'Chinese' Diesel Heater

[mistericeman]

After easing the fan away from the main body I seem to have cured the squealing noise. So with that problem, hopefully, solved the last thing I wanted to make was some sort of induction filter; this was made from cutting up a surplus car air filter, the wire gauze that you see on the outside is normally on the inside with the foam wrapped around.

View attachment 3174

I tried it out first without the foam in place and then with the foam in place, there was no difference in how the heater ran, just a lot quieter from the intake.

View attachment 3175

Though it's a free flowing filter I made sure it was glued on the inside and around the outside. I used a hot glue gun and it seems to have done quite a nice job holding the foam to the plastic.

View attachment 3176

Last picture shows the finished article. Never to be seen as it's tucked behind the driver's chair nearest the wall. Hopefully, now no nasties will be sucked into the fan.

Rae

Make sure you clean it out regularly ....if dust/lint etc builds up ...
You may end up with overheating problems and a damaged heater .

 

[StreetSleeper]

Running it on heating oil at the moment don't know if its better than diesel ..... but its a lot cheaper

 

[StreetSleeper]

Make sure you clean it out regularly ....if dust/lint etc builds up ...

When I made the foam filter I did think about using a paper air filter as it would be easier to monitor; as you could see the discolouration of the filter. The foam filter I chose to use is a free flowing type and when cleaning the van I can go over it with the vacuum cleaner as there is a substantial grid on the front, I don't think the foam will move.

 

[wildebus]

Running it on heating oil at the moment don't know if its better than diesel ..... but its a lot cheaper

definately better for the heater

Win-win

 

[StreetSleeper]

definately better for the heater

I would think so its what its made to do

 

[SquirrellCook]

I thought my eberspacher was amazingly clean after many years of running Diesel.

 

[mistericeman]

I thought mine was amazingly clean after many years of running Diesel.

Most are unless the user has had them idling for long periods ...
Or has had a failing glow pin etc

 

[SquirrellCook]

Most are unless the user has had them idling for long periods ...
Or has had a failing glow pin etc

I would say the majority of time mine has spent on was just idling, as normally it would be on a low setting overnight.

 

[mistericeman]

I would say the majority of time mine has spent on was just idling, as normally it would be on a low setting overnight.

Same here .....ours sits at a sensible temp to avoid excessive boost runs .
And never had an issue with it being sorted up inside
some of the worst I used to deal with were ex bt van ones with the hopeless 1 hour timer that never let them get up to temp for long enough ...

 

[StreetSleeper]

Now this is just a thought..... I was told that on old diesel engines some owners used to put a small amount of petrol in the tank to clean the engine, would this be feasible on these heaters? As I said, just a thought, don't shoot me down in flames.

 

[mistericeman]

Now this is just a thought..... I was told that on old diesel engines some owners used to put a small amount of petrol in the tank to clean the engine, would this be feasible on these heaters? As I said, just a thought, don't shoot me down in flames.

I wouldn't bother pfaffing ....they are designed to run on diesel ...
Paraffin/heating oil is 'cleaner' burning than diesel ...though as I've said in my experience a correctly running unit runs clean on diesel .

 

[SquirrellCook]

Now this is just a thought..... I was told that on old diesel engines some owners used to put a small amount of petrol in the tank to clean the engine, would this be feasible on these heaters? As I said, just a thought, don't shoot me down in flames.

Somewhere I had an owners manual for a truck that had a table in it as too how much petrol to add to you diesel depending on how cold it was. Putting petrol in your diesel heater might clean your whole van with better than expected results!!!

 

[StreetSleeper]

clean your whole van with better than expected results!!!

Excellent, does that mean I can get rid of the wife........only joking dear.

 

[StreetSleeper]

This afternoon was spent trying to get the split timer to work. Put in the time we wanted it to come on, yes, that bit worked, put in the time to go off, it was having non of it: straight to the next time to start. OK, if that's the way it's going to play, I changed the control panel; that was even worse... it wouldn't even start up and we are talking brand new here. Not to be beaten I decided go back to the original one and forego the split timer and just use the key fob, that way we can lay in bed and turn it on before we get up; sounds like a plan. Got the booklet out, looked up how to do the pairing, followed the instructions and Bob's your uncle all that happened was we could not link the two together. Plan B. Looked on YouTube and the nice man said push the up button and not, as in the booklet, the down button. After doing what the man said it was done in seconds and works a treat. Push the button and it comes on, push the other one and it goes off and what's more I can now change the temperature whist still in bed. How good is that?

 

[Silver sprinter]

Well done but is Ann happy with it. That's the main thing. If the boss is happy. You will have a easy life. Gerry

 

[StreetSleeper]

Well done but is Ann happy with it. That's the main thing. If the boss is happy. You will have a easy life. Gerry

Gerry, to be honest here, Ann did all the setting up, I just hit things with hammers........... big ones.

 

[trevskoda]

Running it on heating oil at the moment don't know if its better than diesel ..... but its a lot cheaper

It runs cleaner, they put a lub in it to stop the pump running dry.

 

[StreetSleeper]

 

[StreetSleeper]

Found this photograph today, just shows how important it is to isolate the exhaust from anything that is combustible.

I have always felt that the one you get with the heater was far too thin, I opted for an aftermarket flexible pipe that was thicker. After seeing this I am glad I did.

 

[wildebus]

Found this photograph today, just shows how important it is to isolate the exhaust from anything that is combustible.

View attachment 3306
I have always felt that the one you get with the heater was far too thin, I opted for an aftermarket flexible pipe that was thicker. After seeing this I am glad I did.

Is that genuine you think? for an exhaust pipe to be glowing that red, it must be a hell of a heat!