Regulating temperature in a parked vehicle using a diesel heater / coolant heater

[PeterPiper]

Misinformation is the real danger. We see it ALL AROUND us today.

A properly installed diesel heater is of about the same danger as having an internal combustion engine up front.
The cheap Chinese heaters were designed exactly after the higher end heaters and when properly installed are safe.

The problem arises when people take shortcuts or make installation mistakes. As with ANY heating system.
Also, having at least two Carbon Monoxide detectors in the living space further mitigates the danger.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

I have a diesel hydronic boiler setup in my van and love it. The boiler heats up a coolant loop that powers the cab heat, the rear heat, the water heater, the hot tub, and can heat up the engine on super cold days(diesel problems). It has a built in thermostat so the coolant loop is a self regulated temperature. Forced air heat exchanger on a thermostat takes the heat out of that coolant and into the air in the living space. And yes, like any other combustable heating system, you need to take all the proper safety precautions! Follow manufactures installation guidelines. Detectors and fire extinguishers are a must!

 

[DannyB1954]

Was going to suggest something, then realized it would not work. I could not delete a post already started.

 

[frodo2222]

I also have thought about this solution..I came up with a vent install with a reversible fan 12 volt and attached to a temperature on/off switch so it can turn on and off by itself based on what I set it for the lower and higher temps setting However the temp thermostat came in not working and the replacement was missing a part so still waiting for that part

 

[JDelete]

Speaking of misinformation, propane heaters that work on the same principle as diesel heaters—ie. the combustion air and exhaust gas are vented to the outside—Do Not put moisture into the air.

For some reason people equate the Mr. Buddy type heaters, which do put moisture in the air, as the final definition of propane heat.

 

[LargeMarge]

Speaking of misinformation, propane heaters that work on the same principle as diesel heaters—ie. the combustion air and exhaust gas are vented to the outside—Do Not put moisture into the air.

For some reason people equate the Mr. Buddy type heaters, which do put moisture in the air, as the final definition of propane heat.

.
January 6th, 2022.
Eugene, Oregon to Grass Valley, California -- three-day round-trip.
1995 Dodge extra-cab.
Interstate Five.
Clear and visibility unlimited.
.
I can travel 24/7... as long as I get naps every few hours.
Prepping for this trip, I put a 'five-gallon' 20# propane bottle in the back seat, the appropriate hose and reg, plus one of our spare Wave 3 catalytic heaters.
.
Going down was OK.
Coming back, I zonked just north of Weed at the Weed airfield rest-stop.
Temperature -- hovering around 5-10°f, a couple dozen degrees below freezing.
Winds out of the Arctic at 10mph, gusts to 30-40.
.
I had two of our RedHeelers with me.
.
I set the Wave 3 on the console between the front seats.
On LOW with the windows down an inch, I kicked the seat back for my nap.
That was about 4pm.
.
My bladder woke me at midnight.
The dogs took me for a walk, and we slept until sunrise.
.
Would I suggest you run your Wave 3 in your front seat?
Probably not.
Fact is, I recommend against a 1,200 mile three-day marathon.
Fact is, nobody in their right mind does anything I do.

 

[Night_Sailor]

I have a suggestion for using a diesel heater / coolant heater to heat a parked vehicle using a thermostat to regulate the parked vehicle temperature.

Those diesel heaters ( I suggest using Kersosene, less soot problems than Red Dye Diesel ) are very popular these days. The unfortunate thing about them is that you can't leave them on and keep a consistant temperature. I like the Diesel Heaters because they don't build condensation on the windows in humid climates with thier dry heat.


So I came up with a solution.

Using a Diesel Heater / Coolant Heater version (the kind that will heat the coolant water in your engine as well as provide heat for the vehicle.

As I mentioned, you can not regulate the heat. You can set a temperature, but the unit never turns off and only slows the fan down. I suggest using this heat application on the diesel heater to heat watertanks, or other non human areas in a vehicle, like underneath storage on a motorhome. Using the Coolant Heater to heat a Heat Exchanger (similar to a rear heater in a school bus or van using the coolant in the engine.) but not have it connected to the engine coolant system. Instead, connect it directly to a Heat Exchanger utilizing a expansion tank for when the water expands and contracts, similar to a cars cooling system. Install an electric fan behind the heat exchanger that is connected to a thermostat connected to the house battery. With the diesel heater running non stop to keep the water hot, the fan will turn on and off with the thermostat to provide comfortable heat in the living space.

I think this a a terrific solution that is better than a propane heater / furnace such as installed in a motorhome that drenches the vehicle with moisture from the propane. The Bottle Propane heaters are hard to regulate and therefore you don't leave them on.

The Diesel heater can run for quite a long time using a larger fuel container such as a 5 gallon jerry can filled with Kersosene.

Well, what do youi think? Regulating the heat in a parked vehicle using a diesel heater / coolant heater connected to a heat exchanger using heater hose and and expansion tank should be simple to set up.

Here is a link to the Chinese Diesel Heater Factory that produces the diesel heater with the coolant heater feature.
$248.94 plus shipping from China.
I found this on youtube and the man said it was close to $400.00 after shipping.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...a2756.order-detail-ta-bn-b.0.0.5fcf2fc2idfAj9

Here is a link to a Honeywell Thermostat suggestion
$92.89 Plus shipping and taxes from www.industrialstores.com
https://www.industrialstores.com/pr...remote-bulb-thermostat-temperature-controller


Imagine being able to walk up to your vehicle after work and have it be as warm as your house in the winter...

They make these that turn off and on with a thermostat. You can easily buy off the shelf products that do that. Espacher and Wesbasto are two well known marine heaters that use either forced hot air or hydronic heat with registers--the later require some electric power for the fans and pumps.

 

[hugemoth]

The reason diesel heaters don't turn off completely when they reach the set temperature is that the glow plug must be turned on for a couple minutes during the cool down cycle to burn off any residual fuel to keep the glow plug and atomizing screen clean. The glow plug draws about 10 amps. To restart, the glow plug has to be turned on for a couple minutes to ignite the diesel. Repeatedly turning the glow plug on and off would use a lot of your battery capacity. The German heaters work the same way.

Almost every Chinese diesel heater controller is equipped with a thermostat and those that aren't can have it added by replacing a few cheap plug in parts. You can use the timer function to turn it off completely at a set time.

 

[dustytrailhead]

I have a Webasto STC2000 Petrol (european, gasoline). I’ve had it apart twice, both times to de-coke. It’s not hard to do, but if you need a heater, then the temperature is uncomfortable and nights are problematic. I purchased a $70 Mr. Heater Buddy to heat with, while I was waiting for parts to fix the Webasto the first time. Second time, I learned to have a burner assembly and gasket kit on hand. (I was not sorry to let go of the propane guzzling Buddy and its trail of green bottles.) However, I still have the new burner assembly. I cleaned the old one with brake cleaner and a map gas torch; good as new. I ordered new gaskets for the next time.
So, there is some evidence that letting the petrol model cycle, using the rheostat, will cause coking. Consequently, I use the rheostat full on or off, nothing in between. It’s kind of hassle to regulate the temperature by opening windows and vents, but it beats disassembly to clean the combustion chamber.
There is also another factor, which might have contributed to coking. I was using a portable “solar generator” that had some voltage drops. The lights would flicker in my camper when the heater would startup and shutdown. I have since replace it with separate batteries and charge controller. I have no more light flickering.
Finally, RV with Tito installed a petrol Webasto in his class C. It coked up, as I thought it might. But he was using it above 5,000 ft. without doing the altitude calibration, using the rheostat. Anyway, now he knows. But, his fix for the coking was to blow compressed air thru either the combustion air intake or the exhaust. That was successful, or seemed to be.
In the future, I might try to use the rheostat to control temperature. That would be a be improvement. It’s taking a chance, but I can try to de-coke with compressed air. Or, if that’s no good, I can take it apart a third time. If de-coking is necessary, either way, I’m back to modulating temp by opening windows.
Gasoline has less energy than diesel, so it cokes more easily. But, I like that there is only one fuel to buy (for it and the gasoline engine), one fuel gauge to monitor (the one on the dash). I tend to buy gas when I have no less than a quarter tank, before the fuel tap goes high and dry at about 1/8 tank. I don’t use any fuel to cook; I have an induction cooktop. There’s just one fuel: gasoline. Simple. I just wish I could make the Webasto heat more efficiently.

 

[LoupGarou]

The EastStart Pro controller on my Espar D2 functions as a thermostat. As the sun warms the interior the heater shuts off.