Diesel heater out or in?

[Bullet2012]

back to the exhaust and the heat emitted from it. Is it possible to utilise the heat from the exhaust to heat a radiator thereby supplying an additional form of warmth ?

 

[fizzy]

back to the exhaust and the heat emitted from it. Is it possible to utilise the heat from the exhaust to heat a radiator thereby supplying an additional form of warmth ?

The problem I have found is an over long or restricted exhaust causes it to soot up a lot quicker.
As kero is about 4p per kw/h v 25p kw/h for leccy dont worry about it. They pay for themselves in less than a month if used a lot.

 

[winchman]

I use 2 leisure batteries , which are charged by a large solar panel on my workshop roof, so I don't have to worry about sudden loose of power

I am hoping to power it this way too what size panel?

 

[fizzy]

I am hoping to power it this way too what size panel?

This time of year you have no chance!
I have tried to keep car and boat batteries topped up but certainly in Wales it is too grim.
A mains 12v 30amp psu is only about £25. Why are people over complicating things? Power cuts in the UK are very rare and the odd power drop won't harm the heater - which only cost around £65 anyway!

 

[fizzy]

You can buy ( silencer I think that's what their called?) I've also put a 6ft exhaust on mine and run it out the side of my workshop out the way, I put a largeish hole through my my workshop wall and used a fire proof board to run the exhaust through
View attachment 525675

Longer exhaust will cause the heater itself to soot up much faster!

 

[fizzy]

Power supplies are now as little as £15 on Ebay. They all seem to be the same. Mine have lasted very well. Just be warned the terminals are semi exposed and need to be covered over or protected.
Get a 30amp one - they draw quite a lot on startup but only 1 or 2 amps running.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[George Dennis]

I can't remember what size the solar panel was when I brought it, which was about 5 years ago? 210 or 240watt seems to stick out in my memory? But can't be sure I do remember my volt meter reading 42 volts when I measured it.
I've ran mine for 5 years without issue so far, I live in mid Wales ( SY16 newtown), and had no problem with not getting enough sun light in the winter, I've also haven't opened the burn chamber to see if it's getting a build up of soot so I can't confirm that having a longer exhaust courses issues? All I do know is that after half hour of it being run on the minimum setting it's very cosy in my workshop, my workshop is very Insulated too which helps

 

[fizzy]

I can't remember what size the solar panel was when I brought it, which was about 5 years ago? 210 or 240watt seems to stick out in my memory? But can't be sure I do remember my volt meter reading 42 volts when I measured it.
I've ran mine for 5 years without issue so far, I live in mid Wales ( SY16 newtown), and had no problem with not getting enough sun light in the winter, I've also haven't opened the burn chamber to see if it's getting a build up of soot so I can't confirm that having a longer exhaust courses issues? All I do know is that after half hour of it being run on the minimum setting it's very cosy in my workshop, my workshop is very Insulated too which helps

How long has the heater run for in total? Our main one did over 5000hours no problem. The new one did about 400hours before it was wrecked. It has a long exhaust but the main one just the short stubby one no silencer.

 

[zzr1200]

Exhaust pipe outside slightly pointing downwards, away from any doors or windows, the rest inside.....simples.

 

[George Dennis]

How long has the heater run for in total? Our main one did over 5000hours no problem. The new one did about 400hours before it was wrecked. It has a long exhaust but the main one just the short stubby one no silencer.

It's only done about 250 to 300 hours so far

 

[JOEPRO]

Exhaust pipe outside slightly pointing downwards, away from any doors or windows, the rest inside.....simples.

So no combustion intake supply to outside, all inside?

This has been a major debate on here and elsewhere for years. I used to go with intake inside but in this latest install in my front garage I put the intake supply from outside also.

Theory being that in normal operation the combustion process is seperated from the occupied space. If there was some form of running defect in the heater then hamful gases MAY expel from the combustion intake pipe. If they did and this intake pipe was inside then the gases will be too.

 

[E T]

I'm with Fizzy all the way.
I run mine on one of those 30A chinese power supplies. According to my clamp meter the glow plug draws 8A on start-up.
Don't worry too much about eventual power cuts. I've had loads of those heaters in the lorries I used to work with and never had one go kaput because of power cuts. They don't like the voltage drop when you start the engine with the heater running and sometimes cut out because of that.
Saterday I ditched the small fuel tank that sits in the housing and now use those 20L military stile steel yerrycans with one of these.

 

[Misterg]

Theory being [...]

It's simpler than that - it's supposed to be a balanced system. Pressure around exhaust and inlet should be the same to get the correct airflow.

9 times out of 10 it probably makes no odds, but if you're running (say) a big extractor fan with the heater combustion air inlet inside the building, it could starve the heater of air slightly so you get a sooty burn. (Opposite way gives a hot burn that melts the casing.)

Same can happen if it's windy causing a pressure difference inside / outside a building in certain directions.

Safest is to run the inlet & exhaust to the same face of the building.

 

[fizzy]

It's simpler than that - it's supposed to be a balanced system. Pressure around exhaust and inlet should be the same to get the correct airflow.

9 times out of 10 it probably makes no odds, but if you're running (say) a big extractor fan with the heater combustion air inlet inside the building, it could starve the heater of air slightly so you get a sooty burn. (Opposite way gives a hot burn that melts the casing.)

Same can happen if it's windy causing a pressure difference inside / outside a building in certain directions.

Safest is to run the inlet & exhaust to the same face of the building.

Inlet inside keeps it out of the wind and the elements.

 

[m_c]

back to the exhaust and the heat emitted from it. Is it possible to utilise the heat from the exhaust to heat a radiator thereby supplying an additional form of warmth ?

I've seen a few photos where people have used old radiators to extract heat from the exhaust.

 

[fizzy]

I've seen a few photos where people have used old radiators to extract heat from the exhaust.

It can be done but my concern again would be sooting up inside. Nobody shows the long term results. Whilst the heaters are so cheap they are almost disposable the amount of work required causes a lot of hassle.

 

[JOEPRO]

Inlet inside keeps it out of the wind and the elements.

There are 2x air inlets you know that right? For the combustion chamber it will not matter it being outside.

 

[George Dennis]

I've considered doing this and turned the adaptors for the exhaust and radiator but haven't yet installed it, my main concern was the exhaust gases escaping? I thought about using high temperature siliconcealent , like what you use in an oven to seal it

 

[hunter27]

The hole punched in most modernish radiators with the 90 degree knuckle joints is very small, a lot smaller than the 1/2" threaded connection. That would be a massive restriction to the exhaust pipe.

 

[Bullet2012]

The hole punched in most modernish radiators with the 90 degree knuckle joints is very small, a lot smaller than the 1/2" threaded connection. That would be a massive restriction to the exhaust pipe.

the exhaust does not look to be a large diameter, perhaps someone can confirm the size.

It can be done but my concern again would be sooting up inside. Nobody shows the long term results. Whilst the heaters are so cheap they are almost disposable the amount of work required causes a lot of hassle.

Understand, but not much effort too occasionally flush it through .