Diesel Heater???

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MiriamN
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Diesel Heater???

Post by MiriamN »

Does any one know if it's possible to remove the existing furnace and replace with one of these Wabasto or Chinese knockoff diesel furnaces, and install a diesel source? If it's possible, can you make use of the existing ducting? Has anyone done so or considered it?

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skater
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Re: Diesel Heater???

Post by skater »

MiriamN wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 7:07 pm
Does any one know if it's possible to remove the existing furnace and replace with one of these Wabasto or Chinese knockoff diesel furnaces, and install a diesel source? If it's possible, can you make use of the existing ducting? Has anyone done so or considered it?

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Can I ask why you'd want to? Is your engine diesel?
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

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Millennial Falcon
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Re: Diesel Heater???

Post by Millennial Falcon »

skater wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:42 pm
Can I ask why you'd want to? Is your engine diesel?
Exactly.

I like the idea of those Webasto Diesel heaters... and I've thought about this actually. What made me decide it was kind of silly was, the B190 already has a furnace that requires carrying a second type of fuel for. Why go through the hassle of replacing it with another furnace that's probably going to have to be jury rigged, that will STILL require carrying a second source of fuel for it? Also, those Webasto's are kind of finicky from my research, much like our generators... they tend to foul up and require a lot of cleaning/maintenance.

Combine this with the fact I've never even used my propane furnace... and if it gets THAT cold I find an outlet and rely on a small 1500btu electric heater...

It would just be a lot of effort and headache to install the diesel furnace without any real appreciable gain that I can think of.
MiriamN
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Re: Diesel Heater???

Post by MiriamN »

I'm going to be full timing off grid in Canada. On the west coast it can be say 25 degrees for 3 or 4 months. The heater uses a lot of propane and the fan eats power. That combined with the limited propane fill stations, it would be easier to use diesel. Yes, it would be a 3rd fuel source. There are also these propex heaters out of the UK that use gas as a fuel source. It would just be easier not to eat through the propane. Other possibility is the Wave 6, I guess but then I'd have to have a separate propane tank on board. .

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skater
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Re: Diesel Heater???

Post by skater »

Seems like you'd just be eating through diesel instead of propane.

In fact diesel had a lower energy density than propane, so you would actually need more of it than propane to get the same amount of heat.

As someone who has spent many hours underneath a 1991 B190 recently, the only thing I can think of would be replacing one of the gas tanks with a diesel tank... There's not a bunch of extra space under there. Not sure about the later ones.
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Millennial Falcon
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Re: Diesel Heater???

Post by Millennial Falcon »

MiriamN wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 11:50 pm
I'm going to be full timing off grid in Canada. On the west coast it can be say 25 degrees for 3 or 4 months. The heater uses a lot of propane and the fan eats power. That combined with the limited propane fill stations, it would be easier to use diesel. Yes, it would be a 3rd fuel source. There are also these propex heaters out of the UK that use gas as a fuel source. It would just be easier not to eat through the propane. Other possibility is the Wave 6, I guess but then I'd have to have a separate propane tank on board. .

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I think your easiest, cheapest, and most foolproof solution is a Mr. Buddy heater then.

Failing that, or if you don't like the idea of unventilated propane and the CO2 or moisture hazards associated with it... Second best choice for extended winter boondocking is probably a cheap/small little Honda generator next to your rig... and a 1500 BTU electric heater inside the van. I boondocked in Wisconsin last winter with temperatures down to -20 degrees F with just a single $30 1500BTU electric heater.
MiriamN
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Re: Diesel Heater???

Post by MiriamN »

I owned a Honda generator for a time but couldn't travel with it inside the rig due to the gas smell. It would have to be carried on a rear rack off the fender ideally. Mr. Buddy creates too much condensation. It's a very wet heat who is bad news. The propex heater is interesting. It draws 1.6 amps compared to the 2.5 (2.9)amps of the original furnace.

This is an informative article for anyone interested in comparing Propex, espar and Wabasto.

https://www.parkedinparadise.com/propex ... o-heaters/

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skater
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Re: Diesel Heater???

Post by skater »

That Propex does look interesting. It looks like it costs about twice as much compared to the standard Hydro Flame, but the reduced current draw might be worth the extra money for what you're doing.
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MiriamN
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Re: Diesel Heater???

Post by MiriamN »

I have to admit that it ain't cheap. That's for sure. It's about $1100 up here in Canada. It's a nicer dryer heat with a clean burn. The only downside is always planning ahead and finding the proper fill station to keep the propane tank full. The Wave 6 with a separate propane tank would solve that. And it's got a super low profile for mounting. Then I could fill it anywhere but the problem remains... Where to put the propane tank? And the Wave is a radient heat, warming up the objects in the room and not the air itself so it's not as nice a heat. I feel like if money is not a factor, the propex might be the one. I don't see a reason why I can't use the same ducting. What sort of professional would I hire to do the install? Anyone know?

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