Seizure of Chinese Diesel Heaters

[GeoffL]

Suffolk Trading Standards have seized almost 1,000 "Vevor" branded Chinese diesel heaters as 'unsafe' and associated eBay listings removed. AFAICT, this is the diesel heater many YouTube van builders have installed and/or recommended. However, they don't come with the required CE marking Declaration of Conformity and the 'Chinglish' instructions leave much to be desired. From the FB article (linked below):

Suffolk Trading Standards Imports Surveillance Team have detained 973 diesel heaters at the Port of Felixstowe over the last two months. All products were found to be unsafe, with listings for all sellers removed on eBay.​

Consignments arrived at the Port in October and November and were stopped by the team, with samples sent to a test house for assessment.​

Each of the products did not meet the requirements of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 because they could present the hazards of fire and death due to poor supporting installation information.​

Manuals supplied with the products failed to give measurements for installing and did not give the minimum distance the exhaust pipe can be installed from flammable material, or material that could give off poisonous fumes when heated, such as insulation material.​

No warning was provided about heat and dangers to the user if installed incorrectly.​

Large parts of the manuals were written in poor English and had incorrect words used. The intended meaning was, in some cases, difficult to understand.​

Additionally, the products and instructions did not have the name and address of the importer or manufacturer, and did not included the required Declaration of Conformity (DoC). A DoC is a formal declaration by a manufacturer, or the manufacturer's representative, that the product to which it applies meets all relevant requirements of all product safety directives applicable to that product.​

Log in to Facebook

Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[marchie]

Suffolk Trading Standards have seized almost 1,000 "Vevor" branded Chinese diesel heaters as 'unsafe' and associated eBay listings removed. AFAICT, this is the diesel heater many YouTube van builders have installed and/or recommended. However, they don't come with the required CE marking Declaration of Conformity and the 'Chinglish' instructions leave much to be desired. From the FB article (linked below):

Suffolk Trading Standards Imports Surveillance Team have detained 973 diesel heaters at the Port of Felixstowe over the last two months. All products were found to be unsafe, with listings for all sellers removed on eBay.​

Consignments arrived at the Port in October and November and were stopped by the team, with samples sent to a test house for assessment.​

Each of the products did not meet the requirements of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 because they could present the hazards of fire and death due to poor supporting installation information.​

Manuals supplied with the products failed to give measurements for installing and did not give the minimum distance the exhaust pipe can be installed from flammable material, or material that could give off poisonous fumes when heated, such as insulation material.​

No warning was provided about heat and dangers to the user if installed incorrectly.​

Large parts of the manuals were written in poor English and had incorrect words used. The intended meaning was, in some cases, difficult to understand.​

Additionally, the products and instructions did not have the name and address of the importer or manufacturer, and did not included the required Declaration of Conformity (DoC). A DoC is a formal declaration by a manufacturer, or the manufacturer's representative, that the product to which it applies meets all relevant requirements of all product safety directives applicable to that product.​

Log in to Facebook

Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.

www.facebook.com

I think CampervanAnnie beat you to the punch, yesterday or Monday, Geoff, but it does highlight the dangers of 'you can get a Chinese version for £20 ...' approach to motorhoming! I was 'rescued' in Spain by a Brit with a brand new Van [previous year's unsold model, so about £10k below List Price, 'got it for about £85k'] who kindly recharged my electric screwdriver batteries on his inverter. 'Some people pay hundreds of pounds, but why? £20 from Lidl and fitted it myself ...' [in said £85k M/Home!]

Steve

 

[GeoffL]

My apologies to anyone who beat me to the punch. FWIW, before posting I searched for "Diesel Heater" and "Vevor" but got nothing on this specific incident. AFAICT, lots of people have installed these heaters without issue and the problem seems to be the paperwork and the lack of tax being paid. While I can't verify it, I've seen a claim that certain other 2kW and 5kW heaters are the same but with importer-supplied paperwork and a price three or four times that of the 'rogue' items.

 

[PeteH]

Hi

It would appear, that the issue, is NOT with the heaters per-se. Trading standards took issue with the Instuctions and the general lack of documentation.
For anyone concerned, or perhaps have bought one. There is a plethora of helpful advice and U-Tube video to aid safe and successful installation. I have seen one dismantled, and to be fair, having installed and used Ebberspacher/Webasto heaters, I personally would not be too concerned, but care of course it needed when making any installation of this type, Or even fitting refillable Gas tanks which many have done "DIY".

This whilst not the heater in question, is a useful insight into the construction and installation of similar heaters.

Pete