I'm one of those who built a campervan out of a retired corporate '03 Ford E250 about 12 years ago to give my gang (dog, SWMBO, me) a place to sleep off the ground, tow a trailer, and handle rough roads that would take us to USFS and NPS campgrounds in relative comfort and safety. It's a great vehicle for that, tough, steady, with 4 wheel discs and airbags.
I've long tried to have some sort of interior non-engine heat for shoulder season use. I've tried butane, the propane little buddy heater, etc., and all generate way too much moisture inside overnight than I'd prefer. I have an electric heater that feeds off of shore power really well, but on the road at the very beginning of Covid we got caught in Utah where everything was closed and no one would let us camp and plug in on a sub-20 degree F night. My wife is pretty situationally flexible, and we've good sleeping bags, but they're still not really comfy and our collective breath caused a bit more condensation inside than I'd prefer.
I had been looking at the Webasto or Propex series of heaters for on-board heat for a long time. Both are >$1000 to buy, and both are tricky to install if you want to use on board fuel, so DIY is really not in the cards for me. No local installer options here in sunny Eastern Washington. Over the last couple of years several chinese diesel heaters became available on internet retailers. These heaters burn diesel, sourcing outside air for combustion and exhausting combustion products outside the vehicle, while warming and circulating interior air throughout the inside of the van. Truckers use these things to warm their sleepers without idling the main engine. Since my van is gas, I need an auxiliary tank to hold diesel.
After a trip to the local RV show where rigs with asking prices >$100K and really inadequate frames and interiors (SWMBO, me, and the dog ain't fitting in one as configured) I pulled the trigger on what is known across the internet as a Cheap Chinese Diesel Heater. My total cost for this and optional products after installation is about $250 for parts and stuff. A couple days wait and here comes the UPS guy, with the stuff.
I first 86'd the supplied 10 liter tank as I have no desire for that much fuel, and no place outside the cab the 10 liter tank would fit. I got a standard 2gal (a bit over 7 liters) kerosene can, built a bracket that bolts to preexisting holes (which I threaded for bolts) in the frame and attaches to the body with #14 sheet metal screws. The filler hose sticks up into the gas filler door in the van, so I can add fuel to this system in the same spot. The heater uses about a liter every 8-10 hours, so a full tank gives me 7 days. If I'm out for 7 days, I'm gonna need a shower so I'll go to town.
I added a small box holding the fuel filter and fuel pump forward of the fuel tank. This too is bolted to pre-existing (now threaded) holes in the frame, though I did need to drill a hole threaded for a 5/16 bolt to secure the pump. I checked to make sure I wouldn't drill and tap a brake or fuel line, etc. The fuel pump is connected to the main heater wiring harness, included with the kit. The harness hooks up to the house battery.
The heater itself mounted in a clear area right behind the drivers seat. It's that grey and black thing in the pic below. Air intake and exhaust piping exit the van interior through the bottom, the exhaust has a muffler and the intake a filter. Exhaust is discharged out the side of the van. Heated air comes out the nozzle pointing toward the center of the van. The controller goes on the pillar behind the drivers' door.
A bit of trimming of floor coverings is left, but I built a box to shroud the unit, a bit oversize so I can stash some hand tools in the box. My map parcel containing maps for most western states sits on top quite nicely, it may be displaced by a 6-pack cooler during hot weather.
So, it's up and running. This should really extend the life of this vehicle which fits the way we camp and travel, and no longer leave me at the mercy of some campground with electricity for heat on a cold night when on the road. Spring Training (if it ever happens again) and the Colorado Plateau in March are now within reach.
They make all kinds of these units, many are adapted to "tent heaters" as self contained units. You can search for "Cheap Chinese Heaters" and find tons for sale, tons of youtubes on operation, and all kinds of chat, as usual on the internet some is crap and some is not. Yes, there's many internet horror stories of non-catastrophic failure and poor longevity. I'm hoping I don't run into too much trouble, but as one person told me..."I don't think about it. I just turn it on and it works." I'm hoping to be in that place.
Since I'm planning a trip to Canada in early May, I'm sorta wondering how Customs will view this setup...I hope I don't have to take it all out......
I've long tried to have some sort of interior non-engine heat for shoulder season use. I've tried butane, the propane little buddy heater, etc., and all generate way too much moisture inside overnight than I'd prefer. I have an electric heater that feeds off of shore power really well, but on the road at the very beginning of Covid we got caught in Utah where everything was closed and no one would let us camp and plug in on a sub-20 degree F night. My wife is pretty situationally flexible, and we've good sleeping bags, but they're still not really comfy and our collective breath caused a bit more condensation inside than I'd prefer.
I had been looking at the Webasto or Propex series of heaters for on-board heat for a long time. Both are >$1000 to buy, and both are tricky to install if you want to use on board fuel, so DIY is really not in the cards for me. No local installer options here in sunny Eastern Washington. Over the last couple of years several chinese diesel heaters became available on internet retailers. These heaters burn diesel, sourcing outside air for combustion and exhausting combustion products outside the vehicle, while warming and circulating interior air throughout the inside of the van. Truckers use these things to warm their sleepers without idling the main engine. Since my van is gas, I need an auxiliary tank to hold diesel.
After a trip to the local RV show where rigs with asking prices >$100K and really inadequate frames and interiors (SWMBO, me, and the dog ain't fitting in one as configured) I pulled the trigger on what is known across the internet as a Cheap Chinese Diesel Heater. My total cost for this and optional products after installation is about $250 for parts and stuff. A couple days wait and here comes the UPS guy, with the stuff.
I first 86'd the supplied 10 liter tank as I have no desire for that much fuel, and no place outside the cab the 10 liter tank would fit. I got a standard 2gal (a bit over 7 liters) kerosene can, built a bracket that bolts to preexisting holes (which I threaded for bolts) in the frame and attaches to the body with #14 sheet metal screws. The filler hose sticks up into the gas filler door in the van, so I can add fuel to this system in the same spot. The heater uses about a liter every 8-10 hours, so a full tank gives me 7 days. If I'm out for 7 days, I'm gonna need a shower so I'll go to town.
I added a small box holding the fuel filter and fuel pump forward of the fuel tank. This too is bolted to pre-existing (now threaded) holes in the frame, though I did need to drill a hole threaded for a 5/16 bolt to secure the pump. I checked to make sure I wouldn't drill and tap a brake or fuel line, etc. The fuel pump is connected to the main heater wiring harness, included with the kit. The harness hooks up to the house battery.
The heater itself mounted in a clear area right behind the drivers seat. It's that grey and black thing in the pic below. Air intake and exhaust piping exit the van interior through the bottom, the exhaust has a muffler and the intake a filter. Exhaust is discharged out the side of the van. Heated air comes out the nozzle pointing toward the center of the van. The controller goes on the pillar behind the drivers' door.
A bit of trimming of floor coverings is left, but I built a box to shroud the unit, a bit oversize so I can stash some hand tools in the box. My map parcel containing maps for most western states sits on top quite nicely, it may be displaced by a 6-pack cooler during hot weather.
So, it's up and running. This should really extend the life of this vehicle which fits the way we camp and travel, and no longer leave me at the mercy of some campground with electricity for heat on a cold night when on the road. Spring Training (if it ever happens again) and the Colorado Plateau in March are now within reach.
They make all kinds of these units, many are adapted to "tent heaters" as self contained units. You can search for "Cheap Chinese Heaters" and find tons for sale, tons of youtubes on operation, and all kinds of chat, as usual on the internet some is crap and some is not. Yes, there's many internet horror stories of non-catastrophic failure and poor longevity. I'm hoping I don't run into too much trouble, but as one person told me..."I don't think about it. I just turn it on and it works." I'm hoping to be in that place.
Since I'm planning a trip to Canada in early May, I'm sorta wondering how Customs will view this setup...I hope I don't have to take it all out......
