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12-26-2019, 08:56 AM
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#1
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Off brand diesel coolant heaters
Does anyone know ANYTHING about these guys (retailer or manufacturer)? This is a 12K (41k BTU) diesel coolant heater. for $550. Name brands are double that. Kinda nervous about buying from something that looks so shady. Would rather order from something that looks more like a store front but was told Alibada is legit at least.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...4b9e5a8c4zWiYB
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12-26-2019, 09:03 AM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Weeki Wachee, FL
Posts: 3,056
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 72
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For sure there is a lot less info out there about the off brand coolant heaters vs the air heaters... People are installing the air heaters in everything from skoolies and boats to pickups and vans to garages and cottages. I saw an initial review video of a combo air+water heater the other day but you can't really compare a 5KW air+water unit to a 12KW water one.
Alibaba is a legit marketplace just like Amazon is a legit marketplace... but that doesn't imply anything about the quality of the product you're buying. I'm not aware of anyone with a coolant heater that isn't a name brand unit.
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12-26-2019, 09:14 AM
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#3
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2014
Location: West Ohio
Posts: 3,678
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 1753
Engine: 6.9 International
Rated Cap: 65
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Looks similar to a webasto unit I just fixed for a guy. I'm sure it's just a stolen design that some place in china is mass producing, screwing over a legitimate company.
The one I fixed had a control unit in the cab that operates the heater, so make sure it has that or it's no more then a paper weight.
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12-26-2019, 10:54 AM
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#4
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Almost There
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Arkansas Ozark Foothills
Posts: 82
Year: 2002
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000-8 Window
Engine: Cumm ISB/Allison 2000
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I've been using a 5kw unit for about two months and it has worked like a champ! I think that I paid around $130 for mine.
Mine is not being used for living space heating, but is being used to warm my FLA house battery. I had been having problems with capacity due to the cold weather. Problem solved!
Also, it is very efficient on fuel usage.
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12-26-2019, 11:08 AM
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#5
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jofred99
I've been using a 5kw unit for about two months and it has worked like a champ! I think that I paid around $130 for mine.
Mine is not being used for living space heating, but is being used to warm my FLA house battery. I had been having problems with capacity due to the cold weather. Problem solved!
Also, it is very efficient on fuel usage.
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$130 is either one hell of a used deal or air.
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12-26-2019, 11:36 AM
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#6
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Weeki Wachee, FL
Posts: 3,056
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 72
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I recently picked up an air heater for $110 with all the accessories.. but it's an air heater, not a coolant heater. They're a dime a dozen.
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12-26-2019, 11:55 AM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brokedown
I recently picked up an air heater for $110 with all the accessories.. but it's an air heater, not a coolant heater. They're a dime a dozen.
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Yeah, before I went this route I figured the coolant would be 2x the air. So much for that idea.
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12-26-2019, 12:01 PM
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#8
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jofred99
I've been using a 5kw unit for about two months and it has worked like a champ! I think that I paid around $130 for mine.
Mine is not being used for living space heating, but is being used to warm my FLA house battery. I had been having problems with capacity due to the cold weather. Problem solved!
Also, it is very efficient on fuel usage.
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Sounds like what you describe is a diesel AIR heater. This thread is about diesel COOLANT heater. Huge price difference between the 2.
__________________
I Thank God That He Gifted Me with Common Sense
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12-26-2019, 01:12 PM
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#9
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Almost There
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Arkansas Ozark Foothills
Posts: 82
Year: 2002
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000-8 Window
Engine: Cumm ISB/Allison 2000
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Yep, I've had a problem with being full of hot air before...
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12-26-2019, 02:06 PM
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#10
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Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Stansbury Park, Utah
Posts: 189
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: GA39530
Engine: DT466E 215hp 620tq
Rated Cap: 40
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Water Heater
Ive been looking at one of these also but I was planning on using it in conjunction with a marine style water heater. Use the diesel heater to heat up the water heater tank. Eliminate the on demand unit i have installed. The goal would be to try to only need one fuel.
Next would be a Wallas or Wabesto diesel cook top.
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12-26-2019, 02:12 PM
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#11
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,775
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There are dozens of forums hundreds of threads, facebook support groups etc on these, GIYF
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12-26-2019, 02:17 PM
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#12
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FamilyCircus
The goal would be to try to only need one fuel.
Next would be a Wallas or Wabesto diesel cook top.
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That's the plan.
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12-26-2019, 02:18 PM
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#13
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by john61ct
There are dozens of forums hundreds of threads, facebook support groups etc on these, GIYF
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For the air heaters, yes. For the name brand coolant heater, yes. For the knock off coolant heaters, NO.
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12-26-2019, 02:39 PM
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#14
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,775
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12-26-2019, 02:43 PM
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#15
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by john61ct
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Thx, checking now. I'm not sure 5k will do tho I could add a diesel air to the line up.
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12-26-2019, 02:49 PM
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#16
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,775
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And hard to make suitable for HWS-only in summer.
But redundancy is good, all the diesel ones really like running flat out not throttled down.
My desire to fuel with gasoline is an even bigger challenge
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12-26-2019, 03:09 PM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by john61ct
And hard to make suitable for HWS-only in summer.
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Yeah, I'll probably do a smaller loop for that.
Quote:
all the diesel ones really like running flat out not throttled down.
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I've read that too.
Quote:
My desire to fuel with gasoline is an even bigger challenge
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Pretty sure I saw a gasoline one on this same site.
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12-26-2019, 03:16 PM
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#18
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,775
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01-01-2020, 08:38 PM
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#19
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KANSAS CITY
Posts: 751
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brewerbob
Yeah, I'll probably do a smaller loop for that.
I've read that too.
Pretty sure I saw a gasoline one on this same site.
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My Corvair had a gasoline heater.
The gas heater on Ricky Nelsons C-47 airplane killed him.
__________________
Former owner of a 1969 F600 Skoolie.
1998 Ford B700 Thomas body 65 passenger. 5.9 Cummins 12 valve with MT643 Transmission 123,000 miles.
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01-02-2020, 05:53 AM
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#20
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Andrews,Indiana
Posts: 2,430
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: AARE
Engine: 3116 Cat 250hp
Rated Cap: Just the two of us.
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Quote:
all the diesel ones really like running flat out not throttled down.
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I don't know about the knock offs. My genuine Espar has four heat levels. The knock off looks exactly like it.
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