Diesel night heaters

[wildebus]

Is normal heating oil not just red diesel? Don’t know how common it is but I know some garages sell it, one step daughter worked at in Hull certainly does

As far as I know, 'red diesel' is virtually the same as normal road diesel except with an additive added that colours it to distinguish it, and sold without the 60p odd fuel tax added on.
Kerosene is a different formulation of oil that is cleaner burning than normal diesel (red or otherwise).


I said Kerosene is 60p/litre. That is how much I pay as I buy in bulk for house heating. I have no doubt small quantities (say 20L) will be more per litre. Paraffin is virtually the same as Kerosene and probably more accessible in small quantities.
Red diesel and Kerosene are also subject to reduced VAT compared to Road Diesel - 5% vs. 20%. I would guess Paraffin would be 5% VAT as well but don't know for sure.

In terms of best fuel for these heaters, the recommended order where you have a choice is:
PARAFFIN
KEROSENE
DIESEL

 

[Biggarmac]

Update on the firm ACLS who were mentioned earlier in the thread. I contacted them when I saw his thread some weeks ago and arranged for them to come on 5th December. When nobody had turned up by 10.30 I rang. The person at the other end said my name was in the book for the 6th not the 5th. I gave them the benefit of the doubt as I had would not have booked for the 6th as I had a prior appointment. However they said the technician would ring last night to give a time to come today. They did not ring. When I rang this morning I was told the technician was already out but he would give me a ring to say when he was coming. Its now 5pm and no further contact. If that is their customer services I think I will do without a heater from them. The Chinese heaters are notoriously unreliable and it looks like ACLS are too.

 

[wildebus]

That's not a good omen

 

[Navytim]

Does anyone use one?, as an ex-trucker I'm familiar with webasto/Eberspacher heaters which are a bit pricey for the amount of use it would get but there are heaters on Ebay for less than £150!!, there's even a place in Falkirk offering supply and fit for £250, has anyone bought one of these Chinese copies and if so are they worth considering? ,also, has anyone had one mounted externally like on the VW T5 but on a Relay van?, I remember the warmth but I also remember the noise.

Hi
Where in Falkirk did you get that quote.
Cheers Tim

 

[2cv]

The Chinese heaters are very noisy, though some seem to be immune to it. At a meet I was parked quite a long way from one but could hear it clearly inside my van whenever it started. It sounded a bit like someone playing very loud rock music from a distance, with the deep drums audible. I thought that was what it was at first till someone parked a bit nearer told me what it actually was.

 

[wildebus]

The Chinese heaters are very noisy, though some seem to be immune to it. At a meet I was parked quite a long way from one but could hear it clearly inside my van whenever it started. It sounded a bit like someone playing very loud rock music from a distance, with the deep drums audible. I thought that was what it was at first till someone parked a bit nearer told me what it actually was.

They do vary.
If the bits of cardboard in the case fall out (yup - they use torn up bits of cardboard as an spacer between the heater and the case), then you can get a lot of movement. and if the fan is rubbing on the ECU cover (another common issue) that causes noise as well. This can also happen if the case is slightly distorted.

BUT .... if installed reasonably well, they are no more noisy then most heaters. The loudest noise I hear from mine is the ticking fuel pump under the van - and I hear that both outside AND inside the vehicle over the sound of the heater itself (which is inside under drivers seat).


I guess if it was really noisy, I could run up the generator to drown it out?