His view is that you can run it higher for a few minutes and burn off the carbon, whereas if you have a smaller 2kW unit and run it hard all the time it’s noisier AND more prone to wear and tear.

Because diesel heaters produce dry heat, they actually help to prevent the buildup of moisture inside your van by lowering the relative humidity. Using a propane heater actually creates moisture, which can lead to mold and mildew, even if you have a vent fan installed. This type of environment can be pretty bad for your health. German vs Chinese Diesel Heaters The wide range of controls on offer includes various panels with switches and LCDs, or there’s the latest, EasyStart Call, which allows you to operate your heater using the proprietary smartphone app. If you plan on living in your campervan during the winter months, you’re going to need a way to keep warm. No matter how well-insulated your campervan conversion may be, things can get pretty uncomfortable once the temperatures really start to drop.

Diesel heaters offer exact temperature regulation when heating your car, letting you maintain the desired heat level. The heating system will automatically function at its lowest levels to keep up the desired degree of warmth once the target temperature has been reached. Additionally, diesel heaters function quite quietly when placed properly, allowing you to travel silently.

The standard kit comes with a basic rotary control panel offering stop/start, capacity and air temp control and LED indication of heater status. In this guide I focus on air heaters, but in the future I suspect hydronic heaters will become more popular as they become more affordable. Heat output Its new laminar flow burner offers low emissions of CO2 and NOx, and is designed to work with blended bio-diesel. You don't want to use your savings to get a car heater diesel to pay too much for fuel. Choose a model whose specifications meet your requirements. Nothing more or less.More expensive diesel heaters from Webasto and Eberspacher feature nifty altitude adjustment settings that automatically change the mix of fuel and air. These are definitely the best diesel heaters to buy if your winter van life dreams involve skiing and hiking in the mountains. That said, you can manually adjust some diesel heaters so they work at higher elevations, but it involves quite a bit of tinkering with no strict guarantees of success. Power Consumption

Most camper diesel heaters are extremely efficient using between 0.1 and 0.6 litres of diesel per hour. The figures are similar for budget and premium models. NoiseFuelled by red or clear diesel, fed from from its own gravity tank – Header tank version – or pumped direct from the boat’s supply – main fuel tank version. Carbon monoxide poisoning is no joke, and if this gas accumulates in a small space it can be deadly. That’s why it’s a really good idea to install a carbon monoxide detector in your camper van, especially if you’re using propane for cooking and heating. Uses more fuel and power. To produce the same amount of heat as a 5kW diesel heater a 2kW will use more. Takes longer to heat up. If you have a larger space they can take longer to get the room up to temperature. However, if you do want find out if there are any error codes, here’s how you can access that information.

They usually come with just an analogue rotary-type knob with an LED or two to indicate operation status.

Similarly, metal fittings may be galvanised rather than stainless steel, and vulnerable to rust, and fuel lines not of the same specification. The van life community was understandably hesitant to embrace Chinese diesel heaters when they first started showing up. However, as more and more budget-conscious van dwellers have bought and installed a Chinese diesel heater, the general consensus has turned in their favor. The most common type of diesel heater is the air heater which simply blows out hot air. The air and water heater blows hot air and acts as a water heater. Finally, the most modern type of diesel heater is the hydronic heater which blows hot air and heats water but also use the excess heat energy produced by the engine as a fuel source, effectively providing a limited amount of free energy from your drives. You’ve had a look online and you’ve seen an amazing looking deal on a blown air diesel heater. It comes from an unknown company but the model unit looks familiar in shape.