Heated water

[THL4KEL]

I wouldn't spend £750 on one. You can get a decent one for about £150 at this time of year, spring time you will get one for £80 once there is no demand.

 

[dazmond]

Problem I have up in Scotland when it's -4 or below is that the water freezes on the windows! As for Velux, forget about it! I have a van set up with the 600l tank longways down the centre with the pumps and feeds at the back door end of the tank. The longest pipework is 3 feet from pump to reel. Inside roof and partial sides of the van are insulated. I plug in an oil-filled radiator set to low, just enough to keep the inside of the van above freezing. I am lucky in that I can park my van in my drive. Roll on spring.

I would seriously consider getting a diesel water heater fitted mate. It's 6 months(at least)every year that we are out cleaning in cold,miserable weather with cold water. It's horrible!

Hot water just makes your working day easier and nicer(warm hands,manageable hoses and no freezing issues). You can tackle them frozen skylights with ease!

Then when the really cold days turn up you can crack on without your jets freezing up.

 

[P4dstar]

I wouldn't spend £750 on one. You can get a decent one for about £150 at this time of year, spring time you will get one for £80 once there is no demand.

I’ve got one coming free from ionics, it’s an offer with the Thermopure system to be fair. What’s the score with installing them though, is it difficult to do? DIY job or get it done somewhere?

 

[THL4KEL]

I’ve got one coming free from ionics, it’s an offer with the Thermopure system to be fair. What’s the score with installing them though, is it difficult to do? DIY job or get it done somewhere?

Two hole in the floor. One for air intake the other for the exhaust (pointed away from anything it may damage). Depends how you wire it up. Mine runs of a leisure battery that powers my PF reel as well. Heater runs of an app on my phone.

 

[P4dstar]

Two hole in the floor. One for air intake the other for the exhaust (pointed away from anything it may damage). Depends how you wire it up. Mine runs of a leisure battery that powers my PF reel as well. Heater runs of an app on my phone.

That sounds perfect. How does it hook up to the diesel? I know that the dispatches they’ll be fitted in don’t have a fuel inlet, you need to drop something straight into the actual tank.

 

[spruce]

That sounds perfect. How does it hook up to the diesel? I know that the dispatches they’ll be fitted in don’t have a fuel inlet, you need to drop something straight into the actual tank.

There was some legislation that came out in the EU a few years ago that restricted how motor manufacturers designed and made fuel tanks.
On my 04 plate Citroen Relay I could just tap into the return to tank fuel line as that pipe finished at the bottom of the tank.
That option doesn't exist now, as the return to tank pipe doesn't finish at the bottom of the tank.

On my Peugeot Boxer I had to remove the fuel pump, drill a hole in the lid and fit the attachment designed for my particular van. I was able to do this without dropping the tank, as an access plate is provided for this.

However, on older Dispatches the fuel tank has to be dropped to access the fuel pump.

You will have to do a search to see what is required for your particular van, as vehicles have changed since I last investigated this 5 years ago.

I'll attach a Eberspacher pdf for you just now dated 2017 that I used. There must be a newer one somewhere.

Edited: I might consider fitting a marine tank. One that could be taken out of the van to fill at the petrol station and secured back into the van so diesel isn't spilled inside the van. The problem with these is that when you employ, you have to have a conscientious employee who will monitor the fuel level in the tank so it doesn't run dry. This will also take up valuable floor space.

 

[THL4KEL]

I have an independent fuel tank running to my heater.

 

[RyeCleanLiam]

There was some legislation that came out in the EU a few years ago that restricted how motor manufacturers designed and made fuel tanks.
On my 04 plate Citroen Relay I could just tap into the return to tank fuel line as that pipe finished at the bottom of the tank.
That option doesn't exist now, as the return to tank pipe doesn't finish at the bottom of the tank.

On my Peugeot Boxer I had to remove the fuel pump, drill a hole in the lid and fit the attachment designed for my particular van. I was able to do this without dropping the tank, as an access plate is provided for this.

However, on older Dispatches the fuel tank has to be dropped to access the fuel pump.

You will have to do a search to see what is required for your particular van, as vehicles have changed since I last investigated this 5 years ago.

I'll attach a Eberspacher pdf for you just now dated 2017 that I used. There must be a newer one somewhere.

Edited: I might consider fitting a marine tank. One that could be taken out of the van to fill at the petrol station and secured back into the van so diesel isn't spilled inside the van. The problem with these is that when you employ, you have to have a conscientious employee who will monitor the fuel level in the tank so it doesn't run dry. This will also take up valuable floor space.

In my last van fitted by WCW they ran the fuel line into my van tank. It was a LWB Berlingo and WCW did tell me they took it to their local mechanic who dropped the tank to fit the fuel line.
I bought a new van last year, LWB partner this time. I took the whole system out of my old van and fitted it in the new van myself. I decided I wasn't going to faff about with the van tank so I fitted a marine tank myself, I've fixed it to the top of my water tank on a board, just inside the side door. So when I fill up my van I just open the side door and fill up the hot water diesel tank. It works well TBF.

 

[spruce]

In my last van fitted by WCW they ran the fuel line into my van tank. It was a LWB Berlingo and WCW did tell me they took it to their local mechanic who dropped the tank to fit the fuel line.
I bought a new van last year, LWB partner this time. I took the whole system out of my old van and fitted it in the new van myself. I decided I wasn't going to faff about with the van tank so I fitted a marine tank myself, I've fixed it to the top of my water tank on a board, just inside the side door. So when I fill up my van I just open the side door and fill up the hot water diesel tank. It works well TBF.

What size tank did you fit, and do you find yourself filling the marine tank up every few days when you don't need to fill the van's tank?
I find that when I use the diesel heater every working day, the heater uses more fuel than the van does, as we don't do much mileage.

 

[Pjj]

I

In my last van fitted by WCW they ran the fuel line into my van tank. It was a LWB Berlingo and WCW did tell me they took it to their local mechanic who dropped the tank to fit the fuel line.
I bought a new van last year, LWB partner this time. I took the whole system out of my old van and fitted it in the new van myself. I decided I wasn't going to faff about with the van tank so I fitted a marine tank myself, I've fixed it to the top of my water tank on a board, just inside the side door. So when I fill up my van I just open the side door and fill up the hot water diesel tank. It works well TBF.

I found having a tank inside the van it stank of diesel, so now have them all plumbed into the vehicle fuel tanks it’s a relatively easy job you just fit a standpipe to the sender unit in the top of the tank. Also found with an outboard tank in van it needed filling every 3 days which was a pain .

 

[Pjj]

What size tank did you fit and do you find yourself filling the marine tank up every few days when you don't need to fill the banks tank?
I find that when I use the diesel heater every working day, the heater uses more fuel than the van does as we don't do much mileage.

Yes I agree found exactly the same

 

[RyeCleanLiam]

What size tank did you fit, and do you find yourself filling the marine tank up every few days when you don't need to fill the van's tank?
I find that when I use the diesel heater every working day, the heater uses more fuel than the van does, as we don't do much mileage.

22 litre. Lasts me a week easily. I only have a 5kw heater so it's not using as much fuel.

 

[RyeCleanLiam]

I

I found having a tank inside the van it stank of diesel, so now have them all plumbed into the vehicle fuel tanks it’s a relatively easy job you just fit a standpipe to the sender unit in the top of the tank. Also found with an outboard tank in van it needed filling every 3 days which was a pain .

I've not smelled any diesel at all if I'm honest. It's a 22 litre tank and lasts me a week.

 

[Pjj]

I've not smelled any diesel at all if I'm honest. It's a 22 litre tank and lasts me a week.

Ime not sure what size outboard tank I had in one van but it’s running 8 hours a day and needed filling every 3 rd day at best we have 9 kw boilers and I think it uses around 1:25 ltr per hour the stink of diesel in the back of the van was horrendous and there was no leaks so got it plumbed into the van tank no more issues .

 

[P4dstar]

There was some legislation that came out in the EU a few years ago that restricted how motor manufacturers designed and made fuel tanks.
On my 04 plate Citroen Relay I could just tap into the return to tank fuel line as that pipe finished at the bottom of the tank.
That option doesn't exist now, as the return to tank pipe doesn't finish at the bottom of the tank.

On my Peugeot Boxer I had to remove the fuel pump, drill a hole in the lid and fit the attachment designed for my particular van. I was able to do this without dropping the tank, as an access plate is provided for this.

However, on older Dispatches the fuel tank has to be dropped to access the fuel pump.

You will have to do a search to see what is required for your particular van, as vehicles have changed since I last investigated this 5 years ago.

I'll attach a Eberspacher pdf for you just now dated 2017 that I used. There must be a newer one somewhere.

Edited: I might consider fitting a marine tank. One that could be taken out of the van to fill at the petrol station and secured back into the van so diesel isn't spilled inside the van. The problem with these is that when you employ, you have to have a conscientious employee who will monitor the fuel level in the tank so it doesn't run dry. This will also take up valuable floor space.

Way too technical for me Spruce. I’d take it somewhere to be fitted.

I quite like the idea of a standalone fuel tank though. Some of these heaters come “all in one” with a tank as part of the unit so you don’t need to plumb in. This would allow you to use Kerosene and save some money too. Appreciate it voids a webasto warranty if done with a hot water system but once it’s out of warranty you’re as well doing this. Local webasto fella told me I shouldn’t see any change in performance etc.

 

[P4dstar]

On the point of diesel heaters, researching these has made me consider one for the workshop, particularly overnight when it gets cold to protect the RO. As they run on diesel and can be powered by a 12v I assume their electricity consumption is minimal?

 

[THL4KEL]

On the point of diesel heaters, researching these has made me consider one for the workshop, particularly overnight when it gets cold to protect the RO. As they run on diesel and can be powered by a 12v I assume their electricity consumption is minimal?

If I was buying one today this is the one I would get. The only upgrade I would do on it is change the diesel fuel line to a motor one out of Halfords. Runs off 12v or mains.

KROAK 12V Portable Diesel Air Heater, 2024 upgrade Toolbox 2 Diesel Heater 8KW All-in-One Parking Heater, 6L Fuel Tank Car Heater with Bluetooth APP Control for Car Trucks RV Motor-Homes and camper https://amzn.eu/d/0P76uhJ

 

[ched999uk]

On the point of diesel heaters, researching these has made me consider one for the workshop, particularly overnight when it gets cold to protect the RO. As they run on diesel and can be powered by a 12v I assume their electricity consumption is minimal?

They do take quite a bit of current on startup. Might be worth using a 12v battery and a smart charger for the battery.

 

[P4dstar]

They do take quite a bit of current on startup. Might be worth using a 12v battery and a smart charger for the battery.

I’ve got a 12v and charger lying around oddly enough. The workshop is quite an open space with a tall ceiling. My mechanic uses a giant one in his garage and doesn’t really route the exhaust out the building. Wondering what I’d need to do with the exhaust

 

[ched999uk]

I’ve got a 12v and charger lying around oddly enough. The workshop is quite an open space with a tall ceiling. My mechanic uses a giant one in his garage and doesn’t really route the exhaust out the building. Wondering what I’d need to do with the exhaust

I would get the exhaust gasses out of the unit one way or another. The diesel exhaust particulates are not nice at all. Probably worth putting a silencer or 2 on as it might be running overnight and they are a bit noisy. I think they just have a metal flexi pipe as an exhaust, I think you can buy extra on ebay.

 

[P4dstar]

I would get the exhaust gasses out of the unit one way or another. The diesel exhaust particulates are not nice at all. Probably worth putting a silencer or 2 on as it might be running overnight and they are a bit noisy. I think they just have a metal flexi pipe as an exhaust, I think you can buy extra on ebay.

We have a few vents. I’m sure I can work something out. The one they use in the garage is a giant space heater, I’ve seen them used on the sidelines in the NFL in cities where the snow is coming down sideways. I’ve no panic about the noise though, there’s no one around to disturb through the night.