The right way to install a diesel heater (tapping the tank) in the middle of nowhere, before dark
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
- I've installed dozens of these things and I love them. When I took my unfinished bus high into the rockies to stay for a few days my diesel heater wasnt installed yet, so watch as I try to get heat in my skoolie before I freeze, installing it off grid, on my own, in just 3 hours.
Diesel heaters are one of my favorite #vanlife hacks and are great options for any diesel rig and even for those campers and RV's that dont have a diesel engine who want a more efficient heating option.
Buy the heater here: www.aliexpress.us/item/325680...
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25 years in carpentry & as a large project Superintendent, and I can’t think of many things more enticing than a build-out. Your work is inspiring, Chuck. 🤙
Well said! It is a very fun and challenging project
Do it. If you need a hobby or a project with a reward at the end, it's worth it.
I have a tip when drilling into the tank add alittle grease to your drill bit then drill alittle bit wipe shavings then reapply new grease to drill bit and repeat this step until your through tank this will keep most shavings out.
Yeah. Came to my mind, too.
Oh and never use a drill nor an adjustable wrench... You definitely do not want to break off a tap in this place.
You can put grease on the tap, that will help catch the metal chips
"Chafing is the enemy of all things precious" giggity
Total missed opportunity at 15:48 for a fake, screen-filled explosion! Great thorough tutorial, thanks!
The one thing I'd do differently is to drill the pilot hole from below, that way there's no chance of hitting the chassis.
Chuck for Mayor!
Can I count on your vote?
@@ChuckCassadyYT +1
Pro tip! Instead of cardboard I use a closed cell foam sleeping bag mat to lay on when forced to work on the ground. The padding is great if you're stuck working on gravel or frozen ground. They're about $15 at Walmart & typically last a year or two.
Personal i found laying on a off cut of laminate flooring underlay left over from doing my floor...the heat it generates on your back unreal especially when i was working in winter under the van.
When tapping in a cramped space, I try to find a tiny socket (1/4 inch drive) that will fit snugly on the square drive of the tap with a long extension and ratchet. You then can have the feel of what you're doing. Also a dab of grease on the tap will hold most of the chips and keep them from falling into the tank or whatever you are trying to keep from getting contaminated 😊
I LOVE tapping with a drill. Especially in thinner materials. Piece of cake
the modern world has blessed us with a diesel heater💪🏽
I wish I would’ve found a channel like yours about 25 years ago. I’m almost too old now to do a bus or any kind of bread truck camper conversion..
When you said keep your face away I had horrible flash back. I was drilling a door for the door handle had my Milwaukee impact with 12 ah battery as the hole started I was bent over to make sure level and wham! That battery swung around and smacked me in the bridge of the nose / eye and almost knocked me out. Hard lesson to learn!
If you use a circle magnet around the spot you are going to drill, it will collect most if not all of the shavings when drilling a hole in metal, if the metal is magnetic. Just sayin
Shoulda packed one!
Another fantastic video! Thank you!!!!
To be fair you can put a lit cigarette out in a bucket of gasoline as well, I have done it. Way back in the day gasoline was more volatile and it could combust from a lighter a few feet away. It's not like that now though. In my opinion it would be nice to have a separate tank that could be filled with a transfer pump from the main tank or filled with a different fuel if you want.
For those who have the Chinese diesel heaters but they want to use it to heat up their water like a Webasto diesel heater. You can buy the Webasto diesel heater water heater kit and actually mounted on your diesel heater but if you’re like me and is a DII wire and likes to buy it cheaper by building ityou can use a small heater core and a recirculating pump to use it for heating up your water just the same way as a Webasto diesel heater water heater kit
Great vide! I like to dunk the tap in axle grease before tapping into areas I don’t want shavings to get into. Safe travels!
You’re the man Chuck!
Well done!
These heaters absolutely changed the game for cold weather van life/dwelling/camping. Things were a lot different before and your sleeping bag was your best friend. I really wish my van was diesel, it really bugs me having the tank inside, trying to think of an underneath mounting option, possibly the spare tire well. Good video topic.
Totally agree!
I bought a spun aluminum fuel tank off Amazon.
I also bought a fuel filler neck and hose to retrofit to it, so I can mount it under my van.
They come in a variety of different sizes.
They are traditionally used in motor sports, (drag race cars, mini bikes, go carts, etc) but seem like a good alternative for this application.
@@b.s.adventures9421 do you use a level gauge & if you do which type?
Put the tank on the roof silly boy 😊
So cool - i hope to install mine before October..
Stellar video Chuck! Thank you for sharing. Gives me confidence to tap into the fuel tank now!
My eberspracher is from 1999. It is far from a new solution 😃
If you install diesel filters you can pre fill them with diesel. So you don't have to prime for a long time
Great video. Thanks well explained.
That was a freakin great video. I busted out laughing way too loudly at “look at that delicious layer cake of insulation”😂 appreciate the time and effort you put into making these when you’re clearly on a time crunch. Thanks for all the tips and tricks. Hope you sleep warm tonight!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks!
Thank you for showing how to tap the tanks!!!
Great Vids Chuck, I've been enjoying the build. 🤙
A tip when dealing with 'square' bolts, nuts and bits, a 12 point socket will fit on a square ended thing so that a ratchet can be used. I hope this helps you and others. Peace ✌️
Another entertaining, picturesque and informative video! Of course I’ll have to view the video a few more times b/4 I truly get it, but it’s all there for the learning! Thank you Chuck!
Thanks chuck, I actually feel like I could install a heater now!
Very professional 👏 THANKS
Chuck, thank you for all of your videos! They are incredibly helpful!
Glad you like them!
Great vid. Thanks Chuck!
You are very welcome
Thanks, Chuck! for a great heater install vid. I did fastfoward through the middle 15 mins as the structure I'm installing my Webasto in is thinner (cargo trailer) but your presentation, ultimately, is a real time saver if only for your sequence of connecting combustion air supply, exhaust, fuel and wiring first before sinking the heater on it's mounting plate into the round hole in the floor. In hindsight, so obvious, but for one who's never done it before, brilliant. Thanks again.
That was awesome. I'm learning a lot watching your videos. Thank you!
Glad to hear it!
Thanks for another solid how-to and an injection of humor into the Sunday Lineup. :D
Any time! That’s what I try for
Nice! Been stressing about doing this. Watching you tap the tank lived helped ease my worries! Thanks 😅
Glad I could help!
Nice, Chuck. The Lavaner heaters are worth the (small) extra cost over the cheaper ones. I've disassembled lots of different brands and the connectors and wiring in the Lavaner units are noticeably better quality. The glow plug is also better than the no-name CDH versions.
I completely agree and they are still remarkably cheap for what they are
That is a good sound . When you are cold and you first fire it off in the fall/winter.
Hey Chuck! Thanks for sharing, what your doing and the view.
Marie from Denver.😀🌞
Thanks for watching
Thanks
Great thank you. I usually pack the tap with grease to catch shavings also a T handle or a ratchet with a socket to turn the tap.
That's what's up, Chuck!
The drill clutch is for screws to avoid stripping heads or driving too deep.
Trying to drill holes with the clutch will burn it out and leave you with a useless drill. There's a reason for the drill position on every clutch.
Good vid man. Happy you got heat in the bus in time :o)
Yeah me too-a little high stakes
You do great work and I really like your bus I have a 1997 five window cutaway ford with the 7.3 that runs great I put my diesel fuel tank for my heater on the side of the bus but may have to tap the tank after watching this video
Great video, if you are using the rv in below freezing temps then i would recommend using the exhaust pipe heat to run an exchanger near the fuel tank to keep the tank warm so diesel doesn't gel.
As somebody who hot rodded off and on for the first forty years of their life, whenever we were having to drill into some thing and worried about chips or shavings entering what we were drilling into, usually an oil pan, we would put grease on the drill bit, and then put grease on the tap to trap any metal debris in the grease!
I totally agree, I didn’t pack any grease on this trip, whoops! That’s a great tip though
This guy is so dang good at what he does. I did this install last week on my van and it took me forever. I didn’t tap the tank out of interest in saving a step and saving the extra money off of ordering the stuff that wasnt in my kit from amazon. Still took me forever. my biggest hurdle was wiring because I wired it straight to my van battery temporarily, I dont have house batteries yet. Nowhere even close to as professional as the lad Chuck just did that!
How long do you run it off *your cars battery?
Great "how to" installation. Not that I'm a pro but I've learned a couple "pro tips" from other installation videos. 1) Make sure you use the rigid clear fuel line and NOT the soft green fuel line that comes with some units. The pulse of the fuel pump will expand the soft green line and lower the efficiency of the pump. The rigid line resists the expansion. 2) When making the connections with the black rubber hose, make sure the rigid fuel line is butted up against the metal tube on the fuel pickup tube, both ends of the fuel pump, fuel filter, and heater tube. A gap inside the black rubber hose will reduce the efficiency of the pump.
Your explanations are so clear, you show us everything on how to do it in plain language, and it's all very easy to follow. Ask me to do it and I will find a way to burn it all to the ground. We all have our skill sets. Great video!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for the breakdown! I’ve been procrastinating on installing mine and you took the fear out of it. I feel confident I can get it done now. Thank you!! Love all your videos.
afaithfilledlife, Run you air pickup and exhaust as far as you can from each other, don't want to suck in that bad exhaust fumes. You go girl.
@@douglasbattjes3991all installed now and after a little troubleshooting, and extending the exhaust pipe, it’s running well!
Nice and glad to hear you extended the exhaust, I'll sleep better now, @@afaithfilledlife
Good evening from Texas!
Hello there!
25:44 I recently learned this myself, in regards to your comment about the drill loosening off. So, if you tighten the chuck then turn it back like you are loosening it, but only far enough that you hear one click, that actually locks the chuck. It is not perfect but it works especially if it a newer chuck. Great videos btw, has inspired me to try a conversion. I am in Canada
I’ve tried that trick before to no avail! I’ll try again
For reference drill from the underneath the bus
Chas - Am impressed with your foresight in everything - preliminary explanation, video production, actual installation, - everything. Really cool. Working in the woods seems scary to me but you have experience so maybe not so scary to you. No margarita in the cold so maybe you had some hot chocolate. Applause !!
Thank you! I had pizza and beer haha it was great
@@ChuckCassadyYT Hey, warm beer enhances its taste. Sounds good to me
Put grease on the tap to make the metal chips stick to it instead of going into the tank
Very informative videos. Probably a rivet to two into the sleeve you inserted wouldn't be a bad idea.
Awesome
Hell yeah! Nice background!
Glad you like it!
For a bus that size you could use 2 or a bigger one , I had one in my highway tractor.
Had many my friend and converted many buses. This is better insulated than any reefer. I am absolutely certain it’s plenty
Thank all ways injoy
Allways add Howes Diesel Treat to your fuel tank to keep fuel from jelling up and to lubricate the fuel system on the engine.
I got my 8kw for $86 on Amazon works amazingly
Which one did you get? I'm interested!
Hey Charlie I’d love to hear a Followup on how you plumbed the lines on the T and how you added it into the wiring inside your bus. My wife and I are about to install ours on a completed bus we purchased so we’d definitely appreciate the info. Also loved the massive pilot bit trick!
Agreed! Job well done. Again, nice touch doing it off-grid and “on the fly” where you’ve got 2 hrs of daylight and the cold is comin’! I heard that and I thought, “Chucks going to need a head light to finish this” (and a coat). 18:00 I can appreciate the vacuum as well as the clutch adjustment for the tap. The machinist is me puckered some when you chucked-up the tap in the drill. You were my hero shutting off the vacuum and forward/reversing as you went 😅. Slow and intentional. My visions of broken taps and tap burners faded from sight!😅. Nice install and nothing like the transition from cold sleeping quarters to warm. Nice video. Thanks!
Haha the pucker factor was high on that move!! I hate not feeling what’s going on
@@ChuckCassadyYT have you seen those drill bit/ tap combo bits? I've never used them, but I've seen people drilling full speed, then the hole breaks through and the tap just starts, at full speed. I can't believe they don't break, but I'm too afraid to get one and try. Like you said, a broken tap is a good way to ruin a day.
Thanks so much for all the good info.
Best video I've seen on the subject so far! Answered many of my questions.
I've spent 10 colorado winters living in vans, pickups and tents. Always had a wood stove in my vans which is the ticket in sub-zero temps. But in milder temps I've tried unvented propane which really sucks because of moisture and unburned hydrocarbons which can really be bad. Even the ones that claim no carbon monoxide, well, it's not true.
Get a detector that reads single digits parts per million and you'll see your getting some which will make you sick if you run those heaters very long.
Anyway I was getting more and more conflicted about diesel heaters watching TH-cam videos but you sure clarified a lot with this video. So I might give this heater you used a shot.
You watch ave too ! Nice.
Yes I do!
Hey Chuck, next time show all the stars in the sky.🌟🌟
On your sippy line from your tank to your diesel heater, I would put a small in-line filter right there, where it comes out of the sippy line that you have drilled and tapped in your tank, that way if you start to get a clog you go to that first and you can find one of those filters at any auto parts store
Did you see the filter I installed?
Cool
The moon Never shows up good on vids. Yay heat!!!
Same!
Could you make a pros and cons of propane vs diesel heaters please?
Most excellent instructional video! I have a 5K Lavaner Pro heater and I'm a HUGE fan of them. I purchased mine when they were first being offered for sale in America and had to wait almost 6 months before I received it but the wait was worth it. You did an excellent job mounting the heater using the turret mount and additional lining before dropping heater into the hole. I was surprised at the thickness of your fuel tank allowing you to tap threads for the draw straw. I'm building a cargo trailer camper and will be placing heater into a heavy duty storage bin. It will sit on the tongue of the trailer with air duct going into a marine port I have installed in the nose of the trailer. I'm using a 3 gallon marine fuel cell to hold my diesel and it will be placed on top of the tub housing the heater. I wanted everything to be outside eliminating fuel spills and the tick-ticking of the pump. This will also make my heater portable in the event of emergencies or use it to heat a tent,building etc. One question I do have, is it possible to use a hand vacuum pump to prefill fuel into the line up to the fuel filter?
Chuck I love everything you do. And your style of work and video is CLASSIC. I recognize and respect this is a diesel heating tutorial. I’m sure I’m going to get abused for my ignorance… but what’s an Irishman to do. Help me understand, Why would this contractor grade portable propane product not be an economical and effective solution to heating the bus. (My boys are on a nomadic journey in their also unfinished 42’ International Bus)
Dyna Glow 25000 btu indoor/outdoor convection propane heater. Model rmc-lpc25dg. At Lowes its $65.
Those create tons and tons of moisture which is really their only downfall
Perfect timing Chuck!! I’m going to order my heaters this week and I’m going to have to install them in BFE in the middle of nowhere! I just need to figure out which heater tho, any recommendations?
The one I use!
Hey YeOozzz, Thanks Chucky... AweSome ViD as and Like UsuaLz Brutha . . . But this VIDEO especially today, for Me, Because Mentioning the Name Brand of that DieseL HeateR as WeLL as the Back story anD History of the ComPany Behind it, man... SoOo, Now I yoive HeLPeD Me BIGGGG TIME on and with Making a FinaL DecisioN on and with which Brand/Company to Buy my New/Next Heater from . . . Thnx so Very much AGAIN, Homie. Stay Golden, Mr Chuckiez
Great videos! I was wondering if you hook up multiple units in a bus, can they be controlled using one thermostat?
Well if you had a ratchet socket set you could use that on your tab too
Chuck, Why not drill your pilot hole up from the bottom at dead center between the floor ribs?
really like the off grid workshop👍
I would have drilled the pilot hole from underneath. Takes all the guess-work out of it.
Your dead right tapping into the main fuel tank...as you said no spillage and damage smell etc...I did the same...only thing i left inside was the fuel pump its underneath the plastic cover of the drivers side step as no sound as also left bulkhead in.
Great job!
For the less technically adventurous... (that happen to have gas vehicles) do you think those 'All in one' diesel heaters will be easier to install?
Hello Chuck, great channel and outstanding info. Question: living in Canada, i’ll be using the heater quite a lot, so would propane be more economical?
Thanks!
Lol , throwin sparks toward the tank. When I saw you grab that crescent I'm like seriously lol , only when I'm trying to get grab on something stubborn to pull lol too funny. Way to make the job fun! Good work. Curious though, no tap wrench?
Hahaha. Forgot to pack it! I have like 7 of them
...additionnal insurance for metal chips falling into tank; thick bearing grease on your drill bit and tap before going through. It will catch most ot these chips. And of course, not drill at 6000 rpm ...
Where do you buy them? I've looked online and found their website but didn't see a link for dealers. By the way, again another entertaining and informative video. Thank you for going through the trouble of setting up cameras while trying to get stuff done.
Email me in the description
@@ChuckCassadyYT Would like info on purchasing this heater. Does it have altitude adjustment. Much of our use will be at 7-9k
Love the fuel tank access port in the floor. Does it create a cold spot or draft in the winter? Can u glue the subfloor insulation to the lid?
What are the concerns or benefits of mounting the heater unit below the floor?
Any thoughts on preventing exhaust flowing under the bus when windy and CO issues?
Just make sure the exhaust clears the side. The floor should be airtight. A CO detector is a must have
I’ve got a wood-burning stove in my bus
Novice here, isn’t the intake too close to the exhaust on the exterior? Great video, I trust his link over the hundreds of online options.
The underside intake is for the combustion, it doesn’t enter into the vehicle. If that’s what you mean Eric.
I see Lavaner also makes water heaters, do you have any experience with those compared to other water heating options? Or what type (or specific brand) of water heating system would you recommend over others?
Looks like I posed my live question a little too late, so I will try again. What prevents the metal sleeve you slipped into the hole in your subfloor from falling out the bottom due to vibration? Thanks.
Good question! It’s just wedged in real good. I may add something to help but it’s a tight fit
@@ChuckCassadyYT you don’t strike me as someone who leaves things to happenstance, so I’d recommend either: a) driving one or more self-tapping sheet metal screws through both layers of metal and into your plywood subfloor (simplest), or b) mounting a small 4” square plate of sheet metal with openings for the air intake, exhaust, fuel tubing and electrical lines (similar to the mounting plate used underneath the diesel heater) to the underside of your bus (most complete). The latter approach would allow you to insert flame resistant insulation (like Roxul) into the cavity and help keep weather & bugs out.
I would have just drilled up from below with the pilot bit.
I will do anything to avoid drilling up under a bus
Nice install.
One question, are those fuel pumps biased to pushing or pulling fuel?
I mounted my Eberspacher as close to the tank as I could per the instructions.
But, yours seems perfectly capable of pulling through the additional fuel filter (water trap?) and line.
Like that intake muffler. I didn’t get that or the exhaust pipe insulation with my kit at $1200!
The muffler, fuel line, exhaust pipe all look same as mine.
Next build-I’ll have to check these out.
Thanks for posting!
They're a solenoid pump, so they are biased towards pumping but they do suck pretty well. So they can work pulling a decent head, the specs should be in it. Ideal situation is having the pump below the tank, but from memory they are good for 6-8 feet above the tank. Like, it really would be hard for you to mount it in a vehicle in such a way that it wouldn't work. I would probably put the longest run after the pump if it's easy to do.
Ok, im just starting my build and want to do it right so that means you! I have a 2009 E 450 v10 with nothing really done. I havw alot of solar and diesel heater things i have pick up along the way. What is the best wsy to talk to you and start to get things done. Ps i want 4x4 eventually
Is that what the brand is listed as on Amazon? I'm having trouble finding the right brand. What size would you recommend for a 40ft bus? I don't plan on being in too cold of climates but night anywhere can get chilly!