Keeping warm with a diesel heater.
After a couple of stints in the alpine areas, it was no longer acceptable for me to keep warm with blankets alone. Heating was an important feature for my van build, so I investigated and installed a diesel heater.
After a bit of research I chose the AuFocus diesel heater to install in my van. This is a much better hip pocket alternative to the German Eberspächer heaters. I figured that my needs for a heater are low and should it fail I could get almost four before I start to lose out.
Initially I purchased a 5kW Chinese diesel heater, mainly as a low cost trial to the much more expensive German brands. There is a very good Chinese Diesel heater Facebook forum that covers all questions regarding quality part replacements. The AuFocus heater is essentially a rebadged Chinese diesel heater with upgraded components.
Let’s talk about diesel heaters. When I was setting up the van, I actually skipped past the 5kW models. The internet is full of warnings that a 5kW unit is just too powerful for a standard van compared to a massive caravan. The big risk is that you end up running it on low all the time, which causes carbon soot to build up and choke the system. To get a clean burn, you really want a diesel heater running hard at or near its maximum capacity. That’s exactly why I settled on a smaller 2kW unit.
In hindsight? A 5kW probably would have been fine since my van is a Long Wheelbase (LWB), and it doesn't exactly turn into a sauna inside. It stays perfectly warm rather than melt-your-face-off toasty, which is honestly just how I like it. If I ever desperately need to, I can swap it out down the road, but I doubt I’ll ever bother. I’ve already parked up in the snow and stayed completely comfortable. I even had to open the side door to take care of some outside chores, and the van barely lost any heat. Turns out my insulation is an absolute treat. Possibly the only consideration I'd make is a fan vent cover ( Living in a Bubble make them).
Installing the heater takes a lot of thought. The underside of the van is a maze of cables, chassis components and hoses. Some people install them under the front seat, but I did not fancy removing the seat and it was very congested both inside the seat and on the underside. I chose instead to mount it close to the garage bulkhead. Which was a great solution for maintenance access. It also meant that exhaust fumes can be steered to the rear rather than the entire underside of the vehicle.
The air intake for the motor is diametrically opposite to the exhaust. Not that it matters a great deal as the intake and exhaust is for the heating motor and is isolated from the interior heated air intake. Ever cautious, I put a carbon monoxide detector inside and did the nose test to ensure there are no fumes.
Diesel heaters are known to transmit a ticking sound from the fuel pump. The AuFocus unit uses a large rubber mounting to absorb that clicking sound. Diesel heater pumps tick because they use an internal electromagnet to drive a small piston back and forth. It worked well, and coupled with the floor sound and heat insulation I could barely hear it.
Cutting a hole in the floor was probably as nervy as cutting one in the roof. With a new hole saw, it was quite straight forward.
The collar and attachment bracket were designed to ensure proper fit.
I am happy to say that there was no second go. Everything aligned properly.
There is also enough space to store the Porta Potti, should I desire.
Over all I am happy with the installation and purchase of the heater. The only downfall is that one likes to hang around inside just that bit longer. As snug as a bug in a rug as they say !
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