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Old 08-27-2018, 07:40 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by BlackJohn View Post
Block heaters only heat the coolant, not the oil, unless transferred from the block, but not directly. You could have both for easy starting if one wished.



That door should have a male end behind it if it's the block heater.
Not really understanding your wording in last statement.


John
John,
look closely at the pic. The male plug end is sticking out at the upper corner of the bumper, the chrome flip lid has nothing behind it, that's the way I got it, I assume the male end goes through the flip door, but behind the door is just a 2" long hollow tube. Nothing to secure the plug and cord there.

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Old 08-27-2018, 07:52 PM   #22
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Your cord was probably a replacement and they were too lazy to do it right. The plug should be mounted under that cover.
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Old 08-27-2018, 08:34 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
John,
look closely at the pic. The male plug end is sticking out at the upper corner of the bumper, the chrome flip lid has nothing behind it, that's the way I got it, I assume the male end goes through the flip door, but behind the door is just a 2" long hollow tube. Nothing to secure the plug and cord there.

Ok can see it now Marc. They did the cheap fix I guess but those come unplugged unless you make them with twistllock fittings.
You could use it for a trailer connector maybe?



John
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Old 08-27-2018, 09:22 PM   #24
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Hello broke down. I have used webcast tsl17 for our small bus interior heat and engine heat. 7.3 power stroke with larger interior radiator so that you have less power draw.. I used computer fans...no additional insulation and comfortable at 32 f... thread elfbus.. Main advantage that they have a low amp draw. Use the same for our large bus dory. Floor heat and radiator with computer fan. Works nice.. Thread " not a skoolie".. The tsl17 is large enough for much larger engines then the 7.3. See documentation. Engine heat up time about 45 minutes. We used them also on our Wvo vehicles to start straight of Wvo with a preheated engine. The tsl17 needs diesel it will die on Wvo. Expensive fix. Other larger heaters use an air pump and nozzle like a waste oilf furnace. Nice but a lot noisier and power hungry.

Good luck. J
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Old 08-27-2018, 09:30 PM   #25
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I think I know

I am planning on using a big btu diesel fired engine coolant heater. I can program this to fire up at a set time or times during the day, I can set a thermostat, My intention is to defrost the bus before I ever step in it for the morning, and heat the thing 648 cubic feet is calculated. engine, one heater unit under dash, and one or two back in the bus cabin. I am now looking at using finned metal tubing instead of rubber hoses. The heated coolant moving through the tubing will give off radiant heat with out blower motors, and the heater boxes under the seats with have blower fans. Dry heat, an attempt to combat water vapor from 7 to 10 humans on board.

I think one could probably find a heat exchanger and use this diesel fired heater to heat water for a shower too. engine coolant loop and shower water loop. done in stainless steel. With proper valves you should be able to turn off engine and cabin heat system in warmer times. I think you should also be able to heat shower water during driving times using the same heat exchanger. The ocean going boat industry might have such an off the shelf item, as might the food/ brewing industry.



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Old 08-28-2018, 07:21 AM   #26
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I have a TSL-17 I havent hooked up yet.. im thinking the BTU rating for a large bus on a TSL-17 might be a little low.. my docs say it has a max of 19000 BTU.. for a short bus insukated i think that would do fine.. its definitely quiet (the one in Joe;s bus you can hardly hear).
-Christopher
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Old 08-28-2018, 07:49 AM   #27
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Quote:
I think one could probably find a heat exchanger and use this diesel fired heater to heat water for a shower too. engine coolant loop and shower water loop. done in stainless steel. With proper valves you should be able to turn off engine and cabin heat system in warmer times. I think you should also be able to heat shower water during driving times using the same heat exchanger. The ocean going boat industry might have such an off the shelf item, as might the food/ brewing industry.
Many marine water heaters have a built in heat exchanger plus 120VAC.
I have mine plumbed to get heat when engine is running, or when boiler is on. In the summer I use the electric. I could use it for just hot water but, I hate to run the boiler in the summer.
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Old 08-28-2018, 09:22 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
John,
look closely at the pic. The male plug end is sticking out at the upper corner of the bumper, the chrome flip lid has nothing behind it, that's the way I got it, I assume the male end goes through the flip door, but behind the door is just a 2" long hollow tube. Nothing to secure the plug and cord there.



Hi Marc, is your engine at the front? If so just use a short cord up front rather than all the way to the back. Block heaters do not like extension cords of long length.


John
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Old 08-28-2018, 10:37 AM   #29
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Hi Marc, is your engine at the front? If so just use a short cord up front rather than all the way to the back. Block heaters do not like extension cords of long length.


John
The plug is on the front bumper, your post makes no sense.
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Old 08-28-2018, 11:02 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
I have a TSL-17 I havent hooked up yet.. im thinking the BTU rating for a large bus on a TSL-17 might be a little low.. my docs say it has a max of 19000 BTU.. for a short bus insukated i think that would do fine.. its definitely quiet (the one in Joe;s bus you can hardly hear).
-Christopher
Hi Christopher,

I remember reading somewhere when I was doing research on hydronic heating systems that 1K BTU per foot was the magic number for bus heating so if that is close to where you are you would be golden. That is the number that we are planning to use anyhow. My solution to not heating the engine will be to just valve off that loop. Maybe a Belimo electric valve haha just kidding.

Joe
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Old 09-24-2018, 01:11 AM   #31
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Webasto's work really well. There is also an air-only version. If you are adventurous, the military had something called an Arctic heater which is essentially a Webasto for air.

My current coach has a DBW 300 that came with the chassis from Germany. The DBW300 is rated for 104K btu at a cost of .95 gallons/hour of something vaguely flammable.... diesel, kerosene etc. In theory it will heat the engine (8v92TA) and coach. There is the standard blower box in the front and several smaller units were tapped in with individual valves. The units are mini radiators with little fans. I have no idea how to get them to come on... have not found that switch yet.

They are pretty common on German cars, heavy trucks, etc.

I also acquired a smaller one that came out of a Sprinter (Mercedes Van) for a previous iteration of a Camper build. I want to say it's in the vicinity of 30K btu.

eBay is your best bet. If I was starting from scratch I'd dig up the military one. It works on an on/off switch. The Webasto's have a fairly complicated control board, but a few folks have figured out how to run them via 5 switches.

The Webasto requires some annual maintenance, but I'm skeptical of that. When I was in the Army we did absolutely nothing to the Arctic Heaters. We praised them when they worked and we cursed them when they didn't. I was stationed in Alaska where they were a necessity.

I also second the idea of scavenging engine heat to warm water.
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Old 10-01-2018, 11:14 PM   #32
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Does anyone who has used/repaired both espar and webasto have a preferrence for one over the other?

Ted
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Old 10-02-2018, 12:26 PM   #33
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Quote:
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The Webasto's have a fairly complicated control board, but a few folks have figured out how to run them via 5 switches.

My google-fu is lacking - could you please post a link to said solution?


Thank you!
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Old 10-02-2018, 12:45 PM   #34
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Does anyone who has used/repaired both espar and webasto have a preferrence for one over the other?

Ted
They are both top shelf.

The farther from the poles you are, the more ability to get service should factor into your choice.
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Old 10-02-2018, 02:44 PM   #35
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why disable the webasto control board.. let it do what its good at and just control the input to it as to whether it needs to cycle on or not..

-Christopher
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