Chinese Diesel heater install/review (video )

[denmonkey]

HI all




When I'm doing something to the van or car etc I like to knock up a youtube video of the process and outcome.
Most times, it turns out well. Don't ask about the delica headlights in the oven issue.

Several weeks back, I finally pulled the trigger on one of those cheap $210 ebay chinese diesel heaters.

The video has taken me 3 weeks or so getting the footage together, testing and editing.

To that end, I will have to come back to my usual typed over view of stuff covered in the video in the next few days or so.


Til then, for those who might get something out of it, or even enjoy it, here is the link to the video.



I know this isn't Paj specific but I figure the reason most of you have a paj is to get off the beaten track and many more of you use it to tow either a van or camper.

So I figured this might be of some interest to those of you in particular.


Comments and feedback are welcomed and appreciated.


YouTube Link

https://youtu.be/3NBO-WLCs68

I'll also link this in my sticky under the NT section.



cheers all Brett

[Ian H]

Good video. I bought a portable unit for the Tvan because space is more of a premium. They heat really well.

[denmonkey]

Hey Ian, thanks.
Re the portable one, how do you find it?

I have a mate who is reluctant to cut holes in his van and keeps looking at these.
I keep steering him away from there, as i think he would still need to route the exhaust anyway, so may as well do the normal unit.

Can I ask how you have yours set up and what you did with the intake and exhaust?

I love those tvans. Does it see much off road?


cheers Brett

[Ian H]

Yes, the Tvan gets a bit of work. Did Melb to Karumba via Burke & Wills track in 2017, Melb to Exmouth last year and spent 5 weeks touring Tassie earlier this year. The heater came out quite a bit !.

I love my Snugger but they aren't cheap !

First problem is the amount of cable supplied with it. I guess it's so they can be portable and used anywhere but for a Tvan, I only need a short length and there are 3 cables to deal with.

So I cut it down and after getting some advice from a guy on the Tvan forum who has one, I combined two of the cables which have a total of 7 wires inside them. I put a 7 pin trailer plug on the end and the female trailer plug on the Tvan. I ran the wires from the female end inside the van and mounted the control unit and temperature sensor in there as well. So now I just take the heater out of the plastic box ($6 at Office Works) and plug it in to the Tvan.

The outlet hose is one I bought online (eBay) and is far better and more pliable than the one which came with the unit. But that's because I need to bend it each time so it feeds in to the canvas tent of the Tvan and straighten it again when it's put away. Yours is fixed so it's no issue. The exhaust just slips on to the unit which also has the muffler. The unit sits under the Tvan out of the weather with that exhaust sticking out so any fumes just drift away.

There's no air inlet pipe. It just sucks air from where it's sitting and blows it in through the outlet hose. That means it's not measuring the air coming in to the unit but rather it has a separate sensor which is inside the van, checking the air temp in there. It saves having a second pipe to muck around with and once it gets to the target, it then cycles the same as your does.

There's quite a bit of info on the Tvan forum which is here......(hope that's OK with the Admins here)

http://www.tracktrailerforums.com/index.php?topic=3323.0

The pics of my unit are at the end of that thread. The first pic shows the unit with the power lead attached via a merit plug but not with the duct on it. (It's not under the van as it usually is, it's just in the open for the pic).

The dealer of the Snugger (Google Snugger for the link) also sells the portable stand and tank without the actual heater so a cheaper option is to buy that and then get a heater unit like yours.

Some people have installed their heater permanently in to the Tvan using the side pannier but then you lose space for carrying extra water or fuel. There's always a compromise ! I prefer the portable so I can leave it at home if I'm travelling in warmer climates. It can ride in the car or the back of the Tvan otherwise.

[denmonkey]

Ian, thank much for the reply.
I hadn't spotted the Sunggers before and will pioint my mate to them.
I'd not see the side by side set up, only the over under of the cheaper ones.
That looks to be much better made.
He's looking to spend minimal funds, so unlikely he will go that route.


I'll suss the tvan forum when i get home, can't see images etc sometimes at work.

I guess thats an option, If I extend my exhaust out, then the intake can stay where it is.


cheers Brett

[chrisall]

Thanks for the video, really well made. Coincidentally I was thinking about getting one of these and thought I wonder if anyone on the forum has got one?

Awesome,
Cheers

[RUGGA]

Comments and feedback are welcomed and appreciated.

cheers all Brett

Hi Brett, I will not say what you need to fix cause I have just started looking at installing a heater in my off road cub camper. Have you seen Johns YouTube vids? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvwmU_CcmGI. Very comprehensive. This; including the page below will sort out any dramas....

Also a great Fbook page is https://www.facebook.com/groups/146837062640024/

Some interesting information from Ian H regarding the

[denmonkey]

Hey Rugga,

yes mate, I've been all through John's videos, a few times I think.
There was a few different youtube channels I went through which had some handy info on them.

Haven't checked out the FB page though, but will keep it up my sleeve for troble shooting and the like if required .

seems to be plenty of into out there about them now, which I guess should help anyone looking to buy one.

cheers Brett