Chinese Diesel Air Heater Part 14 Strip Down
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- čas přidán 3. 04. 2019
- In this video I will try and give some guide to owners of these cheap Chinese Diesel Air Heaters who will undertake their own maintenance and repairs.
UPDATE. On watching this video again, I see I was somewhat condescending to those who have been running different types of oils in these little heaters. I am SORRY if I offended you.
It can be a fun exercise to try burning different fuels, but please be aware excessive use of any oil in these heaters will cause you serious maintenance issues. JMcK (6/04/19)
Ideally it is preferable to have someone with knowledge and experience with these heaters to do the maintenance and repairs, but understandable for owner maintenance desire as the maintenance and repair labor cost could sometimes exceed the cost of the heater itself.
The most common reason for stripping down these little heaters is to clean out soot and carbon deposits from the Glow Plug atomizing screen, and the combustion chamber.
If you burn any oil, or a diesel oil mix in these heaters, you will get rapid carbon and soot build in the atomizing screens and the combustion chamber. Burning oils of any type, produce large carbon and soot by products, which will quickly block up these heaters with soot deposits.
After cleaning and reassembly you MUST make sure the two gaskets and the two neoprene/silicone seals are in good condition. You MUST NOT reassemble the heater with poor or cracked gaskets or seals, because it can lead to deadly CO gases entering the accommodation areas.
If these heaters are installed correctly, operated correctly, and maintained correctly, you will have many years of good service life before any strip down and clean is required.
One source of burner gaskets
www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-5pcs-...
To date I have not found a Chinese gasket source for their 5kw heaters, however as they are almost an exact copy of Eberspacher D4 heaters, I have used those gaskets.
One possible source for D2 gaskets. Note I have not purchased any myself yet, so can't personally vouch for them.
www.amazon.com/Eberspacher-Ai... - Auta a dopravní prostředky
ABSOLUTE BEST VIDEO SERIES TO DATE FOR CHINESE DIESEL HEATERS!!!!!
Thanks for that comment Me Gmctech. JMcK
Wonderful breakdown of teardown and reassembly! Really glad you made sure to tell people about tightening opposite bolts instead of going in a circle too!
You should get a CZcams award for this 16video series John.. So so good
Thanks for the positive feedback lee. JMcK
I got one for around $90..All said and done, run it right and when she goes replace the lot and get a new unit...Great in depth vid John, you know your stuff...
Thanks for the comments Namdor. JMcK
+1 for the CZcams award. Fantastic series! Very helpful
Thank you John for the production of this video. I've replaced a glow plug before, but this is the best overhaul video on these heaters I have come across. Thx for sharing.
Thank's John for your above average info on these Lil' Heaters I Do Appreciate your hard work showing this.....👍🏼
Thanks Mr Ex Law for your positive feedback on these videos. This is second last, I have one more to do and and then I am off sailing for 3 months.
Great video! Thank you for breaking everything down and educating us along the way. Keep up the great work
👍
Thanks for your videos John, they made for a very easy strip down this afternoon. And now back running as it should after my E08 problem. 🙂👍🏻
I am pleased it all went well Rick.
Ordered and waiting for my first unit. Thank you so much and I am sure you saved countless time for me!!!!
Pleased to be of some help Matt. JMcK
Once again very good John. Doing this in freezing conditions in camp when the heater fails from soot build up is not pleasant, so I purchased another unit which was significantly easier to take apart when the time comes. I also re-designed the installation method into the van so I only need to crawl underneath in the snow & mud once each clean. A fellow camper has given up for this reason and installed a gas version, costing over $2,500. Cleaning the combustion chamber will now be a regular monthly event on nice sunny days. Each time I watch your videos, I pick up a new trick, so thanks again.
Hi John, with proper install, you should not need to clean so often.
What copy form heater do you have, Webasto or Eberspacher?
Are you getting plenty of air into the combustion chamber? Do you have exhaust back pressure with excessive turns and twists in the exhaust?
Have you tried running a monthly kerro diesel mix to give the heater burner a clean?
Cheers. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 New one is a 5kW model which is easy to dismantle when required. Alpine camping over 10-12 weeks each year, sub zero every night and down to -12 to 15 at times. Alpine diesel, not winter diesel, not normal diesel has been used to date because (a) it's all you can buy locally and (b) normal diesel will freeze. Heaters work well but the additive (whatever it is) causes excessive build up of carbon. Last year two heaters failed on the same, very cold night. We now burn hotter (with windows open at times) and add kero which helps, but it does NOT stop the carbon build up, so maintenance is not a matter of IF but WHEN.
This year I will be buying additional fuel canisters, taking 'normal' diesel and mixing kero myself to see how much longer they last without a combustion chamber cleanout.
John Kennedy
Hi John, not sure where you live, but some distributors blend the diesel with heating oil, and all oils leave lots of soot and carbon. Also, when you say "Alpine" are you talking high altitude?. If so these heaters do not have altitude compensation, and will run rich.
Depending where you live, some countries sell a commercial kerosene with high sulfur content. You could try burning that kerro. If not sure of the sulfur level you can mix in 10% to 20% of normal diesel.
Good luck. JMcK
@@johnkennedy486 Google ' Ray Jones afterburner "
After watching all these I feel like I could work as a tech installing and repairing these heaters.
Really great information, Thank You John.
Your welcome Patrick. JMcK
Thanks to your video i feel ready for a complete diesel heater overhaul over the summer! 😀👍
Pleased you found them helpful Martin. JMcK
Very informative John thank you. Feel more confident in buying one of these after watching the series and a lot more confident I can install properly and keep it running well.
Hope the sailing was all good !
Thanks for the feedback Roy, yes, the sailing was great. JMcK
mate your videos saved me so much hassel. Your a legend!. thank you so much.
I thought I might take a month and research these heaters to decide first of all if they work and second of all if I can maintain one.
You have provided accurate and detailed information that has brought me up to speed in less than 3 hours. THANK YOU YOU John
Thanks for the positive feedback Rick. JMcK
damn man! this is just filled with knowledge! thank you so much for the effort, it makes it so easy to understand how these work :)
Thanks for your kind words Eric. JMcK
Awesome knowledge, great to watch you work👍🏻
Thanks for the positive feedback Steve. JMcK
Excellent video nice and clear easy to follow keep them coming butty 👍
At last! Someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.
Great video, fantastic information. A real pleasure to watch.
Thanks for those positive comments NM. JMcK
John McK 47 I’ve only gotta watch your flange tightening & loosening sequences to see a guy who knows what he’s doing. Might sound funny to some, but details like that are important to me.
Nutgone Matt
👍
Great video as always John, thank you 😉
Your welcome Alabama. JMcK
Thanks.
My thoughts while you were so meticulously explaining was:
Do a total maintenance, like this, after each winter usage.
Preorder now to make a repair/maintenance kit for these heaters, with a set or two of gaskets, atomiser filters, glow plug(s) , spare pump, tools, etc
I've "shared" all these videos to my email address to store them, and will watch it the night before with a cuppa, and have it on my smartphone beside me to guide me the first time, step by step.
(Next year, I'll probably not need it.)
I found while living in Canada on a ranch that a yearly off season rebuild service of most everything was well worth it. (Chainsaws, snow blowers, grass mowers, guns, etc)
So glad you decided to make a responsable, professional set of videos.
Thanks for the feedback Peter. Pleased you found the videos helpful. JMcK
Wonderful tutorial. Thank you for this!
👍
OUTSTANDING Sir, Thank You so very much !
Pleased you found video helpful. JMcK
Love you John, i will buy one for my shed :)
👍
Thanks. Watched and saved for reference.
Pleased to know it was of some benefit. JMcK
Thanks you. Am thinking of getting one for a backup
A good decision. These heaters are very cheap, and you will also have spares for problem solving. JMcK
A other nice one Sir . One more to vid to tell People on the heater forum to have a look at Thanks !
Thanks for the nice feedback Paul. JMcK
I frequently use the Right Hand Rule for screws/nuts/bolts. Have found that when laying on your back under a vehicle with your arm stuck at a odd angle to were you can't even see what your turning it's easier to think "I want the nut to go in the direction that my thumb is pointing so I have to turn it in the direction my fingers are curved." instead of "righty, tighty".
Thanks for that info Emil. JMcK
Very informative video nice one :)
Thanks Libran. JMcK
Oven cleaner spray (foam type) will clean carbon from inside burner unit, good for egr valves/coolers too
👍
Hi Papilon
Can you hear the pump “ticking” as the little piston goes up and down.
If you can the magnet is working and the piston is moving.
Take the pump outlet hose off and see if fuel is squirting out with pump working.
You will now know if the pump is working.
Also check your pump is the correct voltage, and not a 24 volt pump.
Please let me know how it goes. JMcK
Carbon burn off temp is between 300-500ºC. Aluminum melting point is 660ºC.
Why can't a propane or MAPP torch be able to burn off every bit of the carbon, where the torch can actually melt the aluminum?
Why doesn't the stainless steel turn into dust of rust like most high end BBQ burners after a few years of use?
Is it because burning propane and natural gas generates so much water vapor? Galvanic corrosion?
I was sure the chamber of these heaters were built from ceramics and not stainless steel. I learned so much watching this series. Thank you.
Hi PN,,
I do use a MAPP torch to remove carbon from burner screens when necessary, and show this in one of my videos.
Burning propane produces huge amounts of water vapour.
I have not come across a rusted burner chamber yet, but I have only really been serious with these heaters for 12 years or so.
Cheers. JMcK
Thank you for your quick reply, Yes I have tried that with no luck, so I have ordered a new controller, lets hope that dose the trick, if not a will get a new ECU, anyway I will let you know how I get on, only it will not be here (London) until Jan 2020!
Thanks Michael. JMcK
if i am getting the smell of burning plastic out of my heater any idea what it could be?
Very useful videos thanks John. On my recent trip after two uses my diesel heater failed to start. This helped me strip it down to trouble shoot. I found a lot of dust in it, after travelling over 3000km of unsealed roads. Have you got any suggestions to keep dust out?
Just brilliant. Thanks. I wondered if there is a chemical that would disolve the carbon?
you seem to be very knowledgeable guy in combustion-ish things.. so may I ask you please...... if one were to add an HHO gas source to one of these to use primarily as a way to occasionally clean out the combustion chamber or improve combustion when using alternative fuel oils (waist motor oil, thinned waste cooking oils etc... where would you suggest to fumigate this gas in?
Hi John. Great videos. Am in Brisbane and fitted diesel heater to my Van 8 days ago. On initial start up she smoked like blazes, but has since behaved itself. I run it about 20 to 30 minutes say twice a day. Shè blows a little smoke still at start up. Also on shut down. Also I know the temp reading might be a little out (I set temp at 9 degrees but it's more like 22 degrees). So not happy with start up and shut down smoking and burning diesel smell. Any ideas as to how to aleviate would be greatly appreciated.
Hi John, I hope you can help! Have you ever replaced the bearing in the fan unit of the diesel heater? I can't find anywhere online of how to do this except one page in German! But I get stuck at disassembling the fan unit. I can't seem to get the brown plastic backside of the fan off. Any help or ideas much appreciated! The diesel heater fan started making this whirring noise and i couldnt see the fan hitting any magnets which a lot of people speak about but saw in some forums that the fan bearing can go. Do you think you could make a video on how to change the fan bearing? If that's not too much trouble!!! Thanks so much, your videos are the best!
Vicki
carb and choke cleaner also works great!!! spray all the carbon out = easy
Agree Dirk. JMcK
Thanks John, I have a better understanding of how these heater work now 👍🏻. By the way what size box spanner for the glow plug please?
Hi Michael, spanner size for the glow plug is 12 mm. JMcK
HI John, thanks for the in-depth videos, I'm watching the whole series avidly. Given the potential for the heat damage on the burner control unit, I was wondering whether the circuit board could be relocated. Is it just the fan speed sensor that would need to be remounted somehow?
Hi Jastic.
First, pleased you find the videos helpful
Now re the circuit board. It is just not worth the effort to relocate the ECB, make a fan speed sensor bracket, unsolder the sensor from the board and mount it separately, then run wires to the ECB, then you have to reroute the controller wires, pump wires and temp sensor wires.
Jastic, do a good install and the chances of doing damage to the ECB are very remote.
No it is extremely remote.
If it ever does happen just buy another ECB for about $20. Cheers. JMcK
Amazing inför Thank you...where can you find the parts for these ?
Hi i have problem error 03 code i changed the glow plug still the same error can it be the mainboard?
Thank you for this, very educational.
I have a question, do you have a place in the videos that discusses replacing the motor bearings and brushes?
Thank you.
Sorry John, I have not done a video on fan motor bearing replacement.
You can buy on line spare fan motors or even complete fan assemblies for around $10 to $20.
Just one site I quickly looked up just now.
www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-12V-24V-5000W-Diesel-Parking-Heater-Blower-Motor-Combustion-Air-Intake-Fan-/394294622084?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0
Cheers. JMcK
Hey John, you mentioned that the heaters can only be mounted on the side of a wall one way, is this due to the position of the air inlet to the glow plug and if mounted incorrectly, it would leak diesel on the initial start-up..?
Correct. With the glow plug on the bottom raw diesel can pool around the glow plug and atomisation screen and precent a start. JMcK
For a boat, any concern on the non-moisture proof electronics?
Hi Kelly,
Like any boat electrical connections on a boat you need to protect the wiring connections with something like WD40.
As for the ECB circuit board you can buy circuit board protection spray from an electronics store, that will provide protection to the ECB if you want peace of mind. JMcK
Really interesting, thank you sir.
BTW, where can one buy spare parts, like the ACU, screen, etc...?
🤔wonder if a good dip in carb cleaner would remove the carbon from the burner screen?
Yes Siskiyou, carb cleaner often helps for the glow plug screen, and does help for the larger burner screen, but the burner screen often needs the map gas. A long soak in carb cleaner does help though.
on the all in one the air inlet comes out of the hole on the end and the exhaust comes out of the side.
Hey John,
Thank you for your informative videos. I plan to mount the heater with the intake and combustion pipes exiting sieways from the box. Glow plug up of course. Can I cut the metal fuel intake pipe on the inside portion of the diesel heater housing and connect the fuel line to it in there? I wish to have the fuel tank in the same box as the heater, side by each, and wish to feed the fuel line from the fuel tank into the heater through a hole in the housing to the newly cut metal fuel pipe, thereby not having to feed the fuel line outside of the case to enter at the current external location. I hope that is clear. Thank You.
Hi CJ, I can't see an issue with that setup, provided you don't weaken or damage the fuel pipe seal
JMcK
@@johnmck1147 Hey John, Thank you for the reply. Thank you for making this series of videos. You’ve helped many people understand how these heaters work and have thereby made their operating environments safer. Cheers.
Hi CJ, thanks for the positive comments. Pleased the videos were helpful. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 Thank you John. Also, is pvc fuel line a suitable alternative for the rubber 1/8" ID fuel line used to join the nylon fuel line to the pump/filter etc.? I'm looking at using this...Is this product a suitable alternative? "Motion Pro Clear Pvc Fuel Line, 1/8 Idx 3 Ft"
Hi CJ, in my opinion don't use PVC fuel line. Suggest you only use good quality rubber fuel line on input side of pump and narrow bore hard nylon on delivery side of pump, unless delivery side very short.
All my tests on PVC fuel hose not only showed it absorbed the fuel pulse, but it also perished in a couple of months when exposed to sunlight. JMcK
Hey John such informative videos! I am experiencing a small amount of soot coiming out of the exhaust pipe when I fire up the my heater. It such a small amount I can only see it because of the contrast of the snow it is landing on. Do you think this would be considered normal, or is this something I should be concerned about and need to service. Thank you!
Hi M,
Is the soot only apparent on start up and then the exhaust goes clear?
If so, that is not unusual.
If there all the time you could have an issue with fuel air mix ratios.
The most common cause of this is restrictions in the combustion air inlet and the exhaust system...Too many bends.
Another cause of bad mixture ratios is operation at altitude. Generally over 1,000 feet. The greater the altitude the richer the fuel air mix and the more carbon produced.
Now what can you do.
If you have restrictions, see if can remove some bends.
If at altitude, these heaters have no altitude compensation so all you can do is run a high kerosene/ diesel mix, up to 90/10. Kerosene runs much cleaner than diesel.
Also, on a regular basis, run the heater at max output for 10 to 15 minutes every day or so, as it helps burning off excessive carbon.
Last up, when the carbon gets really bad you need to strip the heater down and manually clean it.
Keep warm. JMcK
Hi John, Thanks for answering my questions in video 12. I had intended mounting the fuel pump vertically to eliminate a dry spot beside the piston but space is at a premium below the unit, so would it be OK to mount the pump vertically but upside down slightly further back inside my van? Thanks again Garry
No Gary, the pump must be mounted right side up to allow the cavitation bubbles to escape. You can mount the pump vertically, but right side up. It is always better to mount the pump as close to the fuel tank as you can. Pumps work good on the delivery side, but pumps are poor suckers. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 As always good knowledge John, thank you. I'm going to mount my diesel tank just inside the side door opening just about the same level as the top of the wheel arch, filter an inch below the tank and then the fuel pump, hopefully just above floor level inside the van to keep it dry and warm, then the pipe going through the floor, across the van underneath then up the other side to the heater pick up pipe. If there is any problem doing it that way?
Length of pipe too long to pump through?) then let me know and I can adjust as needed.
Again, thanks very much for all your hard work on our behalf and all your great advice!
Cheers Garry
Garry M
Yes Gary, that sounds ok. Just make sure you get the filter installed right way around..
@@johnmck1147
Thanks again.
Thank you for producing the very informative video. I was still undecided if I wanted to purchase these for my emergency preparedness plan.. Until I saw this presentation and your videos have made my choice to be a very easy one to make. Now, a question please sir. From whom is the company that makes that particular one you took to pieces? For me, it will be my first choice from all of the different one out there........ Cheers!!
Hi Admiral, these are all great little heaters, if installed correctly and operated correctly. They are sold by different providers on line like eBay and Banggood. It is a lucky dip who the manufacturer is and some from the same manufacturer are branded differently. Inside, they are all basically the same.
I suggest you choose an eBay seller that has a warehouse in your local country, who accepts returns should you have an issue, has a good rating, and most important, choose a heater with the controller and accessories you desire. I also suggest you do a bench test before you go to all the trouble installing the heater. JMcK
I think the bearings are going in mine, getting noisier especially at start up, wonder if you can get the part mentioned at 9:30 or change the bearings?
Hi Libran, it is unusual to get fan motor bearing noise unless the heater has done many hours of work. The heater in my boat is well over 10 years old and it still has no fan motor bearing noise.
I would be first checking that that the fan is not scraping on the housing. (A common issue)
With the heater not operating, turn the fan back and forth with your finger to feel for any scraping with the housing.
The only real way to check for fan bearing issues is to take the fan assembly out of the heater and manually spin it to check for bearing noise.
If you do have fan motor bearing issues, you cas buy a replacement fan motor on line for about A$40.
However, if your heater has a lot of hours on it, or a hard life, you may consider it more prudent to buy a brand new heater as they are very cheap (around A$120 in Aus) and use the old heater for spare parts.
Cheers, jMcK
Hello again John. The metal housing of the heater gets very hot and was wondering if the heat sensor, glow plug and fan cables should be wrapped with some kind of heat tape. Also, does the plastic housing have to be used or can the heater be exposed to help dissipate some of the heat? Thank you.
Hi Amir,
The cables are fine.
If you expose the heat exchanger by removing the cover you won't be blowing much, if any hot air to the accommodation, and also you greatly reduce the volume of outside air blowing over he heat exchanger and you can cause an overheat issue. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 As always, thanks for your reply. Great information.
John, I just bought a similar unit to heat a small workshop (8 x16). In your opinion, do you think it is feasible to creat a flang type arrangement to cover the intake fan so I can draw cool air off the workshop, heat it and return it to the workshop? Very similar to how a house system works.
Sounds good to me. 👍
Hi john, thank you for your videos! super helpful on the subject. the other day i accidentally caught a shoelace into the outer fan and forced the heater to stop working. it first had error code 06 flashing. because the heater was really heating up and i started to smell the toxic plastic smell, i pulled the electric fuse of the heater out just to shut it down altogether. after the heater cooled down and I put the fuse back in, now the heater just makes a click sound and won't turn on at all with no error code flashing. could you help me diagnose what the problem could be and how to go about fixing it? thank you in advance!
Oh dear Jane, that was bad luck. You have probably cooked the ECU. I suggest you buy a replacement and try that first. There are many suppliers and below is just one to get you started.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/1Pcs-Air-Diesel-Heater-Control-Board-Motherboard-Fit-for-12V-24V-3KW-5KW-AiF1V3-/352878816509?hash=item5229376cfd
Good luck. JMcK
My heater didn’t come with the silicone gasket around the intake and exhaust??
Hi Mr O.
I suggest you immediately ask for it from your supplier, or ask for a replacement heater.
Occasionally I buy something that has a part missing, but that has mostly been supplied free of charge when the supplier was informed.
You need that gasket. As a last resort you can make the seal with high temp silicone.
Regards, JMcK
Hi John your videos are very informative i am wondering if the heater has to be mounted with the in and ex pointing down or can they be pointing up thank you .
Hi Jack,
Generally the heaters are mounted with the combustion air inlet and the exhaust pointing down.
However they can also be mounted on their side, but only the side that has the glow plug on the top.
Cheers. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 thanks john for the reply to my question
Hi John, thanks for the great vids. Regarding the sideways mounting position, can you just clarify that if they are mounted on the side, the glow plug must be on the top side?
Hi John I’ve bought two of these heaters direct from China and I’m very pleased. Thanks so much for all the info you upload. You’re by far the most in depth and interesting guy to watch. I have a question? As I said I’ve bought 2. They are or supposed to be 5Kw units. But as I’ve nothing to compare them to. How do I know? What I do know is the 8kw and 5Kw are of similar size. But what dimensions should my 5Kw be. There’s nothing on it saying what Kw it is?
Thanks
hi john,hope you can help me with my diesel heater,i have just put a new pump on it and still doesnt work, it seems as if its blowing the pump as my friend as same diesel heater so tried the new pump on his diesel heater and it does not even work on his,what may be doing this,any help would be very much appreciated,as dont want to buy another pump if this is going to happen again.Many Thanks john.
My heater works some of the time. I pulled it apart and the glow plug has white crud on the tip of it. Do you think that's related to my issue?
Oh SE, I would need more info than that to offer an opinion.
The glow plug is only one part of the start cycle. You could have the atomisation screens blocked with carbon, issues with the glow plug start screen, the start breather hole blocked with dirt or a bug, the pump not working, bad fuel, blocked filter, low battery etc etc.
Perhaps I can be more help with more info. JMcK
Hi John
Thanks so much for these videos they are absolutely brilliant mate. Have you used the heaters branded PPAP? If so what's your thoughts? I have one in my caravan and so far it's been excellent, 3KW from memory. Keen to hear your thoughts as I'm in the market for another unit. Thanks again, Jordan
Hi Jordan, no I have not seen or tested a PPAP branded heater. Do you know if it is based on the Eberspacher or the Webasto design?
@@johnmck1147 Thanks John no I'm not sure to be honest but this is the link
rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F162948104988
Hi john on burner screen could it be possible to use mister muscle oven cleaner we use this to clean variable vane turbos it work's a treat just a thought. Thanks for video's
Hi Nick, thanks for that info.
No I have not tried oven cleaner, but I do know carb cleaner helps sometimes, and I understand they may be similar products. I will give it a try. JMcK
What size tube spanner is required for glow plug removal John?
Hi Daryl,
The glow plug spanner is 12 mm 6 sided, with a groove.
Have a look at video no 9 in this series. JMcK
John McK 47 THANKS John, I thought I had watched the whole series. (Even the marine installation) I will check it out.
Another good vid, John! Are the small body 2kw heaters pretty much the same as the 5/8kw models with most parts the interchangeable(except the burner chamber of course)?
Hi Robert, if you have a true small form 2 Kw heater (weight approx 2.5 kg) and not a 5 Kw heater branded as 2Kw (weight approx 4.5 kg) parts like glow plugs are interchangeable. But the form is smaller, so 5 kw heater gaskets etc are too big.
However, most Eberspacher 2 kw parts, like gaskets will fit a true Chinese 2 kw heater. Provided it is of the Eberspacher form. There are Chinese copies of a 2 kw Webasto form heater sold on eBay. These heaters are very different from each other.
@@johnmck1147 Interesting John, I do have a true 2k but have not installed it yet. So there are 2 different 2kw models, a Webasto clone and a Eberspacher clone? I didn't know that. I know that the true 2kw models are harder to come by. What are the primary differences and which is better?
Robert A
Hi Robert, yes, there are two clones out there. I have both of them in the 2kw form. I was intending to do a comparison video at some stage but I have now run out of time. I have one more video to publish in this series, and then next week I am off sailing for 3 months.
My personal preference is the Eberspacher form. I find them much more simple to work on, eg, just to change a glow plug on Webasto form requires heater removal, and to get at it requires the fan removal. Also copy parts for Eberspacher are cheap and readily available on eBay. JMcK
is this a 5kw or 2kw unit? Mine came very early (this AM), expected it in another week lol. Heater is red & black, suspect its a 2kw...i ordered a 5kw (ugh)... Has bad green fuel line & no fuel filter too.
Hi Sp. it is a 5 KW unit. A 2KW heater is smaller than a 5KW heater. See video on 2KW heaters. JMcK
what would cause smoke to come out of the air intake? Mine was running great for two days then started to smoke out the air intake
Hi NM,
What air intake do you mean?
If from the combustion air inlet it can signify some unburnt diesel and should quickly disappear when heater is running.
The reason for this could be various and I would need more info. One common cause is if the fuel tank is mounted higher than the heater, you can get diesel seepage into the heater. Solution, install a fuel tap and turn off when heater not in use.
If smoke out of hot air intake, you have a serious issue that can cause CO poising.
The most likely cause is an issue with the seals. See video on seals and gaskets. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 it came out of the air combustion air inlet I have running under the bus. It came on and some smoke started to come out of the exhaust tube like normal but then a lot of thick white smoke started to come out of the air inlet side. So I shut it down and tossed it in the garbage 🗑
Oh dear NM,
That was drastic.
It sounds to me like a fuel flooding issue, that could be easily fixed with a fuel tap.
But even if heater had a serious issue, you could return it for a replacement (if new) or use it for spare parts (if old). JMcK
Hi John is it possible to reset the ECU? mine is stuck in in "shut down mode" with the fan continuously running, no error codes.
Thank you Michael
Hi Michael, is it the ECU or the controller?
First I would make sure the controller was correctly connected. Check the plug.
I would then totally disconnect power to the unit and leave it disconnected for some minutes. Then power it up and see what happens.
If the same happens again I would try a different controller if you can borrow one. You can also buy a new one from about A$15 to A$25 on eBay. A new controller fixed a similar issue here.
I hope this helps. JMcK
Hi John
The fan on my diesel heater does not run freely and seems to be catching somewhere and also blows fuses when I try to prime it
Do you have any idea why
Hi Gordon, sometimes the fan blade catches on the outer casing. You can test this with the heater not working by putting your finger in the inlet side and move the fan back and forth. You will hear and feel it scraping if it is rubbing.
If a new heater ask for a replacement heater.
If an old heater, you can sometimes pack the heater up so the fan does not scrape.
If you blow fuses I need more info. You should have a min 15 amp fuse installed. JMcK
you can run that thing on peanut oil?!?!
love ur vids m8 , I've learned a lot, but why do we have to shove the allen into the fan @ 22:30 ?
Hi Chris, Not sure what your question is about. I am bolting the fan assembly back into the heater. The bolts have an allen key head. Some bolts are phillips head. JMcK
Are spare parts interchangeable with eberspacher ?
Yes Alan. Most parts are interchangeable with Eberspacher D4 heater. Only the electronics are different.
A very helpful video for taking these heaters down and maintaining them. Would it make sense to mount the ECU somewhere outside of the unit so it the event of an unplanned power loss it won't get melted? It looks like you would only need to run a few wires for the glow plug, fan, and temperature sensor.
Hi Adam, yes it could be done but it is not worth the effort.
The real difficulty is the ECU has mounted on it the fan speed sensor, so you would need to make a new bracket, remove the sensor from the ECU circuit board and mount it on the new bracket and get the position and spacing right above the fan magnets. Then find somewhere else for the ECU, run new wires etc, etc.
Better to just buy a new ECU in the rare occasion this may become an issue. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 Makes sense, thanks for the answer. Also, I'm curious, is there any easy way to reclaim some of the lost heat from the exhaust (say to warm water in your hot water tank). I thought of maybe using an air to water intercooler core. I've heard estimates that 500-1500 watts are being shot out the exhaust pipe, and that's about what it takes to warm up the 40 liter water tank in my boat.
Hi Adam, a number of hands on people do reclaim the exhaust heat. If you have the skills you can make a simple heat exchanger, or even get a bit of solid exhaust and wrap copper water pipe around that piece of the exhaust and you have a hot water source.
I know of no commercial product available off the shelf, so there is an opportunity there for some workshop. JMcK
Great video shame it was with a GoPro type lens, was forwarded this channel from another CZcams van life channel
hello john and thanks very much for all your very helpfull videos!! On 9:02 you say that is normal to have nicks on the inside braun fan part.. a new fan motor arrived today to change the old one and it looks like pieces are broken from there... is it still normal?? where can i send u a foto? thanks!!
Hi Dokze, please send photo to johnmck47@outlook .com and I will try and help. JMcK
Hi John hey I have one of these heaters I have a problem the fan will not spin up when I turn it on and there is a clicking in the control board in air code 6 comes up but it doesn't seem to be anything to do with the magnetic setup is there a way to test the fan motor
Hi B,
First check if the fan is rubbing against the case. You do this with the heater off, put your finger on the fan and move it back and forth to see if it scrapes. If so you can generally adjust the metal heater in the case to stop the scraping.
If the fan itself has issues like bearing troubles you can buy a spare fan on eBay, but if the heater is new, send it back for a new one. If not new, I suggest you buy a new heater and keep the old one for spare parts. These copy heaters are so cheap, that unless you are a real enthusiast it is not worth your time and effort to proceed here, if more than a simple fan scraping fault. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 so thanks for the reply
after playing with it for couple hours i pushed the on button and tapping the motor housing at same time, with back of screw driver and it came to life . there is a solenoid on the control board that kept on clicking then showing code 06 not sure what happened but think that the motor on its way out
Where to order parts for 8k chinese diesel heater any help would be much appreciated thanks John for your videos really helpful
Hi William, I order all my spare parts on line. Just search for the part you need. JMcK
Hey John, if I’m getting a smell similar to that when you walk on airplane before take off, would that represent a crack in the glow plug seal? Appreciate your expertise on these videos. Really great.
Hi Brett, depends where the smell is coming from.
It is not uncommon to get a bit of a smell on start and shutdown. It comes from unburnt fuel in burner, but it goes away quickly once heater is started. It comes from the combustion air inlet hose.
If you are getting the smell from the hot air outlet, then you need to take action straight away as you may have a leak from combustion chamber into hot air heat exchanger. This then comes into the accommodation area. This could be caused by broken seals or glow plug cap seal. This must be fixed or you could get CO poisoning. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 Thanks mate, really appreciate you getting back to me.
Hi John ,is there any reason my heater is not blowing as hot as when I first bought it ,it is not coked up ?
Hi Barry, there could be a number of reasons, but carbon build up is a common cause.
But first the obvious, if the air temperature is colder the heated air will be cooler.
Now how did you check it was not a carbon issue? Did you look in the burner chamber?
One part you cannot see is the main burner atomiser screen in the base of the burner. If this gets a build up of carbon you do not get a good fuel air mix and hence a poor burn.
Also look at your fuel filter to see there are no rubbish causing restrictions, and check the fuel pump is angled correctly to allow cavitation bubbles to escape.
I suggest you initially run a 90:10 , kerro:diesel fuel mix through the heater for 1 hour with 30 minutes at high setting and see if that improves the heat output. Kerro helps clean out the burner. JMcK
John McK 47 thanks John I run mine on Kerro Will try your other suggestions ,I stripped it to check for carbon ,all was good
Thanks now I feel confident servicing my heater when that time comes! :) just got mine installed yesterday, works great but with a plastic toxic smell when it starts. Seems to be the airtube to the went inside, what do you think?
Hi Daniel, will need more info please. What do you mean by airtube? and did you mean vent? After the initial start up, where there can be some smell, subsequent starts should have no smell. Was the heater new, or second hand? If second hand you may need to check the seals and gaskets. See the upcoming video next week.
If the combustion air intake is near the accommodation (heated air) inlet you can get a diesel smell on start up. The combustion air inlet should be well away from the heated air/ breathing air inlet. JMcK
John McK 47 What I meant was the hot air ducting tube inside the car, where the heated air comes out :). Its a new unit, theres no exhaust or diesel fumes, just a plastic rubbery smell. I’ve heard many people complain about smells first days so perhaps it will go away! It's not there all the time only at initial warm up!
Daniel Nilsson Yes Daniel, you can get some initial plastic smell in new installs, but it should go away. A diesel smell is cause for concern though. JMcK
John McK 47 Yes! And thanks again for the videos, leaned a lot and tried to follow you advice as best I could. Had another question regarding power, will the unit shut itself down before the battery gets to low in voltage?
Daniel Nilsson
Hi Daniel, yes they will shut themselves down when the voltage drops to around 10 volts, however a battery that low is unlikely to start your vehicle engine. They really need to be run off a seperate house battery. JMcK
Hi John thanks for nice video. I have tried to find the metal gasket , do you have a link on eBay for this part.
Best regards
Rune
Hi Rune, sorry, I have only been able to buy fibre gaskets as spare parts on eBay. JMcK
I had a 1985 VW Golf diesel for 14 years in Canada until it turned into a rust bucket from the road salt, and scraped.
Every couple of years, one of the four glow plugs would burn out. It was expensive to buy and a pain to install.
I understand the ones in a combustion engine experience great compression forces, but none of the ones I took out, had any cracks. They became open circuit.
And just to start the car, unlike the constant start and stop of these heaters.
How long do these glow plugs last in actual 24/7 winter use? I'm in Canada and it will be operating for 6 months out of the year.
If I have to replace the glow plugs every 3-6 months, then it's not very economical anymore.
The other option is to replace it every year with a new one. they are cheap enough to be disposable.
I think it would be best to buy 2 and operate one until it breaks down, then switch over to the spare until the broken one can be repaired or replaced.
Hi PN
It is rare to need to replace the glow plugs in actual use.
We have been using the boat heater on and off for some 12 years with original glow plugs. Havent needed to change glow plugs, or even service that heater.
Haven't needed to replace glow plugs from use on any installs to date from actual use.
However, I have needed to replace a couple of glow plugs I accidentally broke during service, or carbon removal in the early days. The ceramic part is very brittle and easily broken if you are not careful. Make sure you use correct tools.
Cheers, JMcK
Thank you for this superb series. It was very informative and I have learnt a lot from it.
If I may I have a couple of questions on the ECU(motherboard) and controller. 1. are the ECU(motherboard) brand/model specific or are they generic and interchangeable. i.e. when replacing a ECU(motherboard) should an exact replacement be sourced or can any of the different designs of motherboard for these heaters found on ebay be used (providing the power and heat ratings match). 2. when replacing the ECU, should the controller be replaced as well. Thanks once again.
Hi Lock,
When I made these videos some five years ago now, the heaters were all generic and followed the same protocol. It was very easy to mix and match ECU's and controllers. These days some suppliers have chosen to go proprietary, with their own wire plugs, systems and protocols, so mix and match is no longer easy.
However I have noticed “unbranded” heaters generally follow the old generic protocols.
If you do not know, it would generally be better to replace the ECU and controller as a unit, and purchase both units from the same supplier.
Good luck. JMcK
Thank you for making time to respond. From it am I right in thinking that the proprietary changes (wire plugs, systems and protocols) you mentioned will be confined to the ECU and controller? If so, am I correct in thinking then that as long as the ECU and controller are replaced together, they can be replaced by any other? (assuming the input/output devices (fuel pump, temperature sensor, fan. heater plug) remain generic) Or have I miss some further considerations. Cheers
@@johnmck1147
Correct. 👍
Hi John, thank you for your video's. It gave me the information and confidence to buy a 5kw. It has served me very well in the last 2 weeks.
As I'm heating a small space I'm often running the heater on a lower setting and as you suggest, regularly running on full temperature to burn off soot build up.
My question: gradually I begun to hear some rattling, warbling, from the fan.
I've inspected the outer fan and find no visible issue there. No melted plastic, no magnets sticking out.
I wonder, could it be the internal fan? Is this cause for concern?
I didn't hear this sound in the first week but now It does seem to be gradually increasing. It fades in and fades out in a slow rhythm.
Thank you for your suggestions ✌
Hi James,
First thanks for the feedback.
If your install is good, ie few restrictions in intake and exhaust the heater runs very clean and only needs an occassional burn off run. Probably once a season.
Sadly it is not uncommon for the outer fan to rub on the case. The metal part of the heater sits on little lugs in the plastic case and is not too secure. I bought three heaters from one supplier and all three had fan scraping issues. The fix was relative simple and just required some packing. I think I covered this briefly in the 2kw video. (Long time since I made it)
With the heater off gently move the outer fan with your finger and listen for any scraping noise.
You could also have something scraping in the inside fan, but would need to pull the heater apart to see. Something could have been sucked into the combustion air inlet. Do you have a filter on the inlet?
You should have a proper filter. In Aus we have mud wasps that build mud nests everywhere, and would love building nests in the intake hose. Even if they don't go far in the hose, the mud nest can break off and be sucked into the heater. Also critters like frogs and lizards can reside in the intake, and get sucked in on start up.
The exhaust sidebis not an issue, as it is hot, dirty, smelly, and anything in there gets blown back out, not sucked in.
It is also possible you may be getting the start of a fan bearing issue.
A suggestion. Unless you are an enthusiast, I would just check for noise with finger movement of the fan, and if nothing significant I would run the heater and see if things get worse before stripping the heater down.
I hope this helps your discovery a little. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 Hi John, thanks a mil for your reply.
I can confirm that the fan is not rubbing on the case.
Also from the start I attached the intake filter, so it's probably unlikely anything has made its way into the interior.
I may yet open her up, waiting on new gaskets, on order.
Also, now that I've taken the cover lid off, there certainly is a rattle coming from inside. I had definitely not noticed this during installation.
I attach a short video of the rattle with the cover open. And then with the heater in operation. Best heard with volume up.
czcams.com/video/-P1GsFV4ivM/video.html
Any further thoughts, please let me know. Many thanks.
I will probably contact the suppliers, fortunately this supplier is based in my country.
All the best, thanks ✌
James Heel
Hi James,
If the heater is new, and you have a local supplier, I suggest you request a replacement heater.
You could have bearing problems, alignment problems, inner fan issues, loose inner fan, etc etc.
Ask for a replacement heater.
Cheers. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 Thank you. I'll do just that. Cheers ✌🏽
James Heel
👍
2 questions: Knowing they are cheap, how long can they run for in a continuous lapse of time and would it keep warm (comfortable 12Deg C) ) a room that is 13x28?
Hi Danny, set up right they will run for hundreds of hours without cleaning or maintenance.
Second question, this is very dependent on insulation. If you are talking feet, you will be comfortable, if talking meters, you will need more than one heater. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 It would be in feet. Now with this info, if I set the machine to the lowest, how much fuel would I use in one day?
Really loved watching all 14 videos you made. If I hadn't seen your videos on it, I would have bought a 8KW thinking it was a real thing when in reality, the figures don't lie.. You proved it right out of the water!
Dany F
Hi Danny, they use .02 ml of fuel per pulse, so at a low setting of 1.6 Hz they use .02X1.6 per second x 60 for minutes X 60 for hours X 24 for mL per day divide by 1,000 to get litres use per day. =. approx 2.8 litres per day. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 Thanks for the info. Truly appreciated. I forgot you had 15 videos instead of just 14 like I had seen. Real important info in these videos. I have saved a few in my favorites for future reference. Don't be surprised if I come up with more questions!!!
One last one and it is a good one:
If I would take malleable 1/4 or 3/8 of an inch copper tubing and tightly wrapped in around the external casing of the heater, do you think it would recoup a lot of heat as liquid passes inside the tubing? I'm trying to salvage as much heat as possible to heat my shop.
In this case, that tubing would be used to help heat my radiant floor heating system. I am ready to try anything. LOL
Dany F Sounds good to me Danny, and worth a try. But you would need a little pump for circulation, unlike a vertical water heater where you could make use of convection currents. Cheers.
Hi John, thanks for all your videos on these heaters! They’ve been exceptionally useful. I’m based in Canberra and looking for a decent eBay retailer - the two links you posted in an earlier video aren’t current anymore? Would you mind sending me your current supplier? Cheers
Hi Ryan, try this one,
www.ebay.com.au/itm/5000W-Air-Diesel-Heater-Car-Vehicle-Heating-Single-Hole-LCD-Switch-Vehicle-12V/273585249890?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
I have also bought off this seller. Quick delivery with an Australian warehouse.
Hi John, thanks. By the way: At 19'20'' Bolt = screw + nut. That one is a screw, not a bolt.
The best video on this subject. Again, thanks
Clean the burner with Mr mussle oven foam if it's not aluminium
Hi John, thanks for another great video! I installed one of these Chinese diesel heaters a while back and it still gives off a toxic smelling hot plastic smell. It's not really strong but doesn't smell nice. As far as I can tell I have installed it all correctly and carefully so it seems that the smell is coming from inside the heater somewhere. I have seen a few people complain of the same issue but I haven't found a good solution. I've also ran the heater for many hours since instillation and the smell is still there. It doesn't smell like diesel or fumes, more like a faint smell of hot / burning plastic. Do you have any idea what might be causing this? It's very frustrating as I have very careful and thorough with the instillation. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! Leon
Hi Leon,
First I would beg or borrow an instant CO meter, not normal fixed meter, and check your outlet. You don't want to see any CO reading on the meter.
If you get a reading you most likely have a cracked or broken gasket issue. Have a look at the gasket video.
Next open the heater and check that there are no wires or plastic touching the hot heat exchange fins on the heater.
Also check the glow plug seal and the intake fuel pipe seal. The gasket video explains.
Please let me know how it goes. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 Thanks so much John! I really appreciate your reply. I’m going to buy one of those meters and test it. And then follow the other steps if necessary! Thanks very much. I’ll let you know how I get on!
👍
@@johnmck1147 Hi John, just wanted to send over an update. I purchased the same CO meter you have and tested it. Luckily I'm getting a reading of zero so. I'm still getting a faint smell of hot plastic from the hot air but it seems to be getting a bit better. I'm going to run the heater hot for a while a few times and see if that helps burn of any internal coatings etc. I've also had a second opinion from a friend who thinks the smell is faint enough to not be an issue. So will see how it goes and if anything gets worse I'll have a look inside. Thanks for your help. The meter really helped.
👍
Do these have the power to blow through a 6 foot duct?
Yes Kelly, It is not uncommon to have 20 foot of ducting in a boat, but you don't want sharp bends. JMcK
@@johnmck1147 ok, that's good but they are all still only about 170 cfm right?
kelly hanlon
Not sure what you mean here Kelly.
The output coming from the vents depends on the fan speed and output at the heater. You will not get the same output of air at the end of a long vent that is the same as heater output at the start due to friction losses etc. If the vent is long enough, you will reach the stage where nothing comes out the end. JMcK
Sir I have a question. How is the fuel inlet tube attached to the burner? Is soldered or is it removable? The reason I want to know is because when I mount mine I want the exhaust pipe and the manifold connectors outside the van. The mounting plate will be sealed to the floor. (with High temp. sealant) My fuel tank is going to be inside the van I also am mounting my dosing pump in the van. I want to reroute the tube from exiting the bottom of the pump. instead I want it to come through a small drilled in the cover of the unit. that will also eliminate about three bends in that tube. If I eff it up do I need a whole new burner? lol Your videos are the best ones out there on these heaters Thank you!
Hi Jun,
The fuel line is a pushed on to a metal hose nipple and held with a clamp.
JMcK
I know What I want to know is how the metal hose is attached to the burner
And thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions.
Jun Bead
Hi Jun, it is braized welded.
You could be making this difficult fo yourself. Why not just install it like most other van installs and install the fuel line from the bottom as designed. Many vans do have the fuel tank inside the van and run the fuel hose out the bottom and then back to the heater. JMcK
HI COULD YOU HELP ME WITH ERROR 07
Hi NG,
E07 is usually associated with an error with the controller. It could be an issue with the controller itself, a plug connection issue, bad wiring, or low voltage.
First up did the heater work before but not now? Or is the heater new?
Suggest you first check your battery is fully charged and you have at least 12V at the heater itself. The heater should be connected directly to the battery to prevent voltage drop.
Next check that the controller plug fittings and wires are ok, and there is no corrosion or damaged wires in the plug and socket, check the wire colours match in the plug and socket. Sometimes if you used a different controller, the blue wires may not line up. Also check the plug is pushed hard into the socket.
Good luck. JMcK
WHO does mechanical work on a glass table....I guess it will make good content when he drops something accidentally...Its like watching Russin Roulette.