Has anyone installed a diesel heater in a truck camper

[Speedbump]

I have a semi truck and it uses a webasto diesel fuel heater to keep the sleeper warm without idling the truck. Has anyone seen this done before. Any thoughts or ideas on this conversion? Thanks

 

[ckent323]

If I recall correctly the XP Camper uses a Webasto Diesel Heater. However, I have not seen one put in a FWC - yet.

Regards,
Craig

 

[Marc]

I used to have an XPCamper and it had a Webasto Duel Top. This unit provided heat as well as hot H20 and worked very well.
In my Sprinter build I installed a Webasto diesel bunk heater tapped into my main fuel tank and it also has worked very well.
I highly recommend either Webasto or Espar.

 

[AK Nomad]

I've used espars to preheat my trucks for years. If I was building a camper I would seriously consider this route (single fuel source). Locally, there's an experiment in heating a small house with a webasto.

 

[CamperCamper]

I will be installing a Webasto diesel heater in a Hawk flatbed. Will post about the process when it is done.

 

[K6ON]

I used to have an XPCamper and it had a Webasto Duel Top. This unit provided heat as well as hot H20 and worked very well.
In my Sprinter build I installed a Webasto diesel bunk heater tapped into my main fuel tank and it also has worked very well.
I highly recommend either Webasto or Espar.

I camp frequently with Marc and I'll add, even with a muffler, the Webasto is very loud outside the van. It sounds
like a small jet engine running. I make it a point to park on the opposite side of the van from the heater exhaust. Even
then, it's quite audible. It's the nature of the beast.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

We have a Wallas diesel heater/stove in our boat. It's two burner, both on when running, exhausted outside. The lid when down has a fan to distribute air, a bit noisy, reasonable current draw. We put an ECO fan on the cooler of the two burners and use it instead of the fan in the lid. Some of our boating group has had a lot of trouble with the Wallas, but it's often due to bad fuel or improper use. They're expensive (but it was a package deal) and can be temperamental, but they work... usually. Jody Kidd might chime in, as I think his boat also has a Wallas.

I believe Wallas makes a heater only version.

https://www.scanmarineusa.com/rv-land/stoveheaters

 

[PaulT]

--snip--
We put an ECO fan on the cooler of the two burners and use it instead of the fan in the lid. --snip--
I believe Wallas makes a heater only version.
https://www.scanmarineusa.com/rv-land/stoveheaters

Instead of an electrically powered fan, have you looked at a Stirling engine fan? Put it on the hotter side for more air flow. No electricity required. More expensive, perhaps, but think of the warm fuzzies from using a more eco-friendly solution.
https://www.stirlingengine.com/product/stirling-engine-stove-fan/

Paul.

 

[PaulT]

Steve,
Is your fan the Peltier driven unit?
Paul

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Steve,
Is your fan the Peltier driven unit?
Paul

Not a stirling engine, it uses a dissimilar metal stack to create a small current and drive the fan. I believe that is the Peltier engine technology.

 

[CamperCamper]

Installed a Webasto diesel heater in my flat bed Hawk this fall. Camped two nights this week in low 30 degree temps and awoke to zero condensation. I will do a write up when I get a little time over the holidays. The fan moves air all night so the moisture is constantly being removed from the cabin. Very happy with this modification!

 

[Bigfoot Dave]

I have a Webasto in my boat and agree on the external exhaust noise. It is quiet in the boat and nice heat. I have considered putting one in my SpaceKap Classic.
Anyone have experience with tapping into a F350 diesel fuel system for fuel source? Thanks, Bigfoot Dave

 

[DavidGraves]

FWIW

There is new unused Webasto diesel heater listed on Portland OR craigslist.

 

[rando]

I have used Webasto diesel heaters pretty extensively on over snow vehicles and I would agree with what others have said about the noise - particularly outside the vehicle. I wouldn't want to be camped close to someone using one. My impression was that they are also less reliable than propane heaters and would often malfunction on our Hagglunds and Pisten Bullys - which makes sense as they are more complicated and can produce soot if anything gets out of wack. Unless you are camping in very cold conditions a lot and expect to use a large amounts of fuel for heating, I can't see the advantage of a common fuel source really outweighing the cost/complexity and noise of a Webasto.

 

[CamperCamper]

I was worried about the noise factor too before my install. Webasto has dealt with that issue head on. They have developed RV specific kits to make the noises less obtrusive. They include extra silent fuel dosing pumps with vibration clacking brackets and more importantly, exhaust and air intake silencers. The noise from my heater is less than from the propane heaters! The silencers really do a good job. Of course, you have to pay extra for the parts and the heater works just fine without them. So, if you are hearing noisy diesel heaters it is most likely because the person chose not to spend the extra cost to make things nice for their neighbors!

 

[longhorn1]

A friend has an Australian Karavan camper (off-road pull behind). Uses a diesel heater and stove, as well as bed warmer. He has a propane outside stove. Apparently the use diesel in many of their campers. Understand this isn't a FWC, but he and others love the system.

 

[sourdough]

Check this space and weight saver out....... http://www.truckcamperadventure.com/2017/05/in-the-spotlight-the-truma-combi-water-heater-furnace/
I have a Espar diesel heater and seperate LPG 6 gal. water heater in my rig. This Truma combi unit looks like the future.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Wallas also makes heater/stove combinations. We have a two burner version in our boat. Lid up it’s a stove, lid down a heater (squirrel cage fan in lid). We use an EcoFan on a burner to distribute air without running the lid fan, it’s a little noisy and a small DC drain.

With a Wallas, people either love them or hate them. They’re expensive, can be temperamental if poor quality fuel (#2 diesel) or incorrect procedures are used, and there is an art to running them. Scan Marine in Seattle is the only dealer in the US to my knowledge.

 

[Roaming_Eagle]

I was in between a Webasto diesel heater and a Propex propane furnace, I opted for the latter just from experiance it was going to be easier to maintain and less noisy. Diesel heaters definetly have their place such as class A-C rigs and boats.

I was able to fit the HS2000 inside the old refrigerator compartment on my Eagle.

 

[Vic Harder]

I was in between a Webasto diesel heater and a Propex propane furnace, I opted for the latter just from experiance it was going to be easier to maintain and less noisy. Diesel heaters definetly have their place such as class A-C rigs and boats.

I was able to fit the HS2000 inside the old refrigerator compartment on my Eagle.

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I was in between a Webasto diesel heater and a Propex propane furnace, I opted for the latter just from experiance it was going to be easier to maintain and less noisy. Diesel heaters definetly have their place such as class A-C rigs and boats.

I was able to fit the HS2000 inside the old refrigerator compartment on my Eagle.

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What did you do about routing the hot exhaust? I had initially just made a 1" hole and ran it through that to the outside, but have since made a 2" hole and attached an alum plate with a 1" hole over that, and fed the line through the plate. Distributes the heat a bit better so less chance of fire.