Drilling chinese diesel heater tank (Finest plastic tank)

[JOEPRO]

The vehicle heaters are NOT of this type. None of the exhaust is actually inside the vehicle.

Shout as much as you like/want. Safety should always be paramount.

Vehicle install = heater inside with the exhaust and inlet outside.

Garage install = heater inside with the exhaust and inlet routed outside

That's the only difference. Everyone fits them indoors with great results.

 

[JOEPRO]

I chucked the tank after initial testing and made up a jerry-can adapter with a bit of scrap brass, some compression fittings and a length of of copper microbore as a dip pipe.

The whole thing pressed in to a rigid jerry can nozzle which can just be unclipped so I can go fill up.

View attachment 479369View attachment 479370View attachment 479371

Or this sort of thing

 

[Kram]

Will they work on 18v? Laptop power bricks are cheap.

Or heres a 12v 10A one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OFFCUP-AC100-240V-Converter-Transformer-Monitors-Black/dp/B0DGXT8DB5/

15A is not much more.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JIZZU-Cigarette-Converter-Universal-Refrigerator/dp/B0D2KF9G5X/

 

[m_c]

@m_c it would be very helpful if you could post pictures of your 2x diesel heater installs please.

How did you connect yours to power etc? I'll admit my other heater has a metal transformer and exposed terminals. So I'll likely update both if this works.

The new one hasn't been installed yet, as it's to replace the all in one that's still sat propped up on a couple blocks with it's exhaust going through a hole in the door.
The metal to make the mounting brackets got delivered last week, so I now need to find time to cut/drill/weld them together.
I also bought one of the generic 20 litre aluminium tanks from eBay, and added a couple standpipes, as I find the standard 5L tank a bit small.
My plan is for the heater to be mounted to the wall behind my CNC lathe, as that's pretty much dead space in the workshop, and if needed I'll add the second one later.

I run mine of a 12V battery with a smart charger permanently connected, as the workshop occasionally loses power.
I also swapped the ECU and fitted an Afterburner controller, so I can control it remotely.
I can either access the controller via another device on the network when at home, or I've got a MQQT app setup on my phone to see the basic heater status, and to turn it on/off, so if I know I'll be in the workshop before I get home, it can already be warming up before I get there.

Being able to turn the heater on before I even go into the workshop has made a big difference to my willingness to venture out in cold weather.
In the current conditions, I'll turn it on a couple hours before I head out, and it'll raise the workshop temp from around freezing to about 10deg in that time, provided it's not too windy.

 

[Kram]

I left this new heater running for a couple of hours whilst checking all was OK in the CCTV.

It is 0 degrees outside here so very cold. This garage is now nice and warm - the heater is working great.

I mean it's not 20 degrees or anything- people can overstate the performance of these heaters alot. From having another one already I know they will not realistically achieve high temperatures. But the garage is around 12 degrees now which feels warm and this is it operating in freezing weather so worst case load wise.

Is that all? If these were a real 2kw or 4kw output I would imagine most small workshops or garages to be aproaching 30c if they are left on full.
I've never used one, no space inside but tempted to stick one outside with some kind of waterproof enclosure.

 

[m_c]

Most garages aren't insulated or draught free, so 4kw doesn't go that far.
My workshop is single brick construction and about 15x40ft, and in freezing conditions will only max out around 10deg after a few hours running.
If it's windy, it'll be lucky to hit 8, which is still far better than freezing!

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Those metal transformers with exposed connections are rubbish.

People claim to fit them in plastic ventilated enclosures and I'm sure some people do. But most don't!

It's a clear safety issue and looks **** poor on any install.

Hence why I will be looking for a sealed adaptor for this heater with no exposed connectors or tomfoolery.

I used that kind of transformer, mounted in a metal controls enclosure, (because that's how they're designed to be used), I also put the pump in there, swapped the unsheathed loom of control cables for a suitable bit of 7 core control cable, and mounted the heater control panel onto the front of the control box.

Dead neat install method, is both well protected and neat looking, would thoroughly recommend.

Wrong again?

Strong words but speaks of your character

Also for the special very hot exhaust type you mention. You do know is the same heater just placed within a metal box right?

No difference - same exhaust temps etc. Just that it's more of a self contained unit.

Also you need to spread the word better because there are thousands of these used indoors.....

Just to clarify - since it's the same heater type in these as mentioned. Are you actually saying none of these heaters should be used indoors? You are aware of what these are for right? Van heating- where do they go on them then? Inside maybe? In a much smaller sealed space with people sleeping in it? VS a large ventilated garage space.

The self contained type is a bastardisation of the copies of an airtronic vehicle heater, to make a facsimile of a military "tent heater" skid (which are designed to sit outside the tent and blow in).

It's clearly not been designed to meet recognised standards and IMO the design compromises made encourage unsafe installations compared to the vehicle heater style.

The vehicle heaters are NOT of this type. None of the exhaust is actually inside the vehicle.

Shout as much as you like/want. Safety should always be paramount.

I linked to the installation instructions for the Original german made version of the heaters that these are all knock-offs of.

In there the company who designed them, gives significant details of various acceptable installation methods (including as a both personnel and cargo heaters for ADR certified vehicles carrying dangerous goods).

According to those instructions there are permissable installation techniques for the heater unit to be mounted inside an occupied space with the exhaust gasses routed outside via piping.

They would still advise mounting the heater such that the exhaust piping is entirely outside the occupied space if possible, but it's not necessary for a safe install.

 

[reb78]

Is that all? If these were a real 2kw or 4kw output I would imagine most small workshops or garages to be aproaching 30c if they are left on full.
I've never used one, no space inside but tempted to stick one outside with some kind of waterproof enclosure.

Have to say, I thought this too. I have an old Eberspacher D1LC installed in my land rover 110 and that draughty old thing will be at 30C if I leave it on full pelt as I drive along in snow. That's only 1800W max output (I think).

 

[m_c]

@Jelly_Sheffield the Chinese heaters are actually a knock off of one of the Russian brands, which themselves are based on the German brands.
I seen photos a while ago comparing them, and they're pretty much a direct copy of the Russian heaters.

I've had enough Eberspachers and Webastos apart, that I knew that they weren't a direct copy of them, but there's not much difference in the basic designs between them all.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Is that all? If these were a real 2kw or 4kw output I would imagine most small workshops or garages to be aproaching 30c if they are left on full.
I've never used one, no space inside but tempted to stick one outside with some kind of waterproof enclosure.

If left running at full power mine will maintain a 15°C to 18°C temperature differential with a single digit outside temperature.

That's in a partially insulated 26m² space, which is pretty well sealed.

That's broadly consistent with a 5kW energy demand based on the 0.0606kW per m³ rule of thumb for calculating space heating provision in residential buildings

In an uninsulated or poorly sealed space, the demand to achieve that kind of temperature differential would be a lot higher.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

@Jelly_Sheffield the Chinese heaters are actually a knock off of one of the Russian brands, which themselves are based on the German brands.
I seen photos a while ago comparing them, and they're pretty much a direct copy of the Russian heaters.

I've had enough Eberspachers and Webastos apart, that I knew that they weren't a direct copy of them, but there's not much difference in the basic designs between them all.

A knock off of a knock off... That's kinda hilarious!

The only Erberspachers I have are the "benzin" type (both salvaged from West German fire service Unimog 404's) which are radically different in design to the modern type.

The point still stands that there's a set of competent instructions in good english, from someone who understands the original design intent of these units which is a better point of reference than people's personal opinions.

I imagine the Russian manufacturers instructions would be of decent quality too, (assuming one had the requisite language skills).

 

[DAPPH]

Does anyone have the bottle to run these things in there absence?

I use the remote to turn mine on from inside the bungalow to set mine going 10 TO 20 min before I go out to the mancupboard .. was a welcome warmth today as it was exceedingly brassy at 09.00 yesterday morning.


Re fuel tank siting . My tank ( carefully wall mounted on 10 mm Rawl nuts is six inches below the heater . lift tube connects to fuel lines in a U with the pump being at 30 degrees to the vertical in the rh leg of the U Rather than have the possibility of the tank leaking out at the outlet pipe from the lower extraction points ( undrilled on receipt of the heater I drilled the tank on the thinnest side just below the filler cap neck so once the extraction pipe & pump ( which is sited about 2/3 rds. up on the outside the side of the fuel tank ) are primed ) there is a tendency for the pipe work not to get knocked or to leak . as the pipework including the fuel pump are all securely affixed to the wall

I use a copper lift tube & soldered on the plastic pipe stud flange & put it in from the inside, took a bit of gentle adjusting & bending to get it in place and tightened at the newly drilled anchor point using the supplied nut & fuel safe rubber washers.
I used a pointed pilot spiked wood twist drill , to drill the plastic for the fuel line as they have a cutting edge on the outside of the lip on the drill as there is less chance of splitting at the hole edge in the plastic tank if you're careful.

The lift tube is almost 3/4 " clear of the bottom of the tank done just incase I find water & crud has come in with the fuel . Any settled water or muck present can be easily syphoned off without drama .

 

[DAPPH]

Well we have lift off

Battery & wiring mess only temporary until I sort a permanent supply.

View attachment 479405

Joe ,
2 yes ago I started off using an intelligent 2 volt floating charger & new 12 volt battery as the power supply . I left it on for two weeks in late August 2024
A few weeks later when I wanted a warm work place it would not fire up , with the charger on and it indicating that the battery was fully charged .... I had a bit of a panic .
I got another battery that I knew was OK & it fired up straight away . Removed the battery charger and the battery from the shelf& found the sealed battery has been boiled dry, with no sign of any electrolyte in the witness windows.

The pros and cons dictated that a simple mains power supply plugged in and left on with the heater off was the cheapest & most reliable option by far.

So, £19 on eBay provided me with a 25-amp 240-volt PSU. it's more than man enough to do the job and as I finally realised if there is a power cut there is no way I can play in the windowless mancupboard in any case , so running off a battery is not needed .

 

[Morris]

If left running at full power mine will maintain a 15°C to 18°C temperature differential with a single digit outside temperature.

That's in a partially insulated 26m² space, which is pretty well sealed.

That's broadly consistent with a 5kW energy demand based on the 0.0606kW per m³ rule of thumb for calculating space heating provision in residential buildings

In an uninsulated or poorly sealed space, the demand to achieve that kind of temperature differential would be a lot higher.

My workshop is 24ft x 13ft with an 8x8 extension to the side. It's uninsulated and not that well sealed (up and over draft producer), it gets up to around 13deg in current weather conditions. Good enough for me. For spraying I bump it up with a couple of fan heaters (not a regular thing).

 

[JOEPRO]

I'm going to clamp the dc in lead tomorrow morning on a cold startup. And see what the max amps draw is on this heater.

I would like a sealed power supply really rather than the metal jobbies with the exposed 230v terminals. Yes you can put them in a ventilated enclosure but there must be a sealed AC / DC 12v adapter that can drive one of these and eliminate some bare terminals or clunky plastic enclosures....

Something like this but remove the cig lighter plug and use a 2 pin plug or solder the cables.


View attachment 479459

I put a clamp on my heater this morning and it drew 9amp max during startup with the glow plug was still on and fan starting up.

So the 15amp sealed 12v power supply will be capable of running it so I have it ordered from amazon and will finish this install later next week.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I've got an adapter that fits a normal Jerry can.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I've been thinking about using one of these to keep the greenhouse frost-free.
I've spotted this one for just £60, it's got to be worth a punt at that price, hasn't it?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PRIJESSE-Silencer-Thermostat-Motor-home-Campervans/dp/B0BG8JJLXR?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Bobtail4x4]

Temu have "offers" on these, I bought an all in one for about £60

 

[Johnnybravo]

Does anyone have the bottle to run these things in there absence?

I don’t

 

[roofman]

I don’t

I would not myself tbh