Espar Heaters

[zal]

Anyone run an Espar heater in their truck for winter? I have done a search and the last mentioning of one was in 2017. Thinking of putting one in my 2016 Cummins since plugging in during sledding season is not an option.

 

[Luke The Drifter]

Not on my truck but have used them and installed them on heavy equipment lots. They are pretty slick and make life a lot easier with a diesel in remote locations. The 6.7 Cummins is a pretty straightforward install for an Espar. It shouldn’t take a decent shop more than a day to get it installed. The problem with either an espar or webasto is that most guys don’t run them occasionally in the summer months and come time for the first cold snap they run into issues with them not firing, responding, etc

 

[Caper11]

I had a newer espar in a new ram service truck (2018). It gave us grief the first winter, and finding a quality shop to repair it whas irritating, that also had the updated scan tool was hard.
Got to the point that another new unit was given to us at cost, for trouble shooting purposes.
The heater was installed at a espar dealer in Edmonton.

When it worked it was awesome! -30 outside and the truck was at 60c engine coolant temp in the morning.

Im sure they all have their issues, but after that I be nervous buying a espar, ive heard webaso is a good unit.

 

[NoBrakes!]

I've heard good things about the "pro heat". I went sledding with a buddy and it was -30. The duramax fired right up no plug in and the vents blew warm air immediately. I was impressed.

 

[moyiesledhead]

Cummins in Sparwood were running some Webasto and some Proheat in their service trucks. They quit because both were too much trouble to keep working correctly.

 

[sirkdev]

When I was looking into them the installer said installation is everything. They have to be low on the vehicle to keep fuel suction and coolant head. They will work when installed higher but not consistently. Makes it tough for me I’m off-road to much I couldn’t keep one clean underneath. My 2c

 

[250mark1]

I have a webasto on my dodge for 6 years now with no issues (almost 2000 hours on it )
I have it mounted low under the drivers floor boards it actually seems to stay pretty clean
I have mine set to run all summer once a week for 45 minutes

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I used to install Espar heaters in construction equipment a few years back. They were okay, but I found they would have fuel pump or coolant pump issues after a year or 2. Things might have changed since then.

 

[Rene G]

I used to install Espar heaters in construction equipment a few years back. They were okay, but I found they would have fuel pump or coolant pump issues after a year or 2. Things might have changed since then.

I’ve never been a big fan of Espar, despite them being pushed pretty hard around here. I’d much prefer to use Webasto.

 

[Rene G]

I’ve had better luck as far as maintenance goes with the webastos

 

[slededjr]

Polar Industrial in Edmonton sells, services, installs Espar, Wabasto etc. We have a few service trucks and heavy equipment done by them.

 

[Ronaha]

In the end it would be cheaper and easier to bolt a Honda 2200 generator to your vehicle lol.

 

[Caper11]

I used to install Espar heaters in construction equipment a few years back. They were okay, but I found they would have fuel pump or coolant pump issues after a year or 2. Things might have changed since then.

Thats what was happening to the new unit in my service truck. I kept telling them it was a pump problem, when the ambiant temp got too cold the unit would shut down on over temp, it didn’t seem like it wanted to move the cold fluid.
It worked fine in the shop, polar did our install in Edmonton.

 

[Cableguy]

why dont u just use a remote start with low temp auto starting feature
my truck will start every 3-4 hours when cold out if i set it

 

[AreWeThereYet]

why dont u just use a remote start with low temp auto starting feature
my truck will start every 3-4 hours when cold out if i set it

IMO that puts premature wear on a diesel engine and burns more fuel,.. it would have to run at high idle usually 1000-1100rpm for sometime to reach operating temperature if it does at all.

 

[zal]

why dont u just use a remote start with low temp auto starting feature
my truck will start every 3-4 hours when cold out if i set it

Kinda defeats the purpose in my mind.

 

[S.W.A.T.]

All 3 work good but witnessed battery issues last winter when temps dropped to -30 over night on a weekend and no one fired things up till Monday at 3am. Many guys were frozen

 

[AreWeThereYet]

All 3 work good but witnessed battery issues last winter when temps dropped to -30 over night on a weekend and no one fired things up till Monday at 3am. Many guys were frozen

They were set to come on too many times instead of early Monday morning. Sometimes with many pieces of equipment that happens, been through it many times.

 

[catman1]

Anyone run an Espar heater in their truck for winter? I have done a search and the last mentioning of one was in 2017. Thinking of putting one in my 2016 Cummins since plugging in during sledding season is not an option.

I’ve been dealing with them my whole career in the crane world. I’m not sold on them. They easily kill batteries. And there very finicky. Even when everything is properly working, the diesel fuel won’t lite up. Or the igniter won’t fire.

If you don’t have one Atleast you know what your battery level will be at.

I’ve never had an issue leaving my diesel in a staging area for a half a day. If im sledding in minus 30 not like I’m going to be out there for 12 hours. Some guys probably do , but not me lol

Can usually plug in overnight at hotels or bed n breakfast

 

[zal]

They definitely don’t sound like the cats ass.
The reason why I was pondering the idea was I can’t plug in where I park in the winter with a trailer. Will have to re-think my situation.