Diesel or Gas Heater.

elliemike · Guru

Diesel or Gas Heater.

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Have seen a Diesel heater on a Campertrailer (tent on a trailer) where the actual unit was mounted on the top of the external mudguard. It had an aluminium cover over it to protect it from the elements, which is a little like what you are suggesting ie external mount, and it worked well.

The hoses to take air out of the living area and push heated air back, in this case, were threaded through a small gap in the canvas walls, which you dont have with your Avan.

The units are about the size of a shoebox though you need a little more room to accommodate the internal piping. http://www.caravansplus.com.au/pdf/dometic/airtronic.pdf%20 is an excellent manual (37 pages) for the Eberspacher units and gives the dimensions of the unit.

When ours was retrofitted to our van we had the under bed storage rearranged to accommodate the unit and actually only lost a small amount of storage space.

-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Tuesday 26th of July 2011 02:53:16 PM

elliemike · Guru

Thanks for that Ron and Shirley.

I have eyeballed the Diesel units. Price frightens me ! otherwise I would have one in already.

The perception of fitting one externaly has my curiosity at present.

Regards

Mike

Yuglamron · Guru

Just an addition to the diesel heater thread.

There is now a cooker which works off the diesel tank as well.However the cost is very high as an add on.Same as the heater a good idea if it is built in to an new vehicle.

I used to drive a truck fitted with one and they are very efficient and fairly economical to run.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Collyn Rivers has/had a Webasto diesel hot water / space heater fitted to his camper trailer.

I expect that sometime in the future we will rip out our gas HWS and replace it with a combined diesel HWS / space heater.
They can also be plumbed to heat the engine to assist with cold starts and the engine can heat the HWS too.
Much cheaper to run than gas and we need a space heater in places like Tassi, so combining the 2 is a sensible solution. It would be fed directly from the OKAs main diesel tank.

Cheers,
Peter

capt cream bun · Senior Member

Here is an interesting little heater that runs on those disposable butane cyclinders. Others will be able to help you with the safety aspects of it.

http://www.primusaustralia.com.au/index.php?p=line&sid=1306130608

Ma · Guru

They look just the ticket for when we are free camping CCB. Will definitely source one out down this way somewhere. Thanks

elliemike · Guru

capt cream bun wrote:
Here is an interesting little heater that runs on those disposable butane cyclinders. Others will be able to help you with the safety aspects of it.
http://www.primusaustralia.com.au/index.php?p=line&sid=1306130608

Not certain I would like to run one of those inside the van. How do you vent it ?

Mike

PeterD · Guru

capt cream bun - they are not approved for use in enclosed spaces like vans or campers, or even closed up tents.

milo · Guru

so how do the deisel heaters work exactly? and how much deisel would it used from the main tank
, or can you have a second tank installed?

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Info on the air heater here... http://www.webasto.com.au/products-and-markets/recreational-vehicles/ena/html/8833.html
They can run directly from the main diesel tank or from a seperate tank, whichever you prefer.
Diesel usage at 2000W output is about 250ml per hour from memory (4 hours per litre). At 1000W it is about half of that, so they are very economical to run.
They are vented to the outside so they are safe to use in a van, unlike the butane heater above.

Cheers,
Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Wednesday 27th of July 2011 06:00:31 AM

elliemike · Guru

Milo

This type of heater can have either Gas or Diesel as the fuel.

They are a Heat Exchanger.

The cool air from inside the vehicle is circulated over the "Hot" outside wall of the combustion chamber. Then circulated back into the vehicle. Through air pipes and vents (just like your car heater) It does not have any Burnt Gas or Diesel fumes or Carbon Monoxide in it. It's just Warm Air. As no contact is made with the burnt fuel residues.

The fuel is burnt in the combustion chamber. Like a tiny jet engine or kero blowlamp.

Combustion air is sucked in from the outside of the vehicle to the combustion chamber. Mixed with the fuel and burnt then piped out side again.

All the exhaust fumes and gas is piped outside of the vehicle. Exhaust pipes may well include a little silencer/muffler.

Peter and Margarets post with the Webasto thread is well worth a look at.

Also this http://www.around-oz.com/diy_mh/diy_webasto_installation.htm

Regards

Mike

-- Edited by elliemike on Wednesday 27th of July 2011 07:28:07 PM

-- Edited by elliemike on Wednesday 27th of July 2011 07:42:14 PM

milo · Guru

thanks guys much appreachiated

ozjohn · Guru

We have a Truma LPG Heater as we already had LPG fitted to the van and don't tow with a diesel vehicle. They are also a bit quieter than the diesel heaters.

But in an A-liner or Cruiseliner.?
Man you'll cook. We'll have man on toast. Not a toasted ham sandwich. LOl.

Cheers, Ozjohn.

Cupie · Guru

Hi ..

Parked beside a lovely couple in Ballina who were taking delivery of a brand new Kimberly Kamper (around $90,000) which had a diesel space heater, hot water & cooker.

Tiny fuel tank up front ... the rep said that they were extremely fuel efficient.

Fantastic camper .. would want to be for the price & they were going to tow it with a new Land Cruiser Safari .. another hundred grand or so.

-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 28th of July 2011 05:58:43 PM

Ma · Guru

Is the Truma one of those that are put in under the bed and come out an outlet into the van or is it a free standing type one OJ

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Ma

The Truma Gas heater Ozjohn is referring to is just like the Diesel heater and is a fixed installation that must be done by a registered gas fitter.

Ma · Guru

Thanks R & S. appreciated