TheSamba.com :: View topic - The official Chinese Diesel Heater thread (Webasto Knockoff)

Fri Nov 29, 2024 10:12 am

On austrian army vans thr Eber heaters were installed under the seat with minor body modification:

https://www.vwt3.at/index.php?/topic/7217-standheizung-d1l-unter-beifahrersitz/

https://www.vwt3.at/index.php?/topic/45644-bh-box-standheizung-unter-dem-beifahrersitz/

Fri Nov 29, 2024 11:06 am

Here is surely the right place! Do you have an Afterburner controller as well? That would help with any out-of-the-ordinary diagnosis.

Tell us the story...

Fri Nov 29, 2024 11:44 am

That's an interesting install location. I'm assuming it's installed on the inboard side so there are no issues with tire clearance.

Fri Nov 29, 2024 4:53 pm

My van came with a CDH when I bought it. I've removed the CDH as I don't want it. Tested and worked before removal. It's complete with all the parts and wiring harness. Given what a brand new one costs, I imagine a used one like this is essentially worthless. Before I toss it all in the trash, are there any spare parts anyone would like? Happy to send you whatever you need for the cost of shipping. Send a PM if interested. If no takers, it's all going in the dumpster.

Edit: CDH is gone, saved from the landfill!

Fri Nov 29, 2024 6:23 pm

That is nice of you to offer.

I think the fuel pump, wiring harness, and also the ECU is of value. Interesting you have two controllers.

The newer units are less likely to be Afterburner friendly - that is why I mention the ECU/heater board to be of value.

Fri Nov 29, 2024 6:29 pm

fxr wrote: Here is surely the right place! Do you have an Afterburner controller as well? That would help with any out-of-the-ordinary diagnosis.

Tell us the story...

So it turned out a weak battery made it act weird. frustrating when only some features work or work in unexpected ways.

Diagnosed it by connecting the heater to a running car directly to battery. then it ran as expected.

What didn't help that I got a E-10 and the ****ty instruction manual went from E-9 to E-11

Fri Nov 29, 2024 10:09 pm

I would go straight to ChatGPT for help with these heaters instead of dealing with the shitty instructions.

For what it’s worth lots of people will upgrade the main 12v power wire on the harness as they were undersized (probably to save on costs).

Sat Nov 30, 2024 6:37 am

With my all-in-one diesel heater depending on the health of the aux battery sometimes it'll start and run fine, other times it will give an E-03 error code. It gives the code because it pulls a draw on the battery too far from it's start sequence threshold.

My aux battery is charged by my alternator, so I'll start the van, make sure the voltmeter for the battery is at least 13.8-14.2, and that will allow the heater to complete it's start sequence and fire off. Once the heater is lit and running I can turn the van's engine off and the heater runs fine.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 12:25 am

Looking to get this heater project underway soon...

Question up front: Turret mount base plates for through floor install.

I recently purchased an Eberspaecher "ESPAR" Airtronic AM2 B4L heater for installation into my 1987 Westfalia. Although the B4 is gasoline, much of the install and information is nearly identical between gas Vs. diesel heaters, so I feel this is relevant information for this forum.

I plan to mount the aux heater under the rear bench on the passenger side and also keep the stock rear (engine coolant) heater in place as designed. I want minimal modification, so I'm willing to drill the large circular hole, but do not want to remove the entire wood subfloor under the rear bench. Eberspaecher has a "turret mount" on their website, but I know of other manufacturers that have different "depths" of turret. Anyone use this ESPAR turret with success, given its depth? looks like it should be OK, but looking for any experience with this turret. Unfortunately, ESPAR does not disclose turret dimensions on their website, at least in my limited, but semi-in-depth search.

https://www.heatso.com/floor-mounting-bracket-for-air-heaters/

Thu Dec 12, 2024 12:37 am

the_benjamin_effect wrote: Looking to get this heater project underway soon...

Question up front: Turret mount base plates for through floor install.

I recently purchased an Eberspaecher "ESPAR" Airtronic AM2 B4L heater for installation into my 1987 Westfalia. Although the B4 is gasoline, much of the install and information is nearly identical between gas Vs. diesel heaters, so I feel this is relevant information for this forum.

I plan to mount the aux heater under the rear bench on the passenger side and also keep the stock rear (engine coolant) heater in place as designed. I want minimal modification, so I'm willing to drill the large circular hole, but do not want to remove the entire wood subfloor under the rear bench. Eberspaecher has a "turret mount" on their website, but I know of other manufacturers that have different "depths" of turret. Anyone use this ESPAR turret with success, given its depth? looks like it should be OK, but looking for any experience with this turret. Unfortunately, ESPAR does not disclose turret dimensions on their website, at least in my limited, but semi-in-depth search.

https://www.heatso.com/floor-mounting-bracket-for-air-heaters/

I would expect them to be the same hole design and the CDH. the ones on Amazon can be had in many depths. no reason not to use a longer one.

Recently installed a CDH in GF travel camper that had a thick floor and used this SS one....took looking a a few that took a standard 5" hole saw. some needed a 5-14" or 5.5 in which are harder to find. I had the 5" in my hole saw kit.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CN9DC6WK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Thu Dec 12, 2024 8:16 am

The B4 is physically different (Bigger) in size then the average 2k Chinese Diesel Heater, which would otherwise be identical to an Espar B2.
So, anything you see of folks installing it in a vanagon, make sure that you're comparing apples to apples and you're discussing the 5K sized Chinese diesel heaters, which are the same physical size as your B4.

For instance, the B4 absolutely won't fit in my favorite install location (behind the glove box). Also, the B4 is known to be way over capacity for a Westy and will actually carbon up from lots of start and stop cycles rather then a consistent burn from a smaller heater working harder. Being as your located in the cascades- it may be an asset and you may actually need that bigger heat capacity.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 8:31 am

My heater came with a base plate, in which I had a low profile square box welded to my plate to create a custom turret plate in which will extend through a westfalia's wooden floor.

Pros: minimized the hole in the floor.
Cons: It is very tight quarters for tightening the clamps on the hoses.

Ignore the wood, it was an early concept.

Not my install, but same concept. Note in pic below exhaust is touching intake hose.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 8:58 am

ZsZ wrote: On austrian army vans thr Eber heaters were installed under the seat with minor body modification:

https://www.vwt3.at/index.php?/topic/7217-standheizung-d1l-unter-beifahrersitz/

https://www.vwt3.at/index.php?/topic/45644-bh-box-standheizung-unter-dem-beifahrersitz/

I wonder where they are relocating the battery to install this on the passenger side. I think this is a good idea for the drivers side though.

The autoignition temperature of gasoline is 536F. Does anyone know what the temperature of the exhaust is? If it's lower than 536F then it looks like it'll be safe to install above the gas tank.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 9:24 am

the_benjamin_effect wrote:
Question up front: Turret mount base plates for through floor install.

When i installed my Espar S2-D2L earlier this year, I went with a turret mount. Mine is an aftermarket one from e bay I think? It's made of stainless steel, where I think the Espar turret is not stainless? Cut a rectangular opening in the bench seat base, and then measure twice and cut your hole. IIRC the hole was 102 mm diameter. Watch out for the frame crossmember and leave enough clearance for the through bolts in the corners of the turret plate. In the pic below, you can see I was real close to the crossmember with the rear two plate bolts. There's not a lot of wiggle room here - measure twice before you cut! I painted exposed body metal with POR-15 and then sealed around the circumference of the turret with Sika 221.

The turret makes installation a little easier as you need only one hole saw. The turret also makes for a cleaner install in the corrugated floor. Downside to the turret is you have to be strategic in how you clock the hose clamps, as it makes access to the clamp screws a little tricky.

I did have to add some 10 mm spacers for the m6 mounting bolts of the turret plate. The height of the corrugated floor from valley to peak is exactly 10 mm. If you could place the corners of the turret plate on two peaks, you wouldn't need the spacers. But because of the size/position of the bench seat, and the body crossmember underneath, you have to position the turret corners over two valleys, hence the need for the spacers.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 9:26 am

2kw furnaces fit perfectly behind the glove box!
Venting through the dash, placing all the noise as far away from you as possible while sleeping, utilizing no useful space, warmth up front where you need it when you want it, etc etc etc.

I've put 6 back there and about to do my 7th next week.
Gasoline furnaces in gasoline vans, diesel furnaces in diesel vans.

Espar AS3 B2L is AMAZING, the only actual "modern" furnace on the market. Everything else, Chinese diesel through Webasto Airtop 2000 are essentially the same and 20 year old tech. The modern ones with stepless brushless motors, no glow screen, PVM pump controllers, etc etc are wayyyyyyyy better with insane (10,000+ hour) service lives, altitudes up to the top of any North American mountain, and extremely smart diagnostics.

I hate my Chinese diesel with the fiery passion of 100 suns, and I'm on my second one, my 9th set of gaskets (cleaning it out constantly- because these things suck), and frustrated with the additional fuel source. I'm pulling it next week to put a used Webasto gasoline 2Kw in that bus, I have the Espar AS3 B2L in my other bus.
I've owned a few of each model, and while the Webasto is a total piece of crap compared to the Espar, I'm sooooo sick of the diesel thing.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 9:31 am

I assume this under seat location is for diesel vans which have the battery in the engine compartment.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 9:39 am

Phishman068 wrote: 2kw furnaces fit perfectly behind the glove box!
Venting through the dash, placing all the noise as far away from you as possible while sleeping, utilizing no useful space, warmth up front where you need it when you want it, etc etc etc.
Interesting placement, haven't heard of that one before. There is virtually no noise with this Espar S2-D2L. It's way quieter than the CDH it replaced. Just a soothing soft white noise sound that is very pleasant to fall asleep to. Once the cabin is warmed, it dials the fan speed back to nearly inaudible. The metering pump is also inaudible. The CDH I had before was an airplane taking off, in comparison.

Phishman068 wrote: Espar AS3 B2L is AMAZING, the only actual "modern" furnace on the market. Everything else, Chinese diesel through Webasto Airtop 2000 are essentially the same and 20 year old tech. The modern ones with stepless brushless motors, no glow screen, PVM pump controllers, etc etc are wayyyyyyyy better with insane (10,000+ hour) service lives, altitudes up to the top of any North American mountain, and extremely smart diagnostics.

I hate my Chinese diesel with the fiery passion of 100 suns, and I'm on my second one, my 9th set of gaskets (cleaning it out constantly- because these things suck), and frustrated with the additional fuel source. I'm pulling it next week to put a used Webasto gasoline 2Kw in that bus, I have the Espar AS3 B2L in my other bus.
I've owned a few of each model, and while the Webasto is a total piece of crap compared to the Espar, I'm sooooo sick of the diesel thing.

That's not the only modern one on the market. This Espar S2-D2L is a 2nd gen design. It's stepless & Brushless, PWM pump, smart diag, 5000 hr service, 10000 ft altitude. Uses the same EasyStart Pro controller too. I'm super happy with it, and it feels like a big upgrade over the old CDH it replaced. For those of us with diesel vans, S2-D2L is the way. For a gasser van, yeah I bet the AS3-B2L feels downright futuristic!

It's impressive how far Espar has developed these heaters in their 2nd and 3rd gen designs, above and beyond the old Airtop 2k / CDH. The step up from Airtop 2k / CDH to an Espar 2nd gen is a chasm, a huge improvement. Step up from 2nd gen to 3rd gen looks like a smaller incremental upgrade.

On a recent camp, the night time low was 32 F. I set the thermostat to 70 degrees and had a warm quiet nights sleep. Set-n-forget. Got up in the morning and admired the frosted plants out my window while eating breakfast in a t-shirt. :D

bheins wrote: I assume this under seat location is for diesel vans which have the battery in the engine compartment.

My TDI is a swap, originally an air-cooled, so my starting battery is under the front seat. I only went with an under the bench install because the PO had installed a CDH there, so the body and bench were already cut for it.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 10:01 am

ZsZ wrote: On austrian army vans thr Eber heaters were installed under the seat with minor body modification:

https://www.vwt3.at/index.php?/topic/7217-standheizung-d1l-unter-beifahrersitz/

https://www.vwt3.at/index.php?/topic/45644-bh-box-standheizung-unter-dem-beifahrersitz/

thanks for that post -pretty interesting! I'll have to consider this location, as I only keep tools and parts here.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 10:09 am

Phishman068 wrote: 2kw furnaces fit perfectly behind the glove box! But that is where I store my spare fuel pump, fuel filter, coolant tank with sensor and some other spares! :D
Phishman068 wrote:
Venting through the dash, placing all the noise as far away from you as possible while sleeping, utilizing no useful space, warmth up front where you need it when you want it, etc etc etc.

Interesting, but last trip (newfoundland), I skipped the windshield curtain, using a curtain behind the front seats. That got me to thinking an insulated version of the full curtain would be great for cold weather cutting off the massive heat loss through the front windshield. So if employed, I'd want the heater ducting behind the front seats.
But considering all the projects in cue for the home, van, family fleet of vehicles, boat, kayaks and bicycles, I'll have a good long time to think about it.

Thu Dec 12, 2024 10:56 am

You’re storing spares behind the glove box?
Or in the glove box?

I should clarify- I’m not loosing the glove box at all. My glove box works exactly as it should, completely stock. I just have an extra vent port in my dash (I use an OEM vent so it looks factory) that runs hot air from the furnace.

The intake and exhaust come out behind the headlight.
I can have the whole furnace out and in my hand in 11 minutes for servicing.