Chinese or 2nd hand?

[Longtoedsloth]

Hi all,

I'm currently looking at diesel heaters for my MWB LT conversion. Budget is fairly tight so I was intending to go for one of the Chinese heaters, but having read a few posts mentioning reliability issues (and casing that isn't fire resistant) I wondered if getting a second hand Eberspacher might not be a better idea. There seem to be a few around for a reasonable amount, although most need a pump/timer etc. Is second hand likely to be just as much of a lottery as simply buying a new Chinese one?

 

[mistericeman]

Hi all,

I'm currently looking at diesel heaters for my MWB LT conversion. Budget is fairly tight so I was intending to go for one of the Chinese heaters, but having read a few posts mentioning reliability issues (and casing that isn't fire resistant) I wondered if getting a second hand Eberspacher might not be a better idea. There seem to be a few around for a reasonable amount, although most need a pump/timer etc. Is second hand likely to be just as much of a lottery as simply buying a new Chinese one?

IMHO it depends what you want from the heater....
IF your only away for short periods/warmer months where IF the heater packs up its dealable with
then a Chinese one from a trusted/reccomended seller will likely be fine for the use

I went with a genuine Eber as we go away all year round and often for longer than just a couple of days
...
I also detest being cold...
So didn't want to be sat a few days into a Christmas 2 week break with a none functioning heater.

Second hand eberspachers CAN be problematical as folks tend to bung any none functioning heap on ebay....
And whilst MOST eberspacher faults are simple sensor/glow pin type faults.... Some can be notoriously difficult and pricey to sort.

 

[wildebus]

If I needed to rely on the heater and had no other option for heat, I think if I went the chinese heater route I would buy a pair of them so I could chuck in the spare if the first one failed (if installed in an accessible place, they can be swapped in under an hour).

That assumes you are able to do the installation yourself. If you are paying someone to install the heater for you, just get the better heater in the first place - the cost of installing a second-hand heater or a chinese knockoff heater is no less than installing a new Eberspacher heater.

It might sound like I have a downer on the Chinese heaters, but I found my cheap chinese one was very nearly as good as the Eberspacher I fitted in my previous van, which cost 5 times the price (the only thing it (the chinese heater) lacks is proper temperture control).
But ... it took 3 chinese heaters to get to that point as the factory Quality Control and construction methods are very poor (bits of ripped-up cardboard to make spacers for the casing for example). I had to de-installed and fit a replacement twice to get a reliably operating one.

 

[Longtoedsloth]

Thanks both, sounds like the Chinese heater is the way to go for the moment. We only manage fairly short trips at the moment, so it's not the end of the world if it packs up. Getting a pair is an interesting idea, will consider that. I'll be installing myself, so should be able to make it a simple job to remove/replace if needed.

Anyone got any suggested trusted sellers or best to just pick one and hope?

 

[mistericeman]

Thanks both, sounds like the Chinese heater is the way to go for the moment. We only manage fairly short trips at the moment, so it's not the end of the world if it packs up. Getting a pair is an interesting idea, will consider that. I'll be installing myself, so should be able to make it a simple job to remove/replace if needed.

Anyone got any suggested trusted sellers or best to just pick one and hope?

IF your on Facebook there are a few Chinese heater groups around that frequently have 'trusted' sellers mentioned.

 

[SquirrellCook]

I haven’t run it in real world conditions, only to keep warm whilst working on the Betty build. I purchased a new generation eberspacher, and even though it’s bigger than the one in Murky. It appears to use a lot less electricity.
I do think if my use was just uk in warmer months I’d buy two Chinese ones as David mentions. £1k for a heater is a lot of pennies.

 

[xsilvergs]

@Longtoedsloth
I keep looking at the Autoterm (Planar)

Autoterm.com - Autonomous Parking and Night Diesel Heater AUTOTERM Air 2D

Heater AUTOTERM Air 2D is intended for use in any kind of means of land transport (for example, low truck cabs, commercial vehicle cabs or cargo compartment), as well as on boats (up to 33 feet/10 m long) and on the premises.

autoterm.com

 

[Deleted member 12559]

If you're on a tight budget, 2 used Chinese heaters or perhaps a new and a used or
for parts only Chinese heater, and hope when you get a failure that the required
replacement part is in good nick in the 'spare' heater.
As used or 'for parts only' Chinese heater must go for peanuts on eBay I imagine.

 

[RV2MAX]

Financially you are still ahead with two chinese heaters , I planned to fit two lower output units , and this is because it gives you more flexibility , and redundancy , with the plus that they are known to work better at the upper end of their output than having a large unit just ticking over and coking up at the same time . JMHO

 

[wildebus]

I was tempted to fit a chinese heater in my Motorhome as a backup to the existing syste, (got a Truma Ultraheat which is a combo 2Kw Electric and/or LPG Room Heater which does work fine) and had a new 2kW (or 5kW? labelling on these heaters are very confusing) one 'in stock', but decided too much faff and gave it to Re instead.

As a cost-effective heater they really are very good, but .... and this is from personal experience .... if you do get one, you MUST as soon as it arrives check out out on a bench to make sure it all works right. And if ANYTHING is wrong, immediately officially reject it.
eBay or Paypal are not interested after the 30 day window has gone.

The first one I bought was around £120 I think (prices have dropped notably) and it had multiple faults and I got about £30 compensation from the seller as I didn't check it out in time and was left with a piece of junk.
The second one I tested immediately, learning from my mistake first time round, and when it cut out for no reason after a period of running (fuel error I think, but that is by the by) I rejected it, and also rejected each offer the seller made to get me to accept the unit ("I will give you £10 off and you can get if fixed by local shop", then "£20", then "£30", etc.). In the end, he stopped responding and my Paypal guy managed the process and arranged for a full refund once the deadline for refund was passed. They never collected the heater either (no point as sending back to China cost more than they are worth).

 

[Deleted member 12559]

I think you really have to consider these Chinese heaters as appliances that you
could never trust, at least from a safety aspect, To the extent that you'd feel
compelled never to leave the damn thing unattended, and to have a fire extinguisher
close too hand, cardboard effing packing indeed LoL.
As for remote controlling, rather you than me

Not to say I wouldn't fit one if I was on a tight budget, but bearing the above in mind.

 

[Sprinter 1 cup]

Ive just found out no room stat so cant leave on all night as the van temp got to 25 degrees .
Big issue, but will over come . £ 75 or less get 2 remotes. Or work out how to set timmer ! Im looking ing to both now. But it good for price. I say yes.

 

[SquirrellCook]

Betty's new eber temperature control is excellent, though I don't like the controller. Slowly getting used to it. I guess with age I don't like change anymore. It's a bit like having a new wife, it takes a while before they feel as comfortable as the last one.

 

[StreetSleeper]

I have had mine fitted for some time now still running fine had one or two problems at the start with it but they got sorted .The fan bearings are getting a bit past it and need to be replaced but I knew I would have to do that at some point . I WOULD NEVER sleep with it on or go out and leave it running, but for what it cost it cracking bit of kit, but it has it limitations

 

[SquirrellCook]

I figured out how to change the temperature today without turning it off. Some of these so called designers need a slap!

 

[Longtoedsloth]

Thanks for all the advice, ended up going for a new Chinese heater from a reasonably well established ebay store. Could only justify spend on one (rather than getting two for direct replacement), but I think the installation can be done to make it simple to swap with a similar model when it fails.

Ran a thorough bench test when I received it - lots of smoking on first start but all seems fine and have tested restart from both warm and cold. Only slight snag was after a slight adjustment on the bench and turning round twenty mins later to discover it smoking! A panicked switch off ensued and discovery that the adjustment had pushed the fuel line against the exhaust and it had melted and was oozing diesel. Yikes. New better quality fuel line on order now, plus a more sensibly sized and oriented fuel tank. Generally quite impressed, although I'm under no illusion that it'll last for any great period.

 

[wildebus]

smoking is bad for your health


This one never worked properly with multiple faults .....

 

[Nabsim]

The exhaust can get literally red hot so make sure fuel lines aren’t close no matter what material you use

 

[MatijaSever]

Thanks both, sounds like the Chinese heater is the way to go for the moment. We only manage fairly short trips at the moment, so it's not the end of the world if it packs up. Getting a pair is an interesting idea, will consider that. I'll be installing myself, so should be able to make it a simple job to remove/replace if needed.

Anyone got any suggested trusted sellers or best to just pick one and hope?

Welcome to the forum! While I can't personally recommend a trusted seller, I can offer some advice: make sure to read up on the reviews of the seller before you make a purchase. There are lots of great resources online that can help you determine whether or not a seller is reliable. Good luck with your purchase!

 

[JIXAMAN]

Chinese diesel heaters are ok, dont be put off with the myriad of folks voicing concerns over problems that are bye and bye created during installation, as in Eibers and Webs are 99 percent professional installs Chinese heaters can be put in by any imbecile that has an
Ebay account (read that as people not qualified to fit them, not everyone who uses ebay is stupid)... M and dont get me wrong, we go to track and see every kind of van setup you can find from my build to thousands of pounds worth of McLaren Motorhomes and the Eibers and Webs are so well integrated, nice controllers and interfaces but for 99 pounds (plus another 25 for the blue controller and red remote at a later date) yea, my cheap Chinese heater is fine.

Anyway, ahv got 2, a 2kw for the van which is more than enough and a 5 (or some say 8) kw for the garage which I have harvested more heat from on account of a longer exhaust that acts as a radiator (not much but it helps). One in the van has been going for must be going on five years now with only one incident remarkably similar to yours whereby I had the heater on at work in the morning but had to move the van to let an artic in the yard, unbeknown to me the diesel can was on the floor and during moving touched the exhaust...

Advice on fitting, research boat installations (yes they are used inside boats safely), will mean the unit itself and the fuel pump which is made of the finest Chinesium money can buy will be out the way of all the crap the UK weather and roads can throw at it (some fabricate boxes under the van to deal with that though. Wiring. these things use a shed load of amps on startup and the wiring that comes with the unit is the cause of most of the problems with voltage drop. Use heavy cable (ah have jump lead thick cable running from the battery which is just behind the bulkhead to the heater at the front of the wheel well and cut the supplied power wire to as short a bit as you can minimizing the weak link. Exhaust paste on the manifold/exhaust (Wurth is good, we use that on the karts) and fiberglass exhaust wrap for where it goes through any part of the van and the exhaust itself will last ah dunno, maybe a week or three, best deal with it when installing and use solid pipe (metal conduit is the right size) n if you cant do it yourself a plumber will cut and thread the parts needed for the price of a couple of pints... (unless e's a money grabbin....) And finally... Place the controller somewhere its easy to get at from bed if you dont have a remote...

The new generation of Chinese heaters are not compatible with any controller other than the new style supplied with it (including afterburner etc unless they'v updated it n ahm no aware of it) as the board inside is completely different apparently, my one in the garage comes under this category, it runs completely different from the one in the van in regards to startup and shut down.

Have fun, n stay warm... Cheers...