Espar heaters pro's/con's

[recguy]

I have my 2011 duramax booked in for an espar heater. What has anyone heard good/bad about these units?

 

[Bnorth]

The 7 day timer sucks so get the module that lets you control it with your phone. Other than that they are good, I would rather spend my money on an espar than a remote start. That said the prices are up on them this year because of difficulties espar has had getting parts supplied.

 

[recguy]

2200 installed in Edmonton. Not too bad, especially when you can't plug in.

 

[-lenny-]

I paid 1200 from Greatwest Kenworth and installed myself in a couple hours. Far and away the best mod I've ever done. No more idling, ever. Even at -35 I just fire the truck up and go. Warm cab, windows defrosted and a warm engine. Only problem I had was it killed my stock batteries. Upgraded to a set of Odyssey 1750s and not a single issue since.

 

[markaug]

How did you plumb it lenny? Thinkin about one for my lbz. Thanks.

 

[OVERKILL 19]

Are they a genaric instructions or do they make one for each truck make? I never new u could get one that was controlled by your phone. That is the chit compared to a $8-900 car starter, hands down IMO !

 

[RMK Rider]

have had 1 on my semi for 11 years need to replace because it's just wore out. sounds dumb but I run it in the summer to and my mechanic thinks that's what made it last so long need to do a rebuild about every 3-4 years but they are rebuildable. running it a few times a month keeps them working properly. that's what I have found

 

[-lenny-]

I bought a kit specific to my truck (Dodge Cummins) and it was really straight forward. The hardest thing to do was hook in to the fuel return on top of the fuel tank. Rather tight, but I did it without dropping the tank or lifting the bed. I also run mine at least monthly in the summer and let it get up to temperature. Keeps things from getting gummed up.

 

[Redturbo]

A good thing once a yr is run kerosine thru them, it burns way cleaner than diesel. This is from techs @ webasto & espar. I have webasto on my dodge, cause we sell them @ work. There both good when the work & junk when not.

 

[gimmepowder]

I have my 2011 duramax booked in for an espar heater. What has anyone heard good/bad about these units?

I have an Espar Hydronic 5KW heater on my 2008 Duramax & haven't had any issues so far. As crazy as it sounds, I run mine once in a while during the summer just to keep all of the seals, etc from drying out due to lack of use. I have the seven day timer and it works fine, but then again this "phone module" wasn't available when I had mine installed. Mine was installed by Polar in Edmonton and there are vehicle specific kits available, so the install shouldn't be a problem.

 

[magnet32]

Run them all year long , they last better . Let them sit 3-4 months they start screwing up .

 

[RMK Junky]

Run them all year long , they last better . Let them sit 3-4 months they start screwing up .

That about sums it up.

 

[m8welder]

I got one put on my f450 last winter and it seems to be working great. The fuel line and antifreeze line started leaking a bit this summer but just needed clamps tightened. There was a 500 dollar mail in rebate from the government on them last year because of the less idling time and pollution. Ask about that.

 

[-lenny-]

Not sure what the current grant is, but when I put my Espar on, the rebate only applied to commercial vehicles over 11,000 kg or something like that. Called them a few times trying to get them to send me a cheque, but no luck.

 

[m8welder]

That was on my commercial welding rig come to think of it.

 

[Too Many Toys]

I got one put on my f450 last winter and it seems to be working great. The fuel line and antifreeze line started leaking a bit this summer but just needed clamps tightened. There was a 500 dollar mail in rebate from the government on them last year because of the less idling time and pollution. Ask about that.

the rebate is limited to eligible Class 6, 7 and 8 diesel powered trucks and buseslicensed for commercial on-road service in Canada.

VEHICLE CLASS RANGE OF GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS
6 19 501 to 26 000 pounds (8845 to 11 793.5 kilograms)
7 26 001 to 33 000 pounds (11 793.6 to 14 968.5 kilograms)
8 over 33 001 pounds (over 14 968.6 kilograms)

 

[recguy]

Got it installed and it works like a damn boys, the trucks should come factory with these units or at least as an option. Great investment tho.

 

[Polarblu]

we have them in our 45 ton pickers to heat the swing cabs, just as an air heater, no coolant. Have to do it cause the big pickers can do 360 degrees like a hoe. They are a huge pain!!!!!! Only work when they are warm, gone as far as getting certified installer cert. the extra diagnostic computer. Also have them in the bunks of the tractors, same thing once the cab heats up its fine, at -20 good luck getting it to fire. AND we only run Kerosene to get rid of the fuel issue............... each heater has cost 3 times the amount just in labour trying to get them to work right. Im not a big fan. The coolant ones maybe better but its the same design........... My rant for the day cause they cause me so many headaches with pissed off operators.

 

[magnet]

gotta agree with polar on this one. espars are garbage, fuel lines are too small and the pumps are too weak, when it gets cold they cannot suck the fuel from the tank, thus the no fire issue, if you run them lots on the big trucks, and run sleeper heaters as well, every year 5 hun+ to rebuild the pos.
whne they work they are great but there is better heaters out there. personally imo webasto makes a much better unit.

 

[han solo]

I have had a TSL17 webasto on my 03 dodge since fall of 06. Im sure happy I installed it. The airtop 2000 are junk! I hate working on those interior heaters.