Category: diesel

Chinese Diesel Heaters

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Succinct and pertinent information regarding the install of a cheap, Chinese diesel heater in your van, trailer, or motorhome.

Chinese diesel heaters have become all the rage with the explosion of “Van Life” and DIY Aisrtream and RV restorations.  For around $200 for a 5KW unit, there is NO cheaper way to get a LOT of heat into your rig’s  living space.  There isn’t a lot of quality control, and there is certainly NO chance of holding one of these manufacturers responsible for anything that goes wrong, so using one of these heaters is solely the risk and responsibility of the person purchasing and installing them.  As such, one should take every measure to mitigate any possible dangers or faults that might result from the install.  There’s nothing you can do about defective equipment or something that wasn’t put together correctly at the factory (except not buy one of these in the first place), so it’s even more important to make sure the install is as perfect as possible.

If the above information worries you and you have a little more cash to spend (well… quite a bit more, actually), you are in luck.  Eberspacher and Webasto are two companies that have been making these heaters for decades (and even ones that run on regular fuel instead of diesel), so you have the option of spending around $2-4k for a really fantastic version of these Chinese risks. :-D  Buying from Eberspacher or Webasto also means you will get great customer service to help with the purchase and install, as well as a warranty.  These companies really are excellent, so if you have the money, I highly recommend going the much safer route.

Before I get to the installation information (that’s fun to say!), I want to point out that there is a lovely Australian gentleman who goes by John McK 47 on YouTube who has put together a series of around 20 videos that present the most useful and pertinent information on this subject anywhere.  Seriously.  I can’t believe how thorough and informative these videos are (and I don’t think he’s even monetized his videos –he’s just created and presented all this stuff for the good of humankind!).  You would be doing yourself a huge favor to watch every single one of his videos on the Chinese diesel heater topic.

Finally, this is far from the most comprehensive post on the topic of Chinese diesel heaters.  Think of it more like the information you need for your install once you’re sick of reading the hundreds and hundreds of posts on this topic and you just want to get to putting the heater in your vehicle.  So let’s go…

Mounting the Heater Body

On my first install it took me a while to decide how to mount the unit, and what kind of a hole was necessary for the intake/exhaust ports on the bottom of the unit.  Now that I’ve installed a couple of these, I feel like I’ve got it down.  Here are some tips regarding mounting the heater to the floor…

The metal plate should be mounted to a flat and stable surface.  The plate doesn’t seem to get that hot, but on my first install I thought I would go the extra mile and place ceramic fiber blanket between the mounting plate and the deck (the subfloor of the trailer).  After a bit of use, I think the ceramic blanket is overkill, but I do think a sheet of high temp silicone (the material used for modern oven mitts) can be a good idea.  Not only does it offer peace of mind regarding high temps against wood decking, but it also offers a little vibration absorption to help mitigate the noise caused by the heater being fastened to a huge flat surface which inevitably acts as a drum/amplifier.

Pro tip:  you should put almost everything together before you fasten the heater to the floor; this way, you don’t have to make all the connections on your back while crawling under the vehicle.  Thread the fuel pump electrical wire and coupler through the deck plate keyhole (that little extra hole connected to the intake hose hole), then fasten the deck plate to the heater.  Fasten both the exhaust hose and intake hose, and then attach a small piece of rubber fuel hose to the fuel port to be used for attaching the nylon fuel feed tube once it’s time to hook up the fuel pump.  When you’ve got all this put together, you can see what kind of hole you should create in your mounting surface.  It can be rectangular or round.  Just make sure of two things: the hole should be smaller than the mounting plate, but it should be big enough to give as much clearance as possible for any heat coming off the exhaust outlet.

The end of the exhaust hose should not be anywhere near the opening of the air intake hose.  If you are installing the heater on a moving vehicle, make sure the exhaust is behind the intake.  Also make sure your exhaust hose does not have any low points between the heater and it’s termination point.  Moisture is one of the things being “exhausted,” so if there is a low point in the exhaust hose, then water will pool in that area.

Along the same lines, make sure you position the exhaust muffler on it’s side.  It might seem like it’s meant to be mounted flat against the deck/floor, but it actually has a top and bottom edge, and should be mounted against a side support, so moisture can drain out of tiny holes in the bottom edge of the muffler.

The fewer bends in your intake/exhaust, the more efficiently your heater will run.  There are specific guidelines on maximum lengths and number of bends, but I’m trying to keep this post tight!  Just remember, the fewer restrictions on your lines, the happier your heater will be.

Fuel Lines

On the *feed* side of the pump (between the pump and the heater), you want hard nylon tubing, not soft rubber.  These pumps are made to feed intermittent fuel to the heater separated by tiny bubbles.  If you use rubber tubing, the vibration will be absorbed and the bubbles won’t properly form.  Typical rubber fuel lines can be used on the intake side of the pump (from the tank to the fuel pump), but anything after the pump should be the hard nylon line.  Your heater most likely came with some rubber fuel line (hopefully in addition to the hard nylon line), and that rubber hose should be used as the unions where the nylon tube attaches to things like the pump, filter, and heater.  Make sure that the nylon tubing presses directly against anything with which it is being coupled.  If there is a gap inside the rubber fuel line being used as a union, air gaps can form inside the rubber hose and will disrupt the flow of fuel to the heater.  From what I have read, it’s not a good idea to make the nylon supply line any longer than around 3 meters (15 feet) and the supply side rubber hose shouldn’t be any longer than 3 feet.  In any case, the shorter the fuel lines the better.

The Fuel Pump

The fuel pump should be placed as close to the fuel source (the tank) as possible.  It is easier for the small pump to push fuel than to pull it.  The fuel pump should also be placed on a slight incline.  By design, these pumps make tiny little bubbles that you want *floating up.* You can get away with placing the pump completely horizontal, but if the flow is positioned at all down, the pump will not function properly, so it’s best to position it with the “out” port above the “in” port.  You also want your fuel

The Plastic Fuel Tank

I’m not sure how great these tanks are for this purpose.  The tanks that are included with these heaters are translucent plastic.  If you mount them exposed to sunlight (whether it’s inside or outside the vehicle), your fuel will be compromised by UV rays.  Not only that, but the plastic tank itself will also break down over time.  I think it would be better to utilize an aluminum or stainless tank.

The included plastic tank does not come with the “bung” (the fuel port) installed.  You need to drill a hole and install the port.  If you haven’t done it before, it seems impossible.  How in the world do you hold the port from the back side… inside the tank?!  The answer is either a wire or string.  Drill the hole for the port, then feed a wire, coat hanger, or string through the hole from outside of the tank, through the tank, and out through the fill port (where you pour the fuel in).  Next place the bung over the wire or string and let it slide down to the hole.  If you used a string, tie a nut to the far end so you can pull the string tight to pull the bung through the hole.  If you used a wire or coat hanger, bend the far end into an L shape, so you can pull the bung through the hole.  You can make the hole a bit smaller than the bung threads so that the bung actually threads into the plastic, or you can just rely solely on the rubber washers pressed on the inside and outside of the tank.

Some people say putting a bung in the bottom of the tank isn’t a good idea because you’ll get sediment in your fuel line.  The preferred method is using an “uptake” line positioned 2cm from the bottom of the tank (like in a car’s fuel tank).  With these little pumps, I don’t think it’s a good idea to make them work harder in order to *suck* fuel up a fuel uptake.  Since you want the pump as close to the fuel source as possible, if you’re adding a fuel uptake, you’re basically moving the pump farther away from the source and making it work harder.  Not only that, but if your heater is mounted on the floor, it’s usually going to be difficult to place the tank much lower than the heater (to keep the fuel feed moving up as it should).  Therefore, it’s best to let gravity do it’s work with getting fuel to the pump, and the bung needs to go in the bottom of the tank.  Just make sure you check your fuel filter regularly so the flow of fuel isn’t being blocked by sediment that may collect in the bottom of the tank.  The bung is also made with extra material on the inside of the tank, so that the port is actually around 1cm above the very bottom of the tank.  Thus, even a bottom mounted bung is pulling fuel from a similar gap to what an uptake would utilize.

Additional (important) information…

Make sure you prime the fuel pump before starting the heater.  Simply put, this means getting fuel going through the fuel lines without actually running the heater.  This clears the air from the fuel lines and allows the fuel to lubricate the interior heater parts, so the heater is not “running dry” when it begins the start cycle.  For units with a digital panel, priming is activated by pressing the down arrow and OK button at the same time until the read out shows H-OF.  The pump will activate when you let go of those buttons and press the up arrow so the read out reads H-ON.  Press the down arrow again to halt the pump.  If you have a manual knob controller, turn the knob so that the low/high indicator lights up, then press the “off” button for more than three seconds to activate the pump.  Once you have let the pump run for a while to prime the pump and lines, press “off” again to halt the flow of fuel.

The flexible tubes (exhaust, intake, heat routing) that come with these units aren’t of the greatest quality.  You may want to update your tubes, dude.

Though it may seem like a good idea to put the heater on a switch, DON’T DO IT.  These heaters have various cycles that keep them functioning efficiently and safely.  If the power is cut before the heater can finish one or more of these cycles, it can damage the heater and/or lead to dangerous operating conditions.

Finally, make sure you install a carbon monoxide detector!  It could be the difference between life or death.  If that sounds dire… it is!

 

For more complete information, I think this guy put together a pretty good (and more comprehensive) post on the subject of Chinese diesel heaters (probably the “easiest” single-source on the topic, if that’s more what you’re after): https://www.vanlifeuksurvivorsguide.co.uk/post/fitting-your-own-chinese-diesel-heater-everything-you-need-to-know

Things I Learned on Roadtrip #2

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I keep taking The Ghost of Ohio out well before she’s ready.  Some would say I’m a glutton for punishment, but I think you “learn things better” when you experience them first hand.  Traveling with an Airstream that is under renovation, though it’s not the most luxurious situation, contributes greatly to improvements in design, layout, use, and materials.

The first road trip (at least the end of it) was a pretty miserable failure.  My kid will always have fond memories of breaking down in the middle of nowhere and being stranded for a week, and he swears that Worland, WY is his favorite place on the planet, but there’s no denying that the end of that trip (post breakdown and what it led to), was one of the worst experiences of my life …and that’s saying something.

So here I am on the second “case study” road trip.  Just me and my 5-year-old driving from Denver to Northwest Ohio.

Use your tire covers (especially when your Airstream is sitting for extended periods).

Tire blow out.  Likely the result of UV damage (covered-side tires were far less deteriorated).  I quickly learned that it is difficult to find trailer tires while on the road, and most places simply will not put anything but an ST (trailer rated) tire on a rim meant for a trailer (liability).

Luckily we had a good spare, but that also reminded me how important it is to check your spare before you leave on a trip!

Having things fastened down and contained is key.

We don’t have cabinets or permanent seating (with storage) yet, so currently everything is in bins (or loose). Even things that seemed like they would never move or slide were all over the place.  Every time we stopped, it was an adventure (and a pain) getting everything back to where we could make sense of and access our stuff.  If it’s an option, even just screwing a 2×4 to the subfloor to create a rail to keep bins from sliding is a good idea when traveling while you’re under construction.

Space to move around is a major consideration.

While it’s fun figuring out just how tightly you can cram everything into a space (Tetris-ing seems like the most efficient way to organize and store your stuff), using the Airstream with all that stuff crammed in there makes me realize how important negative space really is.  After visiting my parents, we also took on extra cargo that contributed to the issue.  Trying to move around while living became a nightmare.  This is a good lesson to learn and will definitely contribute to future layout design.

Be judicious with your preparations.

I have a problem.  I am waaaay too concerned with making sure I’m “prepared.” And to me, prepared means over-prepared, usually to the detriment of getting on the road in a timely fashion.  I also enjoy figuring out how to make my tool collection most efficient for any and all possible situations, but I’m still taking way too many tools.  Take tools that are good for emergencies and can do double-duty, but don’t waste time, space, and weight with tools for a “project” that you might undertake while on the road.  In fact, make your life so much easier and your trip so much more enjoyable by NOT doing ANY of your resto/reno projects while on the road.

A brake controller is a nice thing to have.

I realize now that I had no brake controller all the way from Denver to Indiana.  On the upside, it means the tow vehicle can handle braking with the Airstream if the controller or trailer brakes fail.  On the downside, it certainly wasn’t ideal as far as safety goes, and I’m sure I need new brake pads now.  Be sure you are familiar with your controller and how it works before you head out on the road, so you aren’t figuring out what things mean and how things work while you’re towing.  My controller looked to me like it was doing its job, but I realize now that it wasn’t hooked up properly.

Hensley Hitch Issues (know how your hitch works and travel with spare parts if you can!)

The safety chains go BETWEEN the leveling bars.  I went back and forth on this when hooking up the trailer, and I should have just taken the time to consult the manual.  It seemed like the chain would be in the way of the bars if “threaded” through the middle, so I laid them on the outside of the leveling bars.  Big mistake.  On the return trip, I actually bent one of the struts to nearly a 90 degree angle.  The struts also pinched and dented the head (the part that holds the ball hitch).

I spent almost a whole day trying to find parts to make the hitch work for the return home, but finally just threw in the towel and ended up rolling with the Airstream attached straight to the ball (Hensley Hitch removed).

Additionally, and even though I actually did take time to think about it and try different routing paths, be sure your trailer electrical connector doesn’t get pinched by the hitch.  My cord was pinched at some point (though I’m still not sure how), cutting several of the wires.  I lost my running lights; luckily the brake and turn signal wires weren’t damaged, and those things continued to function.

Materials and routing are important things to consider.

Aluminum conduit (obviously) conducts heat, and the back of your 3-way fridge gets INSANELY hot!  I had a temporary 12v line run up the wall, and it shifted and lay across the refer cooling coil.  I’m surprised it didn’t melt anything (including the wires inside).  I grabbed the conduit to move it, and it burned me good enough to blister. Idiot.  [update: I have since had a similar issue where the conduit fell across the coil again (not my fault!) and the wires inside did actually melt and blew a fuse]

Pay attention to the message other drivers are trying to convey to you!

While driving, the rear side hatch blew off (not really sure how, most likely didn’t get shut and latched properly).  When someone drives by waiving their arms wildly, sometimes they are just admiring your awesome Airstream.  However, more often than not, they are letting you know that something is flopping around or that you’ve lost something (and hopefully it didn’t hit their vehicle).

The biggest fridge isn’t always the bestest fridge.

I tried out a larger fridge on this trip, and I didn’t have it hooked up to propane.  While it’s nice having that extra space, if you are going for significant amounts of time without being able to power the refrigerator (in my case, being able to plug into 120v), you will have problems keeping things cold.  Not only will the larger fridge lose it’s cool faster than a smaller one, but it also takes longer to get it back to cool.  A smaller fridge is easier to use like a cooler (placing ice packs in it to keep it cool).  Just something to consider when deciding on fridge size.

Carry plenty of hand sanitizer and wet wipes (especially if the plumbing isn’t hooked up yet!).

Even if you have plenty of bottled water or jugs, it isn’t always convenient to haul them outside just to wipe your hands.  Wipes and sanitizer are SO much more convenient when you’re on the go (literally and figuratively).  I have also since learned that a pump container of Gojo (pumice hand cleaner) and a good rag is really nice to have if you are continually working on things covered in grease, diesel exhaust, etc.

There are armadillos in Missouri!  Lots of them.

Unfortunately, the ones we saw were all dead and lying on the side of the road.  My five-year-old and I are also convinced we saw a dead platypus (duck bill and beaver tail, no question!).  Yes, I know they only live in Tasmania and a little bit of Australia’s southern coast, but we saw one (shut up), so it must have escaped from a zoo.

Trucks have all kinds of weird diesel pumps these days.  You are not always allowed to use them.

I actually came across a station that advertised diesel, but would not sell me diesel (because I didn’t have a semi-truck). It was incredibly frustrating, especially when running on fumes.

Things I Learned on Roadtrip #1

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Well… there’s really no way to sugar coat it; this was a bad one.

It started out well.  The first part was fun and exciting.  We traveled from Denver all the way up to Missoula, Montana for the wedding of some friends.  The Airstream was completely gutted, just a shell, and only the rear was insulated.  We had a power strip, a window air conditioner sticking out of the old hot water heater portal, a portable toilet and some carpet, mats, and sleeping bags on the floor.  We were looking at it as a “camping experience” where we could pull the entire site and not worry about rain.

On the way up we stopped and slept wherever we wanted to.  It was great.  The sky was amazing and the dog and kiddo loved exploring wherever we felt like parking the rig.

In Missoula we parked in a shady spot on the street outside our friends’ neighbors’ house and ran an extension cord.  The dog enjoyed the A/C in the Airstream during the day, and we didn’t have to take up space in anyone’s house.  It was fantastic.

The adventure continued on the way home as we visited another friend in Boseman, and then spent that night just outside of Columbus, MT, right ON the Yellowstone River (our kiddo could lob a stone from the front door into the river) at Itch-Kep-Pe Park near the border of Wyoming.  There had been a family picnicking in a prime spot on the river, and when they left at dusk, we whipped into the spot.  We built a fire, watched the moon rise over the river, listened to the water, and breathed in the cool night air.  It was amazing.

The whole time we kept thinking about the slide out, fiberglass box RV that was over-nighting at the gas station where we had fueled up earlier (maybe eight minutes from where we were now parked).  The lesson there?  Wherever you land, drive around a bit before conceding to sleep in a parking lot!

The next morning we stopped at a super cool drive-in restaurant just outside of Columbus to get coffee (we ended up getting ice cream and french fries) and geared up for the rest of our adventure.  That’s when things turned south (literally and figuratively).

We decided to take a more scenic route down highway 310.  Big mistake.  Though it may look like you’d be seeing beautiful mountains driving along a river down 310, the terrain is not unlike the surface of the moon.  And we just happened to take that route on the hottest day Wyoming had EVER experienced, and winds were gusting over 100 mph with a constant 55 mph (burning hot) wind.  Awesome.  On the upside, the Hensley Hitch was fantastic with the wind.  I could barely feel the gusts, even at those speeds.  However, the hills and the heat were just too much for little Pepa (our Jeep CRD).  Frustrated and impatient to leave that terrain, dust-filled wind, and heat behind us, I pushed her WAY too hard.

Going up a long hill, we broke a rocker and started billowing thick black smoke.  Thus began the downward spiral into hell.

Even though the Airstream was “water tight” (resistant?) and safe from the rain and road splash, I didn’t show enough concern regarding how open it was (via cracks and small openings) to other elements since the belly wraps were not installed; thus, all the Diesel Exhaust pouring out of the Jeep was filling up the Airstream.  By the end of the trip, everything was covered in a layer of black soot.  And since the Jeep broke a rocker and we had to drive 30 miles to “civilization” (I use the term loosely) trailing thick black smoke, things got really covered with soot.

Things did not go well from here, but I don’t feel like reliving the experience, so I’ll just leave it at that.