dumbfounded that it seems that no one seems to have a issue with the fact that even happened in the first place. should have never been sold as a gasoline fuel type heater if it does not function as such period. does not matter how or why. the gasoline version was a different part number for the diesel version so one of two things happened. eater the wrong labels were applied to the wrong unit. or they did a 30 second test it didn't blow up and they said ok we can sell this same unit as a different fuel type. either way absolutely awful in terms of quality control that something ever be shipped/sold labled as a fuel type that it wont properly operate on.
@@TheDutchShepherd Bastiaan Oskam gasoline versions of the espar and Webasto heaters also use glow plugs. so even if it was a dead giveaway witch its not also how many people actually take something apart before they use it. so if its sold as a gasoline heater says its a gasoline heater it should work as a gasoline heater or it should be re-called and corrected. period.
its the fuel quality , the gas is actually fizzing like a coke . the winter formulation for gasoline will foam and fiz when it gets warm. I had the same issue siphoning gas from a gas can into my tractor. Clear hose with no leaks but I could see a constant stream of bubbles in the hose.
I got the same model. Using to heat a double garage. Its diesel. They're all diesel. Mine sits in a plastic storage unit outside the garage, so no vehicle vibration problems. It started as soon as the pump got the fuel up. If you have air bubbles, you either had a loose pipe or not properly immersed in the diesel. There was a tank & fuel fitting in the box I got. The are what I am using. The Chinese unit funs every day keeping my shop at 18 deg cell, when its zero outside. Uses about 2 litres per workingg day. Very happy with mine so far. Have a nice day buddy!
@@dude62478 only a few weeks, so far. I use my garage as a hobby shop for rather large model planes. I had to drill two 3 1/2 holes in the wall for the warm air. The combustion inlet & exhaust stay outside. When I use the system, I press the start button and take the dog for a walk in a local nature park. I come back, have some eats,. By then my shop is comfortable. The warm air circulates better than an electric heater. The power line isn't that strong, so the diesel option was a big help. So far no issues!
I guess the bottom line is you get what you pay for. It’s clear the Espar is the real deal and works as advertised and is clearly built to a superior standard. As someone commented prior, almost no one will disassemble before using and we are eternally grateful for you doing such a thing. How are you going to sleep at night with a Chinese knock-off with it’s clearly substandard build quality to keep you warm? I’d be scared shitless I’d wake up in flames. Hard to sleep at night with one eye open! A fellow may want to cut corners in many ways, heck we all want to save a buck or two when we can, but fire breathing devices and pacemakers is about where I’d draw the line. Thanks Ezra. I just love your videos. I’ve got a 379 EXHD Pete myself and I can’t tell you how many videos I’ve watched of yours and I felt your pain and suffering as I’ve been down that same path myself. Keep up the good work brother...big red is certainly looking fine!!
I have had lots of experience with the espar and the wabasto heaters that have been installed in european made equipment for many years, and without a doubt they are good heating units. more recently I have gotten a lot of experience with the chinese knock off heater models. NONE on them will dependably or safely run on what we know as gasoline, but only diesel and kerosene... diesel has the highest energy potential, so its the fuel of choice except in extreme cold environments where diesel has a gelling problem, then kerosene is commonly used... the knock off heaters work well right out of the box, although a higher number of them need minor adjustments to run to peak efficiency. (espar and webasto are NOT immune to the same problems, but normally have better quality control before packaging).... but ALL things EVERYWHERE have a potential for problems. I am personally familiar with many installations of the knock off units and have never seen a safety issue or a problem with the unit that couldnt be solved without additional expense (except where the installer damaged something) of the problems I have seen, it it almost always due to the budget minded DIY'er who has very little clue as to what he is doing during the install, in which they would have the same issues attempting to install a $2000 dollar unit of any other brand.. once they are installed correctly, there is no difference in operation or dependability. they heat well with little power consumption. as for the marine applications, they seem to work well and with longevity when thought is put into the location where they will be installed. many boaters in this area use them without issues, and yet the owners who paid 5-10 times more for their espar or webasto bad choose to mouth the knockoffs without cause or reason, claiming they are not as safe. with the experience I have gained in the past 40 years around these types of heaters, I challenge anyone to show any safety issues with the use of the knock off heaters when installed correctly, that are NOT present in the installation and use of an espar or webasto..... I will agree the visual fit and finish inside the unit is not as refined, but then for the amount of money saved and the same results in the end, I will advocate the use of the knockoffs for anyone who is interested in saving money... and when installed correctly, it looks just as good or as ugly as the expensive brands, depending on your point of view...
Hi, any tips on install it properly or what issue could be fixed before the install? I'm thinking about getting one and seems to be pretty straight forward on the install. thanks
You may say the knock off Chinese ones are a better choice due to their price. But let’s not forget the Chinese didn’t do the amount of engineering the Germans did. If we keep buying Chinese knock offs we will regret as quality build stuff from the EU and US will vanish due to companies going south. Price is not everything.
@@Mr.Riffian Or maybe the overpriced European heaters with drop in price to keep / gain customers. I've had a Wabasto unit and it was a pain in the ass. Parts were expensive . No one locally had a clue about fixing them so I had to learn myself . I now have two Chinese heaters and they work far better . Not without some problems , but easy to fix.
@@Mr.Riffian This appears to be an Illogical argument. Everyone borrows ideas from everyone else. After WWII, Japan furiously copied everything made in the West. Now, the Japanese cars are far better than American ones in ergonomics, fuel use, long lasting engines, pleasing decor, and price! It may interest you to know, that most 'German' and 'Swiss' goods are made in China but styled and engineered to German specs. One cannot compete with cheap Chinese labor vs costly European labor. So your Webasto and Espar are most likely completely manufactured in China, in the same shop that copied them under the Chinese label. Webasto/ Espar cost around $1500 + tax, Truma Combi costs around $3000, and the Chinese knockoff costs around $130. If you want to pay more than 10 times the cost of the item to support a grossly overpriced small plastic and metal heater, go ahead. I'm giving my money to the Chinese. Hard work + cheap price = smart business model. Winner is the Cheap + Good.
I bought that Chinese knock off because of a review I saw on-line from a guy in Ireland. I have had it hooked up in my shop all winter. My shop is a poorly insulated building in the interior of Alaska. The heater works like a champ. Heats my shop for about 3 gallons a week. Not bad for $189. It was either that or $1,800 for a Toyo stove.
I purchased the Chinese one off Ebay, and I was VERY impressed on the Quality and performance! I have been using it for several months and the diesel use is Very small and extremely safe. I first used a CO Detector and results were absolute "0" unless you open the side door where the exhaust is and it is Exactly same as Espar exhaust.
Thanks for showing. Now we know what not to buy, ! By the way gasoline is not always meaning gasoline.. it’s often mixed up.. world wide. Use the words ...Benzine, diesel...skip on petrol and gasoline...if you talk to China Gasoline is like gasoil. What is diesel or similar..
@Euangelion Transit ikr, he apparently got a diesel one and seems to work fairly well even after changing the gas out. $60 bucks and free shipping works for me, I'm checking the all in one units, even simpler.
I've run a Chinese diesel heater for a few years now and it has been great from the unboxing. I also use Chinese chainsaw parts with no problems. We all must understand most of what we purchase is made of part made in China or the far East. Like anything, always make sure it's a reputable dealer, read about the product, look at the forums, buy the spares you require.
It's E - bear - spack- err but your Espar is better. Gonna use that from now on. Thanks for the comparison. Anyone heard of one exploding or gassing anyone ? I fitted my D2 outside the van with the manufacturers box housing. Would do the same with one of these. Doesn't take up valuable inside volume that way and keeps all the fuel, combustion, exhaust and possible shrapnel outdoors ! I agree with the person who said you're a good sport dealing with the iffy comments - an example to us all mate. Happy travels everyone. John
Diesel I could see with no problem but when he said gasoline my first thought was that it sounded like a bomb. But then I have a small collection of old brass gasoline torches...
EDIT: the thing worked great for 3 weeks and then broke permanently dude to *crappy* wiring. DON'T BUY THE KNOCK-OFF HEATERS, THEY'LL BREAK AND CANNOT BE FIXED. i paid $160, including shipping for an 8kw chinese diesel heater (included 5l tank), and i've been running it for almost 2 weeks now and *I LOVE IT!!!* just finished-up my first 5l fill-up of the tank, and it has been effortlessly keeping my tiny home built in a box truck a _very_ comfortable 75-80 degrees in 20-30 degrees weather. i couldn't be happier.
There are no chinese 8kw diesel heaters, youve been misslead like the rest of the people that think they have an 8kw unit, its just marketing thats all, checkout David Mcluckie on you tube he tests a 5kw and a so called 8kw and they are both identical in terms of fuel consumption and output.
A much needed in depth review! Very glad to see this. Long overdue. Several TH-cam Vanners bought the Chinese model and liked it very much. Chinese model at $130 is 10 times less expensive than Webasto or Espar at $1500. Truma Combi ranges $1800 - $2100!!! Ridiculous! And Truma did not sell direct to you. You had to pay the hefty dealer overhead, which doubled the price. Yes, the German ones are the best, but at what price? This is not a computer. This is a heater. If it heats, and can be operated safely, its a no-brainer. I will never support extortionary prices. I'm so glad the Chinese sellt these heaters so cheap. Might make Truma and others think about realistic pricing and eliminating middle men. Well done on taking it apart. I loved your review!! Make more of these videos please! This area needs to to be explored further.
@@Ezrider359 Yes, I agree. RV owners are ripped off blind because they think they have a corner on the market and also that we are rich. Wrong on both counts.
I've used a chinese one for years in my old reefer I put living quarters in. They now make a espar knockoff which is the same size as the old espar. I plan on ordering one for my truck because I think espar sources their parts from the same factory selling them directly from china now. for 200 bucks instead of $1200 from espar....
Thank you. I have been looking at one of these for a small off the grid guest cabin. Seeing as it will not be subject to the boat/motor vehicle environment I think the Chinese one will work great.i might even build an intake box with a furnace filter to keep any dirt off the heat exchanger. The cabin is only about 100 sqft, but it has R19 in walls and floor and R 50 in the ceiling. I had a small wood stove in it but it was too much heat even at -20F.
The diesel heater you bought (39cm) is actually a 5kw heater, rated 1-5kw by the manufacturer (sold as 2kw, 3kw, 5kw and 8kw). It's limited to 2kw by the ECU only. Luckily for you, the controller that came with your unit is able to change those settings (fan speed and fuel pump Hz). You can buy a Chinese unit that is the same size as your D2. They are rated 1-2kw and are only 32.5cm in length. As you say, they are not rated for applications involving water (some people have put them in plastic toolboxes to keep the water out), but other than that they are awesome pieces of kit for the money.
Hi Lee, so does that actually mean the 8KW is only 5KW or does the ECU give more fuel and pump out 8KW of heat. I'm looking to replace my older 2KW Eber on the boat and just want a lot more heat when anchoring or even when just in the marina. Cheers mate!
@@rocket685 The 8kW heater is highly doubted (a.k.a. marketing wank!). The unit is identical to the 5kW (inc. the controller), so you can buy a 5kw, max out the fuel frequency (Hz) and there will be no differences. It it still believed to be a 5kw heater.
How well do these work? I was thinking of using one in a trailer build with a RoofTop Tent where the heat will be tubed to the RTT. How much does it use per hour in fuel?
@@DRTMaverick join the "Chinese Diesel vehicle air heaters" group on Facebook. They will answer all of your questions. FWIW, I'm really pleased with mine.
Thanks for the review. It's interesting to see what they look like on the inside. I have a Volkswagen with a gas heater. Made by Espar... and it has a glow-spark plug. Plus the whole unit is different than these. But still working after 45+ years.
To improve rigidity and moisture issue of the circuit when painted with epoxy resin, this will seal and hold in place components and insulate circuit board
@@kmjsuperfly1 and Rehoboth Farm Here is a little knowledge for you. WHAT IS A DIESEL HEATERS & HOW DOES IT WORK? Diesel Heaters are designed to provide instant heat to the interior of your cars, vans, trucks, motor-homes, sailboats, powerboats or yachts. In a diesel air heater, the air for the heater’s internal combustion process is drawn from an external intake pipe. It is then passed into the heater’s combustion chamber where it is mixed with the diesel and automatically ignited to heat up the large surface area of a heat exchanger. An internal blower will then draw cool air from the cabin past the heat exchanger. There it is heated and blown back into the cabin. The combustion exhaust gas is vented outside through an exhaust pipe. In diesel engines the fuel is put under pressure until it explodes, unlike a gas engine which requires a spark/fire to ignite the fuel. These types of HEATER are indeed Internal Combustion ENGINES, not just fuel burning of elements. All you need to do is listen to them to hear it spinning up to speed to know this.
@Mr Sunshines is correct, many like dodges, use a heating element on the front of intake,,air is heated near the intake,,so compression causes the ignition,,(I do prefer glow plugs myself) also I have seen glow plugs modded into gas engines for very extreme cold,,and on aircraft and rc models,, there is alse the old multifuel I5 military motors,,which could run on gas, diesel or kerosene,,, but each to their own
1/3 the price is conservative! they're closer to 1/8 the price! The exhaust tubing and transom fitting I need ( going in a boat) cost more than the whole chinese heater did!
yeah 1/3rd was a pretty conservative estimate if you take the Chinese heater from the highest end of the price range and the espar from the lowest you can find even then 1/3rd is still Conservative.
Yup, I recently got a 5kw model from ebay for $75 shipped and got it in few days. Set it up and got it running in a hr. I can't believe how cheap they can sell it consider shipping for the package is about $20-25, ebay/paypal fee and their whole sale cost for the heater.
ok i feel i have addressed this comment way to many times now. this heater was sold as a gasoline heater there was a option between gasoline or diesel, it says its a gasoline heater, it does not run properly on gasoline, it does work on diesel. i will no longer be responding to comments on this unless you have something of value to add to the conversation
@@gardenweld this has been discussed many times in the comments already, im going to copy and paste someone elses reply that has tons of very good information on the subject if you care to learn. Andrew Snow 3 days ago @Ezrider92356 When the Chinese company offered two versions, you were obviously correct to think the "gasoline" one would operate on gasoline. Especially since both Both Espar and Webasto sell gasoline/petrol heaters: www.eberspaecher-na.com/fileadmin/data/countrysites/EB_Kanada/pdf/EB_B1LC_Spec_WEB_READY_01_26_15.pdf www.webasto-comfort.com/en-us/heating-solutions/light-medium-duty-work-vehicles/air-heaters/ I couldn't find anything on the Espar heaters. But, on the Webasto it appears the gasoline and diesel heaters of the same model have at least different electronics and different burners. On the smaller 2000 STC many more of the parts are different between the gasoline and diesel version. It seems unlikely, but maybe you could get the seller of the heater you got to send you the parts that would make it run properly on gasoline (if they ever even made such parts). techwebasto.com/documentation/marine/fcfprods/heat/at-2000-stc.html?download=2334:at-2000-stc-parts-listing techwebasto.com/component/docindexer/?task=download&id=3977
@@gardenweld basically comes down to there is no reason not to use a glowpin with gasoline in this application. flash point of gasoline is much lower than that of diesel fuel so if the glow pin will light diesel then it will light gasoline.
@@michaelhite1433 its still not a engine, it does not need a precisely timed ignition point in a cycle. diesels do this by not injecting fuel till you want ignition. where in a gas engine the fuel and air are both in the chamber prior to ignition. hints why you cant use a glow plug in a gasoline engine, however the auto ignition temperature of gasoline is lower than that of diesel so a glow plug will work just fine to light the gasoline. witch is also confirmed by the fact that both espar and planar also use glow plugs in there GASOLINE versions of there heaters. if this was a propane heater you would not be able to use a glowplug and that argument would be valid.
heater starts on a glow plug, it runs on fuel, the glow plug shuts off after the fuel starts to burn continuesle. then just fuel and air are feed to the burner.
I would have figured that as soon as you saw a "Glow Plug" in your Chinese unit you would have realized it was, in fact, a diesel. I bought a diesel unit for my gas van. I mounted the tank inside the van. I don't smell any fumes from the diesel. Since this is only used in the winter the fuel oil will never get warm enough to become volatile. Diesel needs to get up to a certain temp before it is like Gasoline. I would also like to add that I have never seen a gas heater that uses a glow plug. Perhaps a spark igniter, or a pilot flame, but never a glow plug.
it's not a "Glow Plug". It is an igniter. Just spraying Diesel or Gasoline into a chamber doesn't make it burn. You need an igniter to get it started. Same as your Natural Gas furnace at home.
espar.heaters. start having problems after 2years... last winter I had to have my ..pto blower on to keep truck running for heat..after that company still didn't change settings on truck 4 that auto shut down. ...26 degrees or colder..it's hit or miss with it..... ......good video keep em coming. ..
I really appreciated your taking both heaters apart, esp showing the sloppy inside of the Chinese vs. Additionally, I would NEVER EVER use a gas heater for a living space. Dad was a diesel mechanic + everything else. If it ran, he could make it work better. My husband was also a diesel mechanic - both worked on humongous open pit mining rigs + anything else. He's almost retired from his second career, now. For someone like me who never learned those skills, the knowledge of which one is built w all the bells & whistles, makes a huge difference. Thanks a bunch.
An easy fix for the exposed electronics is to remove them from the enclosure and put proper connectors, then a dab of silicone to keep things from flapping about. Not that big of a deal.
Right on! Been waiting on a side by side since I’m thinking about jamming one of these two in my camper conversion. Glad to see it’s from a blue collared guy, not a vanlife goof
I had an espar that broke after 2 years and the part needed cost nearly £200. I bought a Chinese instead ordered from China for £340. 3 years on and still running fine. The same part that cost nearly £200 for espar is £40 for the Chinese. These days you can get the Chinese one for £120 and espar £700. Do the math
where are you buying your replacement parts for your Chinese unit at? as far as my maintenance costs on my espar going on about 4 years all its really needed so far is a to be cleaned a few times and a few atomizer screens. but yeah there is a few replacement parts on the espar that costs as much as a china unit but iv had no issues with those parts so far.
@@Ezrider359 I haven't bought anything yet because it still works faultlessly after 3 years. You can buy parts from Aliexpress. I'm not saying Espar is bad but highly overpriced. I can run my China heater for 9 hours on 1L diesel and consume 0.8 -1AH. That was tested when we had -6C outside.
One thing to consider is when and where the unit fails. Whether it's a heater or chainsaw, it'll never fail when you're not using it. If you're far from home and in frigid conditions when your heater fails, it'll make for miserable times. This also assumes it doesn't fail in a manner that gasses you or explodes. Safety and reliability have a value and price as well as the basic bottom line purchase price. One last thing that chaps me. There's a reason why high quality items are getting harder and harder to find, because they have to compete against cheap low quality knock off's. Buying junk negatively affects the market in general.
Great video!!! You saved me a headache later. I'm going to mount this style heater on a high top pickup topper to dry my off road gear over night in the bed of my truck and building a water tank the air will go thru to warm for a portable shower. Then I'm building a frame system for a canvas tent that goes on my flat bed trailer and will pipe the heat to the tent during winter snowmobiling trips. I thought I'd build a gas cap with the fuel line so I could just drop it in the truck tank. Your video help me decide to spend the money on a good one.
A great comparassion video lot to be said for buying original products and cheap knockoffs which can be clearly seen once you stripped down the 2 units not a lot of good when your stuck in a North American winter ive used espar heaters in trucks back in ireland and never had any problems .
To me if its Petrol it would have a spark plug. If it's got a glow,heater plug it's Parrafin or Diesel. My operating booklet was missprinted and said petrol but advertised Diesel. Cheers from George and Jane in the UK
informative video. we are looking to buying the diesel heaters for our buses. I was not aware of a petrol (gasoline) version. But here in the UK, we can get agricultural diesel aka red diesel which is much cheaper than road fuel as there is little government tax on it. Our vehicles run on Diesel too as diesel is much better than petrol in commercial vehicles
Here’s a funny, I’m a manufacture of American goods ,(machine shop) I bought a wabasto 5kw diesel installed it in a truck conversion work for a full trouble free 2 months! Bought 2 Russian built clones installed them in a trailer never missed a beat in 3 years ( winters) sat with fuel in them over summer just like you shouldn’t do they just work. Bought one China one installed in rear of conversion so far it works great too! The wabasto has been tuned up , serviced and still is a in reliable pos. Going to replace it with a chineseum price of crap soon. Just because it’s not made in the us don’t mean crap anymore. Let the haters hate
Well done comparison. thanks. One possible explanation for size difference is that Diesel has about 10 percent higher energy density by mass than petrol requiring a slightly larger combustion chamber.
Advertised specs on the unit were fraudulent. It's a 4-5kw diesel unit. That explation would make perfect sense though if the unit would actually function properly on gasoline
I'm not an expert, but I would expect a spark style ignition to be able to run gasoline. The torpedo style heaters for kerosene use a spark igniter, atomizing spray nozzle, and flash plate similar to the diesel heater.
I had a espar heater in two trucks I ran during Montana and North Dakota winters. They worked great. Never forget it on while the truck is running. The thing will smoke like it’s broken or breaking. No experience with made in china junk. I try and avoid all made in china junk Period. End of story.
Tell you what comparison I would like to see. The output temperature and airflow of each. Could be crudely compared by passing the output from each, into a pipe of the same size and seeing how far they can blow a vertically hanging sheet of card of paper. Bet the chinese blows harder and hotter given the size difference, whatever the rating says on the sticker. The quality differences are not significantly concerning. The electrics are easier to view and repair, and the unit could be replaced several times over for cost of the D2.
A clear tube with a ping pong ball is a more uniform air flow test if the tube is too small the ping pong ball will shoot out but it can be a larger tube or a weighted ball to adjust the height the ball hovers at a certain airflow. other shapes work as well. Alternatively a pressure indicator using a loop of water to measure the differential column heights one end open to the ambient pressure and the other penetrating into the flow of the higher pressure air.
Thank u for a good review. Just bought one of these for my caravan and was wondering just wat I’d bought! Now I know thanks to u. Greetings from Australia. Cheers
My buddies installs these he said they mislabeled some units but didn't say anything for fear of being banned in North america.thank God you didn't go being bang boom!
Haha, as soon as I saw the glow plug, I suspected. Maybe the Chinese toddler that does the labels didn’t know there was a difference! Lol Personally, I would be afraid to use a gasoline heater. Had too many near death experiences with gasoline. Diesel stinks a bit, but it’s safe. Good video, glad to see this comparison done. I have a Webasto in my rig, but I would try the knockoff in my camper just on price alone. $1000 goes a long way in service and repair lol
Thank you so much. Your videos are clearly presented, well planned, and accurately edited (no time wasted). I have been looking at a fuel-burning heater system for my RV, so I very much appreciate your time and effort on this. I am still baffled, though. Everything about the chinesium (i.e. junk) heater just screams cheap shit. I am firmly of the opinion that quality is always the least expensive and cheap is always the most costly and that's confusing in this. A poster clearly states that he's had lots of experience installing and using the Chinese models and they perform OK, don't need more maintenance than the Espar, and don't set fire to the things they're supposed to be heating. I suppose that maybe with the price difference, that makes it logical to consider using them. But they sure look like raggedy assed cheap crap. Maybe the good way to go would be to buy two of the smaller Chinese models instead of a larger Espar. When one of the Chinese models goes bad (poor wiring, crappy bearings, worn fuel management components, etc.), I'd still have the other one. But IME, trying to get product service or warranty on chinesium is a total waste - you can forget it. So if you buy one, and it craps out because it's crap, you've thrown your money out the window. Also, there is no excuse for a product to be labeled "Fuel - Gasoline" when it will not run properly on gasoline. "Gasoline" isn't "whatever you want to call it"; it's a product that made to exacting standards published by API, ASTM, and similar technical agencies. (Also, it's a "spirit", because of it's evaporation characteristics, not an "oil" like diesel fuel.) If it's labeled "gasoline" and sold in N. America, it should be capable of running safely and efficiently on gasoline fuel sold here. There is no question about this. It was just wrong (and probably dangerous from a product liability standpoint to the seller, if not technically illegal) for this product to be sold with a "Fuel - Gasoline" label.
I think ... the bubbles in the gasoline flow is being caused by the in-line diaphragm pump. These bubbles are definitely the cause for the surge or sputter. The suction side of the pump is a low enough pressure that it "boiles" the gas inside the pump chamber introducing gas vapor bubbles in the flow. This is the same thing as "cavitation" that happens inside impeller pumps. Diesel fuel only does this at a much lower vacuum pressure. If the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber these vapor bubbles cause a change in fuel/air mix. One possible solution MAY be to put an inline fuel filter after the pump - a large diameter one. The flow through these filters traps vapor bubbles which tend to condense back into liquid fuel in the top of the filter housing, but in any case it will prevent the bubbles from entering the injector. Mounting the pump closer to the fuel tank with a shorter and larger diameter intake line or making sure the fuel level is higher than the pump may also reduce the bubbles. P.S. In spite of all the comments, the controller most likely regulates fuel flow based on exhaust heat. It shouldn't matter what fuel you use; kerosene, JP-5, diesel, or gasoline. The combustion chamber does NOT depend on compression of the fuel/air. The difference in the two "types" of burner is most likely the glow plug temperature and seal material in the injection regulator - possibly a smaller injector.
Great job going to the trouble of pulling both to pieces! From my personal experience buying from chinese sellers, item ratings are often exaggerated or plain lies just to make a sale. Thanks for the video!
Now (december 2019) there is a version of the same OrangeDeviceGood which is capable of heating water to heat engine blocks, water tanks and the like....
a lot of people have a small bit of information(gas engines use spark plugs diesel engines uses glow plugs) all of a sudden think they know everything.....lol of course those same people would probably have there mind blown if they found out a diesel engine does not need a glow plug to run.
Not sure what brand this one is but I bought a ‘Snugger’ brand off Amazon for my old truck for $800. I used and abused it up here in ND for over a year without issue. I was more than happy with it, the truck is gone now but the heater was still working great when the truck left. For half the price of name brand, it paid for itself in a few months. I ran it almost every weekend to keep the cab warm in the winter and it held up well. Totally worth it!
You can find new espar heaters on eBay for around 800 if you want to wait for it to ship from another country. Not familiar with snugger but the Chinese knock offs sold under a few different names like in this video can be had for a couple hundred
Hey EZ...Nice job with your comparison...I wasn't expecting such an In Depth job ! Good stuff ! Sorry they managed to send you the wrong product ! Liked/Subscribed from Retired Trucker !
The difference is size is how China gets around intellectual property rights. That way when the manufacturer sues the China company the government will say they are not the same and throw the lawsuit out.
Thanks for the comparison. I did not know that there were issues in translation of fuel types from Chinese to English. I learned something new that I will need to keep in mind.
Vernon Edwards There are problems translating from English to American English- Gas here in the U.K. Means LPG, and nobody uses the term gasoline. We buy diesel from a petrol station, all very confusing to American visitors I'm sure! It's little wonder therefore that the Chinese translators don't get it right either.
thanks, but no it clearly says gasoline not gas, i paid more for this heater as it was supposed to be able to run on gasoline. if you go back in the video to any of the times i show the label it says "fuel- gasoline" nothing lost in translation, maybe the wrong labels were applied and they sold me a diesel version by mistake. but this heater specifically was supposed to be able to run on gasoline. not gas oil or diesel ect.
ill also add it was a selection when i ordered it to order a gasoline type or a diesel type heater, witch again should help clear up that there was no confusion in translation on the fuel type. i chose to buy a gasoline type heater, it does not run properly on gasoline but it works properly on diesel. so i guess i will be running it on diesel. but there is no confusion that this heater was suppose to operate on gasoline. the only possible confusion would be if the wrong part number/label was applied at the factory.
Thanks for the info , never came across one that runs on Petrol was looking myself for one for my car, my van has diesel unit installed, I guess they just sent the wrong unit to you or as you said wrong sticker put on the unit at factory.
Like John Healy has mentioned above, these heaters are diesel heaters, it is a Chinese translation error you have here (not uncommon). Gasoil or gaziol is also the name given to diesel in a number of European countries.
Good Video - Thanks for pointing out that it is not marine grade. I am going to painstakingly seal up and change all the electrical connections. I am putting three of them in my bus
I've never heard of anyone running gasoline in one of these. I know some people have had some success with using it to thin out other oils. But, I'm not surprised it wouldn't run on straight gas.
I've had both Webasto's and Espar's. Both well designed, well made units. Sure, I've had some minor annoyances with them all, but they've always been something that I've not had a problem sleeping with while they ran. Those things from China, I don't think I could fall asleep and count on a knock-off to not gas my ass and poison me while I slept in the truck. Would I use a knock-off to heat up a workshop or a shed or something? Sure. Would I want to rely on one to keep me alive in a closed compartment like a sleeper, and not gas me, overheat, catch fire, etc.? NO. For that purpose, I'd stick with a name-brand, even if they are 3x (or more) the price.
Great now we have transheaters, they say they are gasoline but take them fancy coverings off and you get a diesel, seriously tho you saved me $$$ and maybe life.
So glad i watched this video Ive been trying to figure out these knock-off heaters a little better for a few weeks and you look closely at the descriptions of these heaters it says they run on "DIESEL GASOLINE" which obviously is very conflicting. I am starting to think that some sort of translation error being a chinese knockoff might be the culprit here. Great video I think this will answered a lot of people's questions with the misleading description on this heaters.
there basically wasn't anything that was advertised that was factual other than it being a heater...lol but i guess at 1/4 the cost we should just be happy if they work at all...lol
The Eberspacher and Webasto 2kw models are really quite expensive, whereas the excellent quality Planar 2kw model is much less and has a 2 year warranty. It can also be fitted with an ultra quiet fuel pump, Planar are the third largest manufacturer of these types of heaters and they make 98% of parts and components in house, including the software which runs the heaters! The size difference between your truck heater and the Chinese version is astonishing! For me, the size alone rules out the Chinese version as it's going to be built into a metal toolbox and fitted to the underside of the van as I don't like to hear the thing running.
Thanks for posting this; I'm planning to install a similar one in my truck either today or tomorrow. My guess is that if you figure out where the air is getting in to your fuel, you won't see the surging problem when running on gasoline.
Thanks for the great video. Makes it pretty clear that it would be better to just go with the diesel option. A useful piece of information would be if you could measure the heat output to compare with the difference. I have a hard time trusting a Chinese label for it's heat output if the fuel type isn't even correct.
Eberspächer (Espar) does make a gasoline-specific model but the diesel ones and that one are not interchangeable. Gasoline has less energy per liter than diesel and the heater has to work a little differently, most likely. They also soot up worse (the gasoline models), I believe.
Great comparison vid . Though here is a fact for you . The China heaters can be identified by the heat outlet . 60mm = 2000w / 75mm = 5-8000w . I have a 5kw and looks just like your China unit . Also the china unit can be tuned for petrol or diesel via the digital display.
Espars run with fuel lines running air bubbles in line did a short class with espar tech at kw factory I worked at 30 years part reason so you can tell fuel flow
Winter formulated gas which contains alcohol will boil at low temps causing the bubbles seen, try premium or add Seafoam fuel additive. The surge is from the bubbles.
I think its a vapour lock issue, the burner might also be a bit lean on gasoline. To reduce CO most burners are designed to run at an excess of air by about 5%.
The bubbles are causing the surge in the burn chamber. The bubbles are caused by cavitation inside the fuel pump. The impeller inside the pump is spinning too fast, and it is most likely designed for heavier viscosity fuels like diesel of kerosene. Have you tried using a cheap after market electric fuel pump to see if those bubbles disappear. If you do use a fuel pump, and you still get bubbles, it will continue to surge. If you don't have a fuel pump, you can still experiment by using gravity feed. Just make sure you have enough pressure by raising the tank about 10 feet above the heater. Prime the line and see if the surge goes away. You shouldn't have bubbles if the line comes from above and does not drop below the point of entry into the heater. Personally, I prefer diesel for heater fuel, it's less volatile and safer as a result. I hope this helps. Cheers from Winnipeg.
Agreed that the issue is cavitation however it's a pulse type pump and the pump is what meters the fuel so you can't just use a different pump long story short is the heater is not set up to run on gasoline as indicated
The none marine plugs and control bored isn't a problem if u install on the inside . I moved mine to the inside when I moved it to one camper to another so stays cleaner .
in a marine environment you have a lot of moisture/salt in the air as well as subject to a lot of vibration/motion ect. for use in a camper i think they will probably last quite a while.
hello. the heater does not run on a glow plug, its started with a glow plug, it runs on fuel and air. after continuous combustion starts glow plug shuts off and fuel and are continuesle feed to the burn. end of cycle. good-day. eye-wink. 👌 great video
Thanks for this, ive just today ordered one of these (diesel) it was either buy this of buy a used esbspacia from a friend, someone really put me off the esbspacia, saying his often seized up and had to regularly remove it often to sort it out! The one I was going to buy had been bench tested and had a new pump, but I thought a new Chinese might be better than a use Ebspacia, i was alos reminded that Ebspacia parts are really expensive too, Im new to these things so hope ive made a reasonable decision!
I appreciate your inquiring mind, your knowledge of what you are looking at and the time and energy you put into this comparison. In my case - since I'll be installing with no previous experience- I'll go with the sure thing. Tho I may change my mind when I see the price tag! Warm regards (hehe) Jennie
I knew someone that had a gas heater in a Volkswagen beetle back in the 1970's to keep the passengers from freezing. The method of operation was similar but I don't believe it was vented. If I recall correctly it used what looked like a spark plug with a long electrode that worked like an igniter. I believe that it had a continuous spark like an initiator in the fuel oil furnaces to keep the burner lit but I am not sure. By now they probably have made them vented if they still make them. That one ran on 6 volts. I don't know if later models went to 12 volts or if they still make them. You might check to see if they make an updated version for the heater and to see if it was large enough for your application. If they used them in buses it might be big enough.
I worked on VWs when these were fairly common. They did have 6V and 12V versions. The 411/412 models even had them from the factory, located under the rear seat. Common to see them today in equipment that does not have engine power, like a construction crane. They probably have gasoline or propane powered units that are still sold today.
yeah don't think the electronics in it would last in a commercial truck but its likely a good option for rv's and camper conversions and such where they wont see as much usage or road miles/vibration. then parts availability could be a issue as well seeing that even the better quality heaters require somewhat frequent servicing. i suppose time will tell on that, and i suppose at the price point when you have issues with it you could just chuck the thing in the garbage and replace it.
dumbfounded that it seems that no one seems to have a issue with the fact that even happened in the first place. should have never been sold as a gasoline fuel type heater if it does not function as such period. does not matter how or why.
the gasoline version was a different part number for the diesel version so one of two things happened. eater the wrong labels were applied to the wrong unit. or they did a 30 second test it didn't blow up and they said ok we can sell this same unit as a different fuel type. either way absolutely awful in terms of quality control that something ever be shipped/sold labled as a fuel type that it wont properly operate on.
Wikipedia isnt always right too.
It pays to double check.
Seeing the glow plug should have got you thinking..
@@TheDutchShepherd Bastiaan Oskam gasoline versions of the espar and Webasto heaters also use glow plugs. so even if it was a dead giveaway witch its not also how many people actually take something apart before they use it. so if its sold as a gasoline heater says its a gasoline heater it should work as a gasoline heater or it should be re-called and corrected. period.
its the fuel quality , the gas is actually fizzing like a coke . the winter formulation for gasoline will foam and fiz when it gets warm. I had the same issue siphoning gas from a gas can into my tractor. Clear hose with no leaks but I could see a constant stream of bubbles in the hose.
It’s a mislabel , there are other videos that address this
I thought all these types of heater were diesel heaters? Fair play to the OP it says GASOLINE!
This has got to be one of the best side by side reviews I've ever seen, really nice that you took each of them apart to compare the components
I've had my chinese heater for years still works like a charm. Just do a good job mounting it and prep the area well you won't have issues.
I got the same model. Using to heat a double garage. Its diesel. They're all diesel. Mine sits in a plastic storage unit outside the garage, so no vehicle vibration problems. It started as soon as the pump got the fuel up. If you have air bubbles, you either had a loose pipe or not properly immersed in the diesel. There was a tank & fuel fitting in the box I got. The are what I am using.
The Chinese unit funs every day keeping my shop at 18 deg cell, when its zero outside. Uses about 2 litres per workingg day. Very happy with mine so far. Have a nice day buddy!
thanks for sharing, air bubbles where only with gasoline, not with diesel.
Eberspacher do make petrol heaters i used to fit them
How long have you been running it? Wondering the life expectancy on these units
@@dude62478 only a few weeks, so far. I use my garage as a hobby shop for rather large model planes. I had to drill two 3 1/2 holes in the wall for the warm air. The combustion inlet & exhaust stay outside. When I use the system, I press the start button and take the dog for a walk in a local nature park. I come back, have some eats,. By then my shop is comfortable. The warm air circulates better than an electric heater. The power line isn't that strong, so the diesel option was a big help. So far no issues!
Diesel is oil and lubricates the pump. Gasoline is lean and actually degreases.
First time I've seen a comparison between the original and the knock off. Very interesting. Thanks.
Yes me too and I'm glad I purchased an Eberspacher.
This seems to be marked up as a petrol heater, but is actually a diesel one.
I guess the bottom line is you get what you pay for. It’s clear the Espar is the real deal and works as advertised and is clearly built to a superior standard. As someone commented prior, almost no one will disassemble before using and we are eternally grateful for you doing such a thing. How are you going to sleep at night with a Chinese knock-off with it’s clearly substandard build quality to keep you warm? I’d be scared shitless I’d wake up in flames. Hard to sleep at night with one eye open! A fellow may want to cut corners in many ways, heck we all want to save a buck or two when we can, but fire breathing devices and pacemakers is about where I’d draw the line. Thanks Ezra. I just love your videos. I’ve got a 379 EXHD Pete myself and I can’t tell you how many videos I’ve watched of yours and I felt your pain and suffering as I’ve been down that same path myself. Keep up the good work brother...big red is certainly looking fine!!
I have had lots of experience with the espar and the wabasto heaters that have been installed in european made equipment for many years, and without a doubt they are good heating units.
more recently I have gotten a lot of experience with the chinese knock off heater models.
NONE on them will dependably or safely run on what we know as gasoline, but only diesel and kerosene... diesel has the highest energy potential, so its the fuel of choice except in extreme cold environments where diesel has a gelling problem, then kerosene is commonly used...
the knock off heaters work well right out of the box, although a higher number of them need minor adjustments to run to peak efficiency. (espar and webasto are NOT immune to the same problems, but normally have better quality control before packaging).... but ALL things EVERYWHERE have a potential for problems.
I am personally familiar with many installations of the knock off units and have never seen a safety issue or a problem with the unit that couldnt be solved without additional expense (except where the installer damaged something)
of the problems I have seen, it it almost always due to the budget minded DIY'er who has very little clue as to what he is doing during the install, in which they would have the same issues attempting to install a $2000 dollar unit of any other brand..
once they are installed correctly, there is no difference in operation or dependability. they heat well with little power consumption.
as for the marine applications, they seem to work well and with longevity when thought is put into the location where they will be installed.
many boaters in this area use them without issues, and yet the owners who paid 5-10 times more for their espar or webasto bad choose to mouth the knockoffs without cause or reason, claiming they are not as safe.
with the experience I have gained in the past 40 years around these types of heaters, I challenge anyone to show any safety issues with the use of the knock off heaters when installed correctly, that are NOT present in the installation and use of an espar or webasto.....
I will agree the visual fit and finish inside the unit is not as refined, but then for the amount of money saved and the same results in the end, I will advocate the use of the knockoffs for anyone who is interested in saving money... and when installed correctly, it looks just as good or as ugly as the expensive brands, depending on your point of view...
Hi, any tips on install it properly or what issue could be fixed before the install? I'm thinking about getting one and seems to be pretty straight forward on the install. thanks
You may say the knock off Chinese ones are a better choice due to their price.
But let’s not forget the Chinese didn’t do the amount of engineering the Germans did.
If we keep buying Chinese knock offs we will regret as quality build stuff from the EU and US will vanish due to companies going south.
Price is not everything.
@@Mr.Riffian Or maybe the overpriced European heaters with drop in price to keep / gain customers.
I've had a Wabasto unit and it was a pain in the ass. Parts were expensive . No one locally had a clue about fixing them so I had to learn myself .
I now have two Chinese heaters and they work far better . Not without some problems , but easy to fix.
@@Mr.Riffian This appears to be an Illogical argument. Everyone borrows ideas from everyone else. After WWII, Japan furiously copied everything made in the West. Now, the Japanese cars are far better than American ones in ergonomics, fuel use, long lasting engines, pleasing decor, and price! It may interest you to know, that most 'German' and 'Swiss' goods are made in China but styled and engineered to German specs. One cannot compete with cheap Chinese labor vs costly European labor. So your Webasto and Espar are most likely completely manufactured in China, in the same shop that copied them under the Chinese label. Webasto/ Espar cost around $1500 + tax, Truma Combi costs around $3000, and the Chinese knockoff costs around $130. If you want to pay more than 10 times the cost of the item to support a grossly overpriced small plastic and metal heater, go ahead. I'm giving my money to the Chinese.
Hard work + cheap price = smart business model. Winner is the Cheap + Good.
Thank you for your honest opinion, it's hard to find reliable information about diesel heaters without a brand.
Wow! It’s great to someone who’s not afraid to tear into an item and show just how it’s made and break it down like you did. Great work!
I bought that Chinese knock off because of a review I saw on-line from a guy in Ireland. I have had it hooked up in my shop all winter. My shop is a poorly insulated building in the interior of Alaska. The heater works like a champ. Heats my shop for about 3 gallons a week. Not bad for $189. It was either that or $1,800 for a Toyo stove.
I purchased the Chinese one off Ebay, and I was VERY impressed on the Quality and performance! I have been using it for several months and the diesel use is Very small and extremely safe. I first used a CO Detector and results were absolute "0" unless you open the side door where the exhaust is and it is Exactly same as Espar exhaust.
Spokesman for chyna???
When you said you where gonna compare them, you where not joking lol you took them all apart that’s dedication. Thank you brother
Thanks for showing. Now we know what not to buy, !
By the way gasoline is not always meaning gasoline.. it’s often mixed up.. world wide.
Use the words ...Benzine, diesel...skip on petrol and gasoline...if you talk to China
Gasoline is like gasoil. What is diesel or similar..
Euangelion Transit I was thinking the same. Even if it only lasts 1 year I could buy a new one every year for 10 years and still save money
@Euangelion Transit ikr, he apparently got a diesel one and seems to work fairly well even after changing the gas out. $60 bucks and free shipping works for me, I'm checking the all in one units, even simpler.
I've run a Chinese diesel heater for a few years now and it has been great from the unboxing. I also use Chinese chainsaw parts with no problems. We all must understand most of what we purchase is made of part made in China or the far East. Like anything, always make sure it's a reputable dealer, read about the product, look at the forums, buy the spares you require.
I second that.
It's E - bear - spack- err but your Espar is better. Gonna use that from now on. Thanks for the comparison. Anyone heard of one exploding or gassing anyone ? I fitted my D2 outside the van with the manufacturers box housing. Would do the same with one of these. Doesn't take up valuable inside volume that way and keeps all the fuel, combustion, exhaust and possible shrapnel outdoors ! I agree with the person who said you're a good sport dealing with the iffy comments - an example to us all mate. Happy travels everyone. John
everyone i know calls them espar heaters Eberspächer is a mouthfull...lol
Diesel I could see with no problem but when he said gasoline my first thought was that it sounded like a bomb. But then I have a small collection of old brass gasoline torches...
EDIT: the thing worked great for 3 weeks and then broke permanently dude to *crappy* wiring. DON'T BUY THE KNOCK-OFF HEATERS, THEY'LL BREAK AND CANNOT BE FIXED.
i paid $160, including shipping for an 8kw chinese diesel heater (included 5l tank), and i've been running it for almost 2 weeks now and *I LOVE IT!!!* just finished-up my first 5l fill-up of the tank, and it has been effortlessly keeping my tiny home built in a box truck a _very_ comfortable 75-80 degrees in 20-30 degrees weather. i couldn't be happier.
There are no chinese 8kw diesel heaters, youve been misslead like the rest of the people that think they have an 8kw unit, its just marketing thats all, checkout David Mcluckie on you tube he tests a 5kw and a so called 8kw and they are both identical in terms of fuel consumption and output.
I can watch this guy all day don't watch sports anymore don't care for Hollywood this right here is a genius
A much needed in depth review! Very glad to see this. Long overdue.
Several TH-cam Vanners bought the Chinese model and liked it very much.
Chinese model at $130 is 10 times less expensive than Webasto or Espar at $1500. Truma Combi ranges $1800 - $2100!!! Ridiculous! And Truma did not sell direct to you. You had to pay the hefty dealer overhead, which doubled the price.
Yes, the German ones are the best, but at what price? This is not a computer. This is a heater. If it heats, and can be operated safely, its a no-brainer. I will never support extortionary prices. I'm so glad the Chinese sellt these heaters so cheap. Might make Truma and others think about realistic pricing and eliminating middle men.
Well done on taking it apart. I loved your review!! Make more of these videos please! This area needs to to be explored further.
you can find espar d2's around $800 usd even that is still expensive though. too much IMO for a recreational project.
@@Ezrider359 Yes, I agree. RV owners are ripped off blind because they think they have a corner on the market and also that we are rich. Wrong on both counts.
I've used a chinese one for years in my old reefer I put living quarters in.
They now make a espar knockoff which is the same size as the old espar. I plan on ordering one for my truck because I think espar sources their parts from the same factory selling them directly from china now. for 200 bucks instead of $1200 from espar....
Thank you. I have been looking at one of these for a small off the grid guest cabin. Seeing as it will not be subject to the boat/motor vehicle environment I think the Chinese one will work great.i might even build an intake box with a furnace filter to keep any dirt off the heat exchanger. The cabin is only about 100 sqft, but it has R19 in walls and floor and R 50 in the ceiling. I had a small wood stove in it but it was too much heat even at -20F.
The diesel heater you bought (39cm) is actually a 5kw heater, rated 1-5kw by the manufacturer (sold as 2kw, 3kw, 5kw and 8kw). It's limited to 2kw by the ECU only. Luckily for you, the controller that came with your unit is able to change those settings (fan speed and fuel pump Hz). You can buy a Chinese unit that is the same size as your D2. They are rated 1-2kw and are only 32.5cm in length. As you say, they are not rated for applications involving water (some people have put them in plastic toolboxes to keep the water out), but other than that they are awesome pieces of kit for the money.
Hi Lee, so does that actually mean the 8KW is only 5KW or does the ECU give more fuel and pump out 8KW of heat. I'm looking to replace my older 2KW Eber on the boat and just want a lot more heat when anchoring or even when just in the marina. Cheers mate!
@@rocket685 The 8kW heater is highly doubted (a.k.a. marketing wank!). The unit is identical to the 5kW (inc. the controller), so you can buy a 5kw, max out the fuel frequency (Hz) and there will be no differences. It it still believed to be a 5kw heater.
@@leejones9827 Understood, cheers Lee.
How well do these work? I was thinking of using one in a trailer build with a RoofTop Tent where the heat will be tubed to the RTT.
How much does it use per hour in fuel?
@@DRTMaverick join the "Chinese Diesel vehicle air heaters" group on Facebook. They will answer all of your questions. FWIW, I'm really pleased with mine.
Thanks for the review. It's interesting to see what they look like on the inside. I have a Volkswagen with a gas heater. Made by Espar...
and it has a glow-spark plug. Plus the whole unit is different than these. But still working after 45+ years.
To improve rigidity and moisture issue of the circuit when painted with epoxy resin, this will seal and hold in place components and insulate circuit board
the first clue should have been Glow Plug, Gas engine don't have them, Diesels does.
Ignore Chinese translation where is said Gasoline
These are not internal combustion engines they are heaters LOL. Both Esbar and Webasto have gasoline versions that work perfectly with glow plugs.
DERP it isn't an engine. It's a heater.
@@kmjsuperfly1 and Rehoboth Farm
Here is a little knowledge for you.
WHAT IS A DIESEL HEATERS & HOW DOES IT WORK?
Diesel Heaters are designed to provide instant heat to the interior of your cars, vans, trucks, motor-homes, sailboats, powerboats or yachts.
In a diesel air heater, the air for the heater’s internal combustion process is drawn from an external intake pipe. It is then passed into the heater’s combustion chamber where it is mixed with the diesel and automatically ignited to heat up the large surface area of a heat exchanger. An internal blower will then draw cool air from the cabin past the heat exchanger. There it is heated and blown back into the cabin. The combustion exhaust gas is vented outside through an exhaust pipe.
In diesel engines the fuel is put under pressure until it explodes, unlike a gas engine which requires a spark/fire to ignite the fuel.
These types of HEATER are indeed Internal Combustion ENGINES, not just fuel burning of elements.
All you need to do is listen to them to hear it spinning up to speed to know this.
@Mr Sunshines is correct, many like dodges, use a heating element on the front of intake,,air is heated near the intake,,so compression causes the ignition,,(I do prefer glow plugs myself) also I have seen glow plugs modded into gas engines for very extreme cold,,and on aircraft and rc models,, there is alse the old multifuel I5 military motors,,which could run on gas, diesel or kerosene,,, but each to their own
@@jquest43 that was a little harsh, don't you think?
1/3 the price is conservative! they're closer to 1/8 the price! The exhaust tubing and transom fitting I need ( going in a boat) cost more than the whole chinese heater did!
yeah 1/3rd was a pretty conservative estimate if you take the Chinese heater from the highest end of the price range and the espar from the lowest you can find even then 1/3rd is still Conservative.
Yup, I recently got a 5kw model from ebay for $75 shipped and got it in few days. Set it up and got it running in a hr. I can't believe how cheap they can sell it consider shipping for the package is about $20-25, ebay/paypal fee and their whole sale cost for the heater.
If the boat is subject to a UK boat safety certificate then the plastic fuel line is forbidden. Needs to be changed to a metal tube.
ok i feel i have addressed this comment way to many times now. this heater was sold as a gasoline heater there was a option between gasoline or diesel, it says its a gasoline heater, it does not run properly on gasoline, it does work on diesel. i will no longer be responding to comments on this unless you have something of value to add to the conversation
it was sold to run on gasoline, it works on diesel, the design wont allow it to run on propane.
@@gardenweld this has been discussed many times in the comments already, im going to copy and paste someone elses reply that has tons of very good information on the subject if you care to learn.
Andrew Snow
3 days ago
@Ezrider92356 When the Chinese company offered two versions, you were obviously correct to think the "gasoline" one would operate on gasoline. Especially since both Both Espar and Webasto sell gasoline/petrol heaters:
www.eberspaecher-na.com/fileadmin/data/countrysites/EB_Kanada/pdf/EB_B1LC_Spec_WEB_READY_01_26_15.pdf
www.webasto-comfort.com/en-us/heating-solutions/light-medium-duty-work-vehicles/air-heaters/
I couldn't find anything on the Espar heaters. But, on the Webasto it appears the gasoline and diesel heaters of the same model have at least different electronics and different burners. On the smaller 2000 STC many more of the parts are different between the gasoline and diesel version.
It seems unlikely, but maybe you could get the seller of the heater you got to send you the parts that would make it run properly on gasoline (if they ever even made such parts).
techwebasto.com/documentation/marine/fcfprods/heat/at-2000-stc.html?download=2334:at-2000-stc-parts-listing
techwebasto.com/component/docindexer/?task=download&id=3977
@@gardenweld basically comes down to there is no reason not to use a glowpin with gasoline in this application. flash point of gasoline is much lower than that of diesel fuel so if the glow pin will light diesel then it will light gasoline.
die warlock nitro rc fuel is not gasoline, it is nitromethane and oil. So it is more like diesel than gasoline.
@@michaelhite1433 its still not a engine, it does not need a precisely timed ignition point in a cycle. diesels do this by not injecting fuel till you want ignition. where in a gas engine the fuel and air are both in the chamber prior to ignition. hints why you cant use a glow plug in a gasoline engine, however the auto ignition temperature of gasoline is lower than that of diesel so a glow plug will work just fine to light the gasoline. witch is also confirmed by the fact that both espar and planar also use glow plugs in there GASOLINE versions of there heaters. if this was a propane heater you would not be able to use a glowplug and that argument would be valid.
Glow plug heaters run on deisel I’ve got two installed works very well I recommend them 👍👍👍😬
heater starts on a glow plug, it runs on fuel, the glow plug shuts off after the fuel starts to burn continuesle. then just fuel and air are feed to the burner.
james woodhams how long have you been running yours? I’m curious on the longevity of them running without problems or just flat breaking down
I would have figured that as soon as you saw a "Glow Plug" in your Chinese unit you would have realized it was, in fact, a diesel.
I bought a diesel unit for my gas van. I mounted the tank inside the van. I don't smell any fumes from the diesel. Since this is only used in the winter the fuel oil will never get warm enough to become volatile. Diesel needs to get up to a certain temp before it is like Gasoline.
I would also like to add that I have never seen a gas heater that uses a glow plug. Perhaps a spark igniter, or a pilot flame, but never a glow plug.
it's not a "Glow Plug". It is an igniter. Just spraying Diesel or Gasoline into a chamber doesn't make it burn. You need an igniter to get it started. Same as your Natural Gas furnace at home.
Nice one - a no bs review - very rare these days, thanks.
espar.heaters. start having problems after 2years...
last winter I had to have my ..pto blower on to keep truck running for heat..after that company still didn't change settings on truck 4 that auto shut down. ...26 degrees or colder..it's hit or miss with it.....
......good video keep em coming. ..
After about 2 years they need to be completely taken apart and have all the carbon cleaned out
I really appreciated your taking both heaters apart, esp showing the sloppy inside of the Chinese vs.
Additionally, I would NEVER EVER use a gas heater for a living space. Dad was a diesel mechanic + everything else. If it ran, he could make it work better.
My husband was also a diesel mechanic - both worked on humongous open pit mining rigs + anything else. He's almost retired from his second career, now.
For someone like me who never learned those skills, the knowledge of which one is built w all the bells & whistles, makes a huge difference. Thanks a bunch.
An easy fix for the exposed electronics is to remove them from the enclosure and put proper connectors, then a dab of silicone to keep things from flapping about. Not that big of a deal.
Right on! Been waiting on a side by side since I’m thinking about jamming one of these two in my camper conversion. Glad to see it’s from a blue collared guy, not a vanlife goof
lol, glad you enjoyed the video 👍
I had an espar that broke after 2 years and the part needed cost nearly £200. I bought a Chinese instead ordered from China for £340. 3 years on and still running fine. The same part that cost nearly £200 for espar is £40 for the Chinese. These days you can get the Chinese one for £120 and espar £700. Do the math
where are you buying your replacement parts for your Chinese unit at? as far as my maintenance costs on my espar going on about 4 years all its really needed so far is a to be cleaned a few times and a few atomizer screens. but yeah there is a few replacement parts on the espar that costs as much as a china unit but iv had no issues with those parts so far.
@@Ezrider359 I haven't bought anything yet because it still works faultlessly after 3 years. You can buy parts from Aliexpress. I'm not saying Espar is bad but highly overpriced. I can run my China heater for 9 hours on 1L diesel and consume 0.8 -1AH. That was tested when we had -6C outside.
One thing to consider is when and where the unit fails. Whether it's a heater or chainsaw, it'll never fail when you're not using it. If you're far from home and in frigid conditions when your heater fails, it'll make for miserable times. This also assumes it doesn't fail in a manner that gasses you or explodes. Safety and reliability have a value and price as well as the basic bottom line purchase price. One last thing that chaps me. There's a reason why high quality items are getting harder and harder to find, because they have to compete against cheap low quality knock off's. Buying junk negatively affects the market in general.
Great video!!! You saved me a headache later.
I'm going to mount this style heater on a high top pickup topper to dry my off road gear over night in the bed of my truck and building a water tank the air will go thru to warm for a portable shower. Then I'm building a frame system for a canvas tent that goes on my flat bed trailer and will pipe the heat to the tent during winter snowmobiling trips.
I thought I'd build a gas cap with the fuel line so I could just drop it in the truck tank.
Your video help me decide to spend the money on a good one.
sounds like a cool project.
Its actually a 5kw unit with a 2kw label on it !!
Maybe it just identifies itself as a Gasoline heater even though its Diesel. lol.
Lol
🤣🤣
Chocolatefingerprints, transpetrol? 🤔
A great comparassion video lot to be said for buying original products and cheap knockoffs which can be clearly seen once you stripped down the 2 units not a lot of good when your stuck in a North American winter ive used espar heaters in trucks back in ireland and never had any problems .
To me if its Petrol it would have a spark plug. If it's got a glow,heater plug it's Parrafin or Diesel. My operating booklet was missprinted and said petrol but advertised Diesel. Cheers from George and Jane in the UK
my uncle was a truck driver back in the old days, they used a coffee can with sand in it and light candles to heat the cab
Here in England the semi trucks have a diesel heater fitted as standard by law. this is so the driver does not use the truck engine to heat the cab.
informative video. we are looking to buying the diesel heaters for our buses. I was not aware of a petrol (gasoline) version. But here in the UK, we can get agricultural diesel aka red diesel which is much cheaper than road fuel as there is little government tax on it. Our vehicles run on Diesel too as diesel is much better than petrol in commercial vehicles
Here’s a funny, I’m a manufacture of American goods ,(machine shop) I bought a wabasto 5kw diesel installed it in a truck conversion work for a full trouble free 2 months!
Bought 2 Russian built clones installed them in a trailer never missed a beat in 3 years ( winters) sat with fuel in them over summer just like you shouldn’t do they just work. Bought one China one installed in rear of conversion so far it works great too! The wabasto has been tuned up , serviced and still is a in reliable pos. Going to replace it with a chineseum price of crap soon.
Just because it’s not made in the us don’t mean crap anymore. Let the haters hate
Well done comparison. thanks. One possible explanation for size difference is that Diesel has about 10 percent higher energy density by mass than petrol requiring a slightly larger combustion chamber.
Advertised specs on the unit were fraudulent. It's a 4-5kw diesel unit. That explation would make perfect sense though if the unit would actually function properly on gasoline
I'm not an expert, but I would expect a spark style ignition to be able to run gasoline. The torpedo style heaters for kerosene use a spark igniter, atomizing spray nozzle, and flash plate similar to the diesel heater.
I had a espar heater in two trucks I ran during Montana and North Dakota winters. They worked great. Never forget it on while the truck is running. The thing will smoke like it’s broken or breaking.
No experience with made in china junk. I try and avoid all made in china junk Period. End of story.
Tell you what comparison I would like to see. The output temperature and airflow of each.
Could be crudely compared by passing the output from each, into a pipe of the same size and seeing how far they can blow a vertically hanging sheet of card of paper.
Bet the chinese blows harder and hotter given the size difference, whatever the rating says on the sticker.
The quality differences are not significantly concerning. The electrics are easier to view and repair, and the unit could be replaced several times over for cost of the D2.
A clear tube with a ping pong ball is a more uniform air flow test if the tube is too small the ping pong ball will shoot out but it can be a larger tube or a weighted ball to adjust the height the ball hovers at a certain airflow. other shapes work as well.
Alternatively a pressure indicator using a loop of water to measure the differential column heights one end open to the ambient pressure and the other penetrating into the flow of the higher pressure air.
That sticker can get someone blown the hell up!!
Thank u for a good review. Just bought one of these for my caravan and was wondering just wat I’d bought! Now I know thanks to u. Greetings from Australia. Cheers
i need one of these for the ice fishing shack ! for the price of these buy a couple then you have parts
My buddies installs these he said they mislabeled some units but didn't say anything for fear of being banned in North america.thank God you didn't go being bang boom!
Really good review thanks mate, I'm thinking of buying one and any info like this helps 👌
Haha, as soon as I saw the glow plug, I suspected. Maybe the Chinese toddler that does the labels didn’t know there was a difference! Lol
Personally, I would be afraid to use a gasoline heater. Had too many near death experiences with gasoline. Diesel stinks a bit, but it’s safe.
Good video, glad to see this comparison done. I have a Webasto in my rig, but I would try the knockoff in my camper just on price alone. $1000 goes a long way in service and repair lol
Thank you so much. Your videos are clearly presented, well planned, and accurately edited (no time wasted). I have been looking at a fuel-burning heater system for my RV, so I very much appreciate your time and effort on this.
I am still baffled, though. Everything about the chinesium (i.e. junk) heater just screams cheap shit. I am firmly of the opinion that quality is always the least expensive and cheap is always the most costly and that's confusing in this. A poster clearly states that he's had lots of experience installing and using the Chinese models and they perform OK, don't need more maintenance than the Espar, and don't set fire to the things they're supposed to be heating. I suppose that maybe with the price difference, that makes it logical to consider using them. But they sure look like raggedy assed cheap crap.
Maybe the good way to go would be to buy two of the smaller Chinese models instead of a larger Espar. When one of the Chinese models goes bad (poor wiring, crappy bearings, worn fuel management components, etc.), I'd still have the other one. But IME, trying to get product service or warranty on chinesium is a total waste - you can forget it. So if you buy one, and it craps out because it's crap, you've thrown your money out the window.
Also, there is no excuse for a product to be labeled "Fuel - Gasoline" when it will not run properly on gasoline. "Gasoline" isn't "whatever you want to call it"; it's a product that made to exacting standards published by API, ASTM, and similar technical agencies. (Also, it's a "spirit", because of it's evaporation characteristics, not an "oil" like diesel fuel.) If it's labeled "gasoline" and sold in N. America, it should be capable of running safely and efficiently on gasoline fuel sold here. There is no question about this. It was just wrong (and probably dangerous from a product liability standpoint to the seller, if not technically illegal) for this product to be sold with a "Fuel - Gasoline" label.
As son as I saw the glow plug at 6.30, a thought it had to be a diesel heater. Great comparison vid. Thanks.
I think ... the bubbles in the gasoline flow is being caused by the in-line diaphragm pump. These bubbles are definitely the cause for the surge or sputter. The suction side of the pump is a low enough pressure that it "boiles" the gas inside the pump chamber introducing gas vapor bubbles in the flow. This is the same thing as "cavitation" that happens inside impeller pumps. Diesel fuel only does this at a much lower vacuum pressure. If the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber these vapor bubbles cause a change in fuel/air mix. One possible solution MAY be to put an inline fuel filter after the pump - a large diameter one. The flow through these filters traps vapor bubbles which tend to condense back into liquid fuel in the top of the filter housing, but in any case it will prevent the bubbles from entering the injector. Mounting the pump closer to the fuel tank with a shorter and larger diameter intake line or making sure the fuel level is higher than the pump may also reduce the bubbles.
P.S. In spite of all the comments, the controller most likely regulates fuel flow based on exhaust heat. It shouldn't matter what fuel you use; kerosene, JP-5, diesel, or gasoline. The combustion chamber does NOT depend on compression of the fuel/air. The difference in the two "types" of burner is most likely the glow plug temperature and seal material in the injection regulator - possibly a smaller injector.
makes a lot of sense thank you for taking the time to leave this comment.
I thought you were suppose to have the output of the fuel pump pointed downward to make a slight p-trap, so the plunger don't suck air every cycle
Great job going to the trouble of pulling both to pieces! From my personal experience buying from chinese sellers, item ratings are often exaggerated or plain lies just to make a sale. Thanks for the video!
Now (december 2019) there is a version of the same OrangeDeviceGood which is capable of heating water to heat engine blocks, water tanks and the like....
I saw that the other day pretty cool 👍
Yes, 40 y ago I had on my BUG (VW) an Eberspacher heater on gas ( benzine / petrol) NOT diesel. It HAD a glow plug
a lot of people have a small bit of information(gas engines use spark plugs diesel engines uses glow plugs) all of a sudden think they know everything.....lol of course those same people would probably have there mind blown if they found out a diesel engine does not need a glow plug to run.
Not sure what brand this one is but I bought a ‘Snugger’ brand off Amazon for my old truck for $800. I used and abused it up here in ND for over a year without issue. I was more than happy with it, the truck is gone now but the heater was still working great when the truck left. For half the price of name brand, it paid for itself in a few months. I ran it almost every weekend to keep the cab warm in the winter and it held up well. Totally worth it!
You can find new espar heaters on eBay for around 800 if you want to wait for it to ship from another country. Not familiar with snugger but the Chinese knock offs sold under a few different names like in this video can be had for a couple hundred
Hey EZ...Nice job with your comparison...I wasn't expecting such an In Depth job ! Good stuff !
Sorry they managed to send you the wrong product !
Liked/Subscribed from Retired Trucker !
thank you, glad you enjoyed the video.
They didn't send the wrong item. Translation issue.
The difference is size is how China gets around intellectual property rights. That way when the manufacturer sues the China company the government will say they are not the same and throw the lawsuit out.
100% ..I hate their copies.
Thanks for the comparison. I did not know that there were issues in translation of fuel types from Chinese to English. I learned something new that I will need to keep in mind.
Vernon Edwards There are problems translating from English to American English- Gas here in the U.K. Means LPG, and nobody uses the term gasoline. We buy diesel from a petrol station, all very confusing to American visitors I'm sure! It's little wonder therefore that the Chinese translators don't get it right either.
It’s not gasoline, (ie ). Petrol. ITS gas oil = diesel, This is a. Translation mix up. don’t try to run this unit on Petrol ✋
thanks, but no it clearly says gasoline not gas, i paid more for this heater as it was supposed to be able to run on gasoline. if you go back in the video to any of the times i show the label it says "fuel- gasoline" nothing lost in translation, maybe the wrong labels were applied and they sold me a diesel version by mistake. but this heater specifically was supposed to be able to run on gasoline. not gas oil or diesel ect.
ill also add it was a selection when i ordered it to order a gasoline type or a diesel type heater, witch again should help clear up that there was no confusion in translation on the fuel type. i chose to buy a gasoline type heater, it does not run properly on gasoline but it works properly on diesel. so i guess i will be running it on diesel. but there is no confusion that this heater was suppose to operate on gasoline. the only possible confusion would be if the wrong part number/label was applied at the factory.
Thanks for the info , never came across one that runs on Petrol was looking myself for one for my car, my van has diesel unit installed, I guess they just sent the wrong unit to you or as you said wrong sticker put on the unit at factory.
@@johnhealy9231 yeah i dunno, when i go back to the one i bought says no longer available now?
Like John Healy has mentioned above, these heaters are diesel heaters, it is a Chinese translation error you have here (not uncommon). Gasoil or gaziol is also the name given to diesel in a number of European countries.
You are lucky to be alive. That fuel tubing is utter crap. Read the Espar install procedure, it is very specific and precise
Gasoline WOW, that could have ended badly!
Good Video - Thanks for pointing out that it is not marine grade. I am going to painstakingly seal up and change all the electrical connections. I am putting three of them in my bus
I've never heard of anyone running gasoline in one of these. I know some people have had some success with using it to thin out other oils. But, I'm not surprised it wouldn't run on straight gas.
Noise was a surprise. Very informative.
Thank you
I've had both Webasto's and Espar's. Both well designed, well made units. Sure, I've had some minor annoyances with them all, but they've always been something that I've not had a problem sleeping with while they ran. Those things from China, I don't think I could fall asleep and count on a knock-off to not gas my ass and poison me while I slept in the truck. Would I use a knock-off to heat up a workshop or a shed or something? Sure. Would I want to rely on one to keep me alive in a closed compartment like a sleeper, and not gas me, overheat, catch fire, etc.? NO. For that purpose, I'd stick with a name-brand, even if they are 3x (or more) the price.
Enjoyable video. Thanks so much. Damn the naysayers, full speed ahead!
I may be wrong ( 40 years ago ) but it looked more like a "glow" .. red hot when energized then spark ( high voltage discharge )between 2 electrodes.
Lemony Snickets, you got it working! Joking aside great video comparison. Thank you.
Wobasco was the first. Had on in my truck in 2003. Loved it. It even had a great ac unit.
Great now we have transheaters, they say they are gasoline but take them fancy coverings off and you get a diesel, seriously tho you saved me $$$ and maybe life.
So glad i watched this video Ive been trying to figure out these knock-off heaters a little better for a few weeks and you look closely at the descriptions of these heaters it says they run on "DIESEL GASOLINE" which obviously is very conflicting. I am starting to think that some sort of translation error being a chinese knockoff might be the culprit here. Great video I think this will answered a lot of people's questions with the misleading description on this heaters.
there basically wasn't anything that was advertised that was factual other than it being a heater...lol but i guess at 1/4 the cost we should just be happy if they work at all...lol
The Eberspacher and Webasto 2kw models are really quite expensive, whereas the excellent quality Planar 2kw model is much less and has a 2 year warranty.
It can also be fitted with an ultra quiet fuel pump,
Planar are the third largest manufacturer of these types of heaters and they make 98% of parts and components in house, including the software which runs the heaters!
The size difference between your truck heater and the Chinese version is astonishing!
For me, the size alone rules out the Chinese version as it's going to be built into a metal toolbox and fitted to the underside of the van as I don't like to hear the thing running.
Thanks for posting this; I'm planning to install a similar one in my truck either today or tomorrow.
My guess is that if you figure out where the air is getting in to your fuel, you won't see the surging problem when running on gasoline.
Nice video mate. I'm suprised at the size difference.
Nice video are you mad he’s lucky he didn’t blow himself up , it’s a diesel unit. Very Lucky man
Thanks for the great video. Makes it pretty clear that it would be better to just go with the diesel option. A useful piece of information would be if you could measure the heat output to compare with the difference. I have a hard time trusting a Chinese label for it's heat output if the fuel type isn't even correct.
the fuel type IS correct . depending in what country you are , gasoline is petrol in the UK ,But petrol is kerosene in France ect.
Paul S But this said it was a gasoline heater, when it runs on diesel- nowhere is diesel called gasoline.
really helpful to see them side by side. that control module needs more protection, i think.
i agree, thanks for watching
I never seen these run on gasoline
Eberspächer (Espar) does make a gasoline-specific model but the diesel ones and that one are not interchangeable. Gasoline has less energy per liter than diesel and the heater has to work a little differently, most likely. They also soot up worse (the gasoline models), I believe.
www.heatso.com/webasto-air-top-2000-stc-gasoline-petrol-12v-heater-kit/
@@CanadianTexaninLiguria sure for 1200 it should run on my piss
Liked your face reaction as well I find your video entertaining as well
Thanks for making this video, much appreciated 👍
Thanks for the side-by-side review...
just subscribed thanks for the great information from a fellow driver keep the shiny side up and greasy side down 10-4
Good job. Very thorough review. Excellent
Great comparison vid . Though here is a fact for you . The China heaters can be identified by the heat outlet . 60mm = 2000w / 75mm = 5-8000w . I have a 5kw and looks just like your China unit .
Also the china unit can be tuned for petrol or diesel via the digital display.
Espars run with fuel lines running air bubbles in line did a short class with espar tech at kw factory I worked at 30 years part reason so you can tell fuel flow
Winter formulated gas which contains alcohol will boil at low temps causing the bubbles seen, try premium or add Seafoam fuel additive. The surge is from the bubbles.
They are diesel heaters and work very well and is cheaper to run than my propane powered propex heater.
I think its a vapour lock issue, the burner might also be a bit lean on gasoline. To reduce CO most burners are designed to run at an excess of air by about 5%.
Don't forget you can also run it on kerosene. The TK dealers do this when servicing them to clean out the soot
The bubbles are causing the surge in the burn chamber. The bubbles are caused by cavitation inside the fuel pump. The impeller inside the pump is spinning too fast, and it is most likely designed for heavier viscosity fuels like diesel of kerosene. Have you tried using a cheap after market electric fuel pump to see if those bubbles disappear. If you do use a fuel pump, and you still get bubbles, it will continue to surge. If you don't have a fuel pump, you can still experiment by using gravity feed. Just make sure you have enough pressure by raising the tank about 10 feet above the heater. Prime the line and see if the surge goes away. You shouldn't have bubbles if the line comes from above and does not drop below the point of entry into the heater. Personally, I prefer diesel for heater fuel, it's less volatile and safer as a result. I hope this helps. Cheers from Winnipeg.
Agreed that the issue is cavitation however it's a pulse type pump and the pump is what meters the fuel so you can't just use a different pump long story short is the heater is not set up to run on gasoline as indicated
The none marine plugs and control bored isn't a problem if u install on the inside . I moved mine to the inside when I moved it to one camper to another so stays cleaner .
in a marine environment you have a lot of moisture/salt in the air as well as subject to a lot of vibration/motion ect. for use in a camper i think they will probably last quite a while.
hello. the heater does not run on a glow plug, its started with a glow plug, it runs on fuel and air. after continuous combustion starts glow plug shuts off and fuel and are continuesle feed to the burn. end of cycle. good-day. eye-wink. 👌 great video
Yes you are correct on that.
Thanks for this, ive just today ordered one of these (diesel) it was either buy this of buy a used esbspacia from a friend, someone really put me off the esbspacia, saying his often seized up and had to regularly remove it often to sort it out! The one I was going to buy had been bench tested and had a new pump, but I thought a new Chinese might be better than a use Ebspacia, i was alos reminded that Ebspacia parts are really expensive too, Im new to these things so hope ive made a reasonable decision!
Also Ive heard from quite a few van dwellers that they are using the diesel types and are very happy with the result.
It's matey off the Green Mile who befriended Mr Bojangles the mouse !!!
I appreciate your inquiring mind, your knowledge of what you are looking at and the time and energy you put into this comparison. In my case - since I'll be installing with no previous experience- I'll go with the sure thing. Tho I may change my mind when I see the price tag! Warm regards (hehe) Jennie
Always a good idea to take things apart before you use them ??? The air is coming from somewhere so don't say there are no leaks .
I knew someone that had a gas heater in a Volkswagen beetle back in the 1970's to keep the passengers from freezing. The method of operation was similar but I don't believe it was vented. If I recall correctly it used what looked like a spark plug with a long electrode that worked like an igniter. I believe that it had a continuous spark like an initiator in the fuel oil furnaces to keep the burner lit but I am not sure. By now they probably have made them vented if they still make them. That one ran on 6 volts. I don't know if later models went to 12 volts or if they still make them. You might check to see if they make an updated version for the heater and to see if it was large enough for your application. If they used them in buses it might be big enough.
I worked on VWs when these were fairly common. They did have 6V and 12V versions. The 411/412 models even had them from the factory, located under the rear seat. Common to see them today in equipment that does not have engine power, like a construction crane. They probably have gasoline or propane powered units that are still sold today.
Evan though it only runs on diesel, it's a great deal at that price.
yeah don't think the electronics in it would last in a commercial truck but its likely a good option for rv's and camper conversions and such where they wont see as much usage or road miles/vibration. then parts availability could be a issue as well seeing that even the better quality heaters require somewhat frequent servicing. i suppose time will tell on that, and i suppose at the price point when you have issues with it you could just chuck the thing in the garbage and replace it.