Diesel Liquid Heater

[freds]

The previous owner of my bus removed the Diesel heater and then found out some motor that was $400.00 and left it out of the bus.

The bus is plumbed with liquid to air heat exchangers up and down the bus.

So anyway looking to replace it either with salvage unit from a wrecking yard or buy a new one. I do see a new Drivworld heater on Amazon that is a fair price.

Looking for feedback as to vendors/models to look at and ones to avoid, sizing for a 40ft bus, etc.

Thanks

[Lee Bradley]

You may want to read this conversation. It discusses heaters pros and cons.

https://www.busconversionmagazine.com/forum/index.php?topic=34313.0

[somewhereinusa]

I can't say much about the drivworld heater, I couldn't really find much info.
I have an Espar Hydronic 10 which is listed at 32,400 BTU. I have in floor as well as liquid to air heat exchangers. It is more than adequate to heat my 40 ft bus. Even in below 0° F weather the unit still cycles between high and low which tells me it isn't being overworked.

I have been using it for about 6 years (weekend warrior) and have had absolutely no problems. I talked to an Espar repair guy at a recent truck show and asked if I should be doing any kind of PM, he said to replace the fuel filter. That was it. Espars are a bit pricey though.

[buswarrior]

I'd be hesitant to save money with a Drivworld...

This is a cheap knock-off, buyer beware...

The big boys prices have support, manuals and a parts distribution network behind them. You will be on your own with a Drivworld.

Since you already have a system, replacing the boiler makes good sense.

Something in the 35-40k BTU / 11-12 KW range, unless you plan for Arctic trips...

Eberspächer, Webasto, Proheat.

From a safety standpoint, these things have a little blast furnace running inside them, proudly pay for proper engineering?

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[freds]

I'd be hesitant to save money with a Drivworld...

This is a cheap knock-off, buyer beware...

The big boys prices have support, manuals and a parts distribution network behind them. You will be on your own with a Drivworld.

Since you already have a system, replacing the boiler makes good sense.

Something in the 35-40k BTU / 11-12 KW range, unless you plan for Arctic trips...

Eberspächer, Webasto, Proheat.

From a safety standpoint, these things have a little blast furnace running inside them, proudly pay for proper engineering?

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

Thanks I came to that conclusion also. Ended up ordering a new military surplus kit for a 10KW Espar Hydronic 10 heater that I am going to install.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/173978153882

[Lee Bradley]

Very nice unit. That should keep your bus toasty warm and great price. I would buy one of those in a heart beat at that price.

[Geoff]

I believe that is nothing more than an engine heater.  10kW BTU's?  My Webasto is 45kW BTU's.

[Lee Bradley]

I am running a 5 Kw engine heater (Webasto) and it keeps the bus warm into the 30's. Double that seems a pretty good option.

[buswarrior]

Mixing up your units...

Much of the world measures the heat output in KW kilowatts

Some of the world uses BTU british thermal units

10 KW is roughly 34 000 BTU

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[chessie4905]

A typical 1500 watt portable heater is
about 5000 btus or 5k.

[somewhereinusa]

That's the unit I have it's listed at something like 32,400 btu. It has kept me warm below 0°F.

[sledhead]

now if they could make one that was mid 90 % efficient not the average 70 ish they are now . just try and put your hand near the exhaust on
one . it will burn your skin off , to bad we could not use some of that heat on the inside of the coach 

dave

[Jim Blackwood]

You could. Just need a well designed, free flowing stainless air-to-air heat exchanger. The burner of a large gas furnace comes to mind.

Jim

[Geoff]

Plumbing a Webasto would be a good article for the BCM magazine.  After having one for 20 years, I can see many of the comments won't work in zone heating.

[buswarrior]

You could. Just need a well designed, free flowing stainless air-to-air heat exchanger. The burner of a large gas furnace comes to mind.

One must be VERY careful obstructing any of these coolant boilers' exhausts. They are not tolerant of long exhaust runs, bends in the pipes, their little fans are only intended for combustion support.

I'd love to extract some heat for bay heating as the pipe passes through, but it is risky business, risking the loss of combustion, or the burner chamber overheating, and the resulting loss of the safety fuses...

No free lunch...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior