Diesel Night Heater

Mtbcol

Mtbcol

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Hello all.
I will be fitting one if these in the very near future and want to feed it from my van (Mk7 transit) fuel tank. However I'm not looking forward to dropping the fuel tank and wondered about T' ing into a fuel line somewhere, maybe the return? I've heard this is not a good idea, but none can tell me why. Also anyone know where the easiest place would be to T into, I've googled it but can't seem to find any photos or info.

Cheers
Colin.🙂👍
 
Mtbcol said:
... wondered about T' ing into a fuel line somewhere, maybe the return?
Click to expand...

I'm not a mechanic but I always thought the return only contained fuel if the fuel pump was running.

No doubt somebody more knowledgeable will comment.
 
Mtbcol said:
Hello all.
I will be fitting one if these in the very near future and want to feed it from my van (Mk7 transit) fuel tank. However I'm not looking forward to dropping the fuel tank and wondered about T' ing into a fuel line somewhere, maybe the return? I've heard this is not a good idea, but none can tell me why. Also anyone know where the easiest place would be to T into, I've googled it but can't seem to find any photos or info.

Cheers
Colin.🙂👍
Click to expand...
General advice is that T ing into fuel supply lines on modern diesels isn't great practice (a lot of modern diesels run a high pressure pump in the tank itself)
As it can cause issues pressure wise on the hp/return lines etc.

Best practice is to mount a standpipe in the tank itself (or more usually in the access panel) on some vehicles there is a unscrewable panel in the floor for access...

Sadly not on the mk7 transit.

Here's a link to the standpipe fitting instructions...

It's really not that bad a job.

Adobe Acrobat

acrobat.adobe.com acrobat.adobe.com
 
Think the idea is to only allow the fuel pick up to get 3/4 of the tank so you'll always have a 1/4 of a tank left. Theres fitting videos on utube heres one
 
Makzine said:
I’m thinking of putting one in our van but have opted for a separate tank so that I can run it on red diesel.
Click to expand...
I really really couldn't be doing with the pfaff/smell/spills for the miniscule amount of cost it would give...

In all the time we ran the Eberspacher in the transit (often running solid for 2 weeks in colder weather)
I couldnt ever notice any change in general fuel consumption.
 
mistericeman said:
I really really couldn't be doing with the pfaff/smell/spills for the miniscule amount of cost it would give...

In all the time we ran the Eberspacher in the transit (often running solid for 2 weeks in colder weather)
I couldnt ever notice any change in general fuel consumption.
Click to expand...
I mostly agree with this, I have had a few instances where I have had mine running all week maintaining around 20C in the day and 10c overnight where usage is more noticeable. Unless you are staying in the same spot for weeks on end and it’s very cold and windy though they are frugal. Seems to be when it’s windy and cold I use a bit more, still not enough to bother with separate fuel tank though.
 
Nabsim said:
I mostly agree with this, I have had a few instances where I have had mine running all week maintaining around 20C in the day and 10c overnight where usage is more noticeable. Unless you are staying in the same spot for weeks on end and it’s very cold and windy though they are frugal. Seems to be when it’s windy and cold I use a bit more, still not enough to bother with separate fuel tank though.
Click to expand...
I have noticed a big difference between the genuine eber I had in the transit compared to the Chinese all in one type I use in the greenhouse...

I suspect Mainly due to the fact that the Chinese, one doesn't have a thermostat as such just regulation of the pump speed...

The genuine eberspacher is able to modulate its output reacting to the thermostat...
Throttling back to tick over and then shutting the, pump off until required.
 
One advantage of a separate tank is that you can run the heater 100% on the much cleaner burning Kerosene/Heating Oil which should make for a more reliable heater.
There is a common recommendation that a diesel heater is run at least occasionally on Parafin or Kerosene to give the burner a clean - but that would be tricky to do when plumbed into the diesel fuel tank.
 
Mine is a genuine Eberspacher, Airtronic DT4 in hab area and Hydronic D5 in engine bay. I don’t know how well they do it but I have seen that some newer models of the Chinese heaters will hold a temperature setting, I don’t know anyone personally with one so no idea how well they do this.
 
My Chinese 5k heater is ok but dont room temp. So on or off .evan when set at 2am at 15 degrees low setting you wake up sweating . The head unit set at 15 at 2am by 8am raised to 25 inside van , so on or off. It has timer . We now set to start in morning
Mines fitted to sprinter and I dropped tank with less than 5% fuel in it. all good.. and 3/8 pipe run straight in ok but
I blocked tank float with 3/8 pipe so had to remove twice. To get fuel gauge to work ! took 4 weeks to empty tank .lol so don't make errors or only put £10 in, enough to move dash gauge
The video I watched first didn't show the cap strap . £9 for 2 @ tool station. Get it first. if unused take it back.

I can still tap into pipe at pump if parked to use red diesel by just loseing jubilee clip and run second clear pipe to 20ltr or 5ltr tank on ground.. as pumps outside van.
Very happy with it over new year. 5 nights 2.5 ltr used. But, was in club house most of the time.
 
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