Front Step Vent with OEM Factory Aux Heating

[DaveyB]

Hi All.
Need some help. I am looking to get a Propex Heater installed in the Kombi using the OEM parts (outlet vents in B-pillar, recirc in the drivers door step) supplied by @Pauly. We have everything we need, however we have some uncertainty over the front step.

So the question is:-
Do you have a KOMBI/ PV that uses the aux heating system? Can you tell me if the front step (which is a Caravelle item) has the oval Velle step light, or the square light, like that which is located in the rear step of the Kombi/PV (clearly the Kombi does not come with front step lights, so this is something that will need to be wired in, hence the question so that we can get the correct unit)?

Thanks in advance DaveyB

 

[Craigsom]

would it help if I sent a picture of my caravelle front step ??

 

[DaveyB]

Hi @Craigsom, if could that would be good. However we are just wondering if the different step options would have oval/ square/ or no step light.

 

[Craigsom]

cant help with bit im afraid, I do have factory aux heating in my velle so it may or may not be of any use

 

[Deaky]

I have a vented front step in my Kombi that doesn't have any sort of light in it.

 

[Pauly]

That’s the bad boy we need, will run your vin through the system and see if it comes up (I understand it wasn’t factory fit)

 

[DaveyB]

I have a vented front step in my Kombi that doesn't have any sort of light in it.

View attachment 17849

Oooooh, we have a winner, well played there @Deaky. I take it your’s is a Kombi too? Who supplied that step? Don’t suppose you know what the part number is do you?

 

[Deaky]

That’s the bad boy we need, will run your vin through the system and see if it comes up (I understand it wasn’t factory fit)

It should have been factory fit but the van came with the wrong step. This one was fitted by the dealer last week.

 

[Deaky]

Oooooh, we have a winner, well played there @Deaky. I take it your’s is a Kombi too? Who supplied that step? Don’t suppose you know what the part number is do you?

Yeah, Kombi with factory fitted aux air heater.

 

[DaveyB]

That’s brilliant, just what I was looking to identify. Any chance you could pop the step out and get the part number????????????.

 

[Andrew]

Hi @DaveyB. I’ve been keeping track of your investigations with the hope of piggybacking on all your hard work.

Is this the Propex heater with underslung tank & connection for a hob? Needless to say I want one too... what’s your plans? Are you fitting yourself?

 

[Deaky]

That’s brilliant, just what I was looking to identify. Any chance you could pop the step out and get the part number????????????.

Bring your tools on Wednesday

 

[DaveyB]

Hi @DaveyB. I’ve been keeping track of your investigations with the hope of piggybacking on all your hard work.

Is this the Propex heater with underslung tank & connection for a hob? Needless to say I want one too... what’s your plans? Are you fitting yourself?

Hi @Andrew; heather and underslung tank with bbq outlet rather than hob feed (but same principle).
I have been in conversation with one of the owners of Propex Leisure to challenge him as to why one of his team reckons it was not possible to use the OEM kit, when an ebby can do that.
He said that they have never been able to get TPS to identify the parts. I therefore sent him a list of the bits and the exploded diagrams as he said that it was something they wanted to offer, and had their own T6 to try it out on. He said he’d look into it. I phoned him a couple of weeks later only to be told TPS hadn’t got back to them.
Not trying overly hard in my view!
So I informed him that I can get the bits so can’t understand why they can’t if they actually wanted to, since @Fish has secured the exact same parts from @Pauly.
So my plans....... I have all the measurements thanks to Fish’s research as to the shape and exact dimensions of the hole that gets cut into the drivers step. I am led to believe that the hole under the b-post where the ducting comes up through the floor is already there, all that needs doing is cutting the hole on the upper floor side of the b-post (need to strip the underside plastic covers off to check it out). I will then cut the hole and install it all myself, then take it to Propex for them to connect the heater and flexi ductwork and hey presto. Should be far cheaper than having them do it and run the risk of them getting the wrong parts since they seem to be waiting on TPS to provide the answer for them!

 

[rod_vw]

I fitted one way back in 2008 in a T5



I'm trying to find if I kept the part number but as yet no joy.

There is a thread on the 'other forum' showing how I did the fitting of the heater with mostly genuine parts but no part numbers!!

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=26148&highlight=door+step&page=2

 

[DaveyB]

I fitted one way back in 2008 in a T5

View attachment 17883

I'm trying to find if I kept the part number but as yet no joy.

There is a thread on the 'other forum' showing how I did the fitting of the heater with mostly genuine parts but no part numbers!!

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=26148&highlight=door+step&page=2

Thanks @rod_vw , i’ll take a goosey at that tomorrow.

 

[ZipcodeUK]

I'd be keen on this "factory" type setup. Not only for cold nights when I'm camping, but also because it can take an age to warm the whole bus up in winter which is not ideal for the little kiddies.

 

[DaveyB]

We were freezing our butts on Sunday sat in the van whilst the kids were sailing. Climbed in a friends T5, she whacked on her Propex heater and in time lovely warm van.
Same principle as a webo or ebby, but lpg is cheaper than diesel.

 

[Andrew]

That’s fantastic @DaveyB. Thank you for that info. I was saving for all the bits I need to make the van more pleasant on cold days. I reckon I only need some form of Solar and a heater. But when I read your investigations I reckon I might have enough. Stored away £3.5k so likely ready to move on this.

 

[scotia]

Hi All.
Need some help. I am looking to get a Propex Heater installed in the Kombi using the OEM parts (outlet vents in B-pillar, recirc in the drivers door step) supplied by @Pauly. We have everything we need, however we have some uncertainty over the front step.

So the question is:-
Do you have a KOMBI/ PV that uses the aux heating system? Can you tell me if the front step (which is a Caravelle item) has the oval Velle step light, or the square light, like that which is located in the rear step of the Kombi/PV (clearly the Kombi does not come with front step lights, so this is something that will need to be wired in, hence the question so that we can get the correct unit)?

Thanks in advance DaveyB

Hi DaveyB,

have you had time to look at the cut you're going to do on the B-pillar? this is the bit im not too sure about.
if you have any pointers it would be most appreciated. I have never seen behind the plastic on a factory fit one - closest was deaky's pic of the plastic part..i'd really like to see the metal cut out really!

 

[DaveyB]

@Andrew a decent panel and controller will be around the grand mark (if you go for one of the flexi type ones for the roof). The heater, tank and bbq outlet is around £1200. Haven’t added up all of the aux heater OEM parts, as need to factor in the step still but off top of head £300-350.
Obviously if you can do the parts install yourself that will be hell of a lot cheaper than getting someone else to do it. So with your £3.5k I don’t see why you can’t achieve everything on your list.

@scotia no i’ve not yet looked at doing the cutting. Going to get the parts first, then I have them as a template to guide me. Reckon it will take a couple of weeks to enable Pauly to order them once we get the final part number for this step. Time to fit it is another thing all together as I only have the weekends, and thanks to the kids sailing, most of them are already full. I can see that booking a few days leave from work will be necessary.