It's nice to have a functional heater. You've probably gotten a ton of comments already, but I figured I'd share as well. If you think about points of failure, that fan setup to keep the exhaust from causing "burning" in the cabinet screams a fire hazard if it fails. The ignition point of OSB is around 205 C and the exhaust temperatures are around 270 C. If your fan fails, and if that cabinet starts to show signs of burning, you are approaching the ignition point and if there is anything else that gets in there (spider-webs, dust, whatever), you could have ignition. I highly recommend that you look at some type of heat wrap on the exhaust so that the heat energy travels through the pipe to the exit as opposed to radiates in the cabinet. I also noticed that it looks like you plugged your weep holes in the exhaust - hopefully you've accounted for water accumulation as the burning of diesel creates anywhere from 5 to 12% water which will accumulate over time and could cause exhaust performance issues. I say "could" meaning that if you have a slope (just like you'd do with a high efficiency natural gas heater) the exhaust should not accumulate, but those mufflers are a prime area for it to accumulate (and why they have weep holes). The "muffler" should be located externally in a safe setup as the weep holes do allow for small amounts of exhaust to enter in an enclosed area, but the risk is typically minimal (once again, if you were designing a residential furnace, this would be a huge no-no). Either way, thank you for the post - the pumps definitely are a bit louder and there are some nicer silent ones out there - I mounted everything externally to the shop (and pumped hot air in) as opposed to having it run in the shop so help avoid exhaust type issues. I'm in a climate that regularly has -29 deg C and I have yet to have an issue with an external setup. Also - the flash point of diesel (#2, min flash point) is around 52 C.

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

Okay, there's a lot to answer here but I'll do my best....... Obviously, this is specific to my own install and it's not good enough for every other scenario. Yes, there is a fire hazard if the fan fails but there will be a fire hazard no matter what, due to the design of the heater itself. I've purposely stopped the lower fan and left it off for an hour when the heater is at 50% (which is where it's always running) and I don't get any burning, it's only when it's at full output does it get hot enough to cause potential problems. The fan is there to use the heat from the exhaust and keep the kitchen warm, I did use proper exhaust wrap at first but I couldn't stand the thought of it then becoming wasted heat. The weep holes are none existent in the Webasto silencers I bought whereas the Chinese ones to have them. I'm assuming that it evaporates when it's running as I haven't had any problems in the 3 years that it's been running. The mufflers couldn't be mounted anywhere else due to limited space in the air-brick area, I did try to mount them there, but they're around 1/2" too long. At the exhaust exit point where it goes into the air-brick, the surface temperature of the exhaust gets to around 60C when it's at 75% power. I've dripped diesel onto the exhaust and it doesn't even smoke. I don't know where they get the 'flash point' from but I'm assuming it's vaporised rather than droplets. Yes, there are risks if the lower fan was to fail but I've taken as many precautions as possible. One thing I didn't show is the addition of a smoke alarm underneath the cabinet and I have a total of 3 x smoke & CO alarms in the kitchen. The heater is only working when there is someone inside, it's NEVER left on in the night or when I go out and there's enough warning systems and fire extinguishers to battle any fire before it has chance to get out of hand. Every heating system comes with its risks but hopefully, I've eliminated or taken as many precautions against potential problems as possible.

@ElectroStrong

Жыл бұрын

​@@Vortecks Thanks for the reply and perspective! It's great to give people ideas and concepts that they can try to apply to their own situation. Each time I watch one of these videos I learn something new - thank you again for the great content!

Petty slick setup! The wireless module status box is pretty cool! Excited to see more of that!!

Between this video and the how to tune video is the best I've seen as of yet on the net thanks for doing them👍👍👍👍

Yep, that right there is a proper RV heater Clark! Good work, thanks for sharing the info.

Well done, merry Christmas & happy new years to you & your daughter

Corrrr tony you’re a jack of all trades, merry Christmas sir

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

Merry Christmas to you too mate. I can turn my hand to anything really but I rarely finish anything off completely. When it gets to the stage where it works, that's enough.

@VelEire_

Жыл бұрын

@@Vortecks same as us all 😂 it functions, it’s reliable, it’ll do… the last 10% of tidying takes the longest

very good installation.

"I'm speaking to you...." I remember Clarkson on Top Gear saying "I am now speaking to you from inside one of the venturi tunnels"

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

YES, THAT WAS IT! Thank you, I'll have to try and find it now 😁😁😁😁

I’d love to see a maintenance/service video please. Never taken mine apart, never had a problem. I’m tempted by the tuning video but have only ever used mine in the garage (mounted outside with circulating air) in Temp mode and it’s been brilliant. I am kinda thinking it ain’t broke so don’t fix. Just would love to see a teardown and maintenance as I said. Many thanks and hi from Blackpool 😊 Love the look of the monitor as I’ve been into arduino and esp etc for a while.

@dancarter482

Жыл бұрын

They are really simple to work on - Allen bolts if you're lucky. It's the junk electrics that cause all the grief!

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

I will do a maintenance video but it won't be for a while yet. They are easy to work on but it's the fans that are a pain to remove and refit (there's 2 of them). I suggest you do what you're thinking..... if it ain't broken, don't fix it because you'll regret it and it'll never seem to run the same again. If it's broken then there's nothing to lose 😁

I laughed when I seen the air vent. I bought Chinese 8kw (5kw) diesel heater few days ago🇧🇬. And then wondered if could fit one in the flat back home via the kitchen air brick and maybe use expanding fire foam seal the area? Great content Tony, keep going through 2023. Time now to get ready 80km round trip on the ebike xmas dinner. 🎉

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

Make sure it's tuned mate. When I first installed mine, it was kicking out a bit of black smoke on start-up. The airbrick is now discoloured which I can't get rid of. I hope the ebike journey wasn't too cold for you, you're braver than me 🤣🤣🤣

@e-bikerbulgaria

Жыл бұрын

@@Vortecks Yeah, I did view your video about tuning and maybe taking away some mystery made me final buy a diesel heater? Given cost of LPG, time now to expand and diversify the heating. Flat back home the soot on the air brick maybe a problem cannot be cleaned? Was a glorious sunny day, blue sky, excellent weather and very mild weather return journey home. I really want travel Haskovo, before New Year, only 126km, non-stop if possible, final got a tailor to encase in kevlar a large square of 12mm thick silicone gel padding. The comfort level is vast improvement 👍👍😎 Tony, please keep making your videos they are awesome and will do my utmost to be in the customer queue buy that BMS are working on. 🇬🇧

Thank you for sharing it Tony! I need to do something like this. Todays energy prices killing my budget.

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

It's still killing my budget but I can stay warm, no matter how cold it is. If I can find a supplier of kerosene, it'll be £1.20 a litre instead of £1.70.

@Swelgje81

Жыл бұрын

Hi Tony Again nice vid 😉 What are the cost or running this is this cheaper then normal heating ? And does it run for 24 hours a day?

@-_Robert_-

Жыл бұрын

And: do you have there red diesel? It's cheaper then regular. Maybe thats good solution?

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

@@-_Robert_- No mate, I can't get anything around here apart from pump diesel, believe me I've tried!

Tony could you run relays or a couple of opto devices for the fans so if they drop out the Webasto knock off stops. Great project by the way!

Give us info on James and his pump cases

Nice setup 😀 wonder if exhaust bandage would be a substitute for the lower fan? The monitoring/ control unit looks interesting too.

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

Yes, it is and at one point I did have it covered but all that heat was then lost. Now, it's heating the kitchen 😁

@alibro7512

Жыл бұрын

@@Vortecks Maybe better to use sticky silver foil on the underside of the kitchen unit to protect it. Then you still get the extra heat. 😉

How did you fit the 28mm OD pipe (26mm ID) onto the 24mm exhaust manifold?

I used to run mine on bio diesel but if you do, and leave it unused over the summer the pump gets trashed. Varnished I expect. Anyway. You can run them quite happily on 75/25 diesel / Bio with no issues. Any higher like 50/50 and on the really couple of cold days we had last month i had to take pump off and heat it up with gas flame to free up pump, If using bio the pump settings are 1.2 and 3.6. If you set it to 8 it will lay down a thick white smoke screen better than any Royal Navy battleship. In the 40 seconds it took me to enter advance settings and turn pump down the entire estate i live on looked like a high budget horror film. Ref your 22mm copper pipes, I tried that some years ago but could never get a nice fit without snipping the push to fit plumbing, always wondered if America have imperial sized fittings we could get shipped over? An extra couple of mm would be great.

I've seen where people draw air from inside creating negative pressure, which pulls cold air from outside through any little crack in your structure. This hurts efficiency enough as is, but why would you exhaust air you spent fuel heating outside? This would be creating even more negative pressure. You should pipe your intake to that hole where you have that fan.

I’m interested in the pump box and the way you tune them

What is the heater for and where is it connected?

Bandage the pipe and purchase a small household radiator,with a little modification would also act like a bafle . You could then get rid of that fan..any heat would disappear through convection.

How does your exhaust deal with the condensation that build up within it ?

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

Good question.... it doesn't. The genuine Webasto silencers don't have a drain hole like the Chinese ones so I'm presuming the condensation evaporates as it heats up. There is a fair amount of steam/condensation that comes out in the first 5 minutes of running so I presume it just gets rid of it that way. In 3 years, I haven't had a problem so I can only assume it works that way.

Great video, thanks! Where do you get the ball bearings and electric motor from?

Hi great informative video. My brother and I are installing a diesel air heater in our vans. My brother has finished his first but it’s blowing smoke would it be due to a 3m long exhaust pipe? Also when he started it up he noticed the base plate under the heated unit was getting very hot. That means the floor was getting very. Thanks let me know how yours was. Cheers Brenton

Hi Tony, what kind of the fuel pump it is? can i order it online? cheers

I have the same anti syphon pump from James but not yet used it after a year still in its box , now I have forgotten which of the 3 wires do what , I think only 2 are needed but which colours ? 🤣

No mods needed, just add cooking oil 50% mix with diesel, pump very quiet haha :)

That fuel pump. Will it run on 12 volts? I’m looking for something that is nice and quiet for cold spring and fall nights on a 27’ sailboat.

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

Yes, he has 12 and 24 volt units. Mine is a 12v and it's been running perfectly for over 12 months now.

Brilliant. Do have any issues with condensation?

Tony, I'd suggest this video... To anyone. Interested or using these kinds of heaters. Forking "promote", for what that is called, eh? 😁

Hi mate this 2nd gen pump anti syphon can you have it higher or lower then the fuel tank do you know ? Sure I seen a video he’s got this pump higher then the tank

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

If you get the anti syphon version like mine, you can fit it higher or lower than the tank, it's up to you but it's a bit of a waste of extra cash if you fit it higher.

@Elites-asthetic

Жыл бұрын

@@Vortecks thanks buddy I got the pump from a motorhome group off a kid that had sold up so was 60quid I’m just trying to find out information about it that’s all My fuel tank is the one in my van which is basically floor level in the van so is the diesel heater that goes threw the floor So the fuel line comes from the fuel tank on the chassis to the rear of the van then goes to this pump that’s screwed under the floor in the van then goes upto the heater

try to get som webasto silencers. Not the one the comes with the heater. It should be those who are oem fitted to mercedes, audi, vw etc.. These are really quiet

I assume you know, but the fuel pump design is to run on a 45-degree angle to remove air. Streight up will actually wear it out.

Where can we buy that pump PLEASE? Great set up 👍

Where did you get the solid exhaust pipe and bends etc?

@vortecksengineering884

Жыл бұрын

Read the description and all will be revealed.....

I wonder if they sell brusless motor for these heaters. 🤔🤔🤔

Heath Robinson, eat your heart out😊

Hi Tony have you got a link to anti Syphon valve thing cheers

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

It's in the description 😊

Hey Tony have you Heard of the easy way of cleaning waste Veg oil using Gelatin? It's the easiest and low labour way of making "biodiesel" for 40-50p per liter including paraffin to thin the cleaned oil.

@danjason2167

Жыл бұрын

I watched that video as well TnT channel.

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, I've seen them all now, the trouble is, I can't get waste veg oil. I've been around all the local places where it's used and they all have contractors to remove it. Something to do with proof that it's been disposed of in an environmentally safe manor.

@jamesemery1

Жыл бұрын

@@Vortecks fair dues just thought I'd mention it just in case

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

@@jamesemery1 Cheers mate 👍 I could dispose of the stuff in an environmentally safe manor by burning it, it's only the same thing as they do with it. Bloody regulations spoil it for everyone (me at least).

@jamesemery1

Жыл бұрын

@@Vortecks maybe look at the regs and see if you can get the correct paperwork to be classed as a "proper" disposal method it's worth having a look into it. Or maybe find a mobile catering van that doesn't have a fixed place of work maybe they could be more amenable to letting you have the oil

What fuel pump is it

Link to the pump?

@mixerfistit5522

7 ай бұрын

It's made to order. Email address in the description

Use exhaust wrap this will lower the external temp. Warning use gloves the wrap is evil to touch with bare skin

@Vortecks

Жыл бұрын

I did use proper exhaust bandage to start with, but it's then waisted heat that I couldn't use. Having the fan under there circulates the heat and keeps the kitchen warm. I know what you mean about wearing gloves - I found out the hard way 🤣

Too bad it's not available by normal means. Ebay, Amazon, direct webpage "Buy Me" etc... If I have to jump through hoops and walls to get a price I am sure to be shocked. And being from UK there might be a shipping problem. Looks like I am going to have to pass on this.