Addressing comments - Fuel pump, plastic tool box, return air, Buddy heater safety, does it still work? Fuel pump: This should be at 45 degrees (fuel flow up), and not horizontal! Plastic tool box: The plastic tool box is absolutely fine. There is no heat build up inside the tool box, and the heater itself has a plastic casing anyway. The only thing is to make sure the exhaust does not directly contact the plastic. I did a follow up video showing the temperatures: th-cam.com/video/zK9-UhRRdts/w-d-xo.html Return air: return air will increase efficiency slightly. I did a second version of the heater based on feedback on this video that allowed for return air: th-cam.com/video/LvHJdjIwjao/w-d-xo.html Buddy heater safety: I've had quite a few people commenting on here that Buddy heaters are catalytic heaters, so don't/can't produce CO. That is false for two reasons. The first is that Buddy heaters are NOT catalytic heaters. The second reason is that catalytic heaters can still produce CO. It's an incredibly common misconception that catalytic heaters can't/don't produce CO, but the catalyst doesn't actually change the chemical reaction at all. You have all of the same byproducts. The difference a catalyst makes is that it makes the reaction a lot more efficient. There is less propane used, therefore less oxygen used, and a much lower chance of CO being produced. That being said, the chances of CO problems with either are incredibly slim with adequate ventilation. Does it still work?: Yes. But I gave it to a friend. I switched to a more expensive and (in my opinion) better heater. See more here: th-cam.com/video/_5S5G0maUJM/w-d-xo.html
Maybe the return air could be half from the tent and half from outside. Maybe a butterfly valve or two so you can adjust and experiment. I am thinking of replacing my center console with something like this. Good idea using a tool box. Thanks for the video!
*Install was easy **fireplace.homes** good although I personally had some difficulty with the thermostat I had. Issue was mine though, not realizing that electric heaters couldn't use oil thermostats. Tip: If you are using an external thermostat, run the power to the thermostat, not the unit. Once that was squared away it worked great.*
Great job, I never would have figured that tool box would have worked for you like that, BRILLIANT, GENIUS? BTW one of the advantages of diesel is it does not catch fire. Try this get some diesel put some diesel in a shallow bowl or glass, light a cigerette and put it out in the diesel, you can do that again and again , and nothing will happen. Don't you dare try that with gasoline. So heres the formula, Diesel combusts; Gasoline burns, gasoline vapors or fumes EXPLODE, the fumes will actually chase you and burn.
Great video!! One suggestion for your intake for the hot air. Run another duct into your tent, this keeps snow out and helps heat already heated air- you will save massive amounts of fuel by keeping the intake as warm as possible.
Saw this when it first came out. I have an enclosed trailer that I use to haul and camp. I bought a wood stove to hear it and it just didn’t work out. So I bought one of the diesel heaters. With all those parts thrown in a bag, it as a bit overwhelming. I was gonna build a wood enclosure, then I remembered your video. Had an old toolbox similar to the one you used. The installation you described was great and helped organize my install. Can’t wait to try it out! THANK YOU!
Very awesome build...neat and simple. To those going on about the exhaust melting this and that....It is a heat exchanger...not like a typical furnace where most of the heat goes out the exhaust. It is designed in such a way as to transfer much of the heat internally and then out through the vent with the aid of a fan. This is one reason they are so efficient.
Love it! One thing I would suggest is to move the fuel line away from the exhaust line to the other side of the air intake line. Overall, very creative! Thanks!!
i ran into your buddy with the Hummer down by cumberland falls a few months back who said his son had the Buddy heater explode in his RTT. I'm assuming those are the pics you showed. WOW. I'm using the buddy heater now, but when i use it i make sure i keep it in the annex down low and away from the occupants of the tent. That guy scared the daylights out of me with that story!
Good Review, just made one myself and it works great. it is nice to have a small section of clear tubing for the fuel so you can see the fuel flowing when priming. The instructions I received said the fuel pump needs to be mounted at 15 - 35 degrees, I also noticed a name brand reference the same angle as well. Great build. Grab an extra controller as a backup cause mine has already died after the first couple uses.
well thats an answer to a question I've been asking myself for ages!!! Excellent job and if I ever get to the point that I need to do it, I know where to come!!!
This is by far your coolest most creative educational video! You send data that's brand-new to my brain. And I don't see anybody else doing this whatsoever. I've always wanted to do something like this. And I think that it's amazing that you took the time to figure it all out and make it actually happen!
@@RevereOverland No really, thank you, I'm sure other people have thought of this but to take the time to build on camera and test on camera is a high level of extra work and I appreciate you.
Built one in a Husky box a few months back and works flawless in the cold I do use a car air filter for the intake air which helps keep dust down in the tent :)
Great video! The best out there explaining a setup with diesel heater for overland use. Sounds like it has an average power draw about like a fridge, not bad. A year ago off trail expedition explained the setup but seemed pretty complicated. This shows it to be very doable. I will be making the switch away from Buddy Heater to a diesel heater for next winter.
Yeah it looks complicated when you see a box of wires and fuel lines, but it's not bad to put together! I think the draw is a little more than your average fridge overall, and will obviously vary based on temperature. I'll probably go to dual battery at some point.
Ha! Well, this leaves me feeling conflicted! I couldn't decide between fitting a heater inside my Landy or on the roof rack (making holes for exhaust and intake vs one larger hole for the air out). It took a while before I decided the roof rack would be best (would work when I get my roof tent added, and in the meantime saves space and will work with my side tent). Took me a while to brainstorm how to do it. Bought a big, waterproof Stanley toolbox. Was just checking a few videos to get some reassurance on the install, and here you are! Almost exactly what I had in mind, with very few differences. I'm disappointed I'm not being as original as I thought, but really feeling more confident now I've seen you do it! Fantastic work - thanks a lot!
Very informative video. Been anxious to start overlanding and after watching a few of your videos, I think you are the right person to help me get my feet wet. Subscribed! Please keep being honest and unbiased when you're reviewing products, I know that'll be hard to do when companies start giving you free products to review as you get more popular.
I have to agree with the comments about the heater in a plastic box. Also, inlet for the the heater should be a return air from a low point in the tent. That will make the heater much more efficient than heating cold air. This is not to mention that if your tent is moderately airtight the blower in the heater is will be inefficient. You did do a great job presenting your build.
The plastic box is absolutely fine, as long as the exhaust doesn't contact it. The heater itself has a plastic casing, and there is no heat buildup in the box! I considered a return air, but decided against it. The heater is so efficient that it runs on low all night anyway!
THANK YOU!! This video really helped me and has saved me a lot of time and effort. I have a converted enclosed cargo trailer. I WAS going to build a large cabinet inside the camper one section of which would be for the diesel heater. Thank god I saw your video first. That pump would drive me crazy. Tick, tick, tick, no thank you. It never occurred to me to mount the heater outside and duct the heat in. I did an AC with ducting in and out so why not a heater? Brilliant!! For now I am using electric. Propane is useless due to condensation and multiple other reason which you clearly explained. I will feed off your design and build one like this for next winter mounting it externally on the trailer hitch bar. THANK YOU AGAIN.
My clock on the wall is louder than the fuel pump. I have the pump suspended by zip ties so that the sound(tick tick tick) is not transmitted to anything solid. It sounds like it is in the distance, and the fan is hardly noticeable.
@@patrickbodine6010 Thank you for the info, duly noted. However this video caused me to walk around my little home and check out suitable spots. Even if the noise from the fuel pump is not as bad as I thought mounting it outside is still a really good idea. I have a rear ramp and it is going on there. Perfect location. When the ramp goes down it will clear the ground easily and the possible diesel smell plus tick tick is now outside. Can you tell me how much diesel the tank holds and how long that typically lasts for?
@@izifaddag8221 there is, literally, no diesel smell. As long as the exhaust is not able to get into your living enclosure, you should not experience any odors. Initially, when you start up the heater for the first time, there may be a slight odor that will pass from the unit itself. The fan noise is really minimal, and the heater just sips fuel. In my area, which is out in the country, non-taxed fuel is readily available for around $2.20/gal. Plus/minus a few cents. I have not run the heater at full speed because my house would get too hot. So, I run it at the not absolute minimum but low and it keeps my place real comfy. Fuel usage, overnight, running at the 1.4 setting, is approximately 1 1/2 liters. I never run it over 3.0. It is suggested that after running the heater at or near minimum, you run it at 3.0 or so for about 15 minutes to burn off any possible carbon build up. My heater came with a bad pump, but the seller refunded me $20 and the replacement was $12. 😉 Replacement parts are available from ebay, and are inexpensive. I would not hesitate to buy another one if I had a need.
@@izifaddag8221 I have a 5 gallon diesel fuel container with the hose coming out of the pour nozzle. That way no water can get in and I dont need to drill any holes. If/when I need to fill it up, I just use a small clamp to keep fuel from flowing and using a funnel, pour in the fuel. Easy stuff! K.I.S.S. Not using the tank that came with the heater. 5 liters, I think. Just look to see where the best place to install it. Mine is located above the wheel well on the inside fender with the exhaust going one way &the intake air, the other. Best of luck!🙂
I ordered the same kit and haven’t installed it yet. As I am a diesel mechanic by trade I would recommend changing the air intake filter to something with more filtration than the included filter. If you examine it close you will notice that it’s just a piece of screen that has bigger holes than a screen in your house and isn’t really doing anything by way of protecting the internals of the combustion chamber. Mine came with the same thing and I replaced it with a little air filter from any parts store that they sell as a crankcase breather filter for an engine.
Hey man I think you may run in to water leaking problems through the handle of the toolbox. It depends on the design but water can pool in the handle recession and leak in through the holes that penetrate in to the box to secure the handle in place. I recommend adding something to the top of the lid or covering it from the rain in some way. Or put drain holes in the bottom.
I really love the way you used a stanley tool box for it, bloody brilliant, i am about to fit one on my boat and have been thinking about installing it outside as they can be noisey, this is an idea i think i may take up.
You can buy them in a metal box that has fuel tank and pump installed on Amazon for about $130 . Has handle to carry. Just need to hookup exhaust and intake.
Mr buddy is the best quick and easy especially with the adapter hose and the cylinder refill adapter. Also burning diesel has more emissions and more of an impact to the very thing you are trying to protect and admire NATURE. Just my 2 cents.
I built one into a case, fully self contained, exhaust out the back, inboard fuel tank and battery plus a charger that can plug in to keep up the battery and remote control. Also uses 3" hi temp rugged heater hose with 3" cam and groove fittings. Mine draws in outside air, tested it tent camping in Bryce Canyon, 8,000' low of 25⁰ Farenheit.
@@shaweehillsworkshop4226 that's true. Since the whole unit is outside, it has a lot more oxygen than something in a tent. In addition to a broken heat exchanger, you'd have to have something block the combustion intake (like snow) for that to happen!
You would smell it. Infact that is the type heater used in big truck sleepers and from time to time you will smell diesel when starting it up. I will be going with one like that but propane for my teardrop
Also, having the hole box in the tent, so intake and output for heating the air is inside, is smart. It'll use a lot less fuel and electricity because it'll use already heated air instead of the cold outside air.
@@nathanbrown5099 It's been a year or so since I wrote that comment, and this is just a quick reply without watching the vid again and stuff. I should clarify that the diesel heater has two intakes and two exhausts. One intake is the air that's to be heated and blown into the living space. The other intake is for the combustion chamber. I meant putting the intake for the heating chamber inside the tent, so you didn't have to heat up the air 40 degrees, instead of just from the inside air. The intake for the combustion chamber should be outside and suck in dryest possible air for best combustion, unless it's too cold to keep the diesel/carosene burning. The exhaust from the combustion chamber should always be outside, far away from the tent. I just want to be clear, but you probably understood this already! :D
@@LA6NPA Tents can definitely accumulate CO2 if they are four season tents. Though it is less efficient, there are probably situations where you would also prefer to have a constant stream of fresh air forced in, but the system is flexible so both options are viable depending on your setup and comfort level routing the intake into the tent.
I’ve put a webasto in a van before but I’m thinking about going back to a truck with tent on top. Was thinking of ways to do this and started researching. voila! Here it is. Thanks! Subscribed! I might even put a splitter in the warm air hose and run air to tent and to bed/ shell of truck for my dogs in winter.
Thank you for posting this video. It was really informative and you put everything in perspective. I currently dont have a roof top tent but it's something I'm looking into purchasing within the next 3 years. Thank you again. I really learned alot. I was blown away from fires caused by these propane heater, but most of all how dangerous the fumes they generate.
You asked suggestions, maybe 90 degree elbows on the bottom to allow it to be flatter and put some kind of feet on the corners so it would sit flat it you set it on the ground for some reason. Awesome build and 4runners ftw
Great idea and such a simple solution to keeping my tent warm I didn't like the gas heater because of the fumes and great DIY idea's and instructions very neat
_Dude! I Installed those heaters, and when I tell you! You have done all the DON'TS for this. Please ask I'll give the information to you and others. I want you and ALL other safe!_
_For: Bruce Swabb first I wouldn't mount to a plastic box, just go straight to and use a metal or aluminum box. The exhaust pipe gets super hot. Try to use what they give you for the exhaust pipe. The pump needs to be at 30 degrees or straight up, this is to help the air bubbles to escape into the burn unit. But the pump needs to be under the heater, as in an upward direction to the heater. The filter and pump need to be close to the fuel source, and then the filter can be mounted in any position after it has been primed. Use the 2mm ID x 4 or 6mm OD hard nylon or PTFE tubing for the fuel system. Some of these kits come with the hard nylon tubing, and if so us it. If not, and they have soft tubing, just shit can it and buy the right tubing. There a lot of reasons why and away too long to explain. That short and to the point for fuel lines. Exhaust should be at a natural downward flow and try not to use another pipe to make it longer. If you follow these simple rules, these heaters should last a very long time, plus regular maintenance. If you have any other questions, please ask, we'll keep them here and open for all to view._
I got one awhile back. I really enjoy it. I put mine in my wood shop. Small shop. Yet it's in my shop with the exhaust outside, it would still find it's way in. So I took an copper 3/4 pipe and put it over the roof line with making the top take a long curve pointing down. Keep rain and snow out. Then another problem came up. Those heaters are no different then an vehicle. Water comes out of the pipe. So as what you are doing with an tent and where the exhaust pipe you have two things to look out for. 1 the exhaust. 2 water coming out of the exhaust pipe. I put an tee on my exhaust pipe and ran it down to get rid of the water so that the exhaust can run up freely. One more thing. When you first buy one and get it. With the unit by itself fully together. Check to see if the fan is rubbing on the casing. If so very carefully take the top off. Take some light sandpaper or an knife and carefully go around the fan edges to get rid of the rubbing without putting the fan out of balance. Take care.
@@RevereOverland my pipe that goes over my roof top is just about a full length of copper pipe. Before I put an tee in it so the water has an Escape and let the exhaust out, mine would with the curve be blocked by the water. That's at the highest point. So it has a lot that comes out. Not just a little. Yet I'm very impressed with the heater. I really enjoy it. Also the lights for my little shops are all on solar. 12 volt system. Yes starting it and shutting it down takes extra energy. The glow plug. Yet at night with the lights on and on only 3 batteries system, I can run it for hours with no problems. Like I said, I'm very impressed. Take care.
I have this system for my RTT / annex room for two years and it work great no more dealing with condensation produce by previously mr.buddy heater. I just build a leg frame from PVC (no enclosure box) so the the heater box does not get overheated then I put it in under my jeep. Run the output + return airduct pipe and the control display in the annex room. So the whole system does not sit or touching the body of vehicle, this way I'm barely hear the fuel pump ticking noise and a humming from the blower motor. On the side note: You're going to get dry roasted like a roasted peanut inside your RTT with this heater next to you :-) it get really hot even in the lowest setting. That's why I put mine in the annex room. Oh those fuel pump it work better on 45 degree angle, not horizontal......
It's interesting you say that about the fuel pump. Someone else said to mount vertically. The instructions specifically say to mount horizontally! It's good to hear these heat really well. I've been second guessing not putting a return air in, but it sounds as though it's not really needed.
This is amazing !! how come I’ve never heard of this before ?? I do most of my camping in the southeast USA -Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana etc. cheers and thank you for the great informative video!! 👍🏼
This is pretty nice for car camping, also pretty good when youre car breaks down and you want to be warm while looking at the snow accumulate and youre directing your own version of the shining. Downside is a mathusion mind puzzle, batterys dont work in the cold.(final scene jack froze).
The clock on my wall is louder than the fuel pump. I have the pump suspended in air (versus mounted onto something) using zip ties/cable ties. If it is surface mounted, the sound gets transferred and somewhat amplified. Mine sounds like it is in the distance.
Remember a CO alarm, there are 3 gaskets, one rubber and two hard, if one fails you could get combustion air in your tent. Also if you get running problems, try turning the pump 45deg (output up)
I just bought an old Prius, between the front seats (being pushed all the foward) to the hatch i have about 7 feet of lay down space. I can set the climate control on and gas engine will kick on 2 to 4 minutes of every hour to either kee pool the car warm or cold.
I do that with my RAV4 Hybrid AWD. Costs a $1 a night for extreme weather, hot or cold. Trouble is the earlier generations external lights stayed off the new ones don't. I am doing a paper mache mould on all front and rear lights and painting them matt black with velour on the inside to prevent scratching to stick on so that the lights are blacked out. Pain in the ass though.
I like your idea! I just mounted one of these nearly identical units in my little teardrop camper, and here is what I discovered: I manually primed the fuel line a little too much when I first started learning how it works, and it did drip 'overflow' fuel from the combustion inlet port so I mounted mine in a way that would allow for draining away from the vehicle 'just in case'. Also, I opted for the rotary dial type thermostat because it looked way less complicated to operate. I agree the unit is efficient both in terms of operation and value. I can run mine for about 24 hours non stop at low setting on the supplied fuel tank. Great producd in my opinion. Thanks!
I have wondered how the dial thermostat does. I’m also not sure about the automatic priming from the digital thermostat - does it stop when the fuel reaches, or does it go for a preset amount of time? The efficiency is great. For 24 hours of heat, you’d go through so much propane!
@@AbstonFamily Basically I built toolbox about five feet wide and three feet high with a top that slopes up 45 degrees to allow for some decreased wind resistance. After that, it was pretty simple to screw things into place. The biggest problem I've had is keeping the fuel line primed but thats not a technical issue with the heater, it's more about how I want to travel with the fuel tank.
I have the same diesel heater and I would suggest getting a 1 inch wide strip of fiberglass insulation and wrap it around the exhaust chamber near the plastic of the toolbox because that pipe will get too hot and you have a bracket on the hot pipe screwed into the toolbox it will melt their also I did not see the muffler on the end of the tailpipe you may want to put the muffler on and it will be quieter operation also my portable power system has a solar panel if your jackery has a solar panel to charge up during the day good video have a nice day
That metal exhaust tube will get VERY hot. It is secured with a metal clamp in contact and right against the plastic tool box less than 10 inches, 25 cm from the exhaust port of the heater. That can not possibly work very long without melting plastic. Great idea all the same. i doubt most people would need to modify their install after testing of using. Cheers
Nice work. You made it look easy. 👍 But thank goodness these now come as an All-In-One unit. I'm seen one with a fuel tank on top (seems to be the more popular choice), or one at the side. These new units make it even easier. Just plug n play.
I see in your video you have placed your pump at horizontal . For the piston to be lubricated properly it should be angled at about 45 degrees or vertical. Also make sure that your lighter connection is very secure because if it disconnects whilst in operation the unit could overheat and destroy itself . Liked the idea of your case but I think steel or aluminum could be better . Also if the pump noise is too loud, try suspending with cable ties . I find this helps quite a lot . Ten out of ten for ingenuity though.
Thanks! I corrected the pump angle, and put the update on the website build info. I blame the crappy instructions for that one! I think the pump noise has been better since changing the angle, but I might be wrong.
@@RevereOverland yes you are definitely correct about the instructions. I now own 2 of these units, one I fitted into my motorhome and the other in my workshop. Both are working very well. Took some of your ideas when I built the workshop one . Many thanks Syd.
Thanks man been thinkin about this for a year or too.. still summer here in Australia but won't be long and I'll be needing it were I go gets to about -6c and I recon diesel heat is the only way to go
Revere Overland Yep! I was comparing it to the buddy heater and for the money, I feel like this makes a ton of sense. Long term, it’s much more fuel efficient too so there will be savings down the road on fuel (plus the convenience of being able to refill at a gas station). Great video as always!
@@RevereOverland Just wondering how much fuel does it consume per night?? Thinking about converting my camping trailer to a Diesel heater to help conserve the propane for cooking, fridge/freezer and water heater. I ate through 2.5-30lb propane tanks in 1 week while elk hunting in Wyoming in teen degree weather. The diesel heater would also be a nice primary way to heat the trailer while still retaining the propane for backup. Great video and cool way to make the whole system portable!!!
eddiemoto250 my 5kw unit consumes about 1 quart/liter per night. You can adjust the fuel flow which increases or decreases fuel consumption, of course. I bought an “all-in-one” unit for my teardrop camper. The advantage is that it’s all assembled and ready to rock. The biggest disadvantage is that the all-in-one has no fuel filter and there isn’t much room to install a filter. I ended up with a funnel with filter that I dump the fuel through when refilling. In hindsight, I’d buy the decomposed kit like this and just build it in a box of some sort.
I like what you did. The only thing I did differently was to store the power input in one of the top compartment of the toolbox and I out the controller in the other. This allowed me to keep everything cleaner inside the box. I also mounted a breaker to the box instead of the fuse.
You could insulate the exhaust pipe and have the the heater inside the tent and run combustion inlet, exhaust and fuel line outside to make the heater more effective. Or have the heater outside and run both inlet and outlet in to the tent. In both ways you´re not heating cold outside air but circulating the inside air makeing it more effective.
Great little project! We're running one for our off road trailer. We have ours mounted in a slightly larger rolling tool box. It's big enough to hold the heater and a smaller fuel tank that I bought. We pump the hot air into our annex (mostly for our puppy), but of course, hot air goes up, so the tent stays nice and warm. I used some flexible metal tubing to extend the output. If you look right here: th-cam.com/video/DKy00tYNdh8/w-d-xo.html You can see it sitting on the side (left side as you look at the video) of the trailer with the tubing running to the annex... It doesn't look so cold in that video, but that blue water container on the trailer had a 2 inch layer of ice on the insides..... we ended up putting it in the annex in front of the heater for a while to melt the ice. It would be nice to have a return line, but the logistics gets complicated. We've used ours down to 12 degrees F, and with it mostly idling, it kept the tent at 65 or so without issue. If I crank it up, it would exceed 85F or higher without issue. The little 5 liter tank will run about 10 hours or so. We used it for a few days there, and had ZERO moisture in the tent.
that style of heater is fantastic. we have them in very heavy equipment 90 ton cranes, and they will run the operator out. didnt think of looking on amazon for one. dont even want to tell you how much we paided for the last one....im getting one for my moteehome
I have this Diesel heater installed in my Motorhome, It’s awesome. But what an amazing idea you came up with, Do use something like this and actually make it portable.
Great ideas man. Don't know that I would do it much differently. Might do some sound insulation, and vibration dampening at he mounting points of contact, but well done, and on the cheap is always a plus.
I have been thanking of this also, im a mechanic for a living and we have the same heaters on lots of our buses that i work on. what has made me kinda hesitate is the ones we have get really hot with the exhaust and unit its self. they also have a really strong odor from the exhaust. the ones we have are Webasto Diesel heaters, there around 1000 dollars with really nice remotes and thermostats. I could use one of them but was also thanking about the cheap china ones also. let us know how it works over night ! if the plastic box holds up. i may just do this also.
The exhaust gets pretty hot, and melted a cheap plastic tote I had it sitting on. It hasn't caused a problem with the tool box, but it also doesn't directly contact the tool box. The case of the heater itself is a similar plastic to the tool box I used, so it should be ok in there! There's definitely a smell when you first start it up, but I couldn't smell it after a while - I still ordered an extension for the exhaust to get it away.
The fuel pump clicking on those is a lot quieter if you don't mount them and just let them hang freely and not bumping against anything. I'm not sure if there is a mechanical reason you should mount it though. I know mine seems to work fine without being mounted. I check the connections on it though from time to time just to make sure. No adjustments needed yet. Also, every source I've found recommends running it on full blast for about 10 to 15 minutes before turning it off. Apparently this helps burn off any soot that has formed inside. If too much soot forms inside then it eventually will fail to start until you clean it out.
At least camping on the roof protects you from ground bears but if you where here you would have a problem with the drop bears! Furious little buggers.
I would install some C-shaped stainless steel grab handles, similar to what you might find in a boat, and mount them at each end of the box where the exhaust and intake outlets are, at the bottom of the box, so the box can be raised up and rest on the 'handles' which actually become legs. The Stanley tool box has splayed 'outposts' on each corner perfect for mounting the C-shaped handles which then form the legs..
Wouldn’t you want the air intake to be routed to the tent as well? That way you are circulating the tent air through the heater and not heating the outside air for a little more efficiency. I guess I think of it as a home heating system supply and return air.
That’s something I seriously considered, because it will increase efficiency. I like the idea of pulling in fresh air too though. What I’ll probably do is add a quick connect/disconnect to both ends in the future, and try it out.
@@RevereOverland I opted for a hybrid solution: my return air feeds into a large box (on the front of the trailer) with open floor for venting and fresh air. In theory, the return air will mix with the fresh outside air and I'm hoping that will give me a good mix of both, although the coldest temps I expect to encounter are freezing or a little below. In a really cold climate, return air alone would probably be better IMO.
Actually no you want it to draw in cool air, which will cool the electronic circuit system in the unit. Plus you would want fresh air, not reheated stagnant air circulating in your bunk.
The literally trivial amount of diesel saved by recirculating the heated tent air isn’t worth it given the thermal efficiency of diesel in terms of therms per gram of diesel and it offsets the risks or combustion inversion where diesel fumes and potentially diesel exhaust get vented into the tent should you have an ignition problem or fueling problem. Heating 32deg F air to 72deg F air is trivial, the “efficiency” savings are not worth it.
That is amazing!!! I never knew about this heating unit! I have some research to do! Great job customizing your heating unit and thank you for the video! Cheers!
Pretty slick setup, but Ive been using the Buddy heater for several years with very little issues. They key to lower the condensation is pletty of air flow. I use a couple USB fans to circulate the air. I do like the idea of a thermostat, but I dont like the idea of carrying a tank of diesel around. Good to have another option though. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah I've used my Buddy heater with no problems other than the condensation. The diesel tank takes up a lot less space than the equivalent propane for the Buddy heater, although diesel is a lot nastier to have in the vehicle!
@@RevereOverland Im already using a 11lb propane for cooking and hot water heater so it just makes sense to stick with propane, but I really like the thermostat feature.. Definitely worth thinking about!
@@krover01 yeah if you're already taking a large propane cylinder, you're set. I was using the 1lb tanks, and would go through around three a night when running the buddy all night.
the stiff fuel line is actually provided for a specific reason. the flexible rubber line absorbes some of the pulses from the fuel pump.. using rubber fuel line after the fuel pump will decrease efficiency and eventually cause major carbonization of the chamber (experience speaking - i own 3 heaters ) up to the fuel pump is ok . other than that .. awesome build..
I have both. Guess which one I use. Guess which one actually works. Yup. The diesel heater! Buddy heater works ok but it is problematic. The pilot quit working. Your mileage may vary.😊
Pretty cool and compact setup. I'm not sure if you know but they make these as unit in an enclosure complete with fuel tank so you can avoid all that work.
Nice run through and build, about to do the same inside an alloy tread plate chilly bin which is mounted to my box camp trailer as the tent 👍is mounted to that. I camp all year round in New Zealand and this will just add a little comfort on really cold night.
Great vid. Thx. Been thinking about doing something similar. Would go for an aluminum toolbox though. Have had a diesel heater in my boat for years gives great comfortable heat.
chris s For me it would mainly be about added security/peace of mind. The cost of a metal box vs a plastic one is not an issue for me. I would probably try to fit the exhaust hose inside the box also so I could place it on the ground. So there would be more heat to consider for the box in my case. It would probably need to be vented somehow. More fun things to figure out😀
Nice 👍 really cool setup and it seems like there are endless possibilities to set it up depending on your personal use and preference. I am definitely going to look into that to warm up my Jeep when I sleep in it during cold days 🥶
Sorry if someone already said this but I think that an air intake filiter with a right angle to prevent water and particulate being introduced would be a wise addition.
Neat installation. I like the portability aspect. You could move it easily. I have a mate who bought one off of the Wish app (straight from China) and put it in his Land Rover Defender cab between the front seats. LR's are notoriously cold and wet. Now it is toasty and keeps the glass clean and dry! Production note: please keep the background music a little lower. It was a bit distracting. Well done!
Noted. Sound is the hardest thing to sort - on headphones it sounds completely different from computer speakers, which sound totally different from a TV!
Nice video demonstration mate. You forgot to mention the one big difference between this diesel heater and the common propane heater: propane tanks are quite expensive in my opinion. One small camping size one will cost you over $8 with taxes, and you will be lucky if you get up to 4hrs of run time from that sucker. Whereas a gallon of diesel is less than $3 with taxes, and you can get more than 15hrs of run time from that bad boy. So my take is that even though the diesel heater is a little more expensive than the propane heater, it is very sustainable whereas propane tanks are not a sustainable. You can easily go through two are three propane tanks in one night, and that will be over $20 per night, and over $600 per month just to heat a small camper van or tent. Compare that to $3 per night, or $90 per month. And I get it that you need like battery bank and charging system, but I guarantee you that all the extra initial cost associated with a diesel heated will pay for itself in less than a winter month of camping.
Maybe spin box so you can access from inside the tent if raining. Also some make shift cage w cover so you can work on it in the elements without damaging anything and extra roof for snow load. Great video thanks, I’m going to try to make something this summer.
I will definitely be putting it the other way around so the exhaust is away from the tent opening! If I had thought about it, I’d drill the hole for the wiring on the side facing the tent.
Since it will allow mounting in different direction I would have A. Mounted it to have the air and fuel intakes on the side so the box would sit flat. B. Mount it in a bigger box to put a battery in with the unit. C. Mount the fuel tank on top of the box and let it gravity feed? Just things I would try if it were me. Now I have to get one for my boat!
Enjoyed the video, you did a great job, i have a roof top tent and thinking of heating, my roof tent covers the whole of my estate car roof, so some thinking to be done 👌👌
For others that might be interested, you can buy this heater (probably for the same DIY build costs) that comes in a 1 package unit. built into its own portable case.
That is so cool! I just heard about these things couple weeks ago, It was very curious about them. Great timing in the video! I'm going on a camping trip in March, I may have to look into this for then.
That's a nice set up, especially for storing outside I have one question, the jackary plug is rated for ten amps, the heater goes up to twelve amps, does it not cut out.
When I get a rear bumper I'll probably create my own container, and mount it on the swingout. You could probably create something to go in the rear window that has air in/out.
Have you considered making the warm air flow into a recycling system? You might want to run a line from the inside of your tent/trailer/camper to the outside cold air inlet and the the unit air outlet line to the tent. If you place them on opposite or top and bottom areas of the tent you will be warming the internal air and so use less fuel as the air going from the tent to the unit air inlet will be warmer than outside air. If you are concerned with a CO2 buildup just make a "y" connector on the cold air inlet with a small filter to add small amounts of O2 from outside.
What box are you looking to do for yours? i have an off-road camper that I would like to do this with. I was thinking a HarborFreight box might work well for one of these. Are you going to share your setup?
@@AbstonFamily I was thinking a smaller metal toolbox. My diesel tank would be separate from the box. Yes I plan on sharing mine on my channel when I do it.
Space the heater from the bottom of the box so the fuel line doesn’t have to exit the tool box and then right back in going from the pump to the heater. Also I’d imagine that enough heat is going to be transferred through the metal clamp holding the exhaust and melt the plastic.
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Addressing comments - Fuel pump, plastic tool box, return air, Buddy heater safety, does it still work?
Fuel pump: This should be at 45 degrees (fuel flow up), and not horizontal!
Plastic tool box: The plastic tool box is absolutely fine. There is no heat build up inside the tool box, and the heater itself has a plastic casing anyway. The only thing is to make sure the exhaust does not directly contact the plastic. I did a follow up video showing the temperatures: th-cam.com/video/zK9-UhRRdts/w-d-xo.html
Return air: return air will increase efficiency slightly. I did a second version of the heater based on feedback on this video that allowed for return air: th-cam.com/video/LvHJdjIwjao/w-d-xo.html
Buddy heater safety: I've had quite a few people commenting on here that Buddy heaters are catalytic heaters, so don't/can't produce CO. That is false for two reasons. The first is that Buddy heaters are NOT catalytic heaters. The second reason is that catalytic heaters can still produce CO. It's an incredibly common misconception that catalytic heaters can't/don't produce CO, but the catalyst doesn't actually change the chemical reaction at all. You have all of the same byproducts. The difference a catalyst makes is that it makes the reaction a lot more efficient. There is less propane used, therefore less oxygen used, and a much lower chance of CO being produced. That being said, the chances of CO problems with either are incredibly slim with adequate ventilation.
Does it still work?: Yes. But I gave it to a friend. I switched to a more expensive and (in my opinion) better heater. See more here: th-cam.com/video/_5S5G0maUJM/w-d-xo.html
Maybe the return air could be half from the tent and half from outside. Maybe a butterfly valve or two so you can adjust and experiment. I am thinking of replacing my center console with something like this. Good idea using a tool box. Thanks for the video!
*Install was easy **fireplace.homes** good although I personally had some difficulty with the thermostat I had. Issue was mine though, not realizing that electric heaters couldn't use oil thermostats. Tip: If you are using an external thermostat, run the power to the thermostat, not the unit. Once that was squared away it worked great.*
Great job, I never would have figured that tool box would have worked for you like that, BRILLIANT, GENIUS? BTW one of the advantages of diesel is it does not catch fire. Try this get some diesel put some diesel in a shallow bowl or glass, light a cigerette and put it out in the diesel, you can do that again and again , and nothing will happen. Don't you dare try that with gasoline.
So heres the formula, Diesel combusts; Gasoline burns, gasoline vapors or fumes EXPLODE, the fumes will actually chase you and burn.
Great video!! One suggestion for your intake for the hot air. Run another duct into your tent, this keeps snow out and helps heat already heated air- you will save massive amounts of fuel by keeping the intake as warm as possible.
Hmmm, interesting!
This I think it’s a quantum leap forward in heating your space
Saw this when it first came out. I have an enclosed trailer that I use to haul and camp. I bought a wood stove to hear it and it just didn’t work out. So I bought one of the diesel heaters. With all those parts thrown in a bag, it as a bit overwhelming. I was gonna build a wood enclosure, then I remembered your video. Had an old toolbox similar to the one you used. The installation you described was great and helped organize my install. Can’t wait to try it out! THANK YOU!
Very awesome build...neat and simple. To those going on about the exhaust melting this and that....It is a heat exchanger...not like a typical furnace where most of the heat goes out the exhaust. It is designed in such a way as to transfer much of the heat internally and then out through the vent with the aid of a fan. This is one reason they are so efficient.
SIR... YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE GENIUS!!! It's People like you and the Ideas you share is what makes TH-cam so useful and enjoyable!!
Love it! One thing I would suggest is to move the fuel line away from the exhaust line to the other side of the air intake line. Overall, very creative! Thanks!!
i ran into your buddy with the Hummer down by cumberland falls a few months back who said his son had the Buddy heater explode in his RTT. I'm assuming those are the pics you showed. WOW.
I'm using the buddy heater now, but when i use it i make sure i keep it in the annex down low and away from the occupants of the tent. That guy scared the daylights out of me with that story!
Yeah he sent me those pictures!
@@RevereOverland sheesh, I hope it was a fluke accident. Thanks for the video, next winter I'll give it a whirl. See ya out there on the KAT 👍
Good Review, just made one myself and it works great. it is nice to have a small section of clear tubing for the fuel so you can see the fuel flowing when priming. The instructions I received said the fuel pump needs to be mounted at 15 - 35 degrees, I also noticed a name brand reference the same angle as well. Great build. Grab an extra controller as a backup cause mine has already died after the first couple uses.
well thats an answer to a question I've been asking myself for ages!!! Excellent job and if I ever get to the point that I need to do it, I know where to come!!!
This is by far your coolest most creative educational video! You send data that's brand-new to my brain. And I don't see anybody else doing this whatsoever. I've always wanted to do something like this. And I think that it's amazing that you took the time to figure it all out and make it actually happen!
Thank you! A lot of credit has to go to Mike from @off_trail_expedition though!
@@RevereOverland No really, thank you, I'm sure other people have thought of this but to take the time to build on camera and test on camera is a high level of extra work and I appreciate you.
Built one in a Husky box a few months back and works flawless in the cold
I do use a car air filter for the intake air which helps keep dust down in the tent :)
Great video! The best out there explaining a setup with diesel heater for overland use. Sounds like it has an average power draw about like a fridge, not bad. A year ago off trail expedition explained the setup but seemed pretty complicated. This shows it to be very doable. I will be making the switch away from Buddy Heater to a diesel heater for next winter.
Yeah it looks complicated when you see a box of wires and fuel lines, but it's not bad to put together! I think the draw is a little more than your average fridge overall, and will obviously vary based on temperature. I'll probably go to dual battery at some point.
I like how you have it set up. Thank you for the demonstration of your diesel heater installation. .
Ha! Well, this leaves me feeling conflicted! I couldn't decide between fitting a heater inside my Landy or on the roof rack (making holes for exhaust and intake vs one larger hole for the air out). It took a while before I decided the roof rack would be best (would work when I get my roof tent added, and in the meantime saves space and will work with my side tent). Took me a while to brainstorm how to do it. Bought a big, waterproof Stanley toolbox. Was just checking a few videos to get some reassurance on the install, and here you are! Almost exactly what I had in mind, with very few differences. I'm disappointed I'm not being as original as I thought, but really feeling more confident now I've seen you do it! Fantastic work - thanks a lot!
Very informative video. Been anxious to start overlanding and after watching a few of your videos, I think you are the right person to help me get my feet wet. Subscribed! Please keep being honest and unbiased when you're reviewing products, I know that'll be hard to do when companies start giving you free products to review as you get more popular.
Thanks! Enjoy the trails, it's a great experience!
I have to agree with the comments about the heater in a plastic box. Also, inlet for the the heater should be a return air from a low point in the tent. That will make the heater much more efficient than heating cold air. This is not to mention that if your tent is moderately airtight the blower in the heater is will be inefficient.
You did do a great job presenting your build.
The plastic box is absolutely fine, as long as the exhaust doesn't contact it. The heater itself has a plastic casing, and there is no heat buildup in the box! I considered a return air, but decided against it. The heater is so efficient that it runs on low all night anyway!
@@RevereOverland They look like awesome heaters. I'd like to try one out for sure!
THANK YOU!! This video really helped me and has saved me a lot of time and effort. I have a converted enclosed cargo trailer. I WAS going to build a large cabinet inside the camper one section of which would be for the diesel heater. Thank god I saw your video first. That pump would drive me crazy. Tick, tick, tick, no thank you. It never occurred to me to mount the heater outside and duct the heat in. I did an AC with ducting in and out so why not a heater? Brilliant!! For now I am using electric. Propane is useless due to condensation and multiple other reason which you clearly explained. I will feed off your design and build one like this for next winter mounting it externally on the trailer hitch bar. THANK YOU AGAIN.
My clock on the wall is louder than the fuel pump. I have the pump suspended by zip ties so that the sound(tick tick tick) is not transmitted to anything solid. It sounds like it is in the distance, and the fan is hardly noticeable.
@@patrickbodine6010 Thank you for the info, duly noted. However this video caused me to walk around my little home and check out suitable spots. Even if the noise from the fuel pump is not as bad as I thought mounting it outside is still a really good idea. I have a rear ramp and it is going on there. Perfect location. When the ramp goes down it will clear the ground easily and the possible diesel smell plus tick tick is now outside. Can you tell me how much diesel the tank holds and how long that typically lasts for?
@@izifaddag8221 there is, literally, no diesel smell. As long as the exhaust is not able to get into your living enclosure, you should not experience any odors. Initially, when you start up the heater for the first time, there may be a slight odor that will pass from the unit itself. The fan noise is really minimal, and the heater just sips fuel. In my area, which is out in the country, non-taxed fuel is readily available for around $2.20/gal. Plus/minus a few cents. I have not run the heater at full speed because my house would get too hot. So, I run it at the not absolute minimum but low and it keeps my place real comfy. Fuel usage, overnight, running at the 1.4 setting, is approximately 1 1/2 liters.
I never run it over 3.0. It is suggested that after running the heater at or near minimum, you run it at 3.0 or so for about 15 minutes to burn off any possible carbon build up.
My heater came with a bad pump, but the seller refunded me $20 and the replacement was $12. 😉
Replacement parts are available from ebay, and are inexpensive. I would not hesitate to buy another one if I had a need.
@@izifaddag8221 I have a 5 gallon diesel fuel container with the hose coming out of the pour nozzle. That way no water can get in and I dont need to drill any holes. If/when I need to fill it up, I just use a small clamp to keep fuel from flowing and using a funnel, pour in the fuel. Easy stuff! K.I.S.S. Not using the tank that came with the heater. 5 liters, I think. Just look to see where the best place to install it. Mine is located above the wheel well on the inside fender with the exhaust going one way &the intake air, the other. Best of luck!🙂
I ordered the same kit and haven’t installed it yet. As I am a diesel mechanic by trade I would recommend changing the air intake filter to something with more filtration than the included filter. If you examine it close you will notice that it’s just a piece of screen that has bigger holes than a screen in your house and isn’t really doing anything by way of protecting the internals of the combustion chamber. Mine came with the same thing and I replaced it with a little air filter from any parts store that they sell as a crankcase breather filter for an engine.
Hey man I think you may run in to water leaking problems through the handle of the toolbox. It depends on the design but water can pool in the handle recession and leak in through the holes that penetrate in to the box to secure the handle in place. I recommend adding something to the top of the lid or covering it from the rain in some way. Or put drain holes in the bottom.
I really love the way you used a stanley tool box for it, bloody brilliant, i am about to fit one on my boat and have been thinking about installing it outside as they can be noisey, this is an idea i think i may take up.
I like the idea of using a toll box. Very smart idea. It keeps it simple. And you can use it anywhere.
You can buy them in a metal box that has fuel tank and pump installed on Amazon for about $130 . Has handle to carry. Just need to hookup exhaust and intake.
Mr buddy is the best quick and easy especially with the adapter hose and the cylinder refill adapter.
Also burning diesel has more emissions and more of an impact to the very thing you are trying to protect and admire NATURE.
Just my 2 cents.
Just got my diesel heater and tonight will be the first time Ill be using it on my minimate camper.
I built one into a case, fully self contained, exhaust out the back, inboard fuel tank and battery plus a charger that can plug in to keep up the battery and remote control.
Also uses 3" hi temp rugged heater hose with 3" cam and groove fittings.
Mine draws in outside air, tested it tent camping in Bryce Canyon, 8,000' low of 25⁰ Farenheit.
th-cam.com/video/q7q4E111x3c/w-d-xo.html
Diese heaters are awesome. I would still use a CO detector though. A heat exchanger can crack (especially off-roading) and cause you to wake up dead!
Not a bad idea. I do think you'd smell it if the heat exchanged cracked though - diesel exhaust, unlike CO, is pretty pungent!
Revere Overland it is but if it’s burning efficiently you might not. People have died with propane and natural gas this way
@@shaweehillsworkshop4226 that's true. Since the whole unit is outside, it has a lot more oxygen than something in a tent. In addition to a broken heat exchanger, you'd have to have something block the combustion intake (like snow) for that to happen!
You would smell it. Infact that is the type heater used in big truck sleepers and from time to time you will smell diesel when starting it up. I will be going with one like that but propane for my teardrop
@@virginiaoverlander4720 which propane one are you looking at?
Also, having the hole box in the tent, so intake and output for heating the air is inside, is smart. It'll use a lot less fuel and electricity because it'll use already heated air instead of the cold outside air.
I was thinking the same thing or maybe run another air duct into the tent through another window or something.
@@nathanbrown5099 It's been a year or so since I wrote that comment, and this is just a quick reply without watching the vid again and stuff. I should clarify that the diesel heater has two intakes and two exhausts. One intake is the air that's to be heated and blown into the living space. The other intake is for the combustion chamber. I meant putting the intake for the heating chamber inside the tent, so you didn't have to heat up the air 40 degrees, instead of just from the inside air. The intake for the combustion chamber should be outside and suck in dryest possible air for best combustion, unless it's too cold to keep the diesel/carosene burning. The exhaust from the combustion chamber should always be outside, far away from the tent. I just want to be clear, but you probably understood this already! :D
@@LA6NPA yes I understood no confusion I understood your point I agree completely I was just agreeing.
@@nathanbrown5099 Awesome! I don't want anyone to die from carbon monoxide! :D
@@LA6NPA Tents can definitely accumulate CO2 if they are four season tents. Though it is less efficient, there are probably situations where you would also prefer to have a constant stream of fresh air forced in, but the system is flexible so both options are viable depending on your setup and comfort level routing the intake into the tent.
I’ve put a webasto in a van before but I’m thinking about going back to a truck with tent on top. Was thinking of ways to do this and started researching. voila! Here it is. Thanks! Subscribed! I might even put a splitter in the warm air hose and run air to tent and to bed/ shell of truck for my dogs in winter.
The kit I bought and linked comes with a splitter so you can send the heat to two places!
@@RevereOverland thanks!! Youda man!
Thank you for posting this video. It was really informative and you put everything in perspective. I currently dont have a roof top tent but it's something I'm looking into purchasing within the next 3 years. Thank you again. I really learned alot. I was blown away from fires caused by these propane heater, but most of all how dangerous the fumes they generate.
th-cam.com/video/XVsfXuq1KFA/w-d-xo.html
You asked suggestions, maybe 90 degree elbows on the bottom to allow it to be flatter and put some kind of feet on the corners so it would sit flat it you set it on the ground for some reason. Awesome build and 4runners ftw
Great idea and such a simple solution to keeping my tent warm I didn't like the gas heater because of the fumes and great DIY idea's and instructions very neat
_Dude! I Installed those heaters, and when I tell you! You have done all the DON'TS for this. Please ask I'll give the information to you and others. I want you and ALL other safe!_
Please share your wisdom!
C’mon man, don’t tease us!
_For: Bruce Swabb first I wouldn't mount to a plastic box, just go straight to and use a metal or aluminum box. The exhaust pipe gets super hot. Try to use what they give you for the exhaust pipe. The pump needs to be at 30 degrees or straight up, this is to help the air bubbles to escape into the burn unit. But the pump needs to be under the heater, as in an upward direction to the heater. The filter and pump need to be close to the fuel source, and then the filter can be mounted in any position after it has been primed. Use the 2mm ID x 4 or 6mm OD hard nylon or PTFE tubing for the fuel system. Some of these kits come with the hard nylon tubing, and if so us it. If not, and they have soft tubing, just shit can it and buy the right tubing. There a lot of reasons why and away too long to explain. That short and to the point for fuel lines. Exhaust should be at a natural downward flow and try not to use another pipe to make it longer. If you follow these simple rules, these heaters should last a very long time, plus regular maintenance. If you have any other questions, please ask, we'll keep them here and open for all to view._
@@FirstSuiGeneris thanks. Check out the website, where I have some suggested changes: www.revereoverland.com/heater
I got one awhile back. I really enjoy it. I put mine in my wood shop. Small shop. Yet it's in my shop with the exhaust outside, it would still find it's way in. So I took an copper 3/4 pipe and put it over the roof line with making the top take a long curve pointing down. Keep rain and snow out. Then another problem came up. Those heaters are no different then an vehicle. Water comes out of the pipe. So as what you are doing with an tent and where the exhaust pipe you have two things to look out for. 1 the exhaust. 2 water coming out of the exhaust pipe. I put an tee on my exhaust pipe and ran it down to get rid of the water so that the exhaust can run up freely. One more thing. When you first buy one and get it. With the unit by itself fully together. Check to see if the fan is rubbing on the casing. If so very carefully take the top off. Take some light sandpaper or an knife and carefully go around the fan edges to get rid of the rubbing without putting the fan out of balance. Take care.
The exhaust is something I’m definitely going to work on. Right now, mine angles up, then goes down. There’s no way for condensation to escape.
@@RevereOverland my pipe that goes over my roof top is just about a full length of copper pipe. Before I put an tee in it so the water has an Escape and let the exhaust out, mine would with the curve be blocked by the water. That's at the highest point. So it has a lot that comes out. Not just a little. Yet I'm very impressed with the heater. I really enjoy it. Also the lights for my little shops are all on solar. 12 volt system. Yes starting it and shutting it down takes extra energy. The glow plug. Yet at night with the lights on and on only 3 batteries system, I can run it for hours with no problems. Like I said, I'm very impressed. Take care.
I installed one in my 5th wheel and love it! Way cheeper than propane! I like how you did yours👍
I have this system for my RTT / annex room for two years and it work great no more dealing with condensation produce by previously mr.buddy heater. I just build a leg frame from PVC (no enclosure box) so the the heater box does not get overheated then I put it in under my jeep. Run the output + return airduct pipe and the control display in the annex room. So the whole system does not sit or touching the body of vehicle, this way I'm barely hear the fuel pump ticking noise and a humming from the blower motor. On the side note: You're going to get dry roasted like a roasted peanut inside your RTT with this heater next to you :-) it get really hot even in the lowest setting. That's why I put mine in the annex room. Oh those fuel pump it work better on 45 degree angle, not horizontal......
It's interesting you say that about the fuel pump. Someone else said to mount vertically. The instructions specifically say to mount horizontally! It's good to hear these heat really well. I've been second guessing not putting a return air in, but it sounds as though it's not really needed.
This is amazing !!
how come I’ve never heard of this before ??
I do most of my camping in the southeast USA -Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana etc.
cheers and thank you for the great informative video!! 👍🏼
This is pretty nice for car camping, also pretty good when youre car breaks down and you want to be warm while looking at the snow accumulate and youre directing your own version of the shining.
Downside is a mathusion mind puzzle, batterys dont work in the cold.(final scene jack froze).
That tapping would rock me right to sleep , lol. That is an awesome contraption !!! I like this a lot
It's really not a bad noise. I like the white noise of the fan!
The clock on my wall is louder than the fuel pump. I have the pump suspended in air (versus mounted onto something) using zip ties/cable ties. If it is surface mounted, the sound gets transferred and somewhat amplified. Mine sounds like it is in the distance.
And the fan noise is hardly noticeable, btw.😊
Remember a CO alarm, there are 3 gaskets, one rubber and two hard, if one fails you could get combustion air in your tent. Also if you get running problems, try turning the pump 45deg (output up)
I just bought an old Prius, between the front seats (being pushed all the foward) to the hatch i have about 7 feet of lay down space. I can set the climate control on and gas engine will kick on 2 to 4 minutes of every hour to either kee pool the car warm or cold.
I do that with my RAV4 Hybrid AWD. Costs a $1 a night for extreme weather, hot or cold. Trouble is the earlier generations external lights stayed off the new ones don't. I am doing a paper mache mould on all front and rear lights and painting them matt black with velour on the inside to prevent scratching to stick on so that the lights are blacked out. Pain in the ass though.
What model of climate control should it be? Does engine start automaticall?
I like your idea! I just mounted one of these nearly identical units in my little teardrop camper, and here is what I discovered: I manually primed the fuel line a little too much when I first started learning how it works, and it did drip 'overflow' fuel from the combustion inlet port so I mounted mine in a way that would allow for draining away from the vehicle 'just in case'. Also, I opted for the rotary dial type thermostat because it looked way less complicated to operate. I agree the unit is efficient both in terms of operation and value. I can run mine for about 24 hours non stop at low setting on the supplied fuel tank. Great producd in my opinion. Thanks!
I have wondered how the dial thermostat does. I’m also not sure about the automatic priming from the digital thermostat - does it stop when the fuel reaches, or does it go for a preset amount of time?
The efficiency is great. For 24 hours of heat, you’d go through so much propane!
Can you share what you did on your camper?
@@AbstonFamily Basically I built toolbox about five feet wide and three feet high with a top that slopes up 45 degrees to allow for some decreased wind resistance. After that, it was pretty simple to screw things into place. The biggest problem I've had is keeping the fuel line primed but thats not a technical issue with the heater, it's more about how I want to travel with the fuel tank.
Great idea mounting the diesel heater inside a toolbox to make it portable!
I have the same diesel heater and I would suggest getting a 1 inch wide strip of fiberglass insulation and wrap it around the exhaust chamber near the plastic of the toolbox because that pipe will get too hot and you have a bracket on the hot pipe screwed into the toolbox it will melt their also I did not see the muffler on the end of the tailpipe you may want to put the muffler on and it will be quieter operation also my portable power system has a solar panel if your jackery has a solar panel to charge up during the day good video have a nice day
That metal exhaust tube will get VERY hot. It is secured with a metal clamp in contact and right against the plastic tool box less than 10 inches, 25 cm from the exhaust port of the heater. That can not possibly work very long without melting plastic. Great idea all the same. i doubt most people would need to modify their install after testing of using. Cheers
Nice work. You made it look easy. 👍 But thank goodness these now come as an All-In-One unit. I'm seen one with a fuel tank on top (seems to be the more popular choice), or one at the side. These new units make it even easier. Just plug n play.
Dewalt Tough cases are AMAZING use those ones. great setup.
I think I would mount the heater in a cheap cooler for better sound insulation as that would keep me awake. Great product and review.
That's not a bad idea at all, to reduce the tapping from the fuel pump. I like the fan noise though, since it's a good white noise.
Just wrap some copper tubing around the exhaust pipe & you got a water heater
They do make one that is both a water heater and air heater.
@@mwatercress got a link??? can't seem to find one!
@@HugDeeznueces I haven't used this but here is a video with an Alibaba link.th-cam.com/video/vtvy2MwbArQ/w-d-xo.html
The exhaust comes out at 451 deg F so there's quite a bit of heat to be had if you can extract it without restricting the flow.
Great idea. Morning coffee ready in a minute. 😀😂😎
I see in your video you have placed your pump at horizontal . For the piston to be lubricated properly it should be angled at about 45 degrees or vertical. Also make sure that your lighter connection is very secure because if it disconnects whilst in operation the unit could overheat and destroy itself . Liked the idea of your case but I think steel or aluminum could be better . Also if the pump noise is too loud, try suspending with cable ties . I find this helps quite a lot . Ten out of ten for ingenuity though.
Thanks! I corrected the pump angle, and put the update on the website build info. I blame the crappy instructions for that one! I think the pump noise has been better since changing the angle, but I might be wrong.
@@RevereOverland yes you are definitely correct about the instructions. I now own 2 of these units, one I fitted into my motorhome and the other in my workshop. Both are working very well. Took some of your ideas when I built the workshop one . Many thanks Syd.
That's a great little project! Excited to see how it holds up!
Thanks. I'm looking forward to putting it to use some more!
Thanks man been thinkin about this for a year or too.. still summer here in Australia but won't be long and I'll be needing it were I go gets to about -6c and I recon diesel heat is the only way to go
It's worth it for that extra comfort!
Get a makita heated blanket for inside your swag .runs of their 18v batteries.36 hours on low
Ha! I have literally been doing tons of research on these and even have a couple in my Amazon shopping cart. Super excited about this idea.
Do it! They're really warm.
Revere Overland Yep! I was comparing it to the buddy heater and for the money, I feel like this makes a ton of sense. Long term, it’s much more fuel efficient too so there will be savings down the road on fuel (plus the convenience of being able to refill at a gas station). Great video as always!
@@AllThingsOverlanding right! With the propane heater I'd easily go through at least $5 a night. With diesel, $5 will get you several nights.
@@RevereOverland Just wondering how much fuel does it consume per night?? Thinking about converting my camping trailer to a Diesel heater to help conserve the propane for cooking, fridge/freezer and water heater. I ate through 2.5-30lb propane tanks in 1 week while elk hunting in Wyoming in teen degree weather. The diesel heater would also be a nice primary way to heat the trailer while still retaining the propane for backup. Great video and cool way to make the whole system portable!!!
eddiemoto250 my 5kw unit consumes about 1 quart/liter per night. You can adjust the fuel flow which increases or decreases fuel consumption, of course.
I bought an “all-in-one” unit for my teardrop camper. The advantage is that it’s all assembled and ready to rock. The biggest disadvantage is that the all-in-one has no fuel filter and there isn’t much room to install a filter. I ended up with a funnel with filter that I dump the fuel through when refilling. In hindsight, I’d buy the decomposed kit like this and just build it in a box of some sort.
I like what you did. The only thing I did differently was to store the power input in one of the top compartment of the toolbox and I out the controller in the other. This allowed me to keep everything cleaner inside the box. I also mounted a breaker to the box instead of the fuse.
I like that idea. For my V2 I am putting a plug in the side.
Thanks for a great video. For a long time I've wondered how those diesel heaters worked.
You could insulate the exhaust pipe and have the the heater inside the tent and run combustion inlet, exhaust and fuel line outside to make the heater more effective. Or have the heater outside and run both inlet and outlet in to the tent. In both ways you´re not heating cold outside air but circulating the inside air makeing it more effective.
Great little project!
We're running one for our off road trailer. We have ours mounted in a slightly larger rolling tool box. It's big enough to hold the heater and a smaller fuel tank that I bought.
We pump the hot air into our annex (mostly for our puppy), but of course, hot air goes up, so the tent stays nice and warm. I used some flexible metal tubing to extend the output.
If you look right here:
th-cam.com/video/DKy00tYNdh8/w-d-xo.html
You can see it sitting on the side (left side as you look at the video) of the trailer with the tubing running to the annex...
It doesn't look so cold in that video, but that blue water container on the trailer had a 2 inch layer of ice on the insides..... we ended up putting it in the annex in front of the heater for a while to melt the ice.
It would be nice to have a return line, but the logistics gets complicated.
We've used ours down to 12 degrees F, and with it mostly idling, it kept the tent at 65 or so without issue. If I crank it up, it would exceed 85F or higher without issue.
The little 5 liter tank will run about 10 hours or so.
We used it for a few days there, and had ZERO moisture in the tent.
Nice! I absolutely LOVE my diesel heater! Best investment I've made in my overland setup!
How much diesel per hour does it use?
Per hour, prob a couple ounces. Haha. I’ll get at least 3-4 nights out of the tank, and I installed a 5.5L tank rather than the 10L tank it came with!
@@tylergolledge7372 So less than a half gallon a night. That is impressive. Thanks!
More like 1/4 gallon. 😁
that style of heater is fantastic. we have them in very heavy equipment 90 ton cranes, and they will run the operator out. didnt think of looking on amazon for one. dont even want to tell you how much we paided for the last one....im getting one for my moteehome
I have this Diesel heater installed in my Motorhome, It’s awesome. But what an amazing idea you came up with, Do use something like this and actually make it portable.
Great ideas man. Don't know that I would do it much differently. Might do some sound insulation, and vibration dampening at he mounting points of contact, but well done, and on the cheap is always a plus.
I have been thanking of this also, im a mechanic for a living and we have the same heaters on lots of our buses that i work on. what has made me kinda hesitate is the ones we have get really hot with the exhaust and unit its self. they also have a really strong odor from the exhaust. the ones we have are Webasto Diesel heaters, there around 1000 dollars with really nice remotes and thermostats. I could use one of them but was also thanking about the cheap china ones also. let us know how it works over night ! if the plastic box holds up. i may just do this also.
The exhaust gets pretty hot, and melted a cheap plastic tote I had it sitting on. It hasn't caused a problem with the tool box, but it also doesn't directly contact the tool box. The case of the heater itself is a similar plastic to the tool box I used, so it should be ok in there! There's definitely a smell when you first start it up, but I couldn't smell it after a while - I still ordered an extension for the exhaust to get it away.
The fuel pump clicking on those is a lot quieter if you don't mount them and just let them hang freely and not bumping against anything. I'm not sure if there is a mechanical reason you should mount it though. I know mine seems to work fine without being mounted. I check the connections on it though from time to time just to make sure. No adjustments needed yet.
Also, every source I've found recommends running it on full blast for about 10 to 15 minutes before turning it off. Apparently this helps burn off any soot that has formed inside. If too much soot forms inside then it eventually will fail to start until you clean it out.
At least camping on the roof protects you from ground bears but if you where here you would have a problem with the drop bears! Furious little buggers.
Put Vegemite in your diesel. That way the smell of the exhaust scares them off.
Bears clime really fast on anything the smells and sound of the pump be more help
@@RevereOverland where can I get this and how do I use it?
Yeah the savage Koalas are as big as a dog, you don't one of them dropping on you.
I would install some C-shaped stainless steel grab handles, similar to what you might find in a boat, and mount them at each end of the box where the exhaust and intake outlets are, at the bottom of the box, so the box can be raised up and rest on the 'handles' which actually become legs. The Stanley tool box has splayed 'outposts' on each corner perfect for mounting the C-shaped handles which then form the legs..
Wouldn’t you want the air intake to be routed to the tent as well? That way you are circulating the tent air through the heater and not heating the outside air for a little more efficiency. I guess I think of it as a home heating system supply and return air.
That’s something I seriously considered, because it will increase efficiency. I like the idea of pulling in fresh air too though. What I’ll probably do is add a quick connect/disconnect to both ends in the future, and try it out.
@@RevereOverland I opted for a hybrid solution: my return air feeds into a large box (on the front of the trailer) with open floor for venting and fresh air. In theory, the return air will mix with the fresh outside air and I'm hoping that will give me a good mix of both, although the coldest temps I expect to encounter are freezing or a little below. In a really cold climate, return air alone would probably be better IMO.
I tried and mine gave an over heat error code. In short, I don’t think it likes using recirculated air.
Actually no you want it to draw in cool air, which will cool the electronic circuit system in the unit. Plus you would want fresh air, not reheated stagnant air circulating in your bunk.
The literally trivial amount of diesel saved by recirculating the heated tent air isn’t worth it given the thermal efficiency of diesel in terms of therms per gram of diesel and it offsets the risks or combustion inversion where diesel fumes and potentially diesel exhaust get vented into the tent should you have an ignition problem or fueling problem. Heating 32deg F air to 72deg F air is trivial, the “efficiency” savings are not worth it.
That is amazing!!! I never knew about this heating unit! I have some research to do! Great job customizing your heating unit and thank you for the video! Cheers!
Pretty slick setup, but Ive been using the Buddy heater for several years with very little issues. They key to lower the condensation is pletty of air flow. I use a couple USB fans to circulate the air. I do like the idea of a thermostat, but I dont like the idea of carrying a tank of diesel around. Good to have another option though. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah I've used my Buddy heater with no problems other than the condensation. The diesel tank takes up a lot less space than the equivalent propane for the Buddy heater, although diesel is a lot nastier to have in the vehicle!
@@RevereOverland Im already using a 11lb propane for cooking and hot water heater so it just makes sense to stick with propane, but I really like the thermostat feature.. Definitely worth thinking about!
@@krover01 yeah if you're already taking a large propane cylinder, you're set. I was using the 1lb tanks, and would go through around three a night when running the buddy all night.
You explain the thermostat better than anyone I’ve seen so far, Thank you!! #ADVwithRoscoe
the stiff fuel line is actually provided for a specific reason. the flexible rubber line absorbes some of the pulses from the fuel pump.. using rubber fuel line after the fuel pump will decrease efficiency and eventually cause major carbonization of the chamber (experience speaking - i own 3 heaters ) up to the fuel pump is ok . other than that .. awesome build..
I just bought a buddy heater, probably gonna return it now and go your route. Seems a lot safer, and i like it is auto temp control. Great video
I'm a big fan of the diesel heater over propane!
I have both. Guess which one I use. Guess which one actually works. Yup. The diesel heater!
Buddy heater works ok but it is problematic. The pilot quit working. Your mileage may vary.😊
@@patrickbodine6010 same here have the big buddy and diesel heater only fire up the buddy on the rare occasion I run out of diesel
Pretty cool and compact setup. I'm not sure if you know but they make these as unit in an enclosure complete with fuel tank so you can avoid all that work.
Nice run through and build, about to do the same inside an alloy tread plate chilly bin which is mounted to my box camp trailer as the tent 👍is mounted to that. I camp all year round in New Zealand and this will just add a little comfort on really cold night.
Great vid. Thx.
Been thinking about doing something similar. Would go for an aluminum toolbox though.
Have had a diesel heater in my boat for years gives great comfortable heat.
I've been thinking of a large ammunition box but haven't found any that are large enough.
chris s For me it would mainly be about added security/peace of mind. The cost of a metal box vs a plastic one is not an issue for me.
I would probably try to fit the exhaust hose inside the box also so I could place it on the ground. So there would be more heat to consider for the box in my case. It would probably need to be vented somehow. More fun things to figure out😀
WOW, I need one of these!
Thanks for posting this up.
Blower is quite relaxing - but I'd enclose the pump better to remove as much noise as possible. Great build!
Yeah I’m thinking about how to reduce the noise from it in V2
Nice 👍 really cool setup and it seems like there are endless possibilities to set it up depending on your personal use and preference. I am definitely going to look into that to warm up my Jeep when I sleep in it during cold days 🥶
Might have to add this idea to my Amazon wish list.
Sorry if someone already said this but I think that an air intake filiter with a right angle to prevent water and particulate being introduced would be a wise addition.
Great video! I will go with the diesel in my next rig, Lord willing.
Neat installation. I like the portability aspect. You could move it easily. I have a mate who bought one off of the Wish app (straight from China) and put it in his Land Rover Defender cab between the front seats. LR's are notoriously cold and wet. Now it is toasty and keeps the glass clean and dry! Production note: please keep the background music a little lower. It was a bit distracting. Well done!
Noted. Sound is the hardest thing to sort - on headphones it sounds completely different from computer speakers, which sound totally different from a TV!
Looks great. Been thinking of doing something similar for a while, after watching your video, I’ve decided to do it. Thank you.
Nice video demonstration mate. You forgot to mention the one big difference between this diesel heater and the common propane heater: propane tanks are quite expensive in my opinion. One small camping size one will cost you over $8 with taxes, and you will be lucky if you get up to 4hrs of run time from that sucker. Whereas a gallon of diesel is less than $3 with taxes, and you can get more than 15hrs of run time from that bad boy. So my take is that even though the diesel heater is a little more expensive than the propane heater, it is very sustainable whereas propane tanks are not a sustainable. You can easily go through two are three propane tanks in one night, and that will be over $20 per night, and over $600 per month just to heat a small camper van or tent. Compare that to $3 per night, or $90 per month. And I get it that you need like battery bank and charging system, but I guarantee you that all the extra initial cost associated with a diesel heated will pay for itself in less than a winter month of camping.
Thanks for that awesome demonstration. I will be incorporating this heater into my setup right away.
It's a great source of heat!
Maybe spin box so you can access from inside the tent if raining. Also some make shift cage w cover so you can work on it in the elements without damaging anything and extra roof for snow load. Great video thanks, I’m going to try to make something this summer.
I will definitely be putting it the other way around so the exhaust is away from the tent opening! If I had thought about it, I’d drill the hole for the wiring on the side facing the tent.
I'm liking this a lot. Gonna have to build one for next winter season. Really enjoying your videos...Keep it up
Version 2 is out Friday!
Since it will allow mounting in different direction I would have
A. Mounted it to have the air and fuel intakes on the side so the box would sit flat.
B. Mount it in a bigger box to put a battery in with the unit.
C. Mount the fuel tank on top of the box and let it gravity feed?
Just things I would try if it were me.
Now I have to get one for my boat!
Brilliant, Genius, Exactly what i need to heat my 89 ramcharger this winter. Thank You so very much. Prayers Blessings and Love. 🙏🙏🙏😳😀😊😎😎
Enjoyed the video, you did a great job, i have a roof top tent and thinking of heating, my roof tent covers the whole of my estate car roof, so some thinking to be done 👌👌
Absolutely the better way to go. I had the propane unit and it was not good for my situation.
For others that might be interested, you can buy this heater (probably for the same DIY build costs) that comes in a 1 package unit. built into its own portable case.
Yeah I have a couple of them linked on my website. They didn’t work for me, but could be a much easier solution for others.
That is so cool! I just heard about these things couple weeks ago, It was very curious about them. Great timing in the video! I'm going on a camping trip in March, I may have to look into this for then.
They work great! Worth checking out, for sure.
@@RevereOverland I like the fact that they probably won't kill me.
That's a nice set up, especially for storing outside I have one question, the jackary plug is rated for ten amps, the heater goes up to twelve amps, does it not cut out.
I've been thinking about doing this and mounting it on my swingout for use with my sleeping platform
When I get a rear bumper I'll probably create my own container, and mount it on the swingout. You could probably create something to go in the rear window that has air in/out.
That’s what I’ve been thinking about doing
Please create and post video when you do. 😀😎
Have you considered making the warm air flow into a recycling system? You might want to run a line from the inside of your tent/trailer/camper to the outside cold air inlet and the the unit air outlet line to the tent. If you place them on opposite or top and bottom areas of the tent you will be warming the internal air and so use less fuel as the air going from the tent to the unit air inlet will be warmer than outside air. If you are concerned with a CO2 buildup just make a "y" connector on the cold air inlet with a small filter to add small amounts of O2 from outside.
I have considered it. Check out Friday’s video to see why I don’t think it’s necessary!
That bend *up* in the exhaust pipe under the toolbox can collect moisture. There should be a constant downward slope so water drains out.
Nice build! I like this idea of a tool box.
This is the route I'm going on my off-road teardrop camper!
This would be perfect for a camper, since it can be permanently mounted!
What box are you looking to do for yours? i have an off-road camper that I would like to do this with. I was thinking a HarborFreight box might work well for one of these. Are you going to share your setup?
@@AbstonFamily I was thinking a smaller metal toolbox. My diesel tank would be separate from the box. Yes I plan on sharing mine on my channel when I do it.
Such an awesome idea and very good execution! I might be ditching my mr buddy heater!
I definitely won't be using my Buddy heater again!
I did this heater in my sprinter van three years, was the best installation for my vehicle. Happy to be rid of the gas buddy!
Buddy heater still good for outside while startin breakfast. 😳😊🍴
Space the heater from the bottom of the box so the fuel line doesn’t have to exit the tool box and then right back in going from the pump to the heater. Also I’d imagine that enough heat is going to be transferred through the metal clamp holding the exhaust and melt the plastic.