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Post Info TOPIC: Diesel heater performance
Mike Harding


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Diesel heater performance
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In two words: bloody brilliant!

A few weeks past I fitted a Chinese diesel heater (E-bay - $180) and have been very pleased with its performance when camped by the Murray in NW Vic with nights down to around 5C. However I've now moved to a location near the Grampians in Vic and have an elevation of 250m. For reasons not worth going into I could not use the diesel heater yesterday so as I'm in a van park and on 240V I used the reverse cycle AC and a 600W fan heater, this morning I used the diesel heater alone the results are as follows:

Yesterday: 5.30am, outside -1C, inside 5C, reverse AC + fan heater - after 75 minutes inside temp = 15C

Today: 5.45am, outside -1C, inside 5C, diesel heater - after 30 minutes inside temp = 18C

Additionally, yesterday the en suite door was closed, today it was open.

I have now purchased a second diesel heater, which will live at my son's house, for long term spares.

Average fuel consumption is about 125mL per hour.



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Tony LEE


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Yes, agree. Our 180 dollar heater has been running almost continuously for 3 months at our hideaway at 1000 metres NE of Goulburn - and hasn't missed a beat. I have Webasto heaters - two different types - in two other vehicles and much prefer the Chinese heater because apart from the staggering difference in cost, the Chinese heater has a huge turn down ratio so once it gets to set temperature, it can run on very low fire unlike the Webasto which stops and starts firing to an annoying extent. It also has a manual fire mode which is very useful at times

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iana


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We were near Tamborine Mountain QLD, our heater results are as follows. Before turning on ---- cold, turned on ------- getting warmer, on for a while -------Hot, on for a hour ------ like an oven, for Christ sake turn it off. I hope these results help those concerned.

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Farmhat


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I have to agree.

Regarding caravaning, these heaters are the best thing since sliced bread.

Even better if you are a bush camper.

Joe.



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Dunmowin


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We have a webasto in our van - for the past 9 winters have been surviving the cold. One thing we did discover in Bright, Victoria (Bl**dy cold area) we were buying Alpine Diesel, so performance was even better. More recently, (up here near Muron, Qld) because we can't buy Alpine Diesel, we put 100ml kerosene to 6lt tank of diesel. Diesel no longer gels and works even better. 

Another hint is to make sure you keep the unit free of dust - we have a 12 volt rechargeable Dyson for that purpose, and also, even in summer, try to run it at least once a month...We do that when we go into a caravan park, on power, use the air-con, cool the van down, the turn on the diesel heater for about 20 minutes.

As we do not follow the sun, we are often in Alpine regions during winter, so frequently run the heater all night. Once it hits the set temperature - around 18 degrees - it just hums along quietly all night, until the temp drops at sunrise, then the heater revs up to bring it up to temp.



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Eaglemax


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Living in our van south west Victoria- diesel heater from eBay used several times a day usually on the lowest setting 8deg. We now put a cup of kero in the tank upon fill ups. We do have 36mm thick polystyrene walls that help These heaters are very good Tony

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jab160


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Why the kero...and could you give me a link to that same heater.......thanks, Russ

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Dunmowin


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jab160 wrote:

Why the kero...and could you give me a link to that same heater.......thanks, Russ

Diesel gels at low temperatures. kero stops that happening.

https://www.webasto-comfort.com/int/heating/recreational-vehicles/ 



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Sarge9


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Mike and Tony, I am with Russ, a link to one of the $180 heaters would be greatly appreciated.....

The best I can find is the red box ones with no instructions for a bit more than $210. But prefer the conventional ones for around $260. So if I have missed something a pointer would be good.

Sarge....

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Mike Harding


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This is the supplier I bought my last heater from:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-5KW-Diesel-Air-Heater-Tank-Digital-Thermostat-Silencer-Fliter-T-Piece-Remote/303407038559?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Do a search on diesel heater and compare the photographs of the bits in the box to see what you are getting.

I suggest using an Australian supplier as it'll be easier to deal with them if things go wrong.

Expect to pay between $180 and $250.



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PeterX


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Note sure if Mike realizes , but the link above is for a seller based in China.

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Tony LEE


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Many eBay sellers are based in China but their stock is kept in Australia. Yes, warranty might be problematic if you are unlucky but I have found that the majority are really concerned about keeping their ratings, so are keen to resolve any problems. The sub-200 dollar heaters mean you can afford to replace them many, many times before you reach the same cost as a similar Webasto - and the Chinese ones have better features too. . And since I have 3 Webasto products and two Chinese units, I can make these claims with some authority.

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Tony LEE


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Last one I got was https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/333596243727

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