Hi everyone. Temperature is dropping in the UK and I’m starting to feel the need for a heating system in my van.
I am looking to install a diesel heater but I am on a budget. I am thinking of a Chinese knock off from ebay of a wabasto/ebersnatch/planar (spelling probably wrong). Any advice would be great.
I also wondered how much draw from the battery these things take per hour of running? My battery capacity is super small and I only use it to run LED lights, charge phones and a single small laptop so would these systems create a larger draw?
Any alternative solutions also welcome (except just put on more layers! I’ve already given this a go)
There is a chart showing 0.8 to 2.42 amps power use during heating. As far as I know the Chinese have copied that also.
Planar or a copy of one will find its way in my van also. Since it already has Webasto engine heater, I can tap into that fuel line instead of making a new hole in the fuel tank.
One of the best things I ever did was to switch to a portable kerosene heater. No power required, totally silent, very cheap and easy to buy used, and very cost efficient to operate. For power free hot air circulation you can get a hot air fan, like they use for wood stoves, and it will keep your space comfortably heated from floor to ceiling. Got down to -57°f last winter, and mine kept me comfy & cozy.
Mine will even let you cook on them, very handy if I need an extra burner, or I can stick my coleman folding oven on top of it for fresh baked goods.
Power isn’t always reliable, so it’s always a good idea to have a heat source that doesn’t require power, even if it’s just your backup plan.
Cheers!
"Be a trendsetter and support yourself !!!" ~ Camp4Ever
Not sure if you’ve purchased a heater already, but the Planars are great units. They have a lot of accessories available to customize it however you’d like to. The cheapest I’ve found has been $655 US dollars at totalcomposites. com/product/diesel-air-heater-planar-2d-12-high-altitude/
They don’t consume that much electrical energy as the previous poster stated, I think it depends on how high you set the fan. They’re very fuel efficient too as compared to propane and gas.
