Anyone else running a portable diesel heater in their garage/camper/trailer/ice fishing house?

I'm going a different route this year with heating my detached garage office. I bought this:

https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-8KW-Heater-Parking-Adjustment/dp/B0CFQNR4SP?th=1

So far I've mounted it to the wall near my window A/C unit. I plan on running the exhaust thru the wall using this:

https://www.amazon.com/VTurboWay-Stainless-Straight-Exhaust-Hardware/dp/B09H2RY6BT

And I bought a 12v power supply that I'm going to mount on the wall: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EWG6YT8

The plan is to mount the diesel fuel tank on the outside of my office (but still inside the garage) so I can fuel it without worrying about diesel smelling up my office space. That's the main reason why I didn't buy the all-in-one unit, as I didn't want the fuel tank inside my office.

Seems like these things are REALLY popular across the hobbyist world. Lots of them in use for DIY campers, portable camping heaters, and workshops. I'm starting with a simple setup but I'll probaby modify things as time goes on. I already have a big jerry can I'm eying as a replacement fuel tank that I only need to fill every few weeks. We'll see how loud the fuel pump is before I try the silencing tricks I've seen online.

I've got one in my 25 x 25 shop and it works well.

You'll want a battery as well because the startup draw is more than most 12V power supplies can handle.

I work for a company that has about 12 service trucks (think UPS/fedex trucks) that run around a terminal at the port. Up until now the guys have all been running 480v electric heaters in their trucks because we have 480v hookups all over the place. We tested one of these type of units in a truck last year and the guy loves it. It's way quieter than the electric setup and provides way more heat. I bought a few of them and will be outfitting all the rigs with them. They're great. I can't say I've ever thought about hooking up in a house though? If you also have a window rattler going why not bite the bullet and throw a mini split in?

I use one on my porch. It works very well and is fairly efficient. I bought an all-in-one for $120 and mounted a $26 12V 30 amp power supply to the side so no battery is required. 

The pictures are links to the South America River company. 

Power Supply:

iansane said:

 If you also have a window rattler going why not bite the bullet and throw a mini split in?

Money. I don't have any.

I was all about doing a mini split until I looked into the heat portion. I'd have to leave the heat running constantly (because heat pump), which seems silly when I'm only in here on week days. Last time I tried heating my office with electric heaters my power bill felt the heat too. This seemed like an efficient solution for the few months of the year I need it.

Be aware that these cheap chinese knock-offs have little to no safety features, and the materials and build quality are what you'd expect from chinese junk. That means exhaust leaks, rusted parts, and overheating are common. These are incredibly simple heaters, so the crap quality won't necessarily make it not work, but the life will be shorter (but at that price, who cares?), but it will effect the safety. I've seen porous heat exchangers, more than once, and bad gasket surfaces. 


Get a carbon monoxide alarm!!

Full disclosure: I work for one of the two companies that have been making these for decades.

In reply to DrBoost :

I got the Vevor unit, so hopefully it isn't complete junk. Webasto just wasn't in the budget.

CO alarm is sitting beside me already ready to install.

In reply to slefain :

Yeah, I don't know what Webasto and Eberspacher plan to do. Both companies sell seriously high-quality units, but at about 1/8th the price you can get one of these. 
I can't find the pictures or I'd post it but I have pics of these chinese heaters with exhaust pipes that are glowing as red as the Post button down there, for the whole length of the pipe. That takes some serious heat energy. Terrifying. 

Not sure if you already have diesel fuel that's being used, but most of us do have propane with grills and whatnot.  There are propane versions of that, too.  If I were to put one in my camper, I would totally go propane over diesel so I don't have to worry about diesel storage, buying, etc.  

Not sure if you already have diesel fuel that's being used, but most of us do have propane with grills and whatnot.  There are propane versions of that, too.  If I were to put one in my camper, I would totally go propane over diesel so I don't have to worry about diesel storage, buying, etc.  

They are pretty pricey, though.  Like a lot more than the diesel one.

In reply to DrBoost :

Little or no safety features? I don't think that's quite true. 

• Overheat temperature sensor: Shuts off the heater to prevent a blocked vent from causing a fire
• Under/over voltage cut-off: Prevents issues with voltage
• Heater lockout: Prevents the heater from starting after three failed attempts
• Pump shut-off: Prevents the burner chamber from flooding with fuel if there's an error or fault code
• High-temperature alarm: Sounds when the heater gets too hot 

Made some progress on the setup last night. 12v power supply is wired, wiring harness is secured to the wall, control panel is mounted. This morning I made the executive decision to mount the fuel tank outside the garage. I'll run the fuel line through the wall. It is a small hole, worst thing that happens is I go with my original plan and just plug the hole with a big bolt. I have a pretty wide eve around the whole garage, so the tank should stay pretty well protected. No sun will hit it either due to the trees.

Just have to install the exhaust thru-hull fitting and bend up the exhaust pipe. Should be up and running by next week I hope.

In reply to slefain :

How cold does it get where you are? 

Diesel starts to gel around 10-15 degrees so you may need to make sure you get winter mix fuel. The little pumps on these can be a little particular and the heater will shut down at the slightest irregularity in fuel delivery. 

In reply to Toyman! :

It only goes below freezing maybe three times a year around here. The last hard freeze was in the 20s. I'll throw some anti-gel in it if things look bad. If things get really weird I'll just replumb the pickup to a diesel can and call it done.

These things are really great.  I have one in my big dumb van and it is the bees knees.

If you haven't, look into the "Afterburner" controller.  I have one and it is the best $120ish I have ever spent.  Completely solves the controller issues and concerns and gets rid of the Chinesey OEM interface with cryptic or no controls.

I feel like Webasto and Eberspacher really shot themselves in the dick with the way they adopted to the diesel heater market and camper van market boom.  Its almost impossible for a regular guy to buy one of the name brand units, they are sold and supported only through authorized resellers.  Service, parts, etc are a huge headache.   Documentation doesnt really exist.  And there isn't much to them.  Feed them power, diesel, and fresh air and they make fast, cheap, reliable heat.

If i had the option of a $500 Webasto with quality parts, Bluetooth/Wifi control, English documentation and support, and convenient online ordering, I would have been all-in.  When the Webasto is $1500 for less of a unit, the value proposition is strong for the Chinese unit.

I have found the most reliable application is using the Chinese heaters, the Afterburner controllers, and an OEM Webasto exhaust pipe since the Chinese exhaust pipe is pretty chinesey.  

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

Great info! I am looking into putting one of these into a shed turned into office and home gym. Are all the Chinese heaters the same thing made in the same plant or are some better than others?

At their core all the Chinese heaters are basically the same.

The notable differences:

• Form factor
  • Modular install in a vehicle or self contained in a box with integrated control and fuel tank
  • 4 outlet vs 1 outlet, most of the 4 outlet unites are 8k BTU rated
• Rated BTU
  • 2.5k BTU units are supposedly smaller than the 5k and 8k but I have seen both smaller ones and the same size as a 5k.  No physical difference between most of the 5k and 8k, any difference in output would be from more fueling on the 8k.  General consensus is they are overrated, the 5ks are the closest to actual rating, the 8ks are not 8k - impossible based on the amount of fuel they consume.
• Accessories
  • If going modular, select the accessories you want.  Control style, with or without fuel tank, style of hoses and ductwork you want.
  • Base unit, ductwork, fuel pump, exhaust, intake, intake filter, muffler are all going to be basically identical regardless of which brand you get
  • There are tons of variation on controllers, both physical differences, software differences, and motherboard inside the heater differences
    • For someone who just wants it to work, not a huge deal.  They all are Chinesey and suck to a degree.
    • If you want to use the Afterburner controller, you need to have a compatible motherboard in the heater.  The supplied controller is not used other than for initial setup.
  • The hard plastic fuel line in some kits is way better than the soft green fuel line
  • The fuel filters all suck, recommend replacing them with a little lawn mower fuel filter
  • I dont like the looks of the included exhaust pipe or clamps, so I replaced them with OEM Webasto.  The intake is pretty cornball but its just an air sucker, low risk compared to potential exhaust issues.

Thats about it.  The available resources are fantastic online, every issue has been well documented.  In my professional opinion, for a hobbyist installation and application there is zero reason to buy a name brand.  

Off-topic, but a friend has told me how well his "drip oil heater" works in his 2-car garage and the same type in a small hunting cabin. I know nothing about them, but he did the research and opted to go this route versus gas or electric heaters. Just thinking out loud......

Is it safe to keep these running  when you are not around ?

Say overnight in a garage while you are in the house ?

Is it possible to mount the unit outside and just have the hot air piped into a garage?

Thread has me thinking one of these could be great for my garage gym, rather than bundling up to go work out. 

In reply to Toyman! :

Hopefully that model has these, it's not like the chinese to lie lol.  the ones we tested turned on and ran until they got to a temperature (a temp, not necessarily the set temp), and USUALLY shut off. Then started again. 

93gsxturbo said:

 

I feel like Webasto and Eberspacher really shot themselves in the dick with the way they adopted to the diesel heater market and camper van market boom.  Its almost impossible for a regular guy to buy one of the name brand units, they are sold and supported only through authorized resellers.  Service, parts, etc are a huge headache.   Documentation doesnt really exist.  And there isn't much to them.  Feed them power, diesel, and fresh air and they make fast, cheap, reliable heat.

If i had the option of a $500 Webasto with quality parts, Bluetooth/Wifi control, English documentation and support, and convenient online ordering, I would have been all-in.  When the Webasto is $1500 for less of a unit, the value proposition is strong for the Chinese unit.

I have found the most reliable application is using the Chinese heaters, the Afterburner controllers, and an OEM Webasto exhaust pipe since the Chinese exhaust pipe is pretty chinesey.  

 

I feel your pain. The big two are much more expensive than the knock-offs. That's what happens when you're paying children pennies a day as opposed to adults a living wage, and you have actual engineering expenses wrapped up in your products instead of IP that was gathered in, uh, dubious ways. 
I was shouting from the rooftops here that we should sell these heaters in a direct-to-consumer website because this is how it's happening with various chinese and Russian websites. The lawyers said no, due to liability issues since the heaters are using fuel, and creating heat and deadly gases. We sell through our dealer network because our dealers have all been trained.
Oh, and the documentation does exist and is available to the dealer network.

You mention that the exhaust pipe is chinesey. Yes, it is garbage. Same with the heat exchanger and burner assembly. When you see the porous castings, it'll send shivers down your spine. 

In reply to DrBoost :

Both of the heaters I've used have throttled very well depending on the set point. I put around 10 gallons of diesel through my heater last winter without issue. Looks like this will be its 4th winter. 

DrBoost said:

93gsxturbo said:

 

I feel like Webasto and Eberspacher really shot themselves in the dick with the way they adopted to the diesel heater market and camper van market boom.  Its almost impossible for a regular guy to buy one of the name brand units, they are sold and supported only through authorized resellers.  Service, parts, etc are a huge headache.   Documentation doesnt really exist.  And there isn't much to them.  Feed them power, diesel, and fresh air and they make fast, cheap, reliable heat.

If i had the option of a $500 Webasto with quality parts, Bluetooth/Wifi control, English documentation and support, and convenient online ordering, I would have been all-in.  When the Webasto is $1500 for less of a unit, the value proposition is strong for the Chinese unit.

I have found the most reliable application is using the Chinese heaters, the Afterburner controllers, and an OEM Webasto exhaust pipe since the Chinese exhaust pipe is pretty chinesey.  

 

I feel your pain. The big two are much more expensive than the knock-offs. That's what happens when you're paying children pennies a day as opposed to adults a living wage, and you have actual engineering expenses wrapped up in your products instead of IP that was gathered in, uh, dubious ways. 
I was shouting from the rooftops here that we should sell these heaters in a direct-to-consumer website because this is how it's happening with various chinese and Russian websites. The lawyers said no, due to liability issues since the heaters are using fuel, and creating heat and deadly gases. We sell through our dealer network because our dealers have all been trained.
Oh, and the documentation does exist and is available to the dealer network.

You mention that the exhaust pipe is chinesey. Yes, it is garbage. Same with the heat exchanger and burner assembly. When you see the porous castings, it'll send shivers down your spine. 

The Chinesey heat exchangers and burners i have worked on are all fine and comparable to the Webasto and Eberspacher units.  As a guy with significant casting design and inspection experience, they do the job.  

Once in a while you get one with some flash that has to be trimmed, and some of them do not have as well defined fins for heat exchanger as the $1500 units, but that only hurts the efficiency a little bit.  I have never seen one that was completely unserviceable as-delivered.  Not saying they don't exist, just saying they are uncommon.  Its a pretty dum-dum aluminum casting, not exactly hard to make.

The point of documentation being only available to dealers - may as well not exist for a privateer. 

I keep a spare fuel pump, glow plug, and gasket kit in my spare parts kit in my big dumb van in case we get way out there and something happens.   I run two CO monitors - a Kidde in the general living area and a portable unit near the bed that we turn on at sleepy time.   I run the Afterburner controller.  Because Chinesey.  I am still into it for way less than a Webasto unit.

To answer a few more questions:

• I would have no concerns running a properly installed system unsupervised.  They do have good interlocks to shut down on overtemp, flame-out, or no-start situations.
• It is definitely possible to run the unit outside and pipe the air inside.  For that install I would go with the all-in-one unit.  The hot air pipe in should be as short as possible, and to make the system most efficient and reduce the risk of drawing in combustion gasses to the living space, draw the cold air return from the living space as well.  
  • There are some very good solutions that hang the heater unit off the bottom of a window and then pipe the hot air and cold air returns through a window, just like a window A/C unit install.  

For reals, check out the Afterburner controller if you want a seamless integrated controller that is extremely well documented and gets rid of all the Chineseyness of the OEM control schemes.

https://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/

No Time said:

Is it possible to mount the unit outside and just have the hot air piped into a garage?

Thread has me thinking one of these could be great for my garage gym, rather than bundling up to go work out. 

Yup, at first I was going to do this:

https://www.instructables.com/Chinese-Diesel-Heater-Workshop-Install/

Then I realized I'm rubbish at woodworking so I'm putting the burner part inside for now. If it gets annoying I'll find a pre-made cabinet of some sort and move it outside.