NIGHT HEATERS

OK looking at night heaters fot the truck and i came across this  
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181237985298?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

has anybody seen or had anything to do with these, i have plenty of room to mount it in a belly box under the truck so might be a good option... 

Hi
I see the same company sells other heaters as well-----the one you showed us doesn't seem to have as much 'stuff' with it-----I couldn't tell if it was a complete kit, although I would assume it is ?????
It's definitely a good price though.--------I suppose it would be easy enough to fit a fuel tank where you can get at it to fill (or pull fuel from the truck's tank ??
Nigel & Pamala

Like the price - good spot Tug.  

sundowners wrote:

Hi
I see the same company sells other heaters as well-----the one you showed us doesn't seem to have as much 'stuff' with it-----I couldn't tell if it was a complete kit, although I would assume it is ?????
It's definitely a good price though.--------I suppose it would be easy enough to fit a fuel tank where you can get at it to fill (or pull fuel from the truck's tank ??
Nigel & Pamala

no it dosent come with exhaust or pipes.but you can get them for penny,s i talked to the engineer and he fits them to canal boats apparently there made in china. .....so might give it a go and do a blog fitting it...untill you put your toe in the water you dont know how cold it is,,,,, ,

watch this....... 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_YhEYcFy3Q

tuggy wrote:

OK looking at night heaters fot the truck and i came across this  
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181237985298?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

has anybody seen or had anything to do with these, i have plenty of room to mount it in a belly box under the truck so might be a good option... 

 
 
Have a look at Eberspacher http://www.eberspacher.com/products.html They have been making truck night heaters for years and are probably the market leaders, seen this on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EBERSPACHER-D2-AIRTRONIC-801-12V-VOLT-DIESEL-NIGHT-AIR-HEATER-BRAND-NEW-FULL-KIT-/221264493923#ht_1708wt_1161 looks like a full kit.
Use to be able to buy them and get them serviced at Diesel elctro companies and spares would be available world wide.
 
Rob

Mmmmm, another case of deep/shallow pockets, I think we'd all go for the Eberspacher if we could afford it Peej. As you say they are probably the market leaders, for good reason, but they are plenty of cheaper alternatives in life that can be just as good if not better - trouble is which ones are which?  

Go on Tuggy, dip your toe. If the water's are fine then I'll join you for a paddle, if on the other hand (or rather 'foot') you get frostbite, reckon I'll wait until the temperature's better.

We use Ebbers and they really are very good and wont let you down. Just a little heads up incase you don't all ready know this, go to a place that sells ex BT vans. BT had to have these fitted for some health and safety rule to all their vans but as the chaps that drove the vans didnt need them they were hardly ever used. The chaps that sell the transit BT vans on usually take them out and you can pick up a nearly new one inc the 7 day timer, Pump etc for £300 cash.

Hope this helps.

Jed

Tom Mc wrote:

Mmmmm, another case of deep/shallow pockets, I think we'd all go for the Eberspacher if we could afford it Peej. As you say they are probably the market leaders, for good reason, but they are plenty of cheaper alternatives in life that can be just as good if not better - trouble is which ones are which?  

Go on Tuggy, dip your toe. If the water's are fine then I'll join you for a paddle, if on the other hand (or rather 'foot') you get frostbite, reckon I'll wait until the temperature's better.

 
 
Yeah your right about the price Tom, Just thought I'd throw it in there as an option, I'm keen to see how this develops and if you go ahead with it Tuggy please do the installation blog i'd like to see how straight forward it is, or not!

jed i see what your saying..but i never go down the used route if i can help it,if they have been sitting around for a few years thats not good.....with these you have a years warranty and hes got spares in the shop deffo going to sort something out this week...... 

I went for a propex lpg heater as I have refillable LPG bottle on the truck (£400)

I did speak to these guys below, this one is a good price and the spares are half the price of others. They also do full unit replacement for warranty, yes expensive but i'm not sure about those chinese ones

http://www.melloronlineshop.co.uk/Vehicle_and_Marine_Heater_Kits/4735/MV_Airo_2_universal_1_Outlet_Kit_-_2kw_Diesel.html

ok i have been unable to purchase one as there all sold out.. .bugger and the next lot arnt coming in untill mid december so might have to wait for one.... ..

what a stroke of luck .. ..the guy phoned me and said hes got a heater so i bought it this afternoon...  ......ok should be here monday so let the blog commence....... ...

tuggy wrote:

what a stroke of luck .. ..the guy phoned me and said hes got a heater so i bought it this afternoon...  ......ok should be here monday so let the blog commence....... ...

Result!  

It'll certainly have the interest of a lot of folk on here - go for it. If its any good you can buy in a container load wholesale and start selling them at the shows, I'll work out my commission fee for the idea later.

Couple of boating mates have them in their boats and have had no issues, Chinese? is it really an issue considering Ebers have most of theirs made in China and Indonesia.

Assassin wrote:

Couple of boating mates have them in their boats and have had no issues, Chinese? is it really an issue considering Ebers have most of theirs made in China and Indonesia.

Well it is 'cause it all depends to what specification they are made. I've no doubt that Chinese manufacturers can produce equipment every bit as good as anywhere else in the world, only selling stuff cheap to undercut the established names/market leaders can easily lead to cutting corners. In other words, great in the short term, a nightmare further down the road.

Doubtless Ebers insist on a high spec with high production standards, and I'd wager they pay more than the norm in China to make certain this is so. Will the unit Tug bought be as good, time will tell?

Indeed it is, but it also means they can manufacture to equally high standards for other companies.

Let me tell you a little story, several years ago we bought all our Ford suspension components from a local guy for a fraction of the price, mate had a Sierra and the bottom ball joints went so failed the MOT, he rang Ford and you had to buy the complete wishbone with balljoint for £54 a side, then the bushes for £14 each (they had 2 per side) and then the antiroll bar bushes at £17.

He did exactly the same thing for £14 for the wishbone, but it came complete with eye bushes fitted and the anti roll bar bushes, for an uprated Cosworth spec it was £17, but they came with the eye bushes fitted and standard anti roll bar bushes, but for an additional £3 they would swap the anti roll bar bushes for Cosworth items, so I asked what the difference was.

He took me into the factory which made them, they made them for Ford as an OE supplier and the only difference between what he sold to Ford and in his trade shop was one process, if they went to Ford they had an additional process which was stamping the Ford logo into them, so exactly the same component.

Hear what you're saying, but I'll never forget the dangerous brake slave cylinders for Land Rovers that were made in Italy as replacements for Girling. Although sold by a good supplier of genuine/replacement parts who shall remain nameless ... turned out the Italian jobs (no - not intentional) were all porous! If there's one component you really don't want letting you down it's brake parts. Once the company I bought them off realised they were faulty, they immediately removed all the stock off their shelves, but I wonder what damage to property and even life had been done through the bad batch?

Moral of the story is - assuming they are not fake of course, a manufacturer's stamp or that of a reputable aftermarket company such as Girling, Mintex, etc. is a 'stamp of quality'. I'm all for cutting corners, but it really does depend on what you're buying.

Me, ever since then I will always buy branded brake components, whereas many other parts I will willingly go for the cheaper option as they are never going to be life-threatening.

ok i will start the blog in another section..... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHqBcZqNzE

This is what you want, cheap and works on basic thermal mass.

Doh.. .... now you tell me after i bought everything...... ...

After 8 years living in my VW SWB T4 camper in a variety of conditions and countries here are a few ideas.
Basic principles apply whether you want to get/keep warmer or cooler. A basic consideration is your choice of pitching location. Sheltered places that will see either early or late sun are favoured in winter but conversely more windier and shaded spots are the summer choice - a simple tarp can be excellent at creating useful shade as well as having a multitude of other uses.
In both instances insulation is the key and I have put extra in the van behind every panel I could get to and have also secondary glazed the fixed windows in perspex. Climate appropriate clothing is the next consideration and as I guess keeping warmer is the commonest issue then again the basics apply : in a house loft insulation is paramount so : wear a hat but also layer up, wear warm socks, keep everything as dry as possible and take regular warm drinks as well as high energy foods - soups are particularly good. Avoid the pop as alcohol is a vasodilator and will cool you down - does that make mulled wine heat balanced!
Returning to the vehicle I use my thermo rest camping mats - the full length will cover the windscreen and the shorter one my sliding door window. Front side windows are covered by two shaped sections of roll mat and all these items are used when away tenting anyway so are not carried as extras. Heavy duty curtains at all windows and blinds in the double glazed roof sidelights also help and make for even more discreet stealth camping.
I always have the 3 way fridge on in cold weather as food still needs to keep fresh and heat is produced in the vehicle - harmful gases of course are flued away.
Said fridge also keeps the day's supply of tea lights cold - these are then put in the sink in an inch of water which helps them stay cool so they burn longer and is IMHO a lot safer than leaving them in a tin tray on top of a copy of Practical Boat Owner next to the 92 you are not using. These things get very hot underneath so be aware - I have used as many as 20 at a time which if placed around my cooker hob will also boil the kettle and simmer rice pasta etc. - that number kept the van at 18C when it was -7 outside. TIP - don't use the citronella ones for heating but they are good for the winged beasties!!
Can't square his claim that he heats his room for 8p a day as even he quotes a burn time of only 4 hours - perhaps that is a journo's working day and personally even I have difficulty in finding a dual purpose for 2 flowerpots in the van - why bother. Incidentally having rigged up a small 12v dc pc fan behind the fridge to move warm away from the fins more quickly which of course makes the fridge far more efficient I am now considering placing one at the top of a length of plastic ducting to bring the very warm air down from the roof of the van and vent it back at floor level.
Having changed from a pop top which saw possum damage in Oz to a rigid roof this has of course created a larger volume to heat. Good insulation makes it better than the single skin canvas anyway and I always uncompress down jackets and sleeping bags to minimise the space to be heated. Incidentally turning the latter inside out in the early evening means they are warmer to get in to last thing. Finally don't overlook a good old fashioned hot water bottle and for real comfort I have a single electric blanket that at 60w runs sweet as from a small inverter and in 'all night mode' takes very little power from the leisure battery.
During a QnA session at the AOL show in 2013 I also mentioned that the best way to keep warm in the winter is to head south - much to be said for that but at 7000' in the Atlas Mtns in February you will still need to take some measures for comfort - as a last resort I have a small silent suitcase genny that will run my electric fire with topple safety switch which has the added bonus of charging engine, leisure and other batteries, running the fridge on electric, saving gas as I have an electric kettle and single electric hob all at the same time but as even the small 1kw one uses a good 3 litres of a long evening that can soon mount up even at Moroccan fuel prices.
www.sastt.blogspot.com   

Just cuddle her tighter and you won't need a night heater.

http://www.kudauk.ltd.uk/shop/product.php?pid=1219

Sorted

Didn't get one in my Christmas sack  

Assassin wrote:

Just cuddle her tighter and you won't need a night heater.

Ah, bless!!!

The KudaCool CUBE - 24v only I assume? Besides which, I reckon the price tag may have slight bearing on whether it's going to be a winner or not - only £1,490 ... plus VAT!!!

Ouch!  

Little wonder you missed out Twende!