Diesel Heater Habits

[mistericeman]

Not all are diaphragm, some are positve displacement plunger type that do require the lubricity of diesel.

I've yet to deal with an eberspacher or Chinese clone that isn't a solenoid diaphragm in 30 odd years...
So I'll bow to your experience.

 

[Fazerloz]

I've yet to deal with an eberspacher or Chinese clone that isn't a solenoid diaphragm in 30 odd years...
So I'll bow to your experience.

I am sure we haven't all seen everything . My original Chinese heater has a piston pump and to be honest I just took it to be that they would all be piston pumps and required a degree of lubricant and not diaphragms. Diaphragm pumps will certainly be cheaper to produce but not as accurate on the metering.

Taken from Kemso fuel pumps.

Common Types of Diesel Heater Fuel Pumps

While the core electromagnet-driven pumping principle remains similar, designs vary:

1. Diaphragm Pumps: This is the most common type found in modern diesel heaters. They use a flexible rubber or synthetic diaphragm sealed against the pump body. Solenoid action flexes the diaphragm to create the pumping action. They are generally simple, reliable, cost-effective, and handle low pressures well.
2. Piston Pumps: Some heaters, often larger models or older designs, use a small piston moving in a cylinder. Solenoid action moves the piston. These might offer slightly higher pressure capability but are less common today in smaller auxiliary heaters.

 

[trevskoda]

There is a heater in my van but never worked, job to sort next year.

 

[gasgas]

. . . .

The constant temperature mode is the one to use: i. . . .

But that assumes you are Chinese. The instructions were compiled by a Chinese person who got an English dictionary, tore pages out and stuck them to a wall and then threw darts at them. Which ever word the dart landed on would be the next word in the instructions.
And that is after you have scanned the instructions and enlarged them to 250% so the letters are legible.
I could never work mine out so I bought a second hand Eberspacher which is in an entirely different universe so far as build quality, ease of use, and instructions are concerned. The only commonality is that they both run on diesel.

 

[mistericeman]

But that assumes you are Chinese. The instructions were compiled by a Chinese person who got an English dictionary, tore pages out and stuck them to a wall and then threw darts at them. Which ever word the dart landed on would be the next word in the instructions.
And that is after you have scanned the instructions and enlarged them to 250% so the letters are legible.
I could never work mine out so I bought a second hand Eberspacher which is in an entirely different universt so far as build quality, ease of use, and instructions are concerned. The only commonality is that they both run on diesel.

I'd agree that overall the build quality of a genuine eberspacher is usually higher than a Chinese clone....theres often not a massive difference other than they haven't paid someone to check and bench test the clone version

Some are of a pretty decent quality.... With the caveat that they sometimes require a little 'finessing'

The eberspacher 701/801 series controls are pretty basic and intuitive...
However some of the clones have controllers and Bluetooth app capabilities that for the equivalent eberspacher unit you would be paying dearly for.

The largest problem is usually folks just buying the first cheap Chinese unit they happen accross without thinking about what they want.

 

[marchie]

I am sure we haven't all seen everything . My original Chinese heater has a piston pump and to be honest I just took it to be that they would all be piston pumps and required a degree of lubricant and not diaphragms. Diaphragm pumps will certainly be cheaper to produce but not as accurate on the metering.

Taken from Kemso fuel pumps.

Common Types of Diesel Heater Fuel Pumps

While the core electromagnet-driven pumping principle remains similar, designs vary:

1. Diaphragm Pumps: This is the most common type found in modern diesel heaters. They use a flexible rubber or synthetic diaphragm sealed against the pump body. Solenoid action flexes the diaphragm to create the pumping action. They are generally simple, reliable, cost-effective, and handle low pressures well.
2. Piston Pumps: Some heaters, often larger models or older designs, use a small piston moving in a cylinder. Solenoid action moves the piston. These might offer slightly higher pressure capability but are less common today in smaller auxiliary heaters.

Praps the difference between the European designed/built diesel heater and the Chinese clone is that the former could have a piston pump, whilst the latter could have a pump that's been piston ... . And diesel heater habits sound as though they belong in a Religious Order, where only faded clothing is worn, because we all know that Old HabitsDye Hard ... . I'll get me wimpole before he leaves for the Old Bailey ...

Steve

 

[Geek]

That doesn't need any lube whatsoever on everspachers/Chinese diesel pumps ...

It's a solenoid driven Diaphragm pump....

A diaphragm pump still has valves

 

[Geek]

The only commonality is that they both run on diesel.

No, the main commonality is that the Chinese one is a cheap clone of the hardware.

Usually, the parts are interchangeable.
Always, the Chinese ones are inferior but vastly cheaper.

If you get a CDH with crap instructions, it's easy enough to Google for a comprehensible set of instructions for an identical model.

 

[Fazerloz]

So many still live with the impression that just because something is made in China it is inferior. That has not been true for many years now but it is in the West's interest to keep that myth alive.

 

[Fazerloz]

A diaphragm pump still has valves

Usually also made of rubber that do not need lubrication.

 

[trevskoda]

Usually also made of rubber that do not need lubrication.

I remember rubber things that required lubrication.

 

[Fazerloz]

I remember rubber things that required lubrication.

You have a good memory then.

 

[Fazerloz]

Without a doubt the Truma diesel heater is noisier than the Truma gas heater.

 

[gabby82]

My daughter is professionally converting a 2 year old Nissan van into a camper-van. What opinions or advice is out there in respect which heater to install?

 

[mark61]

My daughter is professionally converting a 2 year old Nissan van into a camper-van. What opinions or advice is out there in respect which heater to install?

Would depend if she is going gas for cooking and how much space she wants to allow for gas cylinders. If gas cooking, gas heating is an option, but I wouldn't go gas just for heating on it's own.

I'd go for diesel heating regardless, but I wouldn't try and make the case for it being better than LPG.