Somewhereinusa

[family wagon]

Though I've had an espar/webasto heater penciled into my build for a couple years, off and on I get a little concern in my head about odor from its exhaust. It seems like they at least have the potential to create a heavy diesel exhaust smell when operated in conditions where there's not much breeze to carry it away. Do you have yours simply exhausting straight out the bottom, ducted sideways, or even piped upward above the roof?

[somewhereinusa]

Mine goes out the roof. I've never smelled it.

[cadillackid]

out the roof is a good idea.. the srtock install is to put the unit under the bus and run the exhaust out the side under the skirt.. and you would probably smell that unless it hit an area that had no windows.. the exhaust on those is small.. its easy to route..
one of these days I'll install the new one I have in a box... but first a transmission upgrade
-Christopher

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

one of these days I'll install the new one I have in a box... but first a transmission upgrade
-Christopher

Or you could drop it off in MD on your next trip to/from OH. I know someone that could make use of it.

What do these things cost?

[cadillackid]

mine was on ebay new in the box for 700 and I did a make offer for like 450 and the guy took it.. they list at like 1300 or something...

the one I got is a full kit came with everything to install and wire it and even some kind of timer thingie I guess so it could run in the night on cold nights or something.

im gonna tear my bus in pieces again most likely before its next long trip

-Christopher

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

mine was on ebay new in the box for 700 and I did a make offer for like 450 and the guy took it.. they list at like 1300 or something...

the one I got is a full kit came with everything to install and wire it and even some kind of timer thingie I guess so it could run in the night on cold nights or something.
-Christopher

Found a D3L for sale in Seattle for $200 on Craigslist. 1985-1987 sticker is in German?

Another in Anchorage complete with all the hull fittings that I would need. 2017 for $1000.

[somewhereinusa]

You do know that a D3 is air not water?

[cadillackid]

Bob,

the webasto one i have is a TSL 17 kit thermotop.. its a water heater.

-Christopher

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by somewhereinusa

You do know that a D3 is air not water?

Nope, I've no clue whatsoever. Water is moar betterer than air I'm guessing. On the flip side, would air not work? There aren't a lot of cubic feets in a bus especially once you start displacing air with cabinets.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

Bob,

the webasto one i have is a TSL 17 kit thermotop.. its a water heater.

-Christopher

Is Espar and Webasto interchangeable (i.e. same company/different location) or are they two completely different products?

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by somewhereinusa

You do know that a D3 is air not water?

P.S. I'm a full season away from needing heat. Assuming they all work the same, I'll need to decide on Air vs. Water a whole LOT sooner but even in that I'm probably months away. I haven't even finished making rust dust yet. I haven't gutted the interior walls and ceiling. I haven't jacked the roof.

[family wagon]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

Is Espar and Webasto interchangeable (i.e. same company/different location) or are they two completely different products?

Functionally interchangeable.. different companies, both make diesel-burning coolant heaters. (both make other things, too.) Espar and Eberspacher are the same; one is the name they use in Canada and the other is used in Germany.

[somewhereinusa]

It depends on what you want.

The air heaters just blow hot air into one area, don't know if they are ductable. In a long narrow space like a bus it would be hard to get even heat. Your floor WILL be cold. I had one it was a bit noisy inside. They are much easier and cheaper to install.

The water heaters will distribute the heat much more evenly. If you put it in the floor even your feet are warm. Very quiet inside. Much more planning involved and take more time to install.

When I was doing the research before I purchased mine. There was a lot of talk about the Webasto units rusting out. Don't remember the particulars.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by somewhereinusa

It depends on what you want.

The air heaters just blow hot air into one area, don't know if they are ductable. In a long narrow space like a bus it would be hard to get even heat. Your floor WILL be cold. I had one it was a bit noisy inside. They are much easier and cheaper to install.

The water heaters will distribute the heat much more evenly. If you put it in the floor even your feet are warm. Very quiet inside. Much more planning involved and take more time to install.

When I was doing the research before I purchased mine. There was a lot of talk about the Webasto units rusting out. Don't remember the particulars.

I have radiant in my house kitchen floor. Way too small to heat anything but the floor. Only use it rarely in the winter. That said, I still like it. It's the web matting stuff. I can't possibly remember the current draw so don't know if it would be suitable on a solar set up or not but would still love to use it on the bus.

At this point, I want to "plan" (quoted because it's the loosest definition of the word possible) on being able to run everything off diesel and/or electric off-grid.

[Robin97396]

Bob, aren't you considering a coolant heater anyway? Doesn't it make more sense to go with hydronic heating rather than the electric mat?

[somewhereinusa]

I finally got the cash to update my house batteries. I went from these.



55 AH each, so total maybe, 220 AH when new and they are quite old, one tested weak.

To these.



200 AH each in series parallel so, about 400 AH.
Now I have to get my Xantrex programmed appropriately.

[T-Bolt]

Somewhere, you have talked about a RV surplus store in Elkhart Indiana. I am in Lafayette and need to make a bunch of purchases. Do you have any recommendations on where to go up there?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[BowserJournal]

Thats an impressive battery bank!

[somewhereinusa]

Major score today, I got 2 Lippert Solera power awnings a 15 and an 18, brand new for $600.

[somewhereinusa]

Originally Posted by T-Bolt

Somewhere, you have talked about a RV surplus store in Elkhart Indiana. I am in Lafayette and need to make a bunch of purchases. Do you have any recommendations on where to go up there?

T-Bolt I must have missed that. I think the best three are Johnson's surplus and Bontagers both in White Pidgeon, MI and Rainbow Variety store.
Rainbow is where I got the good deal on awnings.

My RV surplus store map is here.

RV Surplus stores

It needs some updating.

RV Parts Nation may have gone internet only, they have moved and we thought we had the new address but we couldn't find it.

Rainbow Variety used to be Double D. Not as big, prices are better and sometimes will bargain. He's Amish, closed Sun and Tue.

Johnson's and Bontragers are the biggest depending on what it is pretty good pricing. Both of them are getting more organized, stuff sorted better with better lighting in there warehouses. I've found that as these places get more organized the prices go up. Johnson's is closed Sunday, Bontragers is closed Saturday and open Sunday.

Factory RV Surplus has pretty good inventory, with fair prices although I've never bought much there.

The inventory at all of the places tends to change depending on what you are looking for I may be able to steer you to the right one. Don't expect to visit them all in one day. I'm at the Great Lakes Converted Coaches annual Surplus Rally. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and we only got to about 5 places.