Vanlife Outfitters Webasto Air Top 2000 STC Tech Talk - High Altitude Adjustment Scoop
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- čas přidán 21. 02. 2021
- Want to spend an hour nerding out about Webasto heaters with a Webasto tech - like the guy who actually trains certified installers and knows these things inside and out? Well, you're at the right place!
We talk maintenance, high altitude adjustments, altitude limits for the Air
Top 2000 STC heaters and how it compares to the bigger EVO40, differences between gasoline and diesel version, how to make your heater last for 10,000+ hours instead of only 70 hours and tons more.
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Links:
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Webasto Heaters + Products In Our Store
www.vanlifeoutfitters.com/cat...
Installing A Webasto Heater in a Camper Van
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Webasto Tech Support
techwebasto.com/ - Auta a dopravní prostředky
The STC 2000 gasoline model is the perfect size and capacity for gasoline vans and it seems like Webasto could try harder to serve this market’s need to be in the mountains. I think most customers want to know more about carbon build up above 4900ft and specific steps to mitigate carbon build up/maximize carbon burn off. The first thing in this video was talk about factory tuning the heater to 500ft, but then no further talk about altitude optimization. It seems like there’s a point to be made about giving the heater the best fuel pulse tuning for use >4900ft. Ya it will still build carbon, but what can I do to minimize the carbon build up as much as possible?
I've had this heater for a few years and I've lived at 5.5k ft to 10k for the whole time I've used the heater in my van. It's had to be rebuilt 2x for carbon build up but with many hundreds of hours using it. a few thousands of hours. It's a pain but it's simple to clean. I've learned that when you use it, just always run on it high. Open a vent if the van gets to warm but keep the heater working no matter what. It's just better for the heater to run on high, and also to minimize using it for periods less than 30 min.
@@ColoradoMikeC I trashed my combustion mesh screen with carbon. Thought I had the heater off but it was actually running on low all night at 10,000 ft. Had the power cut to it while it was running a bunch of times. And didn’t adjust altitude correctly. Now its the middle of winter, I spent $300 on a replacement burner, and the burner is on back order until spring. Florida weather and freedom is being kind to me though. Running the heater at 10000ft is my fault but Id like to give shame to webasto for not making those little mesh screens serviceable, not having service parts in the middle of winter, and not providing a means of altitude adjustment independent of a exhaust meter.
@@davidbuseman6720 yeah I agree, and I think that Webasto should've made it more clear that running these things at altitude causes issues. It wasn't until all the van folks started using them in the last 6-7 years that the problems came to light and there's more info out now. I bought a few maintenance kits after the first time I had to overhaul mine so I didn't have to wait. I used to practically live in my van in MT and CO year around but it's been 3 years now where I don't run the heater much so I haven't had to take mine apart in 4 years now. But the first 2 years I had it, I had to take it apart 3 times. Thought about going to a propex.
@@ColoradoMikeC I think the van life movement has brought this to light more, but their literature is pretty clear, these are engineered to work up to 4,900'. Above that you're fighting with physics.
Here's the thing that Webasto and Espar are fighting. That fuel pump clicks at a certain frequency to deliver a certain amount of fuel. At higher altitudes the pump has to click slower to deliver less fuel to compensate for the lower oxygen content. At some point (altitude) the fuel pump will be pumping too slow. The flame will die out before the next dose of fuel is delivered. And before that happens, the heater is running rich because there is too much fuel for the oxygen content.
I'm quite sure if there was a way to beat physics, one of those two companies would be doing it. This applies to gas heaters much more than diesel heaters because gas burns much quicker than diesel.
Pinning this one on Webasto is kinda funny. If your cell phone manufacturer tells you your phone will work in temps down to 0F and you have issues at -20F, can you really blame the manufacturer?
@@1QKGLH I don't blame webasto at all. It's the nature of the technology and I knew it before I installed one. I think like you said though, The van life movement has brought the deficiencies to light more to the public.. Hopefully there will be improvements over time in the tech, like with anything.
Thank you for making this video! There is so much info for the diesel versions but not much for gasoline! This has been a huge help! 👍🏻
Thanks Zack. Lots of good info here. Just installed my 1st STC 2000 in my PM yesterday. picked up lots of good, new info on this video
-Bobby & Nicola
Incredibly informative, thanks for posting.
Great video. Answered a lot of key questions
super helpful , thanks!
Great informative video thanks
Great Video. I am based in the UK and have recently had an Air Top STC 2000 (diesel) fitted to my campervan with the new MultiControl programmer. The brochure says that the unit has an integrated altitude sensor which constantly ensures an optimal combustion process in altitudes up to 2,200 m, and that the Altitude setting should be set above 1500m (approx 4900ft). This feature was not mentioned in the video as far as I am aware so I can only assume that this feature was introduced after the video was made. I am interested to know more about this feature and user experience as we plan to go to the mountains above 1500m for 5 weeks.
Outstanding information! One of these should be done on hydronics👍
Can you comment on the following?
1.) Impact of premium high octane gasoline? Does it reduce carbon?
2.) Fuel treatments like techron. Will they damage the heater?
3.) I have heard gasoline heaters are less likely to carbon as compared to diesel. Is this accurate assuming you don't exceed high altitude recommendations.
How does all of this “run it at full blast” apply when you are just trying to heat water for cooking using a hydronic kit? Can these even be used at summer temps to jus these water?
this is so helpful!! better than any blog or CZcams install I've seen. At ~25 min, Zach asks about scenarios where you might be at high altitude - and the answer seems to be that's OK to run the heater here and there... is this STILL applying to just diesel? and 100% not recommended for gas? Or if I am running at high altitude for a weekend, I can use my gas STC for a few hours? Or another scenario- if I'm going to be overlanding in CO (at 5280 ft) with the STC for a week or two, should I not use the heater at all?
Use the heater, but just always run it on high and for periods of 30 min or longer. that will keep it the cleanest.
You mentioned the remote temperature upgrade. Can you elaborate on the EXACT details of how to connect it? The sensor part number is (1319842A/9005004B). I have a Multicontroller HD and it is connected the 4pin plug with a red, brown and black wire. The other 4 pin plug has a red, white, blue and black wire. I have read that there is a resistor somewhere in the loom. Which of the two looms mentioned would that resistor be in? I have also read that one can cut two wires coming out of the main plug and connect the remote temperature sensor there as well. Can you comment on how to connect the webasto remote temperature sensor?
Hmmm, I have seen other videos that say there is no difference between gas and diesel at higher altitudes . Glad I watched this. Unfortunately my van is the shorter 136 Promaster, but I do a lot at high altitude 6K to 10K in the mountains of Colo, and the EVO40 sounds too big. I see this is from Feb 2021. Is the info about no altitude adjustments for the 2000 STC still valid? Is there an updated information source?
I have a Vanagon, which is a gravity-feed fuel tank ( Meaning the out spout is on the bottom, not the top) then connects to a fuel pump. Since it has an outport on the bottom of the fuel tank, can I place a tee in there, or do I have to drop the tank and drill? This is a Diesel
What’s the gallon to gallon burn time between a gas model vs diesel model?
I bought a used semi truck with an stv premium. It had been used. But not operational. I replaced the fuel filter and rebooked the wiring. Pump would fill the line and fan would run but no heat. I bought a service kit and opened it up for cleaning. It was fairly clean. Problem was I got the wrong kit. It didn't have the pin with brown wire and yellow wires pin has a different connector. What does the one with brown wire do?
How
I do factory reset on air top 2000
4921.26? Guess Imma gonna be cold in dem mountains
Leave the van(just outside while you run it hot.
Great Video (sort of) I used it two nights at 8-9000 feet. It Now Does Not Work. It's almost brand new. Cost me nearly $2000. Completely unacceptable that Webasto does not allow for it to be leaned out for altitude. Crappy engineering. The guys where I bought it at Vanlife Outfitters they said it would be okay for occasional use at elevation; IT IS NOT. This video basically said the same thing. WRONG! So if you want to use it this type of heater for higher altitude application you have to go through this mess of cleaning it out every other time you use it... or go down to sea level. JUNK!
there is a way to lean it out.
It's not crappy engineering. These heaters were designed for the German market decades ago where no road is higher than 5,000ft. The max usable altitude is documented in the manual. Webasto marketing in US should have communicated that limitation better.
There is a CO2 adjustment (via Webasto Thermo Test software) which allows it to adjust for higher altitude, but then you shouldn't use it a lower altitude anymore or adjust it again for lower altitude.
Sure whatever you say...
Here's a trick for those who have one clogged. ShopVac it. First disconnect muffler, then blow into air inlet and then into exhaust outlet. Upon restarting add slight! extra air push to inlet air using restricted ShopVac blow (be patient as it may take 5 to 10 tries). Run it on high for at least an hour. Has cleaned the carbon out of my finely & correctly engineered mis-marketed heater at least 3 times. Easier than removing the entire unit and messing with the screen.
I did it. And then I redid it again at altitude. And then it clogged again at +8,000' I have the fancy thermometer (waste of money) which doesn't allow you to lean it out you have to use the old Manuel set up. The App doesn't help either, you would think it would have a lean out setting on that.
Unfortunately your Webasto rep is wrong....they will not support you if you call webasto tech support and they are rude about it. I didnt even need support per se, I just had a question (that was 2 years ago) and they wouldnt even answer that. The technology for these heaters isnt complicated so there is no reason for the heaters, especiallly the stc models whos job is to JUST heat air, there is no reason for them to be so expensive. The markup is rediculous and THAT is the reason people are going to chinese knock offs and "Russian" distributed units......its merely retail cost....thats it!! Dont be blind, cost drives everything. Oh and lastly your "Rep" has no idea how condensation works in regard to intake and exhaust for these heaters....he is wrong about what he stated.
Webasto isn’t a company I will ever buy products from again. I can get two diesel heaters for the price of one webasto replacement burner and gasket assembly. And webasto doesn’t even have the replacement burners available in the middle of winter.
Webasto had manufacturing in Russia, so the heaters should be exactly the same. They were only cheaper because those sellers on ebay/Amazon had access at dealer/installer prices on the grey market. In 2015 the European Commission fined Eberspaecher and Webasto after an antitrust lawsuit for coordinating prices and allocating customers.