Chinese Diesel heater vs catalytic propane heater

[FAC]

What are your thoughts on these two types of heaters? We have a mini split for heat when we have hookups but we need something for off grid heat.

I think everyone knows what the diesel heaters are
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EasyBuy-All-In-One-12V-8KW-Diesel-Air-Heater-Car-Parking-Heater-FOR-Trucks-RV-US/143484952825?epid=14035964815&hash=item21685ea0f9: gpcAAOSw-EheGEIe&vxp=mtr

Install is much more involved with these and they seem like they need more maintenance. But are popular and have a real thermostat I believe.



Here is the propane heater I am thinking of using
https://www.campingworld.com/camco-o...ter-19334.html

It doesn’t have any electric consumption but also no thermostat. Just a heat level.

[Danjo]

I have a Wave3. It’s not installed yet. It wasn’t a first choice. I got it because I couldn’t find the wall space to install a furnace with external exhaust. I figure in my case, I’m mostly wanting it to knock off the morning chill, but if I were looking at long term freezing climate living I’d look for another option. The fact that catalytic heaters need air exchange bothers me. The Wave model has a CO sensor, but I’ll definitely be installing a separate CO alarm.

I know that people are installing the Chinese diesel heaters, but I cannot help but be a little scared of a heater that’s a fraction of the price of others. But I dont have experience with them, so what do I know?

Had I had the wall space I would have installed a Suburban propane furnace.

[Danjo]

There’s a “Chinese Diesel Heater Thread” on this site

[Vineyardseashell]

Originally Posted by FAC

What are your thoughts on these two types of heaters? We have a mini split for heat when we have hookups but we need something for off grid heat.

I think everyone knows what the diesel heaters are
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EasyBuy-All...heGEIe&vxp=mtr

Install is much more involved with these and they seem like they need more maintenance. But are popular and have a real thermostat I believe.



Here is the propane heater I am thinking of using
https://www.campingworld.com/camco-o...ter-19334.html

It doesn’t have any electric consumption but also no thermostat. Just a heat level.

Hi FAC,


For my Astro van, I purchased the Wave 3. As the temperature dropped, the feel like temp can be -18F, so just in case I needed more heat, I purchased the Wave 8.


I never ended up using the Wave 8. The Wave 3 I have used for two winters. It heated the van just fine, and I have never been cold.


The Wave heaters do put out moisture, but not as bad as the Buddy heater. In the winter months, despite having my two front windows open, most mornings I had to scrape frost off the inside of my windshield; In the Autumn months, I have to squeegee the water droplets off the interior of the windshield. A minor PITA.


After watching this video exploring the differences between a Webasto and Chinese diesel heater from Van City Van Life:


https://youtu.be/CpdcRwgHCtQ


I knew I wanted to have dry heat and, hopefully do away with having any propane onboard.



While I would like the Webasto, Espar, or anther name brand diesel heater, it is just not in the budget right now. So I opted for a Chinese version. Not knowing which would be the best one, I ordered one off of Amazon AND then found this video from a member (@brokedown)here:


https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f51/t...d-25109-8.html


Turns out, the Chinese diesel heater I bought, had some great features that I wasn't aware of before making the purchase i.e.) 2 mufflers, a 'T' , tubing and vent covers, to add a second vent, etc.


I have yet to install it, but looks pretty straightforward. I will need help hooking up the electrical portion, and another feature I want to add which is installing an exterior tank and inlet, so I can just go to the gas station and pump the diesel in- just like your car's gas tank.


Hope this helps,


Clyn

[Drew Bru]

We've started out with a catalytic Buddy heater, then upgraded to a Chinese Diesel Heater. I wouldn't think twice about a CDH...the install wasn't that bad and we got one with a remote, which we keep beside the bed. No muss, no fuss and it's a dry heat which, since our bus tends to be humid anyway, is a huge plus.

[cadillackid]

I have a real webasto in my red bus and a Chinese heater in my DEV bus..


mine are a bit different, they are Coolant heaters vs air heaters..



im only in for this fall with the chinese heater in the dev bus but I did take a few things apart on it before installing it and from what i can see the quality of it is at par with the real webasto unit. same glowpin, similar pumps (one heater is bigger than the other so the pumps are a little different).. heat exchanger materials seem very similar.. fuel pumps are identical


my DEV bus heater is a 12Kw coolant model which for a webasto or espar wouldve been $3000 + the install kit.. my chinese unit is mid-priced and was in the 750 range including install kit.. again this is for the larger unit as that bus is not insulated well..


thus far the only difference i can see in operation (the chinese unit even came with a digital control panel that includes an RF wireless remote with external mag-mount antenna.. with the antenna in a bus window i can easily operate the heater from inside my house..



the Webasto seems to modulate its output as the temp gets closer to setpoint.. the Chinese unit heats the coolant to 80c, cycles off and then when coolant reaches 60c it cycles in.. so its more on / off than it is modulating.. I do hear the fuel pump slow down as it nears setpoint but the inducer blower runs full blast all the time till it cycles out. really not such a big deal but I expect that the glowpin will wear out sooner on this one than the webasto.. no way to tell longevity on it yet..



-Christopher

[cadillackid]

as for no-vent propane.. bleh!. nothing but a dripping wet or frozen mess will be anything cold (windows, uninsulated ceilings, walls, etc) ... the moisture is incredibly high from an open propane flame.

[FAC]

Thank you everyone, it’s good to hear all the first hand experience! I think that is most valuable. And I had my suspicions that the catalytic heaters are less than ideal but I was having a hard time finding first hand experience that didn’t sound like a commercial. And yes we already have humidity issues, a couple nights ago one of our curtains was frozen to the condensation on the window when I woke up! I think I will go read the diesel heater thread and go with one of them.

[Markusbc]

i have a Proheat x45 diesel coolant heater, i can highly recommend it.
They are pricy but you can find them in heave equipment wrecking yards. I bought mine for 250$ with a ton of spare parts. They are really reliable and you can get maintenance kits for it if you don't know how long it hasn't run.

i dont have experience with the Chinese diesel heaters but i was going to go that route until if checked with a wrecking yard and found a proheat.

[peteg59]

The influx of Chinese knockoffs of everything, currently flooding our shores is staggering.
Unfortunately many of these items seem like a real bargain, only to find you've wasted the entire purchase price when it inevitably fails to work and you just can't buy that critical widget needed to get the unit up and running again.

Forcing you to go out and prematurely buy another replacement cheapie chinese unit only to find that the new company knocking these off has changed the locations for fuel and exhaust requiring a whole new install, or pony up the $$ this time for that name brand unit to keep yourself warm...

Cynical much??? Perhaps!!!

[RolesvilleMarina]

The air Heaters have been in the UK for ages

the new chinese knock offs are pretty good. We have been running an 8kw Chinese one in our bus going on year 2 now and still no problems

We use the little 10L tank came with the heater... mounted on the back wall

love it

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Markusbc

i have a Proheat x45 diesel coolant heater, i can highly recommend it.
They are pricy but you can find them in heave equipment wrecking yards. I bought mine for 250$ with a ton of spare parts. They are really reliable and you can get maintenance kits for it if you don't know how long it hasn't run.

i dont have experience with the Chinese diesel heaters but i was going to go that route until if checked with a wrecking yard and found a proheat.

a LOT of these proheat and webasto Scholastic heaters show up in northern school busses in junkyards. they are often inoperative however these are very serviceable and 9 times out of 10 you can talk the junkyard into selling it cheap as you have no idea if it works or not.. 99% of the time a new Glowpin and cleaning or replacing the Nozzle and its as good as new. the fuel pump for these is a VERY standard Jet-tronic style 'Clicker' pump.. a trip to amazon and you have a fuel pump for a very reasonable price.


I chose new equipment on my busses only because I got great deals on the equipment.. but you are right these are all over the place in wrecking yards.

[Markusbc]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

a LOT of these proheat and webasto Scholastic heaters show up in northern school busses in junkyards. they are often inoperative however these are very serviceable and 9 times out of 10 you can talk the junkyard into selling it cheap as you have no idea if it works or not.. 99% of the time a new Glowpin and cleaning or replacing the Nozzle and its as good as new. the fuel pump for these is a VERY standard Jet-tronic style 'Clicker' pump.. a trip to amazon and you have a fuel pump for a very reasonable price.


I chose new equipment on my busses only because I got great deals on the equipment.. but you are right these are all over the place in wrecking yards.

Basically what i did, i just called up pro heat after picking up a unit and ordered the "major maintenance kit" which replaces all the parts that wear out. Afterwards if fired up right away.

Not only heaters also double pane windows, in canada by law the first 2 set of windows have to be double pane, but they are interchangeable with ones further back. If you find enough you can get all of them changed out for cheap.

[s2mikon]

Hi FAC,


I have the same size bus as you i think, a 40 footer RE Bluebird. I have installed 2 of the Chinese diesel heaters rated as 8k btu. The measured fuel burn rate comes out as 5K. So beware of the misleading ad copy on ebay. Am I disappointed? H*** no. I am on my second year of trouble free use. I bought the units with 4 42mm discharge hoses. One sits beside the left front wheel well under the couch and blows forward rearward and across to the right side. It will keep the entire front half of the bus toasty at 18 degrees. The rear one is the same and duct ed to the bedroom and bath. My wife does not like to be cold! I also have a cubic mini grisly wood stove in the front. It is a fine little unit. If you are in Ca. most of the time it wont take much heat. Feel to ask if you have questions.

[Rock-N-Ruth]

Originally Posted by FAC

What are your thoughts on these two types of heaters? We have a mini split for heat when we have hookups but we need something for off grid heat.

I think everyone knows what the diesel heaters are
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EasyBuy-All-In-One-12V-8KW-Diesel-Air-Heater-Car-Parking-Heater-FOR-Trucks-RV-US/143484952825?epid=14035964815&hash=item21685ea0f9: gpcAAOSw-EheGEIe&vxp=mtr

Install is much more involved with these and they seem like they need more maintenance. But are popular and have a real thermostat I believe.



Here is the propane heater I am thinking of using
https://www.campingworld.com/camco-o...ter-19334.html

It doesn’t have any electric consumption but also no thermostat. Just a heat level.

From experiance, the catalytic heater will use up 13 lb tank( that's about what you get with the tank exchange) in about 15 hours of solid use. You might find it less expensive to run a 2500 Watt generator and run your mini split. I don't know about the fuel consumption on the diesel heaters. Ruth and I have considered installing one as a backup to the mini split and situations when it is too cold for the heat pump to operate. That doesn't happen here very often, not even every year.

[s2mikon]

Hi Rock-n-Ruth
I have had 2 propane catalytic heaters in 2 different rv's. I liked the radiant heat part of them very well. It warms your carcass not the air surrounding it. Both had the bad habit of wetting up the inside of the unit. In my argosy it was wet enough that you could wipe it off with a towel. They are not very tolerant of dust because it kills the catalyst. I lost the second one after I moved to NM. It is dusty here all the time. In this part of NM I can't even get a LPG bottle filled at night. That is why I went with the CDH and a wood stove for off grid. On grid I use a mini split and base board electric. Even here at midnight on Sunday I can get a 5 gal can of diesel filled. As for hard to install not really. If you can read chinglish and operate a drill with a hole saw it is very straight forward. You have to remember to not shut them down while running on low power. I likes to soot the units up. Before I shut them off I crank them up for 3-5 min and then power them off. I also run a gal of kerosene 1k after every 10-15 gallons of diesel. Just before it is empty I refill it with kerosene run it almost out and re fill with diesel. That is the nice thing about a school bus conversion. You get to do it like you want.

[DWJoyce]

Originally Posted by peteg59

The influx of Chinese knockoffs of everything, currently flooding our shores is staggering.
Unfortunately many of these items seem like a real bargain, only to find you've wasted the entire purchase price when it inevitably fails to work and you just can't buy that critical widget needed to get the unit up and running again.

Forcing you to go out and prematurely buy another replacement cheapie chinese unit only to find that the new company knocking these off has changed the locations for fuel and exhaust requiring a whole new install, or pony up the $$ this time for that name brand unit to keep yourself warm...

Cynical much??? Perhaps!!!

Right on! CCP China produces junk using essentially slave labor without following safety standards. Go anywhere else to buy a heater.

[Rock-N-Ruth]

Originally Posted by s2mikon

Hi Rock-n-Ruth
I have had 2 propane catalytic heaters in 2 different rv's. I liked the radiant heat part of them very well. It warms your carcass not the air surrounding it. Both had the bad habit of wetting up the inside of the unit. In my argosy it was wet enough that you could wipe it off with a towel. They are not very tolerant of dust because it kills the catalyst. I lost the second one after I moved to NM. It is dusty here all the time. In this part of NM I can't even get a LPG bottle filled at night. That is why I went with the CDH and a wood stove for off grid. On grid I use a mini split and base board electric. Even here at midnight on Sunday I can get a 5 gal can of diesel filled. As for hard to install not really. If you can read chinglish and operate a drill with a hole saw it is very straight forward. You have to remember to not shut them down while running on low power. I likes to soot the units up. Before I shut them off I crank them up for 3-5 min and then power them off. I also run a gal of kerosene 1k after every 10-15 gallons of diesel. Just before it is empty I refill it with kerosene run it almost out and re fill with diesel. That is the nice thing about a school bus conversion. You get to do it like you want.

Where abouts in New Mexico? We are in the sw corner. Luna County.

[s2mikon]

I personally would like to see every last CCP Chinese made item gone, and no CCP Chinese made replacements. I am old enough to remember when we didn't have any of this stuff here. But we have to remember that it was our politicians of BOTH parties and corporate America that wanted to have “free trade” with China. This caused a lot of Americans to loose their good paying jobs and corporate America to reap huge profits having American brands built in China and sold at the same prices. Then the Chinese began to backdoor ripoff the same greedy corporate American businesses with knockoff copies and import them. It serves them right. I hope it breaks them like it did the poor American workforce that lost their jobs and homes and everything else. Delphi is a good example they file for bankruptcy layoff the help about 20,000 employees renege on their retirement to former employees and then move to China. You can go to O'Reilly auto parts and buy Delphi parts made in China. The same junk you can buy on ebay or amazon in Chinese boxes. At half the cost as far as I am concerned screw Delphi I'll buy the knockoff/ripoff first before I buy the Delphi. If I can even buy an American part I will. NAPA auto parts the same. NAPA= No American Parts Available. Timken wheel bearings? More junk. Yes it would be nice if I had to scour the internet look high and low to buy CCP Chinese crap, but I have to do that to find American made. It has to change. Sorry for the rant. I think I'll go drink my meds.

[s2mikon]

I am in beautiful Eddy County Southeast NM. Currently the covid 19 plandemic hot spot.