Chinese Aux Diesel Heater

[CapePrep]

Random thoughts at 3AM-If I wanted to or "needed" to take my 1097 into the back country and wanted to camp in it, thinking of seasonal cold and how to heat things up. Have actually read good reviews on these chinese diesel heaters. Wondering if anyone has done it and where you tap into the diesel tank on the truck. Obviously would need 12volt source as well. If nothing else, an interesting thought experiment.

Amazon.com

 

[Coug]

I do believe there are 24V versions of the heaters. If nothing else 24-12V converters the size you would need are really cheap. Personally though I hate using my vehicle battery for anything not related to starting the truck, so If it were mine I'd use an Orion converter as a battery charger for a 3rd battery and use that to power the heater.

There is a fuel pickup that is capped off that is used for the diesel heater in the ambulance version, so would be easy to just get fuel off of there. The heaters don't use huge amounts of fuel, so getting a small tank to run it off of would work, or make something using a 5 gallon fuel can.

You'd need to either mount the heater outside the cab, and have holes for input/return air lines, or you would need to mount it inside and make a hole with bulkhead fitting for the exhaust pipe.
Personally I wouldn't do any type of permanent mounting for it on my truck as I don't trust them to withstand that type of abuse.


I've used a self contained one a few times while camping (looks almost identical to the one you linked), powering it off a spare 12V deep cycle battery. The draw is pretty low, so the battery does last pretty well. I just set it on the ground next to my tent and run the output hose in through the zipper. In 50 degree or warmer it makes the tent too warm, even on it's lowest setting, so mostly use it to heat the tent for after my shower. (yes, I am more towards glamping than I am camping.)

btw, don't bother with the 8kw version. All the reviews I've seen show the same parts and fuel consumption as the 5kw version.

 

[CapePrep]

I do believe there are 24V versions of the heaters. If nothing else 24-12V converters the size you would need are really cheap. Personally though I hate using my vehicle battery for anything not related to starting the truck, so If it were mine I'd use an Orion converter as a battery charger for a 3rd battery and use that to power the heater.

There is a fuel pickup that is capped off that is used for the diesel heater in the ambulance version, so would be easy to just get fuel off of there. The heaters don't use huge amounts of fuel, so getting a small tank to run it off of would work, or make something using a 5 gallon fuel can.

You'd need to either mount the heater outside the cab, and have holes for input/return air lines, or you would need to mount it inside and make a hole with bulkhead fitting for the exhaust pipe.
Personally I wouldn't do any type of permanent mounting for it on my truck as I don't trust them to withstand that type of abuse.


I've used a self contained one a few times while camping (looks almost identical to the one you linked), powering it off a spare 12V deep cycle battery. The draw is pretty low, so the battery does last pretty well. I just set it on the ground next to my tent and run the output hose in through the zipper. In 50 degree or warmer it makes the tent too warm, even on it's lowest setting, so mostly use it to heat the tent for after my shower. (yes, I am more towards glamping than I am camping.)

btw, don't bother with the 8kw version. All the reviews I've seen show the same parts and fuel consumption as the 5kw version.

That is the exact info I was looking for, thanks!!!! Will research the 24 volt ones.

 

[Wreckclues]

Random thoughts at 3AM-If I wanted to or "needed" to take my 1097 into the back country and wanted to camp in it, thinking of seasonal cold and how to heat things up.

Just installed an 8KW Voyocht, 12 Volt in my M813. Once up to temp, heats the cab in minutes. Went with this model for a few reasons. First it's all metal construction, most of these are made of plastic. Second, the kit came with parts I would have had to purchase separately and finally it had fewer negative comments than the others I was considering. So far so good, also using it to preheat the engine bay.

 

[CapePrep]

Just installed an 8KW Voyocht, 12 Volt in my M813. Once up to temp, heats the cab in minutes. Went with this model for a few reasons. First it's all metal construction, most of these are made of plastic. Second, the kit came with parts I would have had to purchase separately and finally it had fewer negative comments than the others I was considering. So far so good, also using it to preheat the engine bay.

Did you run it off of 12 or 24 volt?

 

[Buck69]

I have a similar unit in our ocean boat. It's on it's 3rd season now and runs off of the cabin batteries.
Don't forget a CO detector for peace of mind. Ours has never registered anything with it running.

 

[Wreckclues]

Did you run it off of 12 or 24 volt?

\
12V, I'd already installed a 12V circuit in the rig. Wired it directly to a 30 Amp inverter. The heater's wiring harness came with an in-line 20 amp fuse.

 

[MarkM]

I use the Big Buddy 9000btu propane heater for my car trailer. I love this little thing. Will run on low for 6 hrs and 3 1/2 on high. It uses one pound propane bottles or can be made to run off a 20lb tank. My buddy has one to heat up the cargo area of a Pinzgauer 712M and it works great.

Just my .02

Mark

 

[frauhansen]

I have more or less installed just such a Chinese diesel heater in my truck. As a test.
After 10 minutes, I turned the heating down from 6/6 to 3/6 and then, not much later, to 1/6. They produce a hell of a lot of heat!
The problem is the exhaust gas routing! Where to put it.
I previously had the heater in the interior. Then you have to drill holes in the truck for the exhaust.
Now the plan is to put it on the bed, secure it against the rain and only route the warm air inside.
But even that is only temporary as the loading area will also be closed off in the medium term.
Electricity is not a problem. At least for me. I have installed the SwitchPros SP9100 and can control it conveniently from the driver's seat.

But in the end... I haven't found a sensible solution yet.

 

[Wreckclues]

But in the end... I haven't found a sensible solution yet.

Put mine in the tool box under the cab, plumbed the exhaust under the box, getting a little exhaust smell in the cab though. Have drilled the holes to duct air intake from the cab, which should eliminate the problem, just have to run the ducting.
The tool box is next to the truck's fuel tank. The kit came with a tank pickup but I'm waiting to install it until I replace the tank as it leaks when over 40 gallons. For now I mounted the 5 liter tank that came with the kit, on the front face of my cargo bed.
Considering moving the heater to the engine bay. Plenty of room on the fender wells with the option of pulling fuel from the primer pump pickup and dropping ducting into the battery box to help keep them warm.
For more information check out my post on "What have you done to your 5 Ton Today"

 

[frauhansen]

Have drilled the holes to duct air intake from the cab, which should eliminate the problem, just have to run the ducting.
The tool box is next to the truck's fuel tank. The kit came with a tank pickup but I'm waiting to install it until I replace the

I had tried that too. I tried to insulate the exhaust so that it wouldn't catch on the canvas. But the exhaust gets up to 650 degrees hot. That's too hot for me! This is feasible as an eperimentell. But if it then gets brighter from behind the truck without that it should... no no... I don't want that.

 

[Wreckclues]

I tried to insulate the exhaust so that it wouldn't catch on the canvas. But the exhaust gets up to 650 degrees hot.

Fortunately there's nothing flammable where my exhaust runs under the toolbox. The combustion air intake is in the tool box, while the air to be heated will be pulled from the cab although right now it's in the toolbox as well. Although physically isolated from the exhaust, there are enough holes in the toolbox to let in enough exhaust that I can smell it in the cab.
Just tested it, from start to comfortable heat in the cab is 5 minutes, with the thermostat set to 5C.
I can adjust temperature either in degrees C or the frequency of the pump.
So far no discernible drain on the battery bank. Have been loathe to leave either battery bank on for any amount of time as the previous owner, msgjd, reported a parasitic drain when the master switch was off.

 

[frauhansen]

The Toolbox is located outside... right.. in this case okay.. but inside you will die by the exhaust gases

 

[Wreckclues]

The Toolbox is located outside... right.. in this case okay.. but inside you will die by the exhaust gases

Yup, an M813 and what little I get now is with the truck stationary. Should be no problem when running.

 

[SmartDrug]

@McSpeed has one, IIRC. Maybe he can chime in.

 

[Dieselmeister]

I have a 5 kw unit mounted on the top of the Helmet Top tool box, inside the truck, with the exhaust routed outside. I added a 1.5 gallon tank, since I like to run Kerosene for the cleaner, odorless burn. Power comes from a 12v Lifepo4 battery. There is a 2" hole in the top of the box to allow combustion air to be pulled into the tool box. Any exhaust fume leakage inside the tool box will just be sucked in with the combustion air. Tuned the burner with a CO analyzer, to less than 20ppm CO in the exhaust across the full heat spectrum. For safety I run a CO monitor inside the truck.

 

[CapePrep]

I have a 5 kw unit mounted on the top of the Helmet Top tool box, inside the truck, with the exhaust routed outside. I added a 1.5 gallon tank, since I like to run Kerosene for the cleaner, odorless burn. Power comes from a 12v Lifepo4 battery. There is a 2" hole in the top of the box to allow combustion air to be pulled into the tool box. Any exhaust fume leakage inside the tool box will just be sucked in with the combustion air. Tuned the burner with a CO analyzer, to less than 20ppm CO in the exhaust across the full heat spectrum. For safety I run a CO monitor inside the truck.

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looks amazing some good ideas

 

[McSpeed]

Random thoughts at 3AM-If I wanted to or "needed" to take my 1097 into the back country and wanted to camp in it, thinking of seasonal cold and how to heat things up. Have actually read good reviews on these chinese diesel heaters. Wondering if anyone has done it and where you tap into the diesel tank on the truck. Obviously would need 12volt source as well. If nothing else, an interesting thought experiment.

Amazon.com

I bought a Vevor 8kw model. It is all
We can get delivered via Amazon in Alaska. It is a self contained model with fuel tank and all in the box. It allows me to take it off the truck quickly. I’ve used it now twice in a couple of epic overnights and it has been awesome down to single digits outside. I ended up putting a hole in the left rear inner quarter/fender to run the exhaust out. I made several YouTube vids of mounting it and overnight adventures. When not in the truck I put it in the window of my extended workshop to help heat in there. Worth every penny!!!

 

[CapePrep]

I bought a Vevor 8kw model. It is all
We can get delivered via Amazon in Alaska. It is a self contained model with fuel tank and all in the box. It allows me to take it off the truck quickly. I’ve used it now twice in a couple of epic overnights and it has been awesome down to single digits outside. I ended up putting a hole in the left rear inner quarter/fender to run the exhaust out. I made several YouTube vids of mounting it and overnight adventures. When not in the truck I put it in the window of my extended workshop to help heat in there. Worth every penny!!!

Great review! Have been watching your other videos. All good stuff

 

[McSpeed]

Great review! Have been watching your other videos. All good stuff

Thank you. Just don’t get too mad when you see the video of the square body truck series (fall guy stunt truck). It will be going over the cliff this July.