Help/Advice Please, Diesel Heater

[Aracaris]

Just purchased one of the Chinese diesel heaters. One with a solid aluminum body as opposed to the plastic body and very impressed with the build quality!!
I have a 2005 Elddis Autoquest 400 and looking for ideas on where to locate it within the van.
Has anybody fitted one to this model MH and if so where was your final position. I have some ideas and just thought I'd post and see what others have done with location.
Look forward to your views folks
Thanks

 

[Campervanannie]

Sorry I can’t help but hopefully someone will come up with ideas or advice for you.

 

[mistericeman]

I mounted our Eberspacher d2 in the space under our passenger seat in our self build transit Jumbo....
However when I fit one in our new C class I'll be fitting it in a underfloor mounting box (available from eberspacher or ebay) and ducting it into the existing ducted carver heating.

 

[chas142]

I used to fit Eberspacher heaters to trucks years ago, I can't tell you where to fit it on your MH but I can tell you there is lots of underfloor fixing brackets and boxes on ebay, mostly for VW's from memory, but you may get some ideas if you look to see what's there. Wherever you fit it (inside or outside), I always had the exhaust pointing backwards and as far from opening windows as possible and the burner air in pipe away from the exhaust, ideally not pointing forward and away from spray from the wheels as it wont work if the pipes get full of mud. If you fit it in a locker you should section it off from items in the locker and allow a bit of space around the heater. You will obviously have to have the heat out into the MH somewhere or into your existing blow air system, remembering to keep the vent open, then fresh air or recirculating MH air in.

I was thinking of doing the same to mine at some point and just had a thought on mine. I have a step into the rear bunks, that has the air pipes in there, I might be able to fit in line to the air system there, exhaust to bunk side without window, burner air in to a somewhere behind chassis or inside box section, wiring and diesel pipe clipped to air suspension pipe to front. Almost sounds easy.

By the way what size did you buy?

Good luck,
Charlie.

 

[mr brown]

to check a position is clear underneath the van ,i drill a small hole through the floor then push a bit of coloured wire through, then look under to see where it comes out . fill hole with mastic after

 

[nabsim]

What are the advantages to fitting it outside of the van or is it just space saving?

 

[mistericeman]

What are the advantages to fitting it outside of the van or is it just space saving?

Slight reduction in combustion noise levels and noise transmitted through the ducting from air movement ...
Especially if you use acoustic reduction ducting

 

[nabsim]

Slight reduction in combustion noise levels and noise transmitted through the ducting from air movement ...
Especially if you use acoustic reduction ducting

Does it not give a bit or heat reduction with the housing being outside? I dont find ours noisy although am a bit deaf at certain frequencies, ours is located under the French bed

 

[mistericeman]

Losses are minimal... Depending on ducting runs obviously...
Use of insulated/acoustic ducting minimises losses...
Noise from ours in the transit (under front passenger seat) doesn't bother me... But t'other half doesn't like it...
Ill be mounting next one outside to maximise internal storage in new van.

 

[wildebus]

Another potential advantage is that you have more flexibility of where the heater vent is coming out as you just need enough room for the vent outlet and some pipework, rather than having to route the heater hose inside from heater to vent outlet. For many, this would not be an problem, but there may be some layouts which could be more of a problem.

The downside of external is accessibilty for service and repair. It can be a real pain! (I went to add a temp probe to an externally mounted Eberpacher on a lowered VW T5. Just could not acccess the heater without getting it on a lift or ramps).

(I personally am not keen on having these unslung as feel a bit too exposed even with the covers available, but that's just me )

 

[Aracaris]

I mounted our Eberspacher d2 in the space under our passenger seat in our self build transit Jumbo....
However when I fit one in our new C class I'll be fitting it in a underfloor mounting box (available from eberspacher or ebay) and ducting it into the existing ducted carver heating.

Thanks

 

[Aracaris]

Sorry I can’t help but hopefully someone will come up with ideas or advice for you.

Thanks

 

[wildebus]

By the way, if you DO mount it outside, you will need to get a much better sealed box for it then the mount that is used for the Eberspachers.
The heaters may look the same externally, but where the Eberspachers electrical bits and pieces are sealed and protected from moisture and water to a decent degree, the Chinese heaters have NO protection.
Basically, imagine fitting say a desktop computer under a vehicle to save space ... Would you do this and would you expect it to work after a while driving aound in the rain? The electronics board on the chinese heaters are no better protected than that.

 

[St3v3]

If it's outside, make sure you pipe air from inside the van to the heater inlet, I.e. recirulating the air not having to heat cold outside air.

 

[Aracaris]

Well all fitted and working beautifully. Mounted under the rear U shaped lounge seats. There was an issue with the control unit as it would not register °C only Hz. That is the higher the Hz the more fuel is sent via the pump to the burner and the heat is increased along with fan speed. This is fine but it maintains this constant air temp.
Fitted a replacement LED control unit and it's working fine with the "C being displayed and correct fuelling and variable fan speeds occurring to maintain the user set ambient temp.
I am so pleased I opted for the 2KW version as opposed to the 5KW as it is more than adequate.
My van a 2005 400RL Elddis Autoquest is quite spacious inside and there is a lot of air to heat, but copes admirably.
Internal noise is acceptable from the fan which is almost inaudible on tick over once the set temp is reached and the cushions are in place
. The constant pulse of the pump may bother some people but it's just like a clock ticking in the background.
Some people on You Tube have suggested suspending the fuel pump on rubber/elastic bands to absorb the pulses and have suggested it becomes inaudible once this mod is in place. I'll give it a try as it makes sense.
I will post some pictures of my set up if anyone would like a peep?.
Also as it was not possible to mount the supplied 10ltr tank within the confines of the van I have opted to use linked 2X5Ltr tanks.

 

[wildebus]

Unless you have a very unusual controller and/or heater to the norm, the Temp setting display and the pump frequency display actually do exactly the same thing - change the pump frequency.
To switch between the two styles of display, you press the setting button and up arrow together.
You can actually tell the function is the same for either type of display by changing from one display to the other, go up (or down) and then change back again and you will see the value has changed there as well.

 

[Aracaris]

Unless you have a very unusual controller and/or heater to the norm, the Temp setting display and the pump frequency display actually do exactly the same thing - change the pump frequency.
To switch between the two styles of display, you press the setting button and up arrow together.
You can actually tell the function is the same for either type of display by changing from one display to the other, go up (or down) and then change back again and you will see the value has changed there as well.

Yes thanks for all the above I was aware of this but just wanted to be able to control by temp. It was the controller that was faulty only allowing Hz to be displayed. All sorted now thanks and I'm well happy with the whole,set up and the savings as opposed to running the LPG space heater

 

[linkshouse]

Well all fitted and working beautifully. Mounted under the rear U shaped lounge seats. There was an issue with the control unit as it would not register °C only Hz. That is the higher the Hz the more fuel is sent via the pump to the burner and the heat is increased along with fan speed. This is fine but it maintains this constant air temp.
Fitted a replacement LED control unit and it's working fine with the "C being displayed and correct fuelling and variable fan speeds occurring to maintain the user set ambient temp.
I am so pleased I opted for the 2KW version as opposed to the 5KW as it is more than adequate.
My van a 2005 400RL Elddis Autoquest is quite spacious inside and there is a lot of air to heat, but copes admirably.
Internal noise is acceptable from the fan which is almost inaudible on tick over once the set temp is reached and the cushions are in place
. The constant pulse of the pump may bother some people but it's just like a clock ticking in the background.
Some people on You Tube have suggested suspending the fuel pump on rubber/elastic bands to absorb the pulses and have suggested it becomes inaudible once this mod is in place. I'll give it a try as it makes sense.
I will post some pictures of my set up if anyone would like a peep?.
Also as it was not possible to mount the supplied 10ltr tank within the confines of the van I have opted to use linked 2X5Ltr tanks.

I'd be interested in pics when you get time.

Thanks

Phill

 

[Aracaris]

Just purchased one of the Chinese diesel heaters. One with a solid aluminum body as opposed to the plastic body and very impressed with the build quality!!
I have a 2005 Elddis Autoquest 400 and looking for ideas on where to locate it within the van.
Has anybody fitted one to this model MH and if so where was your final position. I have some ideas and just thought I'd post and see what others have done with location.
Look forward to your views folks
Thanks

I'd be interested in pics when you get time.

Thanks

Phill

I'd be interested in pics when you get time.

Thanks

Phill

Just purchased one of the Chinese diesel heaters. One with a solid aluminum body as opposed to the plastic body and very impressed with the build quality!!
I have a 2005 Elddis Autoquest 400 and looking for ideas on where to locate it within the van.
Has anybody fitted one to this model MH and if so where was your final position. I have some ideas and just thought I'd post and see what others have done with location.
Look forward to your views folks
Thanks