happybuy diesel air heater

[Jim Blackwood]

I'd have to buy 10 of those 8kw Chinese heaters to equal the one Eiberspacher that came on my '96 MCI 102DL3 from the factory. Maybe 11 and that's just based on the btu ratings. Food for thought. One or two of them might be sort of minimalistic.

Admittedly I still have to re-plumb the system so I'm not wasting heat on the engine when it isn't running but that comes later.

Jim

[buswarrior]

The heaters discussed are bunk air heaters, the style used to heat a truck sleeper.

Not your big coolant boiler.

Yes, you can buy a lot of these knock-offs for the price of a single name brand unit, no matter which style...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[Jim Blackwood]

Not saying that, just that a 5 or 8 kbtu bunk heater is going to pale by comparison with the OEM unit. So you might need several of them, and if space is an issue, well then the advantages can go away kinda quickly. Good price, and nice to be able to run on diesel. But I think it's gonna require several of them to match one halfway decent propane furnace.

I've experienced inadequate heating in an RV. Added forced air, added underpinning, added quilts and blankets. Ran the oven and the range burners for more heat. It's much better to have more than you need than less.

Jim

[luvrbus]

The idea is not new it's been around since the 50's I know of ,my dads truck when gasoline engine were popular they had the Arvin gasoline fired heaters and his propane trucks used the Stewart/Warner propane air heaters.Back then the sleepers were not very big maybe 3 ft wide.lol no Ac,no power steering and 5x4 transmission drivers were tough then   

[buswarrior]

The bunk heaters should fit into a layered approach. Many of the enthusiastic penny pinchers will learn that the hard way...

However, they do fit into a layered and redundant approach to heating the coach, when heating is a life support topic, vs a comfort one.

5-7k BTU is nice on a cool evening alone, and continues to be part of the heating plant, as more devices are added on.

Of particular note, fueling the big boiler just to take the chill off costs a pretty penny, or leads to short cycling of the burner. Their thirst is rated at a gallon per hour...

Up until recently, bunk heaters weren't adopted much by busnuts, due to their being expensive for the heat available, and the truckers are lined up to get the good used ones, still expensive.

With the knock-offs, they are seen as reasonable and accessible now.

What most don't understand, a $20 cube heater makes the same heat... perhaps in real terms, more, as the rating on the bunk heater is INPUT, and some of that goes overboard via the exhaust... you don't get the whole rating into the coach.

There's no free lunch.

Layer your heating, buy the bits that you want to run, discard and try something else, that's why we roll our own!

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[luvrbus]

Your better units are based on the true out put of the burner and Espar.Pro/Heat and Webasto give a true number .If hydronic heating wasn't so exspensive it is the best out there ,5 zones from 1 burner,floorheat,engine preheat, cabin heat, endless hot water then you can use the engine heat tied to the system while driving and the system keeps passengers happy anywhere in the bus plus they can operate on electricity you are not tied to diesel only .I do understand  400 bucks for 2 heaters vs $20,000.00 + for a Aqua hot or Oasis system I could buy one air heater for what it cost me to have my system serviced every year.I had a propane fired boiler in my Eagle and loved it and it wasn't bad on propane usage and was trouble free for years. :^I still believe you would freeze you @$# with 4 of those cheap heaters in WY where it is -20 and the wind blowing 50 mph they are bunk heaters for a small area       

[dtcerrato]

Bottom line with me is just finished 8 day road trip in temps down to freezing & never turned on either LP furnace - for the 1st time just ran the diesel heater. The fact that they run constant off sets the low (5 to 8 thousand btu). It works for us and if temps get way below zero the cdh will compliment the LP furnaces.

[chessie4905]

you have a Webasto that came in your coach, so you are maybe fortunate. Those things and Eberspachers are crazy expensive and appear to be just as needing serviced as the Chinese heaters. As far as -20 and 50 mph wind, Stay the hell home when it's that's cold. 🥶 I think they will be fine as supplemental heat for less brutal Temps in spring and fall. I amagine you have backup if the Wabesto fails in those temps. There are hundreds of users in EU and  Europeon countries using in Tents, cabins, vehicles, campers, etc. They have been around for a few years and appear to be fairly reliable from the user posts.

[luvrbus]

you have a Webasto that came in your coach, so you are maybe fortunate. Those things and Eberspachers are crazy expensive and appear to be just as needing serviced as the Chinese heaters. As far as -20 and 50 mph wind, Stay the hell home when it's that's cold. 🥶 I think they will be fine as supplemental heat for less brutal Temps in spring and fall. I amagine you have backup if the Wabesto fails in those temps. There are hundreds of users in EU and  Europeon countries using in Tents, cabins, vehicles, campers, etc. They have been around for a few years and appear to be fairly reliable from the user posts.



John sometimes when going from point A to B over the holidays those temps are unavoidable  BTDT several times

[chessie4905]

Yeah, I can see that out there. Due to the use of salt around here in winter and lots of ice, mine stays parked in shop from November to April or used during daylight saving time.

[luvrbus]

Yeah, I can see that out there. Due to the use of salt around here in winter and lots of ice, mine stays parked in shop from November to April or used during daylight saving time.

We left Scottsdale one year it was 80 and I did check the travel center weather and said bright sunshine and 48 degrees we set on I 70 at Elk Mountain for a day a half in -18 degree weather because I 70 was closed ,LOL I told Sonja we need to go the coast route but no she says lets go this route.Any one knows you can get snowed in on Elk Mountain Wy in June,she never wanted to go that route again though   

[Jim Blackwood]

I'm sure the cheap bunk heater has it's place, and maybe I will eventually get one or even two. However I can't see it really doing that much in a 45 ft bus. As far as the efficiency and cost goes, your basic formula of fuel in to heat out shouldn't change a whole lot. I suspect if I'm burning a gallon an hour to stay warm I'll be very grateful that I can turn that gallon of fuel into heat.

Jim

[luvrbus]

I'm sure the cheap bunk heater has it's place, and maybe I will eventually get one or even two. However I can't see it really doing that much in a 45 ft bus. As far as the efficiency and cost goes, your basic formula of fuel in to heat out shouldn't change a whole lot. I suspect if I'm burning a gallon an hour to stay warm I'll be very grateful that I can turn that gallon of fuel into heat.

Jim


[/quote

You can usually figure 4 to 6 gals a 24 hour day with larger units like a Aqua hot system it tells you that on the web site,I believe they use more than a 1/2 a hour my self.If you could funnel the 600 degrees from the exhaust then you would have something limiting the length to 53 inches sucks for that plan
     

[pabusnut]

Since I don't plan to ever camp in winter -- I have taken the plunge and bought 3 Chinese Diesel Heaters.

When plugged into the pole(for free? at a campground) I will use electric cube heaters, since the electric is free, but for boondocking or travel days in WallyWorld or CrackerBarrel, it seems like the diesel heater might be a good solution.

And since Dan endorsed them, I bought 3 of them!  LOL

Steve

[chessie4905]

at least they are cheap enough to give them a try. Couple tips from reading the posts. Don't use green fuel line, be sure to have good 12 volt battery source with 12 gage wire.