Diesel heating

[Champstar]

Saw a van with diesel heating an eberspacher heater..anyone any comments? Is it good, bad or indifferent compared to usual gas?

[mirage]

I have a diesel heater in a panel van for the first time and have been very impressed so far. Produces plenty of heat very economically if you arrive anywhere with a full diesel tank it will run forever and much easier when abroad. Some people complain of noise which can be heard outside but not in, at least not in our case. Ours does have an electric element (just as a Gas System). One further advantage is they are designed to run on the road (I am aware some gas systems are also starting this) this makes winter driving far more comfortable.

 

[spospe]

We have a diesel heater in our Duetto and last year at the North Cape of Norway and up in the French Alps it kept us nice and warm. The good thing about them is the easy to replenish fuel supply, much easier than when using gas as diesel is universal.

 

Downsides are:

 

1) much higher 12 volt electrical power consumption.

 

2) when there is no, or little wind, it is sometimes possible to smell the exhaust.

 

3) as mentioned before there is some noise (a high pitched whine) mostly audible outside.

 

4) the running costs are higher, as diesel is usually more expensive than gas.

 

5) it can make keeping fuel records more difficult (not impossible, but harder to calculate accurate MPG figures).

 

Edits have been to correct spelling mistakes ..... >:-)

[malc d]

My experience of diesel heating that is that it is very effective in warming the van up quickly. Ours also heats up water while on the move so you have piping hot water when you arrive anywhere, or stop on route.

Can also be used to pre-heat the engine.

Bit noisy outside - but ours is a version made 7 years ago - I think they are quieter now.

The downside to me is that our (old one ) takes a lot out of the battery to start it. In fact if the battery is not 100% charged it won't start the heater.

This can be overcome by starting the engine first - which is a pain.

Ours uses very little diesel.

 

 

:-|

 

 

p.s. We too used ours at North Cape, in a horizontal snow storm with high winds, and it kept us lovely and warm.

 

 

 

[bobalobs]

We have had an Eberspacher heating system in every van we have owned since 1985 and fully agree with malc d and his experiences. The heating only models work in a different way from the combined heating/hot watersystems and seem to deliver heat quicker but both are good. You can leave them running when driving and often drive with damp clothes in the shower cubicle drying with the showerheating vent open.

They are very voltage sensitive and we have found our 2002 combined model reluctant to start with a reading of 12.5 volts. I am told the latest Webasto diesel combination is less power greedy and quieter.