Just letting everyone know we have a follow up video on this unit. This addresses the error with the intake and exhaust (please swap around) and also includes a few additional modifications we highly recommend. Link below: th-cam.com/video/w-cNfEGupj8/w-d-xo.html
Brilliant! So many good, ideas! Your different handling of the exhaust/intake, totally solves many of my worries, thanks! I love these China heaters, the price vs the engineering/function is off the charts! The absolutely, unequaled, warm/dry heat is an unexpected surprise!
Great video, helped me to make the decision to do it myself.... reckon you should be adding your ‘update’ video though, as mentioned in other comments!
im new to campervan convert, half done, mine, but im not a mechanic , ive watched four of these videos, and there all fitting them in different ways lol , change this and that ,i dont what o do now lol , great video
The classroom lecture isn't working here. Maybe get a camera person who can closeup to what you're pointing at, instead of all the hand gestures. Still good to have.
Nice setup similar to how I did mine I like the coupler. I installed mine to the front hitch with the gas bottle and got a bigger propane storage box so now it hold my heater and propane tanks.
@@timhogg4786 I extended cable and put the l.c.d. controller inside the trailer the remote works fine when it was outside in the box it was really bad reception unless I was close to the box were the heater was located.
The exhaust pipe must be angled downward and unobstructed to allow the exhaust moisture to drain... very important ! The fuel line should be kept at the proper angle and distance and if you add a filter add it before the fuel pump ! Also the exhaust pipe will get extremely hot so protect it from any surfaces that can be damaged or catch fire.. or melt. BTW the muffler has a drain hole make sure it is also facing down and unobstructed !
Great video. I followed all the steps and I am happy how it works. Can you please tell me where did you get 85 mm duct for the internal connection?. Thank you.
Thank you, very good presentation of the diesel heater ; I bought one , wich has four holes for warming the air ; i'd like to modify it to have only one hole , can you give some ideas regarding this ?
I like the idea of placing the heater unit outside, below the camper. However, the way you routed the cold air intake for the heat chamber, it will always be pulling cold, damp outside air in to be heated, then blown on inside the camper. I think a better approach would be to route both the heated air intake and output to the interior of the camper. That way, you’re heating the interior air as a closed system, rather than continually bringing in outside air and decreasing the efficiency of the heater. Of course, the combustion intake and exhaust would remain ducted to the outside.
To be honest that would be the most efficient and if you were using regularly it would be worth considering. We haven't noticed any real deficiency in using it with the external intake and generally it just idles along. Very good point though.
I have a great idea how you can with a carbon monoxide detector and a few relays you can automatically turn that unit off if the carbon monoxide detector detect any elevated levels of carbon monoxide
It seems to me the air-in goes out that hole in the back of the unit, and the emissions-out is to go down and out of your van (camper/other). This would, of course, mean the unit is inside. But the way you did it is fine; but a hassle to refuel, I think. Also open to the elements.
Do you know if there is a digital copy of the users guide available. Mine got water (well coffee) an is now unreadable. Pity I didn't watch you video earlier as I bought a 4 outlet unit, but this too will be solved. .... thanks
I've seen some crazy set up before but this one takes the cake. The one I installed was the smaller unit. That takes of to much space. It ok in larger vehicles.
I have done a similar instal Only thing i have done different is the 3 wires to the control panel i extended and moved it inside so no probs with the temp probe on the controller also the little remotes are rubbish , With the control panel inside its 100 times easier to set up ,,, but its bloody bright at night Ron NSW AU 2003 winnebago explorer
It's worth bearing in mind that the air intake for the combustion chamber could be better off staying underneath the unit, where it will draw in any slight exhaust leaks or fumes. it will then pass this back to the combustion chamber. This air intake doesn't pass air to the heated cabin air circuit. The exhaust outlet really must be leak free and not allow any exhaust into the vehicle. fatalities have been caused because of this. Exhaust silencers must also be fitted Outside the vehicle.
This has been resolved and swapped around. I will do a follow up episode addressing a few minor improvements we have made along the way. We have swapped intake and exhaust around over what most recommend and as installed in this video.
Space pretty much, plus we like the option of having a package you can just leave behind when you don't need it - which is probably 70% of the time. I think the noise of the unit may be annoying if you just had it sitting on the floor also. This works great to be honest sitting under the camper.
Does the unit not have a temp probe on the control panel that needs to be in the warmed area to cut in and out as it senses the interior temp getting to set point? I would have thought it would cut in and out, with the whole unit installed outside doesn't it just run constantly as it never gets to set point?
I have a similar if not the same unit. There is no temperature probe. You basically set the air speed (mostly to speed 1) and it constantly pumps hot air. It don't stop till you turn it off. That's where the remote comes in handy. I think having a temp probe would be better but the unit does not have one.
I reckon they are meant more for garages and man sheds. We mount the usual ones in a tool box with vents and it lives bolted to the back of the van - I have that arrangement on my house as well. No space is lost, quiet, no mucking about in the cold and wet rain setting up and worrying about soggy electronics or echidnas pushing it over (yes that has happened) etc. We turn over old vans and adding an inbuilt heater pushes the value up nicely where you get a blank look trying to explain something like this to a buyer. On the other hand, single units are cheaper right now and can be moved and used for different stuff so ultimately it is subjective and based on need I guess. end of rant lol.
I agree if you are turning over vans or using a lot then inbuilt is certainly the best solution. I have done a follow up video on this and really the few modifications in that would be as far as I would go with a portable unit before it doesn't make sense. Wow at echidnas knocking over, that's interesting! Sneaky buggers - good point however.
@@WorkLivePlay Yes, they push and turn over anything that will budge while looking for ants - also a few 4 litre lots of car oil without the lid tight hehe. I must check out the update vid thanks :-)
How many volt can this heater consume in 8 hours of use with a battery full of charge? Planning to install one on my 2016 RAM 3500 which come with tow batteries. Thanks
Great video makes everything alot easier than trying to understand their pigeon English instructions. A question do you know how much current it pulls or what size fuse to use & what size merit plug you used.
On most of these heaters while the glow plug is heating up during startup and shutdown they pull the most amps but after warming up, they pull less than 1 amp.
No its an error of sorts I inherited from the go to guy on these heaters. I have swapped around. Currently its our summer but I need to do an updated video to cover off a few of these items. I wish there was a way you could edit in some text to videos when uploaded!
That’s awesome. Well done. I don’t have the know how/time and confidence to do this. Where are you located and would you consider doing this with a built in unit in an 2016 eagle outback?
It's not as easy as he says it is for somebody that doesn't have the tools and knowledge it's complicated as I'm confused boost and I want to inside the Van
I might not understand the heater configuration. But to me you have routed the combustion exhaust out the end where the breathable air intake is at. Meaning the forced air flow being heated for the living space will be sucking up the combustion exhaust? I like the concept other than the fact I don't believe there is enough separation for safety reasons?
Thanks for the great post, can you put the filter on after the pump as the unit I brought is different to the one you used. My unit has no room to place a filter from the fuel tank to the pump. Thanks in advance
I really appreciate your precise knowledge but the only thing I learned from this video is that it seems more complicated than it is and I have a deep cell battery and I have the heater and I'm confused , about all the coupling and the docking and I just want to make it I didn't see where you placed the heat up, I wanted to stuck in the Van it's not a big unit and it doesn't take off space that's the whole point you make it sound like it's 24" by 22".. Yes I'm frustrated it's a 1/2 hour I listen to your video. And you are talented wonderful guy with all the tools I am not. I'm still confused... I'll go on to the next video thank you.
We were on a slightly sloping site a few weeks ago and to be honest it was fine. I did get caught out by not having any timber to pack up not just the heater but you have the advantage of being able to turn on the ground so it can sit fairly level anyhow - ie along the contour of the land and not perpendicular. But have added timber of cuts to the list as they woukd have been handy for the stabilizers also with one wheel right up on the leveling ramps.
Just a thought your exhaust is exiting the rear of the unit but your fresh air intake for the heater is also at the rear. I did a job just like yours but made sense to have exhaust fumes directed away from combustion intake and fresh air intake as well as these machines draw stupid amounts of volume of air. can not help but think that some diesel particulate soot ect will get drawn through and in to your vehical. My exhaust comes out the side of the heater or better still extend the exhaust with put causing any gas flow disadvantages. Stay safe folks
I'm just waiting on two parts to do a follow up on this as we start setting up once more for winter. Exhaust is back to front but positioning the muffler I now have either out front or side is a bit tricky noting we are trying it keep simple and portable. Stay tuned!
The combustion air inlet does not matter if it gets some exhaust fumes as it is a combustion air inlet and will burn again. Just keep the fumes away from the recirculating air inlet aka the opposite end that the hot air COMES OUT. I do like the install in the rv
Yes I have started filming an update on this, which updates the intake and exhaust. Just waiting on a part for another part of the update. It works really well.
Yes it ended up back to front lol and to be honest once the video is up that's it really lol... We do have a follow up on this and the pinned reply at the top of the comments section above on the same.
Hi Elissa - I must say I had to go back and check as I do usually provide a detailed list for projects in the TH-cam description. I will have to add for this one. I will let you know when it's updated as I will need to do a bit of searching. I will add the additional components to the follow up video description also. Thanks for raising this.
What did you end up using as the coupler piece between the inside duct and the outside duct, that is when you undo the stormwater cap and the inside duct piece drops down, you originally used a PVC pipe coupler. You would have found that it basically melted with the heat from the hot air duct, or at the very least went soft and gave off PVC fumes. Keen to know what you ended up using. I wanted to do exactly the same as this from your idea but the PVC coupler was the weak point, and possibly the 90mm turret and puddle flange thing might have also suffered from the heat from the duct? Great video BTW, just after how you solved these issues.
We are still using the pvc coupler to be honest as it works fine. I think ultimately I would like to get a small length of stainless pipe and have the detachable end bead rolled so it has a lip which the ducting can 'click' over. I am planning on an update video with the exhaust etc. So might try to organise that as well.
@@WorkLivePlay ok. I tried the PVC pipe like you had but it went super soft and was about to melt in less than 10mins of use. Wondering if what you have is a different type of plastic. Cheers.
No its been fine. I'm currently waiting on an aluminum one to try however. I desperately need to do an update on this video covering off a few things such as the intake and exhaust pipes.
Work L+P.... when the pvc drop through the floor could you put a 90 degree bend on and run the pvc all the way to the side of the van to save draging the unit completely under the van..??? (new subscriber)
You most certainly could. If you were looking to do this and have a camper similar to ours, I would just run the ducting out through the side hatch door. In this case no holes in the floor would be necessary at all. You can also get elbows and joiners for this ducting. One such elbow is linked below: www.ebay.com.au/itm/124828480702?hash=item1d105b74be:g:FfwAAOSwaR1g4rZ8&frcectupt=true
Hi, before I buy one of these units (thinking of putting it outside like you) how does it react to the temperature control since it is outside in the cold? Thanks
Sorry for the delayed reply. We were camping in single digit overnight temps and it didn't seem to affect it at all. I ran on the lowest setting the first night but did bump it up a bit to see how it went. Did fine in both settings. We aren't running the unit hard as there seems no need to. But not it's just a static setting. You can't set to maintain any particular temperature, you just adjust the heater up or down to get the desired internal temperature how you want. At the end of the day the camper is not sealed so it's really just taking the chill off.
Really clean solution. These cases are really only half thought through and should just come included. Are we sure that the exhaust is supposed to go out the rear? I only say this because that’s the same place that sucks air into the caravan.. I would have thought pushing it out front of the unit would make more sense?
I will provide an update once I finally receive a muffler and finalise the exhaust but yes I did end up swapping the inlet and exhaust due to it exiting with the main intake. Testing in the shed it did get some time smell inside but not sure if it would be as bad outside. As I made a whole in the front of the unit it made more sense and to be honest solved some of the clash issues with how John youtube episode explained how to route these pipes. It works a lot better to be honest. Not sure how the muffler will work as I would like to leave it permanently attached so stay tuned. Surely it can't be too far away 🤷♂️
Work Live Play Just saw in install video from the manufacturer and it confirmed it. I did a similar install to you now yawing the same fittings which worked a treat! Thanks
We move it out each time we pack up. That said we would only use on half a dozen camps per year as we do a combination of off grid and on grid and don't take to powered sites. We only have around 3 months where you really need it also in our climate.
If you were to run it inside you would need to find a way to route the exhaust outside. To be honest, you would probably be better installing one of the built in versions in that case.
Great video, 2 things that concern me are 1. The use of Silicone, This is not good practice. Silicone will harden up over time and things will leak. Should only use a polyurethane Sealant. Does not matter what brand,,,, Bostic or Sikaflex ( all the same) , they are more flexible and last for years. 2. What's that sign behind you,,,, on the wall that starts with "H" . All the best from Lismore NSW
Hi Walter, very good point regarding the silicone as I typically use it on our vehicles etc. Speaking with a few silicone was recommended and to be honest I have 5 tubes of black left over. Will see how it goes and will monitor. As for the H... well that's coming up in a future episode. I have a pretty neat VK which will be getting some much needed attention 👍
@@WorkLivePlay All good, I use to buy Seal n Flex by bostik (Auzz) in the box load (Sausage). Same stuff as Sikaflex (American). We all got brought up on Silicone. Silicone is not a Sealant but in today's marketing the work Sealant has been linked to Silicone. We use to seal our Roof n Gutter with a sealant (polyurethane) Because the roof will go from 70 Degrees then shrink during the night. So a Sealant has that flexibility. Polyurethane Sealant has a 25% flexibility, well after a few years. Silicone hardens up. I use Bostik Seal n Flex everywhere, shower, Solar Pool Heading, kitchen, lots of places on the car. you can paint it, And it is used on almost every new boat being built. (Riviera Gold Coast) When new concrete panel buildings are assembled in an industrial estate Polyurethane sealant is use to seal the joints. N there is a fast cure one for driveway/heavy traffic gap filler. Selleys Flexiseal, same stuff Polyurethane.
The inlet in the trailer that you plan to route the heater hose to is going to get you cursed the first rainy, muddy day some schmuck has to lay on his back to take the cap off and hook up the hose.
It needs to be air recuculated , with the exorst & fuel pump & air intake through the floor .or open,or remove the air-intake grill to fit a 3" pipe also going into the caravan for recuculation,& the pump then can be left in the unit,the pumps always outside to avoid clunk clunk clunk .
I have one of those, generally very good !! The remote control is useless!!! Your exsust looks nice! But I fear it will be to hot for the underside ! Mine had to go straight down and out, it's mental HOT!! burnt the floor even with clearance, the diesel in hole is a pain and often spills down , defo need a bottle with funnel , also mine is very sensitive to voltage drop! If the wires are extended it becomes unrelatable!! But if connect to battery with short wires provided it's ace!!!
I would be worried about sucking exhaust fumes in the intake and it going inside since the intake is at the back of that heater unit, the same place where you have the exhaust.
I followed Johns lead on this. We have swapped around. I need to do an updated video explaining this. I might even do a few improvements as well so its ready for winter.
There is a follow up video on this, you need to swap around the intake and exhaust. It was an unfortunate error which you can't edit/correct once uploaded.
@@WorkLivePlay In that case, this video really should be deleted. This setup is dangerous and goes against the setup instructions, as many people have pointed out.
We went this route as this section of our van/camper where you would typically install we use to store a lot of items. Given our climate here I would be lucky to use 2 or 3 times a year so the portable option works very well as its generally left on a shelf where we swap gear over depending on if we are on or off grid etc.
Thx for the video, quick question as Ive been wrestling with placement: Thermostat consideration?! This is all nice to have the unit outside and forcing hot air in, however the Thermostat is located on the headunits of these heaters. Meaning it will always perceive that "it is cold" since it's outside, and therefore not picking up interior temps. I suppose the function for cutoff once hot inside wont work this way?
I would imagine that keeping the whole unit outside of the recreational vehicle could cause several consequences. Interference with the thermostat, and, even if the thermostat is embedded in the heat output ducting, the cold temperatures and the long hose would result in a cooling of the air before it reaches the cabin throwing off the thermostat and chilling the output. Premature aging or even immediate damage to the electronics in the control panel due to extremely cold temps. People knowing you've set up camp and therefore constantly tossing you off the property/confiscating your rig (common problem in the US for some reason) Theft of the unit. Rats chewing on/entering the unit. A large turkey using the hose as a voice pipe making gobble noises in ones ears waking one up at all hours. How did it go? Was I right?
We don't have issues with theft fortunately and leave all sorts of things outside. It would be the least likely item to go missing I would think. Its well protected underneath and not used regularly as our winters are mild. For us its a solution for a luxury item we would not normally have when off grid camping. These units are more flow/volume controlled by the diesel rather than thermostatically like the internal ones. Obviously you can do this but we just adjust the flow to increase or decrease the temperature.
Its not going to work properly because the control panel needs to be inside so if it has a thermostat built into the controller, the heater will not switch off because it thinks the outside temp is inside...... I do like the concept of not mounting the diesel heater permanently however your still carrying it around with you so you may as well fit it under the seat and keep the Jerry can of diesel outside. Thanks for the video, please correct so there is no confusion
Hi Paul, yes and no. They can work fine externally. You just use on a manual setting without a preset thermostat. We need maybe 3 or 4 times a year maximum hence the portable option. But do agree for most it would be easier and less fuss to hard mount inside. I'm just waiting on a 75mm joiner to replace the PVC and for our yard to get under control and I will do a follow up video.
The perfect way to off the family an exhaust finishing under the air intake for the heater may as well run a pipe from the car exhaust into the van l wonder if he has heard of carbon monoxide ?
We have an updated video correcting this, it becomes pretty obvious as soon as you go to use however unfortunately there is no way to update the video easily on TH-cam.
These are supposed to freestanding inside the van to circulate the air & the thermostat self controls from the room temperature with a straight fall with the exorst silencer + straight + air intake.
We have never used on max and don't run through the night. I would say around 1 litre for us per late afternoon to late evening. But yes more if you were in very cold conditions and wanted to run hotter and longer.
You just adjust the heat to suit. No thermostat control on these. We generally just find a setting and use that. To be honest the controller is not the easiest to use, especially if you don't use all the time.
I've purchased a smaller in-cab unit but now thinking a portable unit might be a better proposition. The portable can be ducted into the van (I'll go through the side rather than the floor), but can also be used to heat the annex. It's enticing that the unit is all in one and I don't have to muck about with a separate fuel tank. If I used my van for longer stays I'd go for the in-cab unit but I'm only doing weekends at the moment.
Just letting everyone know we have a follow up video on this unit. This addresses the error with the intake and exhaust (please swap around) and also includes a few additional modifications we highly recommend. Link below:
th-cam.com/video/w-cNfEGupj8/w-d-xo.html
35:33
Great vid and clear explanation. Made me realise ‘plug n play’ portable still requires installation and having the right tools.
Brilliant! So many good, ideas! Your different handling of the exhaust/intake, totally solves many of my worries, thanks! I love these China heaters, the price vs the engineering/function is off the charts! The absolutely, unequaled, warm/dry heat is an unexpected surprise!
Well that's the video that decided which heater I will be buying
Well done and easy to follow
Still hear mate
.
He’s going to love crawling under the “caravan” in the muddy winter roads But very clean install
Top job mate. Thanks for the video..
Great video. Doing the install for a friend, thanks for the tips! Safe travels to all my brothers and sisters.
Fantastic, good luck with it. We have a follow up video with a few more tips and tricks.
Great video mate. Great bit of information. Thanks for making this video.
Great video, helped me to make the decision to do it myself.... reckon you should be adding your ‘update’ video though, as mentioned in other comments!
im new to campervan convert, half done, mine, but im not a mechanic , ive watched four of these videos, and there all fitting them in different ways lol , change this and that ,i dont what o do now lol , great video
Great work.
Thanks Craig 👍
Good job fella 🤠
Lovely job bro cheers
Bloody good video man!!
Top job mate
Thanks Gary - now we just need to be able to go camping again ;-) !!
Great video, I might do this on my van. BTW that's the neatest I've garage I've ever seen!
Thanks Shane. It's a real challenge keeping that corner clean, trust me 😉😂🤣😂
The classroom lecture isn't working here.
Maybe get a camera person who can closeup to what you're pointing at, instead of all the hand gestures.
Still good to have.
Nice setup similar to how I did mine I like the coupler. I installed mine to the front hitch with the gas bottle and got a bigger propane storage box so now it hold my heater and propane tanks.
How did the remote respond to the lcd being outside or did you relocate the controller inside?
@@timhogg4786 I extended cable and put the l.c.d. controller inside the trailer the remote works fine when it was outside in the box it was really bad reception unless I was close to the box were the heater was located.
The exhaust pipe must be angled downward and unobstructed to allow the exhaust moisture to drain... very important ! The fuel line should be kept at the proper angle and distance and if you add a filter add it before the fuel pump ! Also the exhaust pipe will get extremely hot so protect it from any surfaces that can be damaged or catch fire.. or melt. BTW the muffler has a drain hole make sure it is also facing down and unobstructed !
Excellent!
Great video. I followed all the steps and I am happy how it works. Can you please tell me where did you get 85 mm duct for the internal connection?. Thank you.
Thank you, very good presentation of the diesel heater ; I bought one , wich has four holes for warming the air ; i'd like to modify it to have only one hole , can you give some ideas regarding this ?
I like the idea of placing the heater unit outside, below the camper. However, the way you routed the cold air intake for the heat chamber, it will always be pulling cold, damp outside air in to be heated, then blown on inside the camper. I think a better approach would be to route both the heated air intake and output to the interior of the camper. That way, you’re heating the interior air as a closed system, rather than continually bringing in outside air and decreasing the efficiency of the heater. Of course, the combustion intake and exhaust would remain ducted to the outside.
To be honest that would be the most efficient and if you were using regularly it would be worth considering. We haven't noticed any real deficiency in using it with the external intake and generally it just idles along. Very good point though.
Brilliant thank you 👌
I have a great idea how you can with a carbon monoxide detector and a few relays you can automatically turn that unit off if the carbon monoxide detector detect any elevated levels of carbon monoxide
It seems to me the air-in goes out that hole in the back of the unit, and the emissions-out is to go down and out of your van (camper/other). This would, of course, mean the unit is inside. But the way you did it is fine; but a hassle to refuel, I think. Also open to the elements.
Excellent video. Do you have any concern with the hot exhaust pipe being on the ground especially during hot dry weather?
Do you know if there is a digital copy of the users guide available. Mine got water (well coffee) an is now unreadable. Pity I didn't watch you video earlier as I bought a 4 outlet unit, but this too will be solved. .... thanks
I've seen some crazy set up before but this one takes the cake. The one I installed was the smaller unit. That takes of to much space. It ok in larger vehicles.
I have done a similar instal Only thing i have done different is the 3 wires to the control panel i extended and moved it inside so no probs with the temp probe on the controller also the little remotes are rubbish , With the control panel inside its 100 times easier to set up ,,, but its bloody bright at night
Ron NSW AU
2003 winnebago explorer
Great video are you working on an update? Love to see how it turned out
Working on it! Particularly addressing the intake and exhaust.
It's worth bearing in mind that the air intake for the combustion chamber could be better off staying underneath the unit, where it will draw in any slight exhaust leaks or fumes. it will then pass this back to the combustion chamber. This air intake doesn't pass air to the heated cabin air circuit.
The exhaust outlet really must be leak free and not allow any exhaust into the vehicle. fatalities have been caused because of this.
Exhaust silencers must also be fitted Outside the vehicle.
This has been resolved and swapped around. I will do a follow up episode addressing a few minor improvements we have made along the way. We have swapped intake and exhaust around over what most recommend and as installed in this video.
Great work
What is the exit temperature coming out of the unit that provides heat is it over 100°F
Wonder how it would run on dyed red diesel.
a very clear instructional vidio. Is there any reason that you dont just have the unit inside and duct the exaust outside ?
Space pretty much, plus we like the option of having a package you can just leave behind when you don't need it - which is probably 70% of the time. I think the noise of the unit may be annoying if you just had it sitting on the floor also. This works great to be honest sitting under the camper.
Does the unit not have a temp probe on the control panel that needs to be in the warmed area to cut in and out as it senses the interior temp getting to set point? I would have thought it would cut in and out, with the whole unit installed outside doesn't it just run constantly as it never gets to set point?
I have a similar if not the same unit. There is no temperature probe. You basically set the air speed (mostly to speed 1) and it constantly pumps hot air. It don't stop till you turn it off. That's where the remote comes in handy. I think having a temp probe would be better but the unit does not have one.
That bloody fly 🪰 😂
Flies, flies, flies! Unfortunately there is little we can do with them!! They get annoying!!
I reckon they are meant more for garages and man sheds. We mount the usual ones in a tool box with vents and it lives bolted to the back of the van - I have that arrangement on my house as well. No space is lost, quiet, no mucking about in the cold and wet rain setting up and worrying about soggy electronics or echidnas pushing it over (yes that has happened) etc. We turn over old vans and adding an inbuilt heater pushes the value up nicely where you get a blank look trying to explain something like this to a buyer. On the other hand, single units are cheaper right now and can be moved and used for different stuff so ultimately it is subjective and based on need I guess. end of rant lol.
I agree if you are turning over vans or using a lot then inbuilt is certainly the best solution. I have done a follow up video on this and really the few modifications in that would be as far as I would go with a portable unit before it doesn't make sense.
Wow at echidnas knocking over, that's interesting! Sneaky buggers - good point however.
@@WorkLivePlay Yes, they push and turn over anything that will budge while looking for ants - also a few 4 litre lots of car oil without the lid tight hehe. I must check out the update vid thanks :-)
How many volt can this heater consume in 8 hours of use with a battery full of charge? Planning to install one on my 2016 RAM 3500 which come with tow batteries. Thanks
One question. Have you ever found exhaust gases being drawn into the van through the heater air inlet!
Heats well in our van. I did find that the heat deformed the PVC!! bugger.
Great video makes everything alot easier than trying to understand their pigeon English instructions. A question do you know how much current it pulls or what size fuse to use & what size merit plug you used.
On most of these heaters while the glow plug is heating up during startup and shutdown they pull the most amps but after warming up, they pull less than 1 amp.
10 amps on startup and shutdown, then an amp or so while it’s running. Though make sure you use a fuse/ cable rated for 10 amps.
I think you pointed the exhaust to the fresh air intake side. This could result in sucking exhaust fumes into the cabin.
No its an error of sorts I inherited from the go to guy on these heaters. I have swapped around. Currently its our summer but I need to do an updated video to cover off a few of these items. I wish there was a way you could edit in some text to videos when uploaded!
That’s awesome. Well done. I don’t have the know how/time and confidence to do this. Where are you located and would you consider doing this with a built in unit in an 2016 eagle outback?
Hi Geoff, it's very easy to do. We are just out of Newcastle. Where abouts are you located?
Work Live Play - Sydney.
It's not as easy as he says it is for somebody that doesn't have the tools and knowledge it's complicated as I'm confused boost and I want to inside the Van
What size copper elbows thanks
I might not understand the heater configuration. But to me you have routed the combustion exhaust out the end where the breathable air intake is at. Meaning the forced air flow being heated for the living space will be sucking up the combustion exhaust? I like the concept other than the fact I don't believe there is enough separation for safety reasons?
you are correct
yup you pretty much always want to circulate your cabin air into the unit, which he can do easily by just doing a 2nd hole.
You can buy extension exhaust pipe and get it well away from the inlet
Great video, did you end up adding a muffler/ silencer for the exhaust?
Thanks for the great post, can you put the filter on after the pump as the unit I brought is different to the one you used. My unit has no room to place a filter from the fuel tank to the pump.
Thanks in advance
I can't see why that wouldn't work. Ideally it is before the pump however. You will love the heater, they are fantastic.
Thanks mate
I really appreciate your precise knowledge but the only thing I learned from this video is that it seems more complicated than it is and I have a deep cell battery and I have the heater and I'm confused , about all the coupling and the docking and I just want to make it I didn't see where you placed the heat up, I wanted to stuck in the Van it's not a big unit and it doesn't take off space that's the whole point you make it sound like it's 24" by 22".. Yes I'm frustrated it's a 1/2 hour I listen to your video. And you are talented wonderful guy with all the tools I am not. I'm still confused... I'll go on to the next video thank you.
Thanks for the info.. one question, what happens on sloped camp sites?
We were on a slightly sloping site a few weeks ago and to be honest it was fine. I did get caught out by not having any timber to pack up not just the heater but you have the advantage of being able to turn on the ground so it can sit fairly level anyhow - ie along the contour of the land and not perpendicular. But have added timber of cuts to the list as they woukd have been handy for the stabilizers also with one wheel right up on the leveling ramps.
Work Live Play what about heavy rain? Thanks again for the information
Just a thought your exhaust is exiting the rear of the unit but your fresh air intake for the heater is also at the rear. I did a job just like yours but made sense to have exhaust fumes directed away from combustion intake and fresh air intake as well as these machines draw stupid amounts of volume of air. can not help but think that some diesel particulate soot ect will get drawn through and in to your vehical. My exhaust comes out the side of the heater or better still extend the exhaust with put causing any gas flow disadvantages. Stay safe folks
I'm just waiting on two parts to do a follow up on this as we start setting up once more for winter. Exhaust is back to front but positioning the muffler I now have either out front or side is a bit tricky noting we are trying it keep simple and portable. Stay tuned!
The combustion air inlet does not matter if it gets some exhaust fumes as it is a combustion air inlet and will burn again. Just keep the fumes away from the recirculating air inlet aka the opposite end that the hot air COMES OUT. I do like the install in the rv
Yes I have started filming an update on this, which updates the intake and exhaust. Just waiting on a part for another part of the update. It works really well.
Do you still have the link to the eBay heater purchase please 🙏🏼
This is fffking hilarious 😂 😅😅🤣🤣 what in gods name you doing with that exhaust fella? 🙈🤣
Yes it ended up back to front lol and to be honest once the video is up that's it really lol... We do have a follow up on this and the pinned reply at the top of the comments section above on the same.
Can you put the heater ducting into the side of the caravan rather than under? I’m not going to be able to crawl under the van like that
Do you have a link to a parts list of extra things to buy you talked about at the beginning of the video?
Hi Elissa - I must say I had to go back and check as I do usually provide a detailed list for projects in the TH-cam description. I will have to add for this one. I will let you know when it's updated as I will need to do a bit of searching. I will add the additional components to the follow up video description also. Thanks for raising this.
What did you end up using as the coupler piece between the inside duct and the outside duct, that is when you undo the stormwater cap and the inside duct piece drops down, you originally used a PVC pipe coupler. You would have found that it basically melted with the heat from the hot air duct, or at the very least went soft and gave off PVC fumes.
Keen to know what you ended up using.
I wanted to do exactly the same as this from your idea but the PVC coupler was the weak point, and possibly the 90mm turret and puddle flange thing might have also suffered from the heat from the duct?
Great video BTW, just after how you solved these issues.
We are still using the pvc coupler to be honest as it works fine. I think ultimately I would like to get a small length of stainless pipe and have the detachable end bead rolled so it has a lip which the ducting can 'click' over. I am planning on an update video with the exhaust etc. So might try to organise that as well.
@@WorkLivePlay ok. I tried the PVC pipe like you had but it went super soft and was about to melt in less than 10mins of use. Wondering if what you have is a different type of plastic. Cheers.
Wanted to ask you if you have had any problems with heat affecting the PVC pipe fittings? Thank you
No its been fine. I'm currently waiting on an aluminum one to try however. I desperately need to do an update on this video covering off a few things such as the intake and exhaust pipes.
@@WorkLivePlay Yes please do an updated video showing all of the improvements made including the aluminum pipe fitting. Thank you and have a good day
Work L+P.... when the pvc drop through the floor could you put a 90 degree bend on and run the pvc
all the way to the side of the van to save draging the unit completely under the van..???
(new subscriber)
You most certainly could. If you were looking to do this and have a camper similar to ours, I would just run the ducting out through the side hatch door. In this case no holes in the floor would be necessary at all. You can also get elbows and joiners for this ducting. One such elbow is linked below:
www.ebay.com.au/itm/124828480702?hash=item1d105b74be:g:FfwAAOSwaR1g4rZ8&frcectupt=true
Hi, before I buy one of these units (thinking of putting it outside like you) how does it react to the temperature control since it is outside in the cold? Thanks
Sorry for the delayed reply. We were camping in single digit overnight temps and it didn't seem to affect it at all. I ran on the lowest setting the first night but did bump it up a bit to see how it went. Did fine in both settings. We aren't running the unit hard as there seems no need to. But not it's just a static setting. You can't set to maintain any particular temperature, you just adjust the heater up or down to get the desired internal temperature how you want. At the end of the day the camper is not sealed so it's really just taking the chill off.
@@WorkLivePlay Perfect. Thank you for the reply. You did a great job. Ordered now!
Really clean solution. These cases are really only half thought through and should just come included. Are we sure that the exhaust is supposed to go out the rear? I only say this because that’s the same place that sucks air into the caravan.. I would have thought pushing it out front of the unit would make more sense?
I will provide an update once I finally receive a muffler and finalise the exhaust but yes I did end up swapping the inlet and exhaust due to it exiting with the main intake. Testing in the shed it did get some time smell inside but not sure if it would be as bad outside. As I made a whole in the front of the unit it made more sense and to be honest solved some of the clash issues with how John youtube episode explained how to route these pipes. It works a lot better to be honest. Not sure how the muffler will work as I would like to leave it permanently attached so stay tuned. Surely it can't be too far away 🤷♂️
Work Live Play Just saw in install video from the manufacturer and it confirmed it. I did a similar install to you now yawing the same fittings which worked a treat! Thanks
how long of ducting can you use
only issue with this set up is the return air not being draw in from the vehicle so the heater is working a lot harder to keep temperature
So do you mount the unit under the camper or take it out and bring it back in every time you move vehicle?
We move it out each time we pack up. That said we would only use on half a dozen camps per year as we do a combination of off grid and on grid and don't take to powered sites. We only have around 3 months where you really need it also in our climate.
Would you have to do it this way or would it be safe to just run the unit inside your camper?
If you were to run it inside you would need to find a way to route the exhaust outside. To be honest, you would probably be better installing one of the built in versions in that case.
Why did you run your exhaust to sit and leak into your air intake for the caravan.
Great pickup. I have swapped around which works much better. It took 2 months to get a muffler so will do a follow up on this when I get a chance.
Great video, 2 things that concern me are 1. The use of Silicone, This is not good practice. Silicone will harden up over time and things will leak. Should only use a polyurethane Sealant. Does not matter what brand,,,, Bostic or Sikaflex ( all the same) , they are more flexible and last for years. 2. What's that sign behind you,,,, on the wall that starts with "H" . All the best from Lismore NSW
Hi Walter, very good point regarding the silicone as I typically use it on our vehicles etc. Speaking with a few silicone was recommended and to be honest I have 5 tubes of black left over. Will see how it goes and will monitor. As for the H... well that's coming up in a future episode. I have a pretty neat VK which will be getting some much needed attention 👍
@@WorkLivePlay All good, I use to buy Seal n Flex by bostik (Auzz) in the box load (Sausage). Same stuff as Sikaflex (American). We all got brought up on Silicone. Silicone is not a Sealant but in today's marketing the work Sealant has been linked to Silicone. We use to seal our Roof n Gutter with a sealant (polyurethane) Because the roof will go from 70 Degrees then shrink during the night. So a Sealant has that flexibility. Polyurethane Sealant has a 25% flexibility, well after a few years. Silicone hardens up. I use Bostik Seal n Flex everywhere, shower, Solar Pool Heading, kitchen, lots of places on the car. you can paint it, And it is used on almost every new boat being built. (Riviera Gold Coast) When new concrete panel buildings are assembled in an industrial estate Polyurethane sealant is use to seal the joints. N there is a fast cure one for driveway/heavy traffic gap filler. Selleys Flexiseal, same stuff Polyurethane.
@@WorkLivePlay what about using car exhaust paste.?
The inlet in the trailer that you plan to route the heater hose to is going to get you cursed the first rainy, muddy day some schmuck has to lay on his back to take the cap off and hook up the hose.
Wow my concern would be some people would not go into too much detail and care so therefore I don't deem them safe in the wrong impatient hands.
It needs to be air recuculated , with the exorst & fuel pump & air intake through the floor .or open,or remove the air-intake grill to fit a 3" pipe also going into the caravan for recuculation,& the pump then can be left in the unit,the pumps always outside to avoid clunk clunk clunk .
I have one of those, generally very good !! The remote control is useless!!! Your exsust looks nice! But I fear it will be to hot for the underside ! Mine had to go straight down and out, it's mental HOT!! burnt the floor even with clearance, the diesel in hole is a pain and often spills down , defo need a bottle with funnel , also mine is very sensitive to voltage drop! If the wires are extended it becomes unrelatable!! But if connect to battery with short wires provided it's ace!!!
You can calculate voltage drop over distance vs wire gauge. Increase gauge and you should be fine.
I am from Boston, Massachusetts. I actually dont understand what you are saying. I got a few words and the video ig good.
Yo just hit the CC button
You mean that you're from Baaaston, right ;-) Greetings from Western MA.
I would be worried about sucking exhaust fumes in the intake and it going inside since the intake is at the back of that heater unit, the same place where you have the exhaust.
I followed Johns lead on this. We have swapped around. I need to do an updated video explaining this. I might even do a few improvements as well so its ready for winter.
so your exhaust stick out the back only two inches from you Cabin air intake? do you get diesel fume in your camper on startup?
There is a follow up video on this, you need to swap around the intake and exhaust. It was an unfortunate error which you can't edit/correct once uploaded.
@@WorkLivePlay In that case, this video really should be deleted. This setup is dangerous and goes against the setup instructions, as many people have pointed out.
I would prefer the smaller fully installed ones. It's very large and would take a lot of space.
We went this route as this section of our van/camper where you would typically install we use to store a lot of items. Given our climate here I would be lucky to use 2 or 3 times a year so the portable option works very well as its generally left on a shelf where we swap gear over depending on if we are on or off grid etc.
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Thx for the video, quick question as Ive been wrestling with placement: Thermostat consideration?!
This is all nice to have the unit outside and forcing hot air in, however the Thermostat is located on the headunits of these heaters. Meaning it will always perceive that "it is cold" since it's outside, and therefore not picking up interior temps. I suppose the function for cutoff once hot inside wont work this way?
Why not put the heater inside the van and the exhaust thru the floor? Then you can control it with the remote from inside🤔
Thats another option. We prefer outside. To be honest if you were to have internally, you would do a built in unit.
@@WorkLivePlay I've asked several people, different responses. Does this put a smell of diseal inside the camper if you mount it inside?
Want to see how its put together first
Could the copper elbow hold out with the heat?
It seems to. Many of us have used. I am however looking at a few other modifications/improvements for this unit.
I hope there's exorst past in all those joints out of experience thay get tiny gaps you carnt see under pressure and hot it seeps into to the vehicle.
you dident even fire it up after all that god dam bro wtf !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
he realised his family had just gone outside and lit a campfire to keep warm. Which is what camping is about, for sleeping use a hot water bottle.
Wouldn't it melt the PVC?
INSECTS THAT GO UP THE INTAKE
AIR TUBE ARE IN FOR A SURPRISE !!
Why did you not run the exhaust and intake the other direction.
It does unfortunately. We followed what a few others side to do but have swapped the two around.
Fresh air should be comimn from inside trailer ?
Yes, it should!
Do you lock the heater if you leave it outside?
No, but in saying this we don't run overnight.
I would imagine that keeping the whole unit outside of the recreational vehicle could cause several consequences. Interference with the thermostat, and, even if the thermostat is embedded in the heat output ducting, the cold temperatures and the long hose would result in a cooling of the air before it reaches the cabin throwing off the thermostat and chilling the output. Premature aging or even immediate damage to the electronics in the control panel due to extremely cold temps. People knowing you've set up camp and therefore constantly tossing you off the property/confiscating your rig (common problem in the US for some reason) Theft of the unit. Rats chewing on/entering the unit. A large turkey using the hose as a voice pipe making gobble noises in ones ears waking one up at all hours. How did it go? Was I right?
We don't have issues with theft fortunately and leave all sorts of things outside. It would be the least likely item to go missing I would think. Its well protected underneath and not used regularly as our winters are mild. For us its a solution for a luxury item we would not normally have when off grid camping. These units are more flow/volume controlled by the diesel rather than thermostatically like the internal ones. Obviously you can do this but we just adjust the flow to increase or decrease the temperature.
Its not going to work properly because the control panel needs to be inside so if it has a thermostat built into the controller, the heater will not switch off because it thinks the outside temp is inside...... I do like the concept of not mounting the diesel heater permanently however your still carrying it around with you so you may as well fit it under the seat and keep the Jerry can of diesel outside.
Thanks for the video, please correct so there is no confusion
Hi Paul, yes and no. They can work fine externally. You just use on a manual setting without a preset thermostat. We need maybe 3 or 4 times a year maximum hence the portable option. But do agree for most it would be easier and less fuss to hard mount inside. I'm just waiting on a 75mm joiner to replace the PVC and for our yard to get under control and I will do a follow up video.
29:06 NO no no no no!! Both MUST go to outside!
The air coming out of mine is 250 degrees on high and on low it's about 190 degrees
Theseasonorg explains the whole bible God bless
The perfect way to off the family an exhaust finishing under the air intake for the heater may as well run a pipe from the car exhaust into the van l wonder if he has heard of carbon monoxide ?
We have an updated video correcting this, it becomes pretty obvious as soon as you go to use however unfortunately there is no way to update the video easily on TH-cam.
These are supposed to freestanding inside the van to circulate the air & the thermostat self controls from the room temperature with a straight fall with the exorst silencer + straight + air intake.
Does anyone no how long a full tank lasts on mud heat any info
at max it's .06L per hr. 5 l is max about 8-10hrs
We have never used on max and don't run through the night. I would say around 1 litre for us per late afternoon to late evening. But yes more if you were in very cold conditions and wanted to run hotter and longer.
Thks
Get ready to take it apart and clean it
How dose it regular heat looks like thermostat is outside
just what are you trying to say ?
@@plutoplatters how does it regulate heat thermostat looks like it is on the box outside ?
You just adjust the heat to suit. No thermostat control on these. We generally just find a setting and use that. To be honest the controller is not the easiest to use, especially if you don't use all the time.
Ther is a problem vith the copper aluminium on the exhaus pipe
no problem. the copper fitting does not react with stainless steel exhaust..
Ther is a problem vith copper album and the aluminium
Why use a unit designed for sheds etc and not the in cabin unit ? Fiddle climbing under the van to get it, especially if it’s raining.
I've purchased a smaller in-cab unit but now thinking a portable unit might be a better proposition. The portable can be ducted into the van (I'll go through the side rather than the floor), but can also be used to heat the annex. It's enticing that the unit is all in one and I don't have to muck about with a separate fuel tank. If I used my van for longer stays I'd go for the in-cab unit but I'm only doing weekends at the moment.
You say in a couple of comments below that you don't run it at night. Why is this?