Chinese diesel heaters for enclosed sled trailer

[zal]

Get rid of the green fuel line. It’s a known issue with the heaters.
If you’re on Crackbook, there’s a great page dedicated to Chinese Diesel Heaters.

 

[Lightningmike]

Get rid of the green fuel line. It’s a known issue with the heaters.
If you’re on Crackbook, there’s a great page dedicated to Chinese Diesel Heaters.

Ok thanks. Did I hear right that you can't use a normal fuel line? No crackbook here. Maybe wife can find it.

 

[zal]

Ok thanks. Did I hear right that you can't use a normal fuel line? No crackbook here. Maybe wife can find it.

That I did not hear. I grabbed some Tygon fuel line from my Yamaha dealer when I was there. Seems to be working fine.

 

[Lightningmike]

That I did not hear. I grabbed some Tygon fuel line from my Yamaha dealer when I was there. Seems to be working fine.

Thanks I will look for some of that.

 

[arff]

That I did not hear. I grabbed some Tygon fuel line from my Yamaha dealer when I was there. Seems to be working fine.

Exactly or off E bay

 

[Catchme]

Haven’t installed mine yet. What size of fuel line do these units use?

 

[Lightningmike]

Haven’t installed mine yet. What size of fuel line do these units use?

I'm pretty sure mine is 3/16 ID 5/16 OD
That's what I am ordering anyway. Hope it works

 

[Captjacksparrow]

Just got one of these and still trying to figure it out. Do these not cycle on and off as they get the room hot enough? Or do they just run full time and you set the how hot it gets? This one just stays on all the time, doesn't seem to cycle on and off like a normal heater.

 

[arff]

Just got one of these and still trying to figure it out. Do these not cycle on and off as they get the room hot enough? Or do they just run full time and you set the how hot it gets? This one just stays on all the time, doesn't seem to cycle on and off like a normal heater.

Just had ours on camping 2 days ago.
Cycles just fine keep a constant temperature.
Fan speed changes and fuel pump speed would change as required

 

[zal]

Just got one of these and still trying to figure it out. Do these not cycle on and off as they get the room hot enough? Or do they just run full time and you set the how hot it gets? This one just stays on all the time, doesn't seem to cycle on and off like a normal heater.

No, they don’t cycle on and off, like a propane heater. The cycles are “high” together to the temp wanting. Then “low” to keep it there. If you’re wanting a on/off type, you will need this http://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/features.html

There’s a bunch of YouTube videos on them.

 

[Captjacksparrow]

No, they don’t cycle on and off, like a propane heater. The cycles are “high” together to the temp wanting. Then “low” to keep it there. If you’re wanting a on/off type, you will need this http://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/features.html

If it runs all the time, isn't that very hard on the battery? Seems kinda funny, how does it know how much to run to keep the room at the temp you want? Rooms size and outside temp would change the heat requirment alot. I guess a guy just has to figure out what it takes to keep it the temp you want. I'm gonna be sleeping in my car trailer in Oct and Nov and was hoping a guy could just set the temp like most heaters. Oh well, it seems to put out pretty good on the bench anyway. Thanks for the replys, Dan

 

[zal]

When the heater is running, the only draw is from the fan. The biggest draw comes from startup and shutdown from the glow plug.
They have an internal thermostat in the electronic gauge.

 

[Captjacksparrow]

When the heater is running, the only draw is from the fan. The biggest draw comes from startup and shutdown from the glow plug.
They have an internal thermostat in the electronic gauge.

I can see it burning a lot of battery to start every time because of the glow plug. The fan and also the fuel pump would have to run all the time but I'm sure they don't use much battery. I'll be hooked up to my diesel truck with two batteries when I'm using the heater most of the time. I will also have 2 batteries in the trailer so I'm sure I'll be ok. I'm sure this won't be the last question I have once I get around to using it, just have to get it mounted now. Thanks guys!

 

[neilsleder]

I can see it burning a lot of battery to start every time because of the glow plug. The fan and also the fuel pump would have to run all the time but I'm sure they don't use much battery. I'll be hooked up to my diesel truck with two batteries when I'm using the heater most of the time. I will also have 2 batteries in the trailer so I'm sure I'll be ok. I'm sure this won't be the last question I have once I get around to using it, just have to get it mounted now. Thanks guys!

If you have good batteries you’ll be good. On my boat I can run the heater all night and still starts the boat no problem the next day.

 

[Modman]

Dan - no they don't shut on and off like propane as others have said. You can set them low, usually about 8C. They have 2 cycles basically as Zal said - they cycle between "high" and "low" fan speeds. If the trailer is really well insulated, the heater should run on low and temp may still rise even if you set it to like 8C. My trailer is like this. Even set at 8C, when running on low the trailer will still heat up higher than 8 (unless its like -20C outside). If you get a programmable one then you can set start and run times, it will draw the batteries a bit more on start up and shut down because of the glow plug but if your trailer is that well insulated, it probably will hold the heat well enough that it will only have to cycle on 2 or 3 times in 8 hours. It will likely be fine but you can just install a battery tender between the truck and trailer batteries just to be sure they don't draw the truck batterires down.

 

[blubbles]

I sold mine a bit ago, but it was around an 11amp draw when lighting the glow plugs, and only around 2-3a with the fan running. I bet it's actually more efficient and easier on the unit to just run constantly vs cycling regardless.

 

[Captjacksparrow]

Dan - no they don't shut on and off like propane as others have said. You can set them low, usually about 8C. They have 2 cycles basically as Zal said - they cycle between "high" and "low" fan speeds. If the trailer is really well insulated, the heater should run on low and temp may still rise even if you set it to like 8C. My trailer is like this. Even set at 8C, when running on low the trailer will still heat up higher than 8 (unless its like -20C outside). If you get a programmable one then you can set start and run times, it will draw the batteries a bit more on start up and shut down because of the glow plug but if your trailer is that well insulated, it probably will hold the heat well enough that it will only have to cycle on 2 or 3 times in 8 hours. It will likely be fine but you can just install a battery tender between the truck and trailer batteries just to be sure they don't draw the truck batterires down.

My trailer is 7' 6" X 26' and is sheeted inside with thin wood painted white but I don't think it's insulated. I want to sleep in it when it's a little below feezing, maybe minus 5 or 10. I just hope it's enough to get it up to 19 or 20c?

 

[arff]

My trailer is 7' 6" X 26' and is sheeted inside with thin wood painted white but I don't think it's insulated. I want to sleep in it when it's a little below feezing, maybe minus 5 or 10. I just hope it's enough to get it up to 19 or 20c?

Should be no problem
My 24 ft v nose is insulated except the floor

At minus 25 last year it ran on its slowest speed and slowest pump speed.

 

[Modman]

My trailer is 7' 6" X 26' and is sheeted inside with thin wood painted white but I don't think it's insulated. I want to sleep in it when it's a little below feezing, maybe minus 5 or 10. I just hope it's enough to get it up to 19 or 20c?

Yeah should be fine, it may cycle up and down and probably not need to shut it down, especially if its not insulated. Mount the fuel pump on something soft like soft rubber dampers, as the ticking of the fuel pump is often almost as loud as the fan when its on low (at least on mine). Otherwise, make sure you've sealed the exhaust really well so that nothings leaking in your sleeping space (carbon monoxide).

 

[Captjacksparrow]

Yeah should be fine, it may cycle up and down and probably not need to shut it down, especially if its not insulated. Mount the fuel pump on something soft like soft rubber dampers, as the ticking of the fuel pump is often almost as loud as the fan when its on low (at least on mine). Otherwise, make sure you've sealed the exhaust really well so that nothings leaking in your sleeping space (carbon monoxide).

I can't move the fuel pump, I bought an "all in one" heater. I thought it would be an easier install being that it's in it's own cabinet, and it was pretty easy. Just mounted it on a shelf about 3' off the floor. Ran the exh and combustion intake through the floor and ran them in different directions underneath, the exh runs out the side. I didn't want it underneath as the fumes would come up through floor(not insulated). Seems to put out a lot of heat but I'm surprised you guys say it heats your sled trailers at 20 below, the thing only has one 3" heat outlet.