harrow
Full Member
- Posts
- 7,611
- Likes
- 10,083
Diesel air Heater
- Thread starter Fazerloz
- Start date
Dowel
Full Member
- Posts
- 263
- Likes
- 210
Both Webasto and Eberspacher make petrol fueled air or water heaters:
“Parking heaters for cars. Our product portfolio includes solutions for diesel or petrol vehicles. Webasto parking heaters quickly free car windows of ice and snow, prevent re-freezing and ensure comfortable temperatures inside the vehicle. In addition, they can also preheat the engine.”
Webasto: Parking Heaters for Automotive Industry
This guy had an eberspacher fitted into his petrol engined Skoda Octavia TSI: Finally, my car is warm
Finally, my car is warm. (Parking heater installed) - Skoda Octavia Mk II (2004 - 2013) - BRISKODA
He lives in Finland and was pleased with it although he has reservations about the “Smartphone remote control app”. I thought the supply and fix was very expensive.
The Chinese makers often refer to “Gasoline heaters” and I believe they make them but probably sell more into the US market.
May be worth a look on that facebook group to see whether any UK members have bought a Chinese one?
I find the way that the posts are presented in batches with the option to open up further comments makes reading rather time consuming. A lot of queries about issues that are covered by the instructions are often repeated.
Hope that is of interest
Dowel
Full Member
- Posts
- 263
- Likes
- 210
Gasoline heaters are on US eBay.com:
Brand-New-2KW-Gasoline-Air-Parking-Heater-12V-for-Bus-Truck-Car US $540.99
Seller information – galaxyshopzz - Shenzhen , China
Says “you pay all import duties” so I guess USA customs are more protective than UK? Also warns may take more than 30 days to deliver to USA.
Had a quick look on facebook, it is well worth joining this group if at all interested:
From the facebook chinese diesel air heaters group:
Posted by Karl Lolley - Answers to queries:
"17). Fuel types, they can be run on road diesel or parafin, red diesel and kerosene, they use 0.2ltr per hour on low and 0.6 ltr on high, tho mostly will be run low once modulated down. Petrol version heaters are available."
He also posted these comments:
"14) how new are these to market, these heater have been sold in the usa for the last 10 years and can be brought of the shelf in many stores, they are more new to the ebay uk market.
15) whats the quality like, ok the main unit is very good,the jubilee clips weak and you may need longer hosing for ducting and exhaust runs as you only get 0.5mtrs of each, but they are only £150 and well worth the money thus far given the alternative prices of others.
16) parts missing, ok so some kits have came without the exhuast silencer, mine came with the floor plate missing but had a silencer, but on the whole all the major parts are there, either their packing is a little poor or they may be low on stock for the kits. but still for the money they are a worthwhile investment even with the odd minor part missing, missing parts can be brought from ebay from eberspacher dealers if need be."
River Dylan is the Chinese lady working for Drivworld who has posted a photo of a gasoline air heater and said “we also have a diesel version”.
I believe their heaters come at a higher price, in the region of £260.
Fazerloz
Full Member
- Posts
- 8,426
- Likes
- 16,010
Its not over until, well she ain't singing yet. It's done another plug in, today. That lasted a good weekc Replaced the plug and fired straight up. This is turning into a not very positive experience. No I wouldn't recommend anyone get one yet . It's not too bad for me as it's it's only in the garage and very easy to get at.
As far as petrol ones go yes they are readily valuable. If you look a lot of the listings in the specs will say fuel diesel gasoline. Just send them a message asking, but not yet as they are on holiday for the new year as I have found out.
Quite a few are complaining about white smoke which is unburnt fuel. You wouldn't want a petrol one over fueling.
No doubt to be continued.:scared:
Fazerloz
Full Member
- Posts
- 8,426
- Likes
- 16,010
The cheap heaters sold on eBay are not the same as those sold in stores in the USA those are VVBK s and are available here on Amazon. Amazon.co.uk: VVBK heater
They might at least have some backup and our consumer laws to folow.
Last edited:
trevskoda
Full Member
- Posts
- 41,012
- Likes
- 58,837
Tatra cars fro ch republic uses petrol heaters.
harrow
Full Member
- Posts
- 7,611
- Likes
- 10,083
So the glow plug failed, and presumed that it was previously good.
Then is the glow plug overloaded with too much voltage meaning too much current and burning out ?
skippy
Free Member
- Posts
- 109
- Likes
- 62
Fitted mine 5 years this april from alibaba no customs charges nil problems so far recently removed to alter location refitted with 3 vents much better works great also fitted intake silencer which I originally forgot I had eliminates intake whistling noise.
Fazerloz
Full Member
- Posts
- 8,426
- Likes
- 16,010
So the glow plug failed, and presumed that it was previously good.
Then is the glow plug overloaded with too much voltage meaning too much current and burning out ?
No I have checked all that whilst it is running and the duration the plugs are on when in operation and it is doing exactly what it should be doing. But the plugs are failing for some reason. A bit frustrating.
One thing though they do use 0.22A when just on standby. I thought they would be a bit less then that.
harrow
Full Member
- Posts
- 7,611
- Likes
- 10,083
Is there a source of known good quality glow plugs ?,
I assume the plug is designed to survive the heat, and hence my reasoning that the next option is too much voltage being applied and burning out the plug ?
:wave:
harrow
Full Member
- Posts
- 7,611
- Likes
- 10,083
So really you need to know what is the correct and safe voltage to apply to this plug ?
If you are willing to risk it you could add a good few metres of cable in series with the heater plug wire and that added resistance would lower the current and hence the strain on the glow plug.
I guess the problem will be knowing the specifications.
:hammer::hammer::hammer:
Fazerloz
Full Member
- Posts
- 8,426
- Likes
- 16,010
I do know the specs of the plugs and everything is within spec . Like I say I have a voltmeter wired direct to the plug and a Ammeter to the heater so I can see exactly what the plug is doing. The plugs are actually 8v 70/80Watt. Maybe I have just been very unlucky. It's not unheard of.
wildebus
Full Member
- Posts
- 8,240
- Likes
- 13,090
Been following these updates with great interest. The Planar offers really good price savings if they work well and are tempting, but the last thing you want to do in your motorhome is have to spend an age dismantling a seat from a base sat to get access to swap bits out that fail too frequently.
I am hoping you will find a (fixable) reason for the plug failures as that seems to be the only real problem you have encountered?
I am hoping you will find a (fixable) reason for the plug failures as that seems to be the only real problem you have encountered?
mistericeman
Full Member
- Posts
- 5,343
- Likes
- 12,503
Exactly why I went for a genuine eberspacher....
Sat tucked up in the van in middle of nowhere last thing I want is to be having to wear 25 layers of clothes and be sat around some tealights under a plant pot.....
IF I wanted to experience that id just head for Yorkshire....
Fazerloz
Full Member
- Posts
- 8,426
- Likes
- 16,010
I think you will find the tea lights add a very nice ambience to my garage if not much heat.
I have a cunning plan. I will just leave it running until the end of May, it will be cheaper than plugs. It's all good fun, I would only be wasting my money on something else if not on this.
Dowel
Full Member
- Posts
- 263
- Likes
- 210
I think that is a good line of enquiry. The Chinese plugs may be variable in quality or whole batches could be consistently out of spec. Need to measure the voltage and current through the running cycles. They could be running too hot, drawing too much power or badly assembled so the heating element fails prematurely.
May be significant that Victor industries (VVKB) say they use:
- The lgnition Plug from Japan Kyocera; Teflon Wire Refractories
- Thermostat Adopt German Heraeus A Class Product
I wonder why they don’t use Chinese products?
Re Diesel Air Heaters on USA eBay.com: On offer are heaters that look like Ebers’ and some like Webasto. I believe that VVKB made or make both styles of heater and both were or are available in Australia.
The VVKB heaters on Amazon UK appear to be without fitting kits so £399 and upwards is more expensive than a Russian heater from the approved UK supplier.
Fazerloz
Full Member
- Posts
- 8,426
- Likes
- 16,010
That is the spec of the plug.