Post by Mike Harding on May 21, 2023 13:46:04 GMT 10
I've just written the following for a thread on Whirlpool and thought I'd post it here too - I'll edit/update this info. as time permits.
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Connect the diesel heater directly to the battery.
Use 2.5mm(csa), or larger, wire and keep the run as short as possible, use a 20A fuse at the battery end and discard any fuse at the heater end.
Although the running current of these heaters is only 1A or so they draw about 12A for two or three minutes during startup to power a glowplug, they also monitor supply voltage and will cut out if it's too low so a healthy battery and good cabling is important.
My $185 eBay heater is running as I type and has performed faultlessly for about 4000 hours to date, an essential item in a caravan in the non tropical areas. On minimum setting they consume 125ml of diesel per hour and will make your caravan hot enough to need an open window.
Ensure the pump is very well insulated, sound wise, from the chassis and that it is mounted at a 30 to 40 degree angle, output being at the top.
Try (very hard) to ensure the diesel tank is mounted higher than the pump, this ensures gravity does most of the work of feeding diesel to the pump – the type of pump used for these heaters (a metering pump) is very good at pushing liquid but not so good at sucking it.
Insert a switch in the 12V supply cable and, I suggest, you switch the heater off when it's not required, the controller display is of a type which gradually "wear out" when powered on. btw the display/controller is hardly ever needed (mine lives under the bed by the heater) and I control the heater with the remote. NB: Do not *ever* turn the heater off with the switch but rather allow it to go through its programmed shutdown sequence by switching off with the remote or controller. If you simply switch the heater off there is a real possibility the residual heat will kill its internal electronics.
If you don't have a 100mm holesaw, which most people won't, Bunnings do a set for LED lighting purposes for $15.95 which includes a 102mm one – they are, of course, low quality but they'll do for cutting a few holes in a caravan:
www.bunnings.com.au
Error codes vary according to the controller but these are common:
E00 – NO ERROR
E01 – Under voltage – your battery does not have enough power, please recharge. OR your 12v heater is set to 24v in the lcd controller settings.
E02 – Over voltage – Voltage is over the permitted level, reduce voltage to 12v.
E03 – Glow plug fault. Check leads and replace if necessary. Can be low voltage.
E04 – Fuel pump disconnected. Check lead to fuel pump, check connector is clicked in place. Can be low voltage.
E05 – Overheat. Check air intake is not restricted at rear of heater,
check fan is not impeded.
E06 – Fan motor fault – Normally caused by low voltage.
E07 – Communication between controller and heater broken, check lead and connection plug. Again can be low voltage.
E08 – Low fuel or air in fuel lines – refuel vehicle, check fuel filter
is full. Can be low voltage.
E10 – One or more of the above error codes and the unit has been
restarted a number of times
----
There are also special key sequences to do things such as bleed the fuel system but they are on my other computer – I'll update this thread with them when possible.
----
Connect the diesel heater directly to the battery.
Use 2.5mm(csa), or larger, wire and keep the run as short as possible, use a 20A fuse at the battery end and discard any fuse at the heater end.
Although the running current of these heaters is only 1A or so they draw about 12A for two or three minutes during startup to power a glowplug, they also monitor supply voltage and will cut out if it's too low so a healthy battery and good cabling is important.
My $185 eBay heater is running as I type and has performed faultlessly for about 4000 hours to date, an essential item in a caravan in the non tropical areas. On minimum setting they consume 125ml of diesel per hour and will make your caravan hot enough to need an open window.
Ensure the pump is very well insulated, sound wise, from the chassis and that it is mounted at a 30 to 40 degree angle, output being at the top.
Try (very hard) to ensure the diesel tank is mounted higher than the pump, this ensures gravity does most of the work of feeding diesel to the pump – the type of pump used for these heaters (a metering pump) is very good at pushing liquid but not so good at sucking it.
Insert a switch in the 12V supply cable and, I suggest, you switch the heater off when it's not required, the controller display is of a type which gradually "wear out" when powered on. btw the display/controller is hardly ever needed (mine lives under the bed by the heater) and I control the heater with the remote. NB: Do not *ever* turn the heater off with the switch but rather allow it to go through its programmed shutdown sequence by switching off with the remote or controller. If you simply switch the heater off there is a real possibility the residual heat will kill its internal electronics.
If you don't have a 100mm holesaw, which most people won't, Bunnings do a set for LED lighting purposes for $15.95 which includes a 102mm one – they are, of course, low quality but they'll do for cutting a few holes in a caravan:
www.bunnings.com.au
Error codes vary according to the controller but these are common:
E00 – NO ERROR
E01 – Under voltage – your battery does not have enough power, please recharge. OR your 12v heater is set to 24v in the lcd controller settings.
E02 – Over voltage – Voltage is over the permitted level, reduce voltage to 12v.
E03 – Glow plug fault. Check leads and replace if necessary. Can be low voltage.
E04 – Fuel pump disconnected. Check lead to fuel pump, check connector is clicked in place. Can be low voltage.
E05 – Overheat. Check air intake is not restricted at rear of heater,
check fan is not impeded.
E06 – Fan motor fault – Normally caused by low voltage.
E07 – Communication between controller and heater broken, check lead and connection plug. Again can be low voltage.
E08 – Low fuel or air in fuel lines – refuel vehicle, check fuel filter
is full. Can be low voltage.
E10 – One or more of the above error codes and the unit has been
restarted a number of times
----
There are also special key sequences to do things such as bleed the fuel system but they are on my other computer – I'll update this thread with them when possible.
