Added a diesel heater to motorhome but can I?

[CarlandHels]

Hi everyone, just have a question that I'm hoping some one will have an answer to...

We have a gas only truma boiler, C6002 I think. Now it's a great heater but up front near the cab we find it is very cold through winter. So we have installed a diesel heater as an extra source of heat. This is working great.
So the question is. Can I tap into the original heat ducts and send the heat around the Van's original ducting so the whole of the van is benefitting from the diesel heater. Will it harm the truma boiler to have hot air blowing in reverse from the front of the van back towards the boiler and then through all the ducting which is already in place.

Thank you in advance
Carl.

Obviously we will only have one heater running at anyone time. But I will keep the water heater on most of the time.. Thanks again.

 

[Nabsim]

May be worth an email to Truma to check?

is it possible to fit a blank in line where the Truma attaches to the ducting something you could push in to close off then do same at diesel heater end if there are any problems raised by Truma?

 

[CarlandHels]

May be worth an email to Truma to check?

is it possible to fit a blank in line where the Truma attaches to the ducting something you could push in to close off then do same at diesel heater end if there are any problems raised by Truma?

Thanks, sadley I can't get a blank in and I think (Without going back on me old knees) that there are about 3 or 4 pipes coming from under the truma. Maybe best to email them and ask there opinion.
Thanks anyway..

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Hi ya C,
Although the actual ‘Ducting’ Might be ok to take the Hot air, Bare in mind that any ‘Y’ joints in the original Ducting run will be the wrong way for the Flow.
It’s probably better to run a new piece of ducting from your new Diesel air outlet & cut in a new ‘Y’ joint as near to the original Gas outlet ducted run as possible as the first joint then ANY hot air is going the same way regardless of it’s source !.

 

[colinm]

I would guess that as in many vans the reason the cab area gets cold is the large amount of glass and lack of ducting to the front. Have you ever tried extending the ducting to provide more heating up front from the Truma?

 

[CarlandHels]

Hi ya C,
Although the actual ‘Ducting’ Might be ok to take the Hot air, Bare in mind that any ‘Y’ joints in the original Ducting run will be the wrong way for the Flow.
It’s probably better to run a new piece of ducting from your new Diesel air outlet & cut in a new ‘Y’ joint as near to the original Gas outlet ducted run as possible as the first joint then ANY hot air is going the same way regardless of it’s source !.

Hiya buddy, yeah I get what your meaning.. Thanks..
Hope all's good with you..

 

[CarlandHels]

I would guess that as in many vans the reason the cab area gets cold is the large amount of glass and lack of ducting to the front. Have you ever tried extending the ducting to provide more heating up front from the Truma?

Hi, it was a thought yes and I still might run some into there. I still wanted a diesel heater as a just incase gas doesn't work for what ever reason.

 

[Nabsim]

I only run a diesel heater but my van still has the ducting for whatever gas system used to be in it sitting disconnected. I did think one day I may do what you are thinking but to be honest we don’t need all the original outlets.

one thing I do know on ours is the eberspacher uses smaller diameter ducting so double check yours. I am sure I have seen reducers to get from one size to the other do not a problem that way but bigger diameter would change effective heating at outlets I think

 

[daygoboy]

I'd be surprised if any diesel heater didn't have a maximum length of ducting
permissible. The fan would have limits on the friction produced in pushing
air through a long duct length and possibly burn out or possibly catch fire.
If I recall correctly the 6004 Truma is about 6kW output surprised you don't
find this enough. If you haven't already experimented, just finding some way
of partitioning the cab from the hab area would be a good start. A thermal
curtain can prevent a lot of heat loss.

 

[CarlandHels]

I'd be surprised if any diesel heater didn't have a maximum length of ducting
permissible. The fan would have limits on the friction produced in pushing
air through a long duct length and possibly burn out or possibly catch fire.
If I recall correctly the 6004 Truma is about 6kW output surprised you don't
find this enough. If you haven't already experimented, just finding some way
of partitioning the cab from the hab area would be a good start. A thermal
curtain can prevent a lot of heat loss.

We do use a duvet that drops down from the over cab bed. But we would like to use the front too as we live in it 24/7. This is going to be our 3rd winter in this van in the UK. Before that we lived in a self build transit. The main issue is getting heat round the van mostly bathroom area to prevent any chance of freezing.

 

[Fazerloz]

Do you make sure your dash vents are set to central and closed . It makes a big difference.

 

[CarlandHels]

Do you make sure your dash vents are set to central and closed . It makes a big difference.

Yeah they sure are. I feel the cold alot now due to medication I have to take. So the warmer the better for me through winter. Bit of a shock feeling cold. I used to be a farmer and out in all weather's, never felt the cold before these dam meds.. Lol..

 

[daygoboy]

Simplest way to distribute the heat would be to have a small fan to blow/move
the warm air around, 100mm dia. low power consumption computer 12v type,
near silent, may be enough. Probably more efficient and directional than along
a duct and heater innards.