'Chinese' Diesel Heater

[SquirrellCook]

The same recommendation applies to the genuine Eberspacher units BTW.

Maybe I've been lucky, but in all the years I've run my air and water eberspachers I've never been tempted to clean them. The ends of the exhausts don't get very dirty. The air one is often run overnight on it's lowest setting without any problems. Keeping ones fingers out can often improve reliability.

 

[StreetSleeper]

Interesting point Dave. Kerosene, paraffin, heating oil, not sure if there's a lot of difference between these three things; certainly, a lot of people favour heating oil and red, if you can get it, paraffin I think is a bit too expensive. Once mine's up and running I'm going to try and run it on sump oil. In my motorhome I run a very lightweight oil 5/30 and because the engine runs on LPG there is no carbon in the oil and, basically, it comes out the same colour as it went in. I may have to mix it 50/50 but will see how it goes.
You mentioned about ramping up the temp/pump frequency, the way that I intend to get round this; initially we were going to have the heater under our seat but now have opted to have it in the back of the van where the original heater was positioned. This way we can heat the toilet/shower room up and, if we leave the door open, that heat can then drift into the kitchen area. The rest of the heat will be piped down to just behind the driver & passenger seats; by doing this, I can warm the van up completely and run the pump at a higher temperature and, hopefully, this will assist in making a clean burn........another one of those 'suck it and see' things.
Last of all, the clips. I have both types; the ones in the picture and the single wire. The thing I like about these is they will always be tight as they are spring actioned and so no need to go round tightening.

Rae

 

[StreetSleeper]

Another question I would like to ask. My thinking on these pumps is they can't self syphon back to the tank even if the pump is higher than the tank. My reason behind this thought is you can't blow through the pump so I would imagine fuel could not do the same.

Rae

 

[wildebus]

I am sure it won't drain back.
ref fuel, the use of Red Diesel is purely for cost as it is cheaper than road diesel and for most people easier/cheaper to get than Kerosene and the like. I get heating oil/kerosene in 900L+ deliveries so is no problem for me
I understand Kerosene is Heating Oil (28Sec I think?) and is essentially the same as Paraffin.

I would personally be wary of using engine oil - that could be a little thick? something I checked when I had a Eberspacher is if it would run on veg oil (I ran the T4 on veg oil in the summer) and it was a definate and clear NO.
You already mentioned you thought they used very little fuel in use - that is quite right and given there is little overall saving to be made in fuel, I don't know if I would risk the oil out the sump as a fuel?

Whenever you are passing this way ever, you are more than welcome to take some Heating Oil away for around 60p/litre.

 

[StreetSleeper]

Whenever you are passing this way ever, you are more than welcome to take some Heating Oil away for around 60p/litre.

Thank you for your very kind offer Dave........I've got one or two jerry cans. It's not really about the money, it's I just can't bring myself to throw fully synthetic oil away that has done only 5,000 miles.......I suppose I could mix it with creosote and paint my garage.
Now swiftly on to the fuel pump, I thought as much, I didn't think it would syphon back. The reason this question has arisen is I intend to use a flatter tank off a Honda lawnmower. This way I can still get into the cabinet, the tank has a built in filter and is constructed with good, strong metal and so if I wanted to put some firewood on top of it for a meet I believe it should withstand the weight.

Rae

 

[mistericeman]

Thank you for your very kind offer Dave........I've got one or two jerry cans. It's not really about the money, it's I just can't bring myself to throw fully synthetic oil away that has done only 5,000 miles.......I suppose I could mix it with creosote and paint my garage.
Now swiftly on to the fuel pump, I thought as much, I didn't think it would syphon back. The reason this question has arisen is I intend to use a flatter tank off a Honda lawnmower. This way I can still get into the cabinet, the tank has a built in filter and is constructed with good, strong metal and so if I wanted to put some firewood on top of it for a meet I believe it should withstand the weight.

Rae

Diaphragm punp so no won't syphon back (at least iny personal experience)

As for used oil.... Unless filtered to remove contaminants and cut with lighter diesel/kerosine
...
I wouldn't inflict it on a diesel heater (other than a drip feed heater)
Frankly the damn things use so little I can't think of any reason to run on anything than tank diesel unless your from Yorkshire.

 

[StreetSleeper]

Thanks for getting back to me on the pump, it's nice to get some reassurance. As for the fuel, it was only a thought as I had one or two people inquiring why would I run a diesel heater when my van runs on LPG; which is half the price. One or two suggested a Propex heater surely would be a better option, which I followed up and nearly died when I found out the price so the Chinese one looked more favourable.

Rae

 

[mistericeman]

Thanks for getting back to me on the pump, it's nice to get some reassurance. As for the fuel, it was only a thought as I had one or two people inquiring why would I run a diesel heater when my van runs on LPG; which is half the price. One or two suggested a Propex heater surely would be a better option, which I followed up and nearly died when I found out the price so the Chinese one looked more favourable.

Rae

I've run a genuine eber d2 for the last 5 years or so....
All year round wise....
I despise being cold.... And my other half is from Yorkshire..

Even she doesn't complain about me having the eber running 24/7 for 2 weeks or so when we are away at Christmas etc....

That alone speaks volumes on the running costs (bearing in mind
A. She's from Yorkshire
B. She's a self employed courier... And refuses to drive above 56mph on motorways on fuel consumption grounds.)

They really do use so little fuel its not worth worrying about IMHO.

 

[trevskoda]

Thank you for your very kind offer Dave........I've got one or two jerry cans. It's not really about the money, it's I just can't bring myself to throw fully synthetic oil away that has done only 5,000 miles.......I suppose I could mix it with creosote and paint my garage.
Now swiftly on to the fuel pump, I thought as much, I didn't think it would syphon back. The reason this question has arisen is I intend to use a flatter tank off a Honda lawnmower. This way I can still get into the cabinet, the tank has a built in filter and is constructed with good, strong metal and so if I wanted to put some firewood on top of it for a meet I believe it should withstand the weight.

Rae

Sinth oils last at least 10 th miles in engines with no bother,dont put it in the heater as it will burn very dirty and will require cleaning often,do use 28 sec heating oil but the odd time put in a few drops of diesel injector cleaner as this will self clean the burner out,i do some home heating fit outs and myself put this in my oil tank at home and in 5 years my boiler is as clean as a whistle and never blocked a jet yet.

 

[SquirrellCook]

A little off topic, but maybe for those that must fiddle. Some time ago an American truck maker altered there trucks to feed sump oil into the diesel tank. This was to overcome the environmental problem of sump oil disposal. So I guess the truck was just topped up with new oil and the filter changed?
So if the heater is designed for 35sec fuel and your running 28sec, maybe a little oil in the fuel wouldn't hurt?

 

[Debs]

Thanks everyone for all this information. My Chinese heater should be arriving sometime this week. Has any body seen "Mels van world" video of how he fitted his heater, he fed the exhaust through the floor as usual, but put nothing on the inlet, so that it would draw air from inside the van. I would be interested on your thoughts on doing that. I should add that he also raised the heater off the floor, so everything was fitted inside the vehicle except the exhaust.

 

[mistericeman]

Thanks everyone for all this information. My Chinese heater should be arriving sometime this week. Has any body seen "Mels van world" video of how he fitted his heater, he fed the exhaust through the floor as usual, but put nothing on the inlet, so that it would draw air from inside the van. I would be interested on your thoughts on doing that. I should add that he also raised the heater off the floor, so everything was fitted inside the vehicle except the exhaust.

I wouldn't personally be drawing combustion air from inside the van....
There is no advantage that I can see....
Your either cutting a 100mm hole to fit the mounting turret OR 2 smaller holes.
As I've said several times already on this, post combustion intake noise is a large contributer to the overall noise of the unit....
So the more you keep that outside the better IMHO.

I'm also wary of fitting without the turret plate as, it gives much better protection to the exhaust that gets bloody hot... I've still got a burn scar from inadvertently catching my arm on it whilst the heater was running.
As for the complete idiot that was on one of the Chinese heater forums that had fitted on and run the exhaust tube through a plywood mounting platform THEN through the rubber floor mat and sound deadening materials....

I'd also personally rather the heater on the turret plate are mounted straight to the floor as it leaves no possibility of combustion exhaust leaking into the vehicle from a damaged exhaust tube.

 

[mistericeman]

By the way I have a 100mm/4" holesaw here (Manchester ish) if anyone needs to borrow one.

 

[StreetSleeper]

put nothing on the inlet, so that it would draw air from inside the van. I would be interested on your thoughts on doing that

Hello Debs,
First of all, hope you are keeping well. It will be very interesting to see how he gets on .

Rae

 

[wildebus]

Thanks everyone for all this information. My Chinese heater should be arriving sometime this week. Has any body seen "Mels van world" video of how he fitted his heater, he fed the exhaust through the floor as usual, but put nothing on the inlet, so that it would draw air from inside the van. I would be interested on your thoughts on doing that. I should add that he also raised the heater off the floor, so everything was fitted inside the vehicle except the exhaust.

I think I have seen "Mels" installation of his heater. If it is the one I am thinking of, to be perfectly frank, it is not an installation I would emulate.

 

[wildebus]

I wouldn't personally be drawing combustion air from inside the van....
There is no advantage that I can see....
Your either cutting a 100mm hole to fit the mounting turret OR 2 smaller holes.
As I've said several times already on this, post combustion intake noise is a large contributer to the overall noise of the unit....
So the more you keep that outside the better IMHO.

I'm also wary of fitting without the turret plate as, it gives much better protection to the exhaust that gets bloody hot... I've still got a burn scar from inadvertently catching my arm on it whilst the heater was running.
As for the complete idiot that was on one of the Chinese heater forums that had fitted on and run the exhaust tube through a plywood mounting platform THEN through the rubber floor mat and sound deadening materials....

I'd also personally rather the heater on the turret plate are mounted straight to the floor as it leaves no possibility of combustion exhaust leaking into the vehicle from a damaged exhaust tube.

Just a comment on this ....
If my understanding what you mean by turret is this i.e. the mounting plate with a circular raised (or rather dropped) ring, the Turret you talk of is an Eberspacher specific product.
This here, as fitted in my VW T5?

The Chinese Heater mounting plate is a rather simplier affair with 2 holes for the Inlet and exhaust, with one hole having an extra slit for pump wiring, and one small hole for the fuel pipe. It is basicallt the same as the Eberspacher but without the turret (and significantly easier to fit, I found).

But yes, be it an Eber with the Turret Plate or a Chinese Heater with the flat plate, 100% use the plate and don't make individual holes for the various bits but one larger hole for the lot. Not only is it safer then without a plate, and easier than the Eber mount (you can cut a nice simple square hole instead of a circle), it makes after-fitting servicing and removal a hell of a lot simplier and quicker.

 

[mistericeman]

I guess a square hole is, easier if you don't have a 100mm hole saw to hand....
As I posted above I do... And am happy to lend it to anyone that needs to borrow it (as I've done several times)

And I agree there's few things more irritating than trying to remove a diesel heater that's been bodged down to the floor by some gorilla using silicone/stixall....
Not even had the decency to use a intumescent sealer.

The best advice I'd give is to follow eberspachers fitting instructions....
Rather than 'Bodgit Bob's' diesel heater install on YouTube (I'm not referring to the specific YouTube link above BTW its just a general reference )

Who has now appointed himself as a diesel heater specialist after fitting his.

 

[wildebus]

......Rather than 'Bodgit Bob's' diesel heater install on YouTube
Who has now appointed himself as a diesel heater specialist after fitting his.

Hey, didn't you know .....

 

[mistericeman]

Hey, didn't you know .....
View attachment 2412

You've met that one as well then.... ;-)

I wasn't referring specifically to the chaps YouTube clip BTW....
It was just a general reference to some folks out there.

 

[StreetSleeper]

The exhaust bandage turned up today, along with a new length of flexible exhaust pipe. I was never happy with the quality of the piping that you get with the kit, not too bothered on the inlet side though I will be doubling the pipe up by using the exhaust and then sleeving it with the inlet: this should act as a dampener as well as giving the pipe some rigidity. I have also chosen more substantial clamps to hold the pipe in situ. Now waiting on the tank.

Rae