diesel heaters
Submitted: Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 at 12:42
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mattcar
I am thinking of fitting a PLANAR diesel heater to my caravan,has anyone done this? can you give me some
feedback it would be much appreciated thanks MATT.
Reply By: Member - Toyocrusa (NSW) - Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 at 13:51
Reply By: Cruiser .- Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 at 14:21
Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 at 14:21
Matt,
I fitted a Dometic diesel heater to my van in April this year and it was relatively easy. The hardest part was fitting the tank believe it or not.
I ended up rearranging gas bottles and regulator on my draw bar so that I could fit the tank behind the bottles as
well as fit a jerry can holder and have it all in the one area.
If you can use a jigsaw, a screwdriver, make electrical connections and use a sealant gun, a hole saw plus a few other basic
tools then anyone can do it.
Just think it all through about 3 times and take the installation at a steady pace and it will be easy. It took me 2 days to install the heater and another day to rearrange the drawbar and then fill the tank and fire it all up.
I just had a look at the Planar and it looks almost identical to the Dometic and it also looks like the electrical connections are plug n play just like the Dometic, which makes it easy to install.
You wont regret the investment, especially on the first night you have to use it.
Money
well spent I reckon.
AnswerID:
494492
Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Monday, Sep 10, 2012 at 18:41
Monday, Sep 10, 2012 at 18:41
Matt, here is a followup of my installation.
Works
well but as my van is a 23 footer I think I should have gone the 4.6KW unit.
It is cheaper as
well and apparently does not use much more fuel than the 2 KW one. In a smaller van the 2KW would be brilliant.
There are several things which do not come with the kit I got but 100mm ally flexible tubing for ducting is available from Bunnings as are some plastic floor 100mm grates with square flanges for inlet vent and outlet vent. I sprayed my floor grates black. Looks good.
As I said earlier I really need a frosty night to give it a real
test but it was a little dissapointing the other night (3am) (could not sleep) when I tried it.
Might just have been a settling in period as it seemed to work better later that morning.
Definitely the go though.
Cheers, Bruce.
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Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 at 15:53
Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 at 15:53
Hi Matt,
Just finished installing the Planar 2Kw unit which is currently selling for $680 on ebay.
So far I am very satisfied with it though it means I will probably have to wait till next winter to giver it a proper try out as the weather is warming up.
Took me 2 and a bit days as I was reading instructions, then do a bit, then read again.
Seems a little complicated at first till you get into it. Then it is fairly simple and fairly straight forward. The instructions are Russlish, a bit like Chinglish, but not too difficult to follow.
Fuel tank not supplied. they want another $80 for that so I went to Superdeer and got a 10 litre plastic jerry can and used that for my tank. It is only diesel after all.
Cheers, Bruce
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AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - peter & dawn m (QLD) - Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 at 19:14
Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 at 19:14
we spent 8 weeks over winter out the back of cunnumulla minus 3 to 4 degress wish we had one!! swampy
AnswerID:
494511