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Camper heating
#1
Am looking at a Berlinco camper at the moment with a view to buying.  It has a ceramic heater - but I understand that only works if you are hooked up to electricity.  What could I use instead for wild camping (I live in Scotland where you can wild camp).  Thanks
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#2
A lot of people seem to be fitting Chinese Diesel heaters to vehicles used for camping nowadays, even tapping into vehicle fuel tanks or with their own supply if in a petrol car.

If you do Farcebook there are a couple of groups dedicated to this.
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#3
I saw a Youtube vid which compared a cheap Chinese model to an expensive brand, with the obvious intentions. But IMHO it backfired - although they did highlight a few serious issues with the Chines unit, simply being aware of them and doing something about them would make them a good option!

IIRC the most important issue was the mounting plate where the fuel line and extraction vent hoses go through the bodywork. IIRC, the cheap Chines version is poorly designed and could lead to cross-contamination with serious safety issues, but a simple properly designed replacement would solve that.

Update: found it in my browsing history:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cIWUD-OM4A

Apols - wrong vid. This is the one I remembered:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpdcRwgHCtQ

The mounting plate issue is at about 9 mins in.

As a disclaimer, it might be possible to make a Chinese unit safe if you know what you're doing and why, but if you're not at all sure, don't eve use a Chinese unit straight out of the box!
53 1.4i MS MPV RIP
53 1.6 MS Desire RIP
08 C4GP 1.9 VTR+
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#4
(01-06-2021, 12:45 PM)SianCamper Wrote:  What could I use instead for wild camping (I live in Scotland where you can wild camp).  Thanks

SianCamper, if Chinese diesel heaters don't appeal, here's another vid I found rather interesting a while back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD_D34eDMhA
53 1.4i MS MPV RIP
53 1.6 MS Desire RIP
08 C4GP 1.9 VTR+
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#5
One other option depending on the current draw of the ceramic heater would be a portable power pack.

The more expensive ones can power over 1000w. AC

Personally I use a dimplex 250w fan heater and power it from a anker powerhouse 2.

The price you pay will determine wattage and runtime, a popular choice seems to be jackery who now sell in the uk. I chose Anker because it charges faster from the car's 12V.

250w is ample in a small space like a berlingo but I only get 1H 20mins from the 388WH anker.

A more energy efficient option might be an electric blanket. I would avoid 12v ones as there doesn't seem to be any well made ones.
2013 Berlingo Multispace Plus 1.6 HDI
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#6
If anyone is considering the Chinese heaters, this Aussie chap has a very thorough set of videos on their installation and use:

https://www.youtube.com/user/johnmck1147/videos

For example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj8da4WQaac
53 1.4i MS MPV RIP
53 1.6 MS Desire RIP
08 C4GP 1.9 VTR+
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#7
(02-06-2021, 12:27 PM)Rasputin Wrote:  If anyone is considering the Chinese heaters, this Aussie chap has a very thorough set of videos on their installation and use:

https://www.youtube.com/user/johnmck1147/videos

For example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj8da4WQaac

Sold our Motorhome few months ago and fitted one in it 18 months before. You can get all the spares for them, they are so frugal on fuel you wouldnt believe it and so effective especially with the bigger kw version you would barely need it ticking over even in the coldest winter. Ours cost £90 and if it only lasted one long cold winter it would have paid for itself. You would need to put in a 100ah deep-cycle battery to keep up with it though(separate to your cranking battery). Main point with them is to NEVER let them just power off without going thru swith-off cycle as an abrupt loss of volts will let the chamber fry the pcb. Other than that they are faultless and Eberspacher must be losing it hand-over-fist.. 

Dont listen to all the scare stories. Fit it right and enjoy
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#8
(01-06-2021, 12:45 PM)SianCamper Wrote:  Am looking at a Berlinco camper at the moment with a view to buying.  It has a ceramic heater - but I understand that only works if you are hooked up to electricity.  What could I use instead for wild camping (I live in Scotland where you can wild camp).  Thanks

Hi I have installed a diesel heater in my berlingo all hidden in the boot jump. DM for photos
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#9
I fitted a Chinese diesel heater in my little yacht, which has about the same room air space as a berlingo. It’s a 2kw only version and is more than enough to heat this kind of space. I found it quieter and smaller than the 5kw. A few things you need to know.. Do not use the fuel line supplied- its too flimsy. Buy the eberspacher line and filter instead. Also, if you use the supplied plastic fuel tank, if you drill and screw the fuel nozzle into the bottom of it, keep the tank tilted so it’s not at the lowest point. Keeping it up by an inch or more is better. Importantly, ensure you wire it direct to the battery on its own independent power cable. Buy a stainless mounting base plate and you’re good to go. I used the ebespacher pipe clips too- the ones supplied are just cheap jubilees.
Mine draws 9 to 10amps on its start cycle when the glow plug is on. Then it drops to about 1amp when running on highest setting. .5A on lowest.
Most important of all is to fit a carbon monoxide detector with the heater. It just makes sense.
But I got no regrets with fitting mine. It works a treat.
Berlingo Multispace Forte, 2.0hdi, 2005. 
Steel wheels are better than alloys.
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