TheSamba.com :: View topic - GoWesty Gas/Petrol Heater Kit

Sun Oct 26, 2025 4:10 pm

If you have the top open it will suck the heat fast through the canvas. The silver insulation can help but when I'm calling in the cold I lower the top and sleep on bottom.

Also, getting furnace heat up into to top bunk is a whole other thing

Thu Oct 30, 2025 7:52 pm

kourt wrote: McMaster sells an excellent heavy steel louvered plate that is grey and fits perfectly over the original rear heater opening:

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/1667t43/

See photo from my old van below. The plate withstood years of people kicking their heels into the bulkhead. Highly recommended.

kourt

This is a marvelous solution to finish the job properly.

Fri Oct 31, 2025 5:30 am

I went a similar direction because I don't cut holes in the van unless absolutely necessary.

It took me less than 6 hours to do the install, the rear heater delete being the hardest part. I over-sized the holes through the floor slightly with a step drill but it still took a little fiddling. The rest was pretty straight forward with the right tools.

Overall I'm very happy with the GoWesty solution after our first trip out with it in WV last weekend. I was ready to pull the trigger on a gasoline heater at twice the price, so the timing was perfect. Having a heater is definitively a luxury for cold weather camping.

Sat Nov 01, 2025 3:51 am

Nice install idea vtmtber! How’d you do that, though? Where is the other vent, and get one to come out directly in front of the heater?

Sat Nov 01, 2025 7:39 am

FWIW if you mount the heater inside the bus you usually do not need an intake vent to the cabin. There is plenty of air able to feed the heater from under the rear seat. You can just put the grid directly onto the heater inlet. BTDT.

Sun Nov 02, 2025 5:48 am

Thanks Chilepines

Like Dave said, there is no need for a cabin intake, I added the slots because it was easy for me since I have access to a waterjet. A simple plate with a hole in it would do the same thing. The hose provided by GW is just long enough to do what I did and their sheet metal cover still fits. The intake on the other end of the heater is open to the space under the seat.

Sun Nov 02, 2025 7:21 am

vtmtber wrote: The intake on the other end of the heater is open to the space under the seat.

You likely did this, but the intake needs some type of grate over it to keep FODs from entering. 8)

Tue Nov 04, 2025 4:22 am

Gowesty change the price to their heater. Now, there 2 bundle, so the standard and deluxe.

Somebody know the difference?

Tue Nov 04, 2025 7:35 am

I asked the mods to adjust the title of the thread.

I cannot find anything on the product detail page. The Furnace Protective Cover Kit is $100 - so if I had to bet, the cheaper offering is more for those who want to install the heater in a non-bench seat application.

[Admin note: I removed the price from the thread title as requested]

Tue Nov 04, 2025 6:55 pm

I have send a message to GOWesty and here's the response :

The difference is the standard doesn't include the cover or the ashtray be gone.

Wed Nov 05, 2025 3:46 am

Strangely, the controller does not offer the choice between Celsius and Fahrenheit. They say:

They only come in Fahrenheit at the moment. We're working towards offering a Celsius model either the first or second quarter of next year.

Wed Nov 05, 2025 4:59 am

Received my kit and started installation yesterday.

The furnace itself is small- like the size of a small loaf of bread. It could fit under my TF49 Truckfridge, but I’m mounting that close to the floor and adding a drawer above.

The kit is very complete. It calls for a 15/16” drill for the intake/exhaust pipes, all my step drills go from 7/8 to 1”. Rather than go oversize I have a new bit on order.

Sat Nov 08, 2025 8:15 am

Finished my install. I have yet to try it in a camping scenario but it works well in the yard.

Sat Nov 08, 2025 9:58 am

Anybody happen to know the electrical draw for this unit? Start up/running/idle?

Sat Nov 08, 2025 5:02 pm

I was seeing about 2a when running. Start up is likely more, but I don’t know how much.

Sat Nov 08, 2025 8:04 pm

Posted this about a month ago.
The heater pulled 5.5 - 6A for about 5 minutes on start up, and then was using about 2A (25 watts) while running.
I’ll be camping for 4 nights in NH next week and will have a much better idea about power consumption overnight after that trip. Expected to be 30 degrees each night so will be a good test of the output.

Wed Nov 12, 2025 4:01 pm

I’ve now run mine for 2 full nights with outdoor temp 30F. The first night I tried sleeping upstairs and it was too cold. I went to the lower bed and closed the top and it was definitely warmer. Temp in the van last night, with pop top down, got up to 50F in about a hour, and up to 57F by morning with the heater running all night on level 4. It is pulling 1.3-1.5 A.
I’m surprised that the heater does not have too much output to run all night, but I’m fine just letting it run.
The instructions from GW are really limited. Took me forever to figure out how to get it to keep running rather than timing out. When you push the home button twice it shows a timer, which defaults to 10 min, but the next number LOWER than 10 min is infinity!

Wed Nov 12, 2025 6:00 pm

GW advertises this as a 2kW heater... about 6,800 BTU. the below observation seems about right when comparing to a 120v cube heater. those output 5,200 BTU and have a hard time keeping the interior warm with an ambient temp below 30F and top popped.

regardless, they are sold out now with no ETA for stock return. mebbe the sweet spot for an uninsulated, popped top heater in less than 30F ambient is 5kW. anyone running an 8kW and is it just crazy too much?

Chilepines wrote: I’ve now run mine for 2 full nights with outdoor temp 30F. The first night I tried sleeping upstairs and it was too cold. I went to the lower bed and closed the top and it was definitely warmer. Temp in the van last night, with pop top down, got up to 50F in about a hour, and up to 57F by morning with the heater running all night on level 4.

Wed Nov 12, 2025 6:12 pm

DanHoug wrote: anyone running an 8kW and is it just crazy too much?

I got the Espar B4 (gas) and its never too much - it just runs at a much lower speed/output. I REALLY love than I can have (with the top down) it 80 in there on a -10 day :-) and tat wasn't maxed out - with the top up I never maxed it out so so can't say. when top is up in the winter I do use the silver bubble wrap insulation on top and that has a HUGE affect.

Sun Nov 16, 2025 8:13 pm

I'm in the process of installing the GoWesty kit. I can't exactly follow the instructions because I have a Syncro with a Bostig conversion. I'm ready to cut the fuel line but I'm unclear on where I should cut it. Should I cut the fuel line and install the t-fitting between the tank and the fuel pump, after the fuel pump but before the fuel filter, or after the fuel filter? Does anyone know?

Thanks,

r