Diesel heater install location

[NewLinguistics]

Hi all,

I have a 58 plate Berlingo panel van I'm looking to install a knock off Eber into. By my standards it is pretty modern and also my first Citroën.

I went through the 11 pages of "heater" related posts my (very broad) search term returned and found a few helpful pointers. Also seems asthmatic heaters plague others!

 What I can't find is a "floor plan layout." I am hoping to put the actual unit in the driver's side step hollow and then drilling accordingly for intake and exhaust. This will be done with a suitable mounting plate, etc.

Does anyone know what is beneath that void? It is effectively dead space and would put the heater mostly out of harm's way.

Thanks in advance

[Sol]

Behind the front seats in a B9 van, there's a plate spot welded over the original rear passenger footwell. Nothing in there. But that reduces van load space. There will be stuff on the underside of that depression too. Fuel lines etc.

My heaters could strip paint after 5 miles or so...it's more to do with thermal efficiency of modern diesel engines. They don't heat easily and cool effectively. So make little heat on a short journey.

[NewLinguistics]

Behind the front seats in a B9 van, there's a plate spot welded over the original rear passenger footwell. Nothing in there. But that reduces van load space. There will be stuff on the underside of that depression too. Fuel lines etc.

My heaters could strip paint after 5 miles or so...it's more to do with thermal efficiency of modern diesel engines. They don't heat easily and cool effectively. So make little heat on a short journey.

Nice one thank you. Will have a look see if I can find that recommended spot. 

The heater stock does put out some heat, but only with the fan on max. Also a weird blast of cold air to the driver's side footwell which I couldn't trace.

I've done a few paper ever installs in older vans so the principle is OK, just the implementation in this one is different.

[Sol]

Sounds like something is wrong with your heating system. I'd be inclined to fix it rather than install a second heater - but that's just me.

Anyway, where the rear seat passengers feet would go if the seats were fitted as per the car, peel back the flooring mat and under there is a large thin steel corrugated plate, covering that footwell. You can see into it when looking under the drivers seat, with the storage tray pulled all the way out and removed.