Help me decide what heater to get, propex, CDH, or other?

[shagginwagon83]

If you are considering a Webasto or espar, why not consider trying out a chinese diesel heater? They share similar mounting plate. For trail period, you could carry a kerosene in luggage rack or outside vehicle. Once you get to camp, take 1 minute to hook up fuel line to gas tank and sit outside vehicle.

Get a 2k unit. If you want more heat then buy a 4k unit. Like the heater but not the extra fuel - get a webasto or espar.

Heaters will test your aux battery system out.

Here's a link for $120 kit that I believe is afterburner compatible.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-Air-Diesel-Heater-2KW...4039515233
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[Californio]

One issue I've had with my Propex is that it's hard to have them serviced. Mine lasted about five years, then stopped working on the thermostat. The tech at VC was helpful, but it looks like I have to pull the whole thing and send it to them for servicing. It's been in there nine years.

Seems like any off-brand would be impossible to service. Maybe buy a few of them and consider them expendables?

[danfromsyr]

the CDH are quite serviceable compared to the propex.
the components are available ala-cart or buy a whole 2nd unit for ~$99. for all the spares. each piece is plug & play accessible unless you bury it.

my propex was already serviced once in it's life and now it has a slight issue with the controller. it works fine mostly but then it'll sit there and not tick on, I'll touch/wiggle it and it'll fire up.. so something is getting loose inside there.


I have a ALl-in-one CDH we used this weekend to heat our screen house dining tent while at the lake.. worked a charm, used little fuel and little from the spare/aux battery.. though I'd have rather brought our propane tank top 360* heater that doesn't work when there's a picnic table inside. and the CDH was more thermostatically controlled.

I bought the all-in-one unit to also try as a exterior heater for my back up camper.. set it on the ground outside and duct the heat up to a cardboard insert in the side window. operates via a remote control. on/off up-down temps..
so that's an option too, like Dave who installed an all-in-one to remove in the warm months..

[danfromsyr]

also let me add that in our experiences so far we prefer the 5KW units. set to always run on the lowest setting vs the smaller 2kw units that come on/off thermostatically. these draw more amps on the start/shut down cycles.. also they do fume more on the start/shut down cycles.
the slow constant low heat is nice.. there's no ebb&flow of heat/cool cycles and the overall electricity use appears to be low as the fans are stepped efficient units. not speed controlled by a resistor.

I did buy some 'pine scent' for the fuel but didn't get a chance to try if it makes startup/shut downs less diesely. was $4 for ~20gals treatment.

[TopBud]

For those of you with the gas heaters, do they work at altitudes of 11,000 feet? I live at 7000 feet and travel up to 10500-11000 frequently.
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86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia

[vanis13]

[Viva.Sabata]

[Viva.Sabata]

[candyman]

[pdm777]

so much 'hand wringing' about these
cheap Chinese heaters.

From my experience=

- The low price = buy two, and any problems you have a spare.

- if you buy the 'kits' and self install, ask yourself,
how do I de-install this quagmire of parts for service/repair?

- Installing under the floor. These are NOT weather proof.
Look under your car- it's a corrosive rusty mess. A splash shield is pointless.

An All-In-One Unit was ideal for my Westy.
- The entire unit can be removed in less than 2 minutes for repair, maintenance.
- Fast, easy to remove when not needed in Summer, for more cargo space.
- In 3 years, better technology will be available= No permanent install.
- I don't have time to 'engineer' an enclosure. It's done. and Cheap.

I encourage anyone to explore these CDH.
For ridiculous money, they blow away the megabuck Euro units.

Quite Simply, Forced Air Heat is wonderful in a Westy for Fall & Winter Camping!

INSTALL PICS= REMOVED OEM HEATER, FITS PERFECT!

_________________
1990 Westy Full Camper

[gbrandt]

Do most of you using CDH use the 2 or 5 kw version? Worried that the 2 will not be warm enough in -20c but the 5 too hot in 0c.
_________________
'Lucky' our 1987 Red Westy, ASV 1.9 TDI ~130HP, Peloquin differential (had a GW 2.3 that we loved, but it died, we drove it hard!)
We've driven in 49 countries and 5 continents to date
Canada to Argentina and back, 2015 to 2017.
Canada to Europe and back (including Turkey, Morocco and Iceland), 2017 to 2019
Mexico 2022-2023
https://www.instagram.com/live.travel.play/
http://livetravelplay.ca

[danfromsyr]

depends on your level of comfort heat.
depends on if you have the top up in such weather.
if so is it just up for storage? or are you also sleeping up there.

we do not find the 5kw too much for 0*c that's 32*f.
we ran ours this past weekend in 2 rigs was ~45*f overnight.. the 5kw unit will go down to a very nice slow low constant heat.. and ramp up if needed.

personally I'd only go with a 2kw unit for a smaller car/space requirement. like a beetle.

edit, they also come with a key fob remote control, so you can hang it by your head in the bunk and adjust the temp/on-off w/o getting up.. so... what ever.. I'm usually awake a few times a night either for rolling over or the rest room.

you can be one of those heman deny'rs who puts on a hat, socks and mittens to sleep.. boil off some coffee in the am to warm it up and fog the windows..
hmm makes me think of using the heaters output to preheat the morning coffee water.

[pjn_wyo]

[Syncro Jael]

[candyman]

Ill echo what Syncro jael has said About the 5kw unit. We have a 5kw and would not go less. Id rather have too much heat and regulate it with opening windows then shivering wishing we had gone bigger. They use pretty much the same power and heat juice. I have a hightop with insulation and we rarely need to sleep with it on overnight, unless below frezzing. But use it in morning to take the edge off. When my van was a poptop we slept with it on overnight all the time as the canvas lost a lot of the heat quickly. Everyones needs and vans are different. The 5kw is perfect for our setup. 2kw may be perfect for someone else who lives in a more temperate environment. We live and play in the mountains of MT year round. Its makes for a great warm base camp when skiing too
Ill also echo what someone else said in regards to buying two. I bought three, one for the van, one for the garage and one for a spare. $330 all in. Three working units for less than half the price of anything comparable

[shagginwagon83]

If you install a 5k heater and decide it is too much - you can easily swap to a 2k heater and use the 5k heater for the garage or maybe a portable unit with an ARB add a room awning.

This is what I did. I'm still testing the 2k unit.
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[westyventures]

[westyventures]

[shagginwagon83]

My 2k heater has body temperature of 418'F so I'm not sure if that is accurate. I haven't read temps on my output.

Also comparing a $1000 heater to a $100 heater.
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[danfromsyr]

I have both a propex 2800 and a CDH in my driveway
I'll see if I can find an oven thermometer