chinese diesel heater, (12V webasto style)

[AstonHill]

Looking at getting one, think they are called now a renoster or eberspacher diesel heater. They are a copy cat of the 12V Webasco diesel heaters fitted to vans and stuff
found hear

chinese diesel heater - Google Search

Thinking of running it on heating oil first then move over to twin tanking and coiling it to run on waste engine oil
Bit concerned about the power usage though
Has anyone hear ever bough one of these machines before and can recommend or not?

Thanks

 

[RrogerD]

There's a FB group for Chinese diesel heaters. Have a look on there. Pretty much anything and everything has been discussed before plus, some very knowledgeable persons in the group.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/212813887001237/

 

[just pumps]

I have one, runs on diesel from the main fuel tank with no coiling. whatever that is! Runing one on on waste oil or other fuel source leads to down time for cleaning the soot out.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Has anyone hear ever bough one of these machines before and can recommend or not?

My car has one, fitted as an option. They work great.

coiling it to run on waste engine oil
Bit concerned about the power usage though

What is coiling it?

My heater runs on 12v, draws around 20amps initially, when starting, for the glow plug, just to get it going. That drops down to just the few watts needed to run the combustion fan, and in my case, a water circulation pump. The water pump is needed, because it heats up the engine coolant, to pre-heat the engine.

If you intend burning waste oil, they usually suggest using it premixed, with diesel. Start it, get it going on diesel, then swap to a mix of diesel/waste oil. Maybe worth having two such heaters, one in use, one offline being cleaned and serviced, if you want reliable heat.

 

[JohnD]

I occasionally hear of the exhaust rusting or cracking. Don't hear of other problems, even when 20 years old or more, despite constant exposure to wet, grit, and sometimes road salt.

 

[just pumps]

I occasionally hear of the exhaust rusting or cracking. Don't hear of other problems, even when 20 years old or more, despite constant exposure to wet, grit, and sometimes road salt.

The chinese ones supplied in the kit are pressed from tin foil with a drain hole in the bottom and for mounting outside so not suitable for indoor use as mine is.

 

[JohnD]

I only know about the Webasco (sp?) vehicle ones

I think Harry's will be that type.

 

[just pumps]

My car has one, fitted as an option. They work great.

Interesting, what car is it?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Interesting, what car is it?

Rover 75 - all BMW.

 

[JohnD]

They were also fitted to diesel Jags.

 

[just pumps]

My car has one, fitted as an option. They work great.


What is coiling it?

My heater runs on 12v, draws around 20amps initially, when starting, for the glow plug, just to get it going.

20 Amps seems high.

 

[RrogerD]

I have one, installed on the underside of my van converted camper. It's a cheapo Chinese one. Works fine though. I believe that the Eberspacher ones are a better brand although only going on what people have said in the forums.

 

[just pumps]

Mine is fitted inside a boat with the exhaust gas vented outside through a hull fitting, fuel is from the boats fuel tank rather than the little plastic fuel tank.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

20 Amps seems high.

Maybe. It is supplied via a 20amp fuse, and the glow pin has a cold resistance of 0.3 Ohms, which I make 40amps at switch on, but that will reduce drastically, as the pin heats up. The pin when powered, quickly glow bright red.

My heater is a Webasto, and I love to listen to it start up - It begins with a low steady growl, then gradually, as it builds up to running heat, begins to whistle like a jet engine.

 

[AstonHill]

I have one, runs on diesel from the main fuel tank with no coiling. whatever that is! Runing one on on waste oil or other fuel source leads to down time for cleaning the soot out.

But so the story goes though....
Coil it with copper tubing will preheat the oil
Pre heating the oil will raise the temprature of the oil and will combust and will attomise the oil better meaning less smoke and hence less soot!
Over to someone ells...