Diesel heater

[loanrangie]

Finally got the time to wire in and run the fuel line for the heater in our van, powered on although I have an instruction manual (chinglish) the text is so small I can barely read it.
Is the display always on like this or should it be off completely?
Was going to give it a test run but of course the barb broke off the plastic fuel filter [emoji17].https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240602/6baa289a354a98593c4d06f06c2ea760.jpg

[123rover50]

Mine is on all the time too except when I turn the battery master off. Its only on dim then brightens when its turned on.

[Blknight.aus]

always on so long as power is available, they have an internal clock so you can set the heater to auto start/stop. Most have 2 timers. Mostly set for an hour or so before you wake up to a couple of hours after and then the same for the evening.

[loanrangie]

Thanks,all normal then. Should be able to fire it tomorrow.

[Blknight.aus]

they come intilised to prime on first start, if youve connected and disconnected it a few times it will not be set to prime and you'll need to manually prime it.

For most of them, if memory serves its the ok and down button simulatneously while the heater is off, watch the fuel coming up into the fuel inlet and once it gets there hit the on button to start it. If you've over primed it you'll get some white smoke on start up as it burns out the excess fuel.

Dont cut the power to the unit while its running if more than the first 2 bars of the combustion temp indicator part of the panel are lit (rising graph should be green, yellow yellow, red, red) the left over heat in the combustion chamber will raise the temp inside the case to electronics destroying and case melting levels. Some people fit a PC fan in front of the main heating air inlet that can be turned on quickly in the event of a power loss to the heater(blown fuse)

[oka374]

The displays also get dimmer and dimmer as time goes on so I and many others have put a switch in the main power feed to the heater to disconnect the power when the van/motorhome isn't being used to extend the display life.

[Tins]

My expensive German one just has two buttons and a knob[bigsad]

[Blknight.aus]

The displays also get dimmer and dimmer as time goes on so I and many others have put a switch in the main power feed to the heater to disconnect the power when the van/motorhome isn't being used to extend the display life.

Theres a "hack for that" pull the display apart and replace the illumination leds.

[POD]

My expensive German one just has two buttons and a knob[bigsad]

My expensive German one doesn't even have a knob. There is the warm glow you get from not having bought chinese though.

[Blknight.aus]

some of the new cheapies come with both the remote, the digital display and the analogue anorak preferred dial and on off button..

[loanrangie]

Yesterday I went to fit a new filter and mount the fuel tank and I can hear a fan noise, lifted up the seat where the heater is and sure enough the fan was on.
Could have been on all night but luckily the panels kept the batteries charged.
So I will be fitting a switch.

[Tins]

There is the warm glow you get from not having bought chinese though.

Indeed... says me, typing on an iMac, made guess where....

[loanrangie]

Primed it a few times and no go, went back to basics and checked the new filter was in the correct orientation ( it wasn't) rectified that then checked that the pump was pumping fuel which it was then turned it on and bingo.
Pumps out a lot of heat, not sure if its a 2 or 5kw since i bought it of gumtree 2 years for $60. One thing i will change is to replace the plastic tank with a stainless steel one, only $50 off ebay and will be a better fit in the front boot section of the van.

[Blknight.aus]

Primed it a few times and no go, went back to basics and checked the new filter was in the correct orientation ( it wasn't) rectified that then checked that the pump was pumping fuel which it was then turned it on and bingo.
Pumps out a lot of heat, not sure if its a 2 or 5kw since i bought it of gumtree 2 years for $60. One thing i will change is to replace the plastic tank with a stainless steel one, only $50 off ebay and will be a better fit in the front boot section of the van.

the 2 and 5k units are basically the same, with the key differences being the size of the injector, the pump and the run rate of the pump.

if you try hard enough most of the parts for them both can be had online so if it clags out you can DIY repair it... once you have it running get a spare pump, filter fuel line and clips for the line.

[loanrangie]

It's running but I think the temp sensor is stuffed as the fan keeps running when you turn it off, new sensor is cheap so I'll just use a switch til I get one next week.
Parts don't seem to be an issue for them.

[oka374]

The 2k units are actually smaller than the 5k which are badged anywhere from 3k to 8k in my experience. The actual heater is much larger in the bigger ones but uses the same footprint to mount. Apart from the physical differences the fuel pumps and electronics are different as they provide more fuel to the larger units. The smaller ones use smaller ducting as well and obviously use less fuel.
I've removed a couple of the larger units to replace them with the 2k unit and you must change the pump and control head as the ones from the larger units will overfuel the smaller heater. Wiring is the same in the ones I've used.
As far as interchaneability of parts between the two heater sizes I suspect that the "glow" plugs are the same and the gauze tube around it is the same but most everything else is different.

[Blknight.aus]

The 2k units are actually smaller than the 5k which are badged anywhere from 3k to 8k in my experience. The actual heater is much larger in the bigger ones but uses the same footprint to mount. Apart from the physical differences the fuel pumps and electronics are different as they provide more fuel to the larger units. The smaller ones use smaller ducting as well and obviously use less fuel.
I've removed a couple of the larger units to replace them with the 2k unit and you must change the pump and control head as the ones from the larger units will overfuel the smaller heater. Wiring is the same in the ones I've used.
As far as interchaneability of parts between the two heater sizes I suspect that the "glow" plugs are the same and the gauze tube around it is the same but most everything else is different.

odd, Ive had a few unbranded knock offs come through as broken unwanted donations, and the guts of them have been largely the same dimensions. I wonder if its a case of the really cheap ones are manufactured the same to cut costs...


What brands have you got?

(for clarity, the issues have usually been a clogged screen/combustion chamber or melted bits when theyve been powered off by means of electrical disconnection when hot.)

[loanrangie]

Added a switch in a convenient location, I was hoping that when it had cooled down and switched off that when it is switched on again it would be ready to go but it's still in a cool down loop.[emoji17]
Not likely to find a replacement sensor before tomorrow arvo.

Well i went onto Amazon and got one coming tomorrow, double the ebay price but thems the breaks.
I might order a few from aliexpress so i have spares.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240606/cb25344ed9dc61b871b72a6143a952c0.jpg

[oka374]

Blknight they've mostly been chinese ones, I don't think the Eberspacher/Webasto make a larger version.
I've got a photo somewhere of the different sizes, until you get them side by side it's not immediately obvious. Cross section is about 100mm square on the small ones and about 120 on the bigger ones. The bigger ones are quite often sold as anything between 3 and 8kw but as they're all the same size the difference would be in the fuel pump and electonics. The other thing to watch is that the heaters often come with a different fuel hose to fit between the pump and heater, it has a specific ID and sometimes length so that the resistance created by that hose actually controls the fuel delivery from the pump. A trap when changing heaters, always use the hose and pump supplied with the new heater.
The biggest giveaway is the cabin air ducting, the smaller ones run a smaller ducting, something like 65mm instead of 75.
Yes melted plugs and clogged up from running too long at low heat is the biggest problem.
We had one that became so clogged that it started pushing the exhaust gas past the rubber seals for the fuel and wiring out into the heated air casing, that made the CO2 detector go ape!
The biggest worry was that we had noticed a haze in the cabin but couldn't smell anything until the detector went off and frightened the crap out of us, we'd never heard the noise it made before.

[Tins]

The biggest worry was that we had noticed a haze in the cabin but couldn't smell anything until the detector went off and frightened the crap out of us, we'd never heard the noise it made before.

Well Peter, it IS designed to wake you before you succumb.... Good to know it works...

[oka374]

John it's good to know it worked eventually ;-))
Here are the pictures of the different size heaters190360

The different ducting sizes190362
190361
Sorry the hand moved as I took the pic on the larger one but it is 75mm. Both sizes share the same mounting plate and piping sizes so if you mistakenly have a large one and want to swap to a smaller one then it can be down but rmemeber to fir the pump, fuel line and controller from the new smller heater otherwise it will over fuel. Extending the combustion intake and exhaust lengths past the supplied lengths can also cause problems long term as can fitting extra filters and mufflers. most of the noise actually comes from the intake.

[Blknight.aus]

interesting, all of the ones Ive had have had the larger 75mm duct on them and the internal heater bit proper being the same size +/- 1-2mm with a few variations on the controller board layout (same plug connecitons though)

IVe just taken delivery on a couple of the stand alone units that contain the fuel tank and can run 240v or 12v ones come with a 4 way duct and the others come with a big single duct. They've both got metal cases, could be interesting to compare it to the one Ive got in a large plastic case.

[oka374]

We've got some friends that bought one of those stand alone heaters in a metal case to use with a soft floor camper trailer and you have to be very careful that prevailing breezes and heater placement don't allow it to suck its own exhaust fumes in.
The typical arrangement is to place it under the trailer section out of the weather as it's close and easy to access power and connect the ducting to the camper but that can also create a dead spot where exhaust can accumulate.
They fitted a C02 detector and have been woken during the night as the breeze has changed/dropped allowing the heater to suck exhaust fumes.
I made the suggestion that they suck the air from within the camper but they found that it made the heater cycle on and off too much creating noise and a weird temperature change in the camper.
There also wasn't enough ducting supplied to allow it to suck from within the camper.

[loanrangie]

Worked well last night here in Jamieson, got to 1c overnight.
Barely used any power, maybe 0.1v for an hour of running.

[Tins]

Worked well last night here in Jamieson, got to 1c overnight.
Barely used any power, maybe 0.1v for an hour of running.

The one I have is great. The Oka heater is utterly useless, and I was up near Baw Baw once when it was snowing, driving. I had wondered why they had it mounted in the cab area, but I decided to try it as I was coldddd... The thing warmed the whole Oka, to the point I either had to turn it off or wind down the windows. To think, I used to believe they were a gimmick.

[Tins]

Wonder if this applies here.....


https://youtu.be/EIN-4YpZ7V8'si=AFbHBD5LJczJCVRA

[Tins]

And the answer would seem to be no. Still cheap though... (https://www.vevor.com.au/s/diesel-heater)

Wonder if a couple would heat the parts of this house that I use...... Gas is way too expensive these days, and there'll be no heat pumps here. Gets a trifle cool here. Although, given the apparent rat plague perhaps I don't need to add entrance tunnels.....

[loanrangie]

Wonder if this applies here.....


https://youtu.be/EIN-4YpZ7V8'si=AFbHBD5LJczJCVRA

On ebay they as low as $85 already.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Had a Truma in the van for 3 winters and after the initial QLD rego re-install never touched it again. It just came on and off without our thought or input.
It was an LPG one though. No haze, no smell, no noise and no vibration.

Is it the same calc for heating a room size as cooling it?

[Tins]

https://youtu.be/ekmcGNLctGU'si=HZV205iaSXIBiMxU

[Graeme]

Had a Truma in the van for 3 winters and after the initial QLD rego re-install never touched it again. It just came on and off without our thought or input.
It was an LPG one though. No haze, no smell, no noise and no vibration.
I used my van's Truma for the first time yesterday morning and it worked so well that it was used again this morning. I've only had the van about 9 years so it was time to try it out.

[123rover50]

Here is a pic of mine. Installed it a few years ago and cant remember what size it is. Instructions lacking much info.
One day I will work out how to make it hotter and pipe it into the back camper section. Its OK in the cab. Sucks from driver footwell and pumps into passenger side. Plastic tank would not fit anywhere so used an old Honda tank.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53807208083_6b32636891_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2pYL1mc)IMG_2867 (https://flic.kr/p/2pYL1mc) by Keith Cree (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141809689@N05/), on Flickr

[Tins]

Here is a pic of mine. Installed it a few years ago and cant remember what size it is. Instructions lacking much info.
One day I will work out how to make it hotter and pipe it into the back camper section. Its OK in the cab. Sucks from driver footwell and pumps into passenger side. Plastic tank would not fit anywhere so used an old Honda tank.IMG_2867 (https://flic.kr/p/2pYL1mc) by Keith Cree (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141809689@N05/), on Flickr

Looks good Keith. Makes me want to move mine outside as well. Mine will warm the whole OKA though, where it is. At today's prices you could probably fit a second one for the back.
I like the Honda tank. I have a couple of those... Good bit of repurposing.

[loanrangie]

I did a temporary fitting of the plastic tank but going to replace it with an 8L stainless steel one from ebay,less likely to get damaged by knocks and i can fit in into a better position to allow for external filling.

[123rover50]

Looks good Keith. Makes me want to move mine outside as well. Mine will warm the whole OKA though, where it is. At today's prices you could probably fit a second one for the back.
I like the Honda tank. I have a couple of those... Good bit of repurposing.

This is not as big as yours and I find if I lower the poptop at night it stays warmer.
When I have to get up at 4AM for one of my several nightly P breaks I can use the remote to crank the heater up and all is warm when its time to rise and shine.

[loanrangie]

Stainless steel 8ltr tank fitted and a marine access hatch for filling.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240819/4495d175e207ecb3780e8fb053d91768.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240819/0e8cdba89e33daef3ba4628182b9c75e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240819/9da6c949cefde1df77cd1152c68a2667.jpg

[oka374]

I fitted one of those SS tanks to the inside of the compartment door where the heater is, works really well and easy to fill when the door is swung open.

[Tins]

Mine feeds off the main LH fuel tank.. Course, that's not an option on a van. If I can find an affordable diesel cooker I might consider the standalone tank option for them both.

[POD]

I've installed an Eberspacher diesel heater in our Trayon camper, I tucked it into the compartment where the LPG hot water unit is and used a 5L plastic fuel container located with the LPG cylinder. The heater warms the space in the Trayon in just a few minutes but I'm finding it's very noisy. I've read all sorts of things about quieting the clicking of the fuel pump on the chicom heaters; this makes me wonder if the blower noise is normal, as we wouldn't hear any clicking over the fan noise. Are they meant to be this noisy?

[Tins]

I've installed an Eberspacher diesel heater in our Trayon camper, I tucked it into the compartment where the LPG hot water unit is and used a 5L plastic fuel container located with the LPG cylinder. The heater warms the space in the Trayon in just a few minutes but I'm finding it's very noisy. I've read all sorts of things about quieting the clicking of the fuel pump on the chicom heaters; this makes me wonder if the blower noise is normal, as we wouldn't hear any clicking over the fan noise. Are they meant to be this noisy?

My Eberspacher doesn't seem unduly noisy to me, but then when I'm on my own I usually don't have my hearing aids in. It certainly never clicks. I'll try it with them in in the next day or so and see. Mine is mounted in the cab, where it is certainly handy as the OKA heater might as well not exist. Certainly can't hear it then, when driving, over the Perkins[bigsad].

Even mounted there, it still warms the whole OKA even with the poptop up.

[austastar]

Re

Hi,
Re Eberspacher.

Mine is now 14 yrs old, and as far as I can see the noise is the same as new. No means of measuring that though.
The cycling on and off and the hysteresis annoys me a bit, but we don't sleep with it on, even at -10°. The control is within reach for a 2 a.m. reheat burn if needed though.
If I could lock the pump to a 1 second pulse rate, it would be tolerable to sleep with.
Cheers

[Tins]

Mine wouldn't fire up today... Something else for the list.

[oka374]

The fans can be noisy and can vary between heaters on the chinese ones. The top cover unclips and is easily removeable after taking off the inlet pipe as it holds the end on. Then the fan is exposed and give it a good look over as I've found a couple with lots of little bits sticking out on the vanes and even one with a piece that tapped the case as it rotated making even more noise.
I've also made intake silencers with a 300mm long bit of 50mm conduit/pipe with a 25mm piece of coduit drilled full of holes inserted down the centre and space between the two packed with dacron aircon insulation, a couple of end caps with a hole to suit the small conduit and it's done, shuts the intake down heaps.
You can drop the click from the fuel pump volume by removing it from its mount and suspending it on cable ties so it doesn't touch anything to amplify the tick.

[Tins]

Good ideas, Peter. Next question. I've seen lots of vids about those programmable thermostats. So, do they work? Are the safe to use, I mean can they damage the heater? Chicom ones are cheap, Eberspacher's are not. I like the idea though. I don't actually use mine much, but in the VHC ( or the Wombat State Forest for that matter ) in winter it's a good thing to have.

[austastar]

Hi,
A bit on controls here...

https://youtu.be/YW2biaijaO8'si=gZ4vQtOzYvHcwnwU

Cheers

[Tins]

Hi,
A bit on controls here...

https://youtu.be/YW2biaijaO8'si=gZ4vQtOzYvHcwnwU

Cheers

In that vid, the first one he touches is similar to what mine has. Set and forget. Mine doesn't have the lights, but it does have a plain fan on/off button, not sure when I would use that.. Trouble is, I don't like sleeping with it on. I get too hot. My late wife would have loved having it on all night.....

[loanrangie]

Ours is noisy while its winding up but then drops to a very quiet whir and the odd tick from the pump, the timer settings on the controller are good.

[Tombie]

You guys should look at an Aussie enthusiasts product called "Afterburner" its a controller for these heaters and its brilliant

[austastar]

Hi,
Link Home (https://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/)

Cheers

[loanrangie]

You guys should look at an Aussie enthusiasts product called "Afterburner" its a controller for these heaters and its brilliant

A lot more control functions than the stock controller but at more than the price of another heater i'll stick to the basic one.

[Tins]

So.. my Eberspacher has a simple controller with heat on/off, rotary dial for temp, and a button for fan only, oh, and two LEDs. This has five wires... The cheap Chicom one that was just delivered has five buttons and a screen, and it has three. Not plug and play. Some research necessary.