Chinese diesel heater in defender camper?

Jowniofownio212 · Mar 5, 2019

As title

Has anyone done it?

I have just bought one. Interested to see where people have mounted them for a camper?

Also, how you have teed into the diesel and how far the pump can be mounted from the unit?

Also are there any tricks and tips or things that need to be done that arnt obvious when fitting?

Thanks

Bobsticle · Mar 5, 2019

Have a look at members projects.
The only thing you have to do to stop air locks in the line is follow;
Down hill from Tee to pump and up hill from pump to heater.
I Teed directly from the top of the fuel tank on my series just under the drivers seat as this was the highest spot in the system. The heater fuel line then ran down the gearbox crossmember. The pump sits at the lowest point of the crossmember on its rear face for protection and then the fuel line continues up the other side of the crossmember to the heater under the passenger seat.

If I was heating the rear of the vehicle I would probably have fitted the heater in a steel box under the rear wheel arch so it was easy to install the warm air ducting into the load area.

Bobsticle · Mar 5, 2019

If you follow the instillation guides for Erberspacher heaters off the net you won’t go far wrong with the copy.

Oh and if you fit a tap in the line be careful as the one I fitted started drawing air in within six months. Took me an age to find out why it stopped working.

Jowniofownio212 · Mar 5, 2019

Bobsticle said:
Have a look at members projects.
The only thing you have to do to stop air locks in the line is follow;
Down hill from Tee to pump and up hill from pump to heater.
I Teed directly from the top of the fuel tank on my series just under the drivers seat as this was the highest spot in the system. The heater fuel line then ran down the gearbox crossmember. The pump sits at the lowest point of the crossmember on its rear face for protection and then the fuel line continues up the other side of the crossmember to the heater under the passenger seat.

If I was heating the rear of the vehicle I would probably have fitted the heater in a steel box under the rear wheel arch so it was easy to install the warm air ducting into the load area.

Thanks, so basically the pump needs to be lower than the tank and the unit? Does it matter how far the pipe is from the tank or from the heater?

Could I ask what tee you used as not sure on my standard fuel feed pipe size?

I was thinking of mounting under Driver’s seat or under passenger seat (if enough room as well as battery) or in front of rear wheels under the car. Any reasons I shouldn’t mount in any of these places?

Thanks

Bobsticle · Mar 5, 2019

Jowniofownio212 said:
Thanks, so basically the pump needs to be lower than the tank and the unit? Does it matter how far the pipe is from the tank or from the heater?

Could I ask what tee you used as not sure on my standard fuel feed pipe size?

I was thinking of mounting under Driver’s seat or under passenger seat (if enough room as well as battery) or in front of rear wheels under the car. Any reasons I shouldn’t mount in any of these places?

Thanks

I cant remember the figures but there are length constraints on the german units. Also the angle of the pump is important. It has to be horizontal with a slight rise towards the outlet. There are also angle issues outlined in the german fitting instructions. Well worth following as these are copies.
I used a nylon Tee piece and from memory it was 6mm x 6mm x 4mm I think but it was some time ago when I fitted mine.

Siting the burner is more to do with ducting than anything else. If in the seat box then you can only realistically come out of the footwell. If fitted in the engine bay or under the wings you have more options but more complicated ducting and the need to fabricate a rot proof box that can be opened easily for servicing. If for a camper I personally would box in a small area inside the loading area. You could drop a box through the top of the wheel arches and fit from above or use the space between the arches behind the front seats.

Jowniofownio212 · Mar 6, 2019

Bobsticle said:
I cant remember the figures but there are length constraints on the german units. Also the angle of the pump is important. It has to be horizontal with a slight rise towards the outlet. There are also angle issues outlined in the german fitting instructions. Well worth following as these are copies.
I used a nylon Tee piece and from memory it was 6mm x 6mm x 4mm I think but it was some time ago when I fitted mine.

Siting the burner is more to do with ducting than anything else. If in the seat box then you can only realistically come out of the footwell. If fitted in the engine bay or under the wings you have more options but more complicated ducting and the need to fabricate a rot proof box that can be opened easily for servicing. If for a camper I personally would box in a small area inside the loading area. You could drop a box through the top of the wheel arches and fit from above or use the space between the arches behind the front seats.

Thanks For your time. When it arrives I will give it a go. My other consern is if mounting it in the car, how much noise it makes or how much noise the pump makes

Thanks

Colthebrummie · Mar 6, 2019

I'm following this with interest as I've recently bought one of these Chinese heaters for my series 3 station wagon. My fabrication skills are practically zero so the fitting of it is troubling me. My original intention was to put it under the passenger seat but there's not much room and as Bob says the vent outlet will be limited. Mine is a petrol so I intend to use the 10litre tank it came with. A mate of mine is a decent fabricator and he has a car lift so I might bung him a few quid to do it for me.

Col

Ironstrike · Mar 6, 2019

I have a Chinese Diesel heater fitted in my 90 and so far it is working well.

The pump is fitted below the drivers seat so only a few cm above the heater and the top of the fuel tank. I fitted the heater itself under the center console on top of the gearbox. I just fabricated a tray to support it. It protrudes above the cover plate about a 3 cm so I made a wooden frame around the hole and mounted the panel and the cubby box on top, the cubby box sits slightly higher but it is not noticeable.

With regards to efficiency, mine is a 2kw heater and it is more than enough for a 90. I have read on other boat and camper forums that it is more efficient to run a lower kw heater at high or full capacity rather than running a higher kw heater on low.

Bobsticle · Mar 6, 2019

Jowniofownio212 said:
Thanks For your time. When it arrives I will give it a go. My other consern is if mounting it in the car, how much noise it makes or how much noise the pump makes

Thanks

The heater makes next to no noise. Probably less than a car heater fan. The pump ticks quite noisily. Or rather quite annoyingly. This can be fitted outside.

Badger · Mar 6, 2019

Mine is mounted on the nearside wheel arch below the sink/coooker.

It is vented out to the rear of the landy near the rear door which provides plenty of heat.

The exhaust is vented down and towards the rear door through the wheel arch itself.

I'll get some pics...

Badger · Mar 6, 2019

This shows the outlets for the exhaust and the fresh air inlet which is fed from the middle of the chassis, well clear of dirt and moisture

There is a curved piece of aluminium which protects the fuel line and entry/exit points of the heater itself

Since these pictures were taken, the fuel lines are fed thou a 10mm copper pipe to further protect them.

The fuel pump is located under the floor and accessed through a removable panel under the carpet

retneprac · Mar 6, 2019

In middle of sorting mine. Having an Ali box made up to mount in the rear wheel arch. Need to move the tank breather and cut a door in just behind the rear wheel. Thinking of an auxiliary fuel tank. Also made the fuel fed pipe that needs to be fitted in the fuel filler neck.
Pics to follow.

Polemonkey · Mar 7, 2019

Having alot of success with my cheap 2kW heater mounted inside vehicle running on kero . Here's a pic I struggled to find images.

Mcclegend · Mar 7, 2019

Jowniofownio212 · Mar 16, 2019

Right, in the process of fitting this in the small area underneath the drivers seat. It fits nicely in there. Just wondering, will I need a hole into that sealed area from inside the car or outside the car? Ie, does it use cool air from outside to heat or just circulate the inside are to heat? Or can I get away with not cutting a hole at all and sealing the under seat area up?

Jowniofownio212 · Mar 16, 2019

Nearly finished the installation now, could someone confirm which is the fuel feed to Tee into? Is it the thicker of the 2 pipes that comes from the fuel level sender to the fuel filter or the thinner of the 2 which comes from the top of the tank?

Thanks

mick 1986 · Mar 16, 2019

Jowniofownio212 said:
Nearly finished the installation now, could someone confirm which is the fuel feed to Tee into? Is it the thicker of the 2 pipes that comes from the fuel level sender to the fuel filter or the thinner of the 2 which comes from the top of the tank?

Thanks

Top of tank is return.

Jowniofownio212 · Mar 17, 2019

All fitted! Works well. Just need to figure out some of the settings and get a tee piece to tee into the fuel

Colthebrummie · Mar 17, 2019

I'm testing my new heater on the bench before I start thinking about fitting it into Compo but I've got a problem, despite trying two different good batteries the battery icon keeps flashing on the controller with the code E-01 which means there is not enough power. It occurred to me that the thing might be set to 24 volts but I can't seem to access that in the settings. Also, it wants me to input the admin code, what is that? When I go through the settings it only goes through the first 3, the voltage setting is number 5. I'm getting near the point where the heater is about to form a close relationship with my lump hammer, any suggestions please.

Col

Badger · Mar 17, 2019

Jowniofownio212 said:
Right, in the process of fitting this in the small area underneath the drivers seat. It fits nicely in there. Just wondering, will I need a hole into that sealed area from inside the car or outside the car? Ie, does it use cool air from outside to heat or just circulate the inside are to heat? Or can I get away with not cutting a hole at all and sealing the under seat area up?

Ideally you need fresh air for the input...whatever you use will be heated up and pumped into the cabin...

Chinese diesel heater in defender camper?

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