8kw Diesel heater.

[gixer1]

I bought one of the cheap 8kw chinese diesel heaters for an outbuilding, I’ve been messing around with different options on transformers to make it run properly (the first few didn’t seem to give it a consistent voltage to run it and it was basically running down and stopping and then throwing an error code) but after you tube research I finally got a decent transformer that appears to run it properly.

It appears the Webasto patent ran out about a year ago so chinese companies are pumping out these for a fraction of the cost - don’t get me wrong, they need a few tweaks to make them better but they are perfectly adequate for what I need. (They don’t have an online fuel filter and the exhaust needs an elbow added)

They come with one of the worst translated manuals I’ve seen and I’m wondering if anyone else on here has messed with these and figured out the symbols on the screen to same me Googling it?

It seems to pump out and heat and is very frugal on diesel (36 hours running on a gallon)

And it runs fine off a small 12v battery so could be used from the back of the truck and run off theb12v power socket so may be handy for other applications.

 

[marineboy]

Yes I use these a lot in various guises from the one you have to the eberspacher copies the main failure is low battery voltage. I have been an eberspacher engineer for more years than I care to mention and they are great copies. A service kit for an eberspacher is in excess of £120 for another £20 you can buy 2 Chinese copies. Just have a sweeping bend on the exhaust rather than an elbow or it will cause over heating.

 

[marineboy]

Try this link

 

[viking90]

I've fitted one of these in my 110 defender. One of the best things I did but you need to completely change the fuel lines, the ones supplied aren't right for the job

 

[sauer]

Just bought the kit one rather than all in one unit to fit into the boat

Paul

 

[gixer1]

Just bought the kit one rather than all in one unit to fit into the boat

Paul

Hi Paul, the all in one was reduced to £59, not sure how much the kit form one was?

 

[nick.308]

Are these like whats fitted into campervans? any risk of carbon monoxide poisoning?

 

[sauer]

Same £59 plus £4 postage

Usually kit ones ar bout a tenner cheaper so sounds like you did fine

Paul

 

[Freeforester]

Huge inventory of videos of varying benefit in terms of advice and mods and use of same, one chap decided that the 8kw model was identical to the 5kw units (both Vevor brand) apart from some component colours and price…

Several videos of attempts to recover additional exhaust heat via running through a radiator, with varying degrees of success; one of the more interesting efforts attached:

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Are these like whats fitted into campervans? any risk of carbon monoxide poisoning?

I've got one in mine and also @Kjf has one in his. I'm not sure about KJF but I have a carbon monoxide detector in mine however providing it's sealed, there shouldn't be an issue.

Absolute gamechanger too. Wet clothes for a 4 day trip? Not any more same goes for dogs!

 

[marineboy]

Provided the exhaust gases cannot make their way into the air inlet side of the heater these things are perfectly safe. It's worth investing in a longer length of exhaust hose as the piece supplied is a little short in my opinion also if the cheaper kit one is used change the fuel line to something decent that has an iso standard on it like iso 7840.
I fit the eberspachers on boats all the time without issues. I have the stand alone chinese heaters for tentss over boats for working in and heating the tentbox up while out and about and they work perfectly, especially good for drying wet clothes. I find just using the remote easier than fiddling with the controls a simple on off and temp up or down is enough rather than messing with programs.

 

[Kjf]

I've got one in mine and also @Kjf has one in his. I'm not sure about KJF but I have a carbon monoxide detector in mine however providing it's sealed, there shouldn't be an issue.

Absolute gamechanger too. Wet clothes for a 4 day trip? Not any more same goes for dogs!

Yes I have the detector

Heater is spot on . Just leave ya window open an inch or you will roast ya nuts off lol

Kjf

 

[Smellydog]

Boss just fitted one outside his home to heat the house, a small cottage poorly insulated.
I made him a stainless 20l tank.
He is quite impressed.

 

[nic531]

A friend fitted one into the back of my defender 90 during covid when I was doing security... overnight could get cold..... not once it was fitted. he also put in a controller than meant I could switch it on/off by text! brilliant when coming off the marsh after wildfowling 3 years on or so and still no issues with it, except the fuel lines split so replaced them. I have just bought another (standalone set up this time) to use with my motorbike & sidecar for heating the tent at winter motorbike rallies..... that will keep the better half happy

 

[gixer1]

Are these like whats fitted into campervans? any risk of carbon monoxide poisoning?

They are, I would think there is a very low risk as they are pretty commonly used now, and there isn’t a lot to them really.

 

[gixer1]

You can also move the heater unit outside and just run the hot air pipe into the space you want to heat, so should be pretty safe.

 

[pendle]

I have one fitted to my camper van it's awesome. I also have a stand alone in my caravan had error codes coming up. A mate looked at it as the fan error kept coming up. Now sorted. The other week I had it working on 2kw it goes to 5.5kw. I had to open two windows. I was in the borders it was one degree outside.
I started to pipe it into the caravan air heating ducting. But now might just leave it as it is.
When starting I have a generator or engine running as it draws a lot on start up. Otherwise they are great

I use kerosene as its £1.03 ltr .
I have had the one in the caravan running for 12 hrs I must have used about 1/2 gallon . it was running flat out 5.5kw

 

[Mr Tree]

A mate of mine has two in his garage/Mot centre, works like a charm. I use an Eberspacher in my van, hellish expensive, 7 years on & no problems. Would I fit one in my van? hmm, probably not, there could be an issue with reliability or spares & service. I dont need a failure whilst in Scandinavia, would recommend for garage or defender, no probs.

 

[CastleStalker]

Put a kit one into the boat last year, cost me £88 and worth every penny. Saying that I have ruined a nice Patagonia fishing jacket by leaving it beside the stainless exhaust

 

[carlisleredneck]

I have 2 of these Chinese heaters, one in the garage and one in the van. For the money they are brilliant, I run the one in my garage off an old X Box power brick (got it for free off Facebook marketplace). I have got a UPS at work which needs a battery, when I get round to getting one I will run it off that.