noise altogether if you want to Mowog.

Cheers,
Terry

Hi Terry

I thought about isolating the pump but it doesn't bother me now.

The father in-law is looking at one of the cheap eBay heaters for his bus.

[Discomark]

Heaters (http://www.eco-camper.com/component/virtuemart/category/9/heaters.html)
There is also a portable option but they cost $$$$. Handy though for those who don't want a permanent installation and want to Move it between
vehicles, campers and tents, remote sheds etc. I guess you could make your own portable unit with a suitable housing and fuel tank as its seems thats all Kimberly have done with a Webasto unit.