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Imported Blown Heating Systems


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Iam currently toying with the idea in buying an overnighter camper van VW type so like most folk looking the facts i hit the forums .its winter so like the boating forums heating is on a agenda often and they all seem to be raving over these far much cheaper priced blown heaters 

i know i cannot insert links to other forums but its very interesting and i wonder if anyone else on here is keeping an eye on things ??

 

Finny

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The general concenus seems to be if they are from a UK bone fide company acting as agent and are CE certified with sealed combustion only able to exhaust outside they should be OK. But not direct from Russia via Ebay.

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I don't see the issues because there are lots of people out there talking about these, taking them apart and so on showing just how much they share in common with Webastro warm air heaters - then you could also ditch Chinese clones and go for a Russian cheap version with a UK distributor.

The main issue with boats is the fact they need some work to make them sealed and safe so combustion air is drawn in and exhausted safely and no risk of this exhaust gases entering the boat. Using this on a vehicle is usually fine as this part of the unit can be outside mounted in a sheltered location.

I am likely going to get one for Independence as a cheap solution to heating the semi-enclosed outside space that is the sundeck which spending several thousand pounds on a branded system would not be worth while. I went for a dealer installed Eberspacher D5 which did cost several thousand to have done but I really wanted something sorted in a week and they could and so it was that need for heat which took me down that route over 'will it burn my boat down' worries. I note these cheaper systems tend to use a little more amps when running, they also tend to use a better brushless motor however.

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iam not good with the linky things robin but someone is saying they paid just under £200 for a complete 5kw unit tank, controller,pump and all pipework . in years past i would knock goods from China on quality but considering most branded products are out source i often wonder ?

finny

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I have looked at the Planar heaters from a UK dealer, my concern with them was the fans shift roughly 20% less air volume than ebers or webastos, also the 4kw version runs 100mm ducting which means enlarging all the holes the duct runs through.
Quite a saving though at half the price.
I think I may get a Chinese 5kw one for the workshop, at the price if it lasts a year or 2 then I would be happy with that.
There is a facebook group for the Chinese heaters

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I have fitted a few of these now. For boat use they need some additional items to bring them up to spec (the exhaust silencer is not a sealed item, the diesel supply pipes are not to BSS and so on) which takes the shine off the initial saving. 

For a camper van they are more plug and play because the whole thing is 'outside' so the above is either not relevant or doesn't matter. This makes them very attractive. 

By the way, a 2kw unit will heat a coach built autosleeper or my pop top transit to 24 degrees in about 20 mins!

 

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1 hour ago, grendel said:

for vans a lot of nomadic van dwellers have woodburners, these do them well during the winter, as well as not flattening the battery, installation is just a chimney through the roof, and if you park up in the right places the wood is free for picking up.

The nomadic van dweller's :51_scream: , so do the boat owners including me though I hardly consider myself nomadic , thing is there's nothing to break no electric etc being  used and a healthy dry heat ,  down side is everything is manual including the fuel be it wood or coal it needs moving , wood wise , well this is where being on good terms with BA comes in they cut back a lot of trees in the winter , hence behaving yourself and being reasonable pays off .

OK so lots are jumping up and down now shouting about chimney smoke , thing is are they on the rivers in winter  ? No so hardly going to affect them and if the stove is running properly there's less smoke than a BBQ n who complains about that ? .

Back to topic foreign heater's , are all the parts for the top 3 heaters Ebba , wabasto , makuni, made in England ? No they ain't , the only think I can think of that's a problem with the low cost heaters is BSS requirement's , and remember only a fool mucks around where co2 is involved .

Rule no1 , before buying a  heater be it solid fuel , diesel or gas , fit a co2 meter/alarm , its a no brainer  :default_biggrin:   

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To be honest...why faff about with an import when you can buy a plug and play system in the UK, full kit, no additional parts to buy, no bench testing, no worrying that it won't pass the BSS, no sleepless nights hoping the fumes don't get you, everything in the box including ducting to the correct length for your boat and outlets 5.5kw like the Mikuni Griff recommended I buy...ordered and arrived within 48 hours including boat show discount and delivery at £550? 

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In the past as a regular car traveller, to France, by car on business I would buy 100% pure Alcol d'Nature this I would use in my Origo cooker for food preparation and in my Origo Heatpal for warmth. Very simple and effective. No smell like the blue stuff you get in the UK. Perfect on a small sailng boat.

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