Which night-heater?

After a great summer in the van, as it gets a bit colder I'm looking into heaters for camping.

As I have converted a shuttle I apparently have a Webasto Thermo Top Evo 5.0KW heater (there is a sticker on drivers' door). I have seen this on a converter website...

"Caravelle / Shuttle / Transporter - Secondary Heater 7 Day Timer
The majority of VW Caravelles & Shuttles are factory fitted with a secondary diesel heater as standard. We can add a 7 day timer to this heater, including a few modifications and alterations to the wiring loom. This allows programmable functions which enables the user to use the diesel heater as a secondary heater system, for a maximum of 2 hours at a time. This addition is great for those who want to:
  • Set the heater to come on half an hour before they go to work to warm and defrost the vehicle
  • Have a reliable heating system, capable of 2 hour stints for those odd chilly nights that you camp out in your van
The addition of this 7 day timer is good but not a patch on having a full Airtop 2000 kit fitted with the comparable 7 day timer or Thermo Call device(depending on requirements)

Pricing varies depending on application and requirements, but as a guide £500 + VAT "

Heating for Camper Vans

Q: Does anyone have any experience of this mod? Or a basic explanation of the differences in funtion to a "full" heater installation?

Thanks in advance
 
Slightly off the topic but unfortunately the sticker doesn’t guarantee the existence of the heater. Need to have a look underneath the van for the Webasto exhaust pipe as in the attached picture. Under left seat.
Webasto_exhaust_1b1.jpg

Some info about factory heating setup in the thread Webasto Overhead Control Panel.
Also searching the Forum for “Webasto” might be helpful.
 
Hi Mairy,
I have a Webasto fitted to my van and it has a ‘Thermocall TC4” controller fitted. Basically you get a mobile sim card from Tesco (2G) and install it into the unit, then download an APP to your smartphone. Then you can communicate any switch on / off commands from anywhere you have (both you and your van) mobile phone coverage. This can control the Webasto from anywhere in the world at any time including setting times /days/ dates. Maybe worth installing one of these. Let me know if I can help further.
 
I've been looking at this also for my Shuttle conversion. What concerns me is that it runs off the vehicle battery and not the leisure battery. I dont think 2 hours run time is really enough for me if we we're parked up somewhere on a winters night without an electric hook up. It seems expensive too, when you consider the cost of a dedicated stand alone diesel heater. Would be keen to hear if anyone has got round these issues though.
 
Any good converter could sort this out with the leisure batteries. I have two large batteries, one on top of each of the front shocks underneath the windscreen wiper motor cover.
I would find the nearest converter and let them see the van and what you’ve got and get a quote, then you know what you are playing with, whether it’s worth looking to do it yourself, or putting up with or handing it to a pro. The thermocall is ace, it’s nice to text your van and switch it’s heater on half an hour before you leave somewhere, yummy warm van to get into. See the envy on your friends faces as they scrape the ice off their cars whilst you wave at them from the cab, grinning. I’ve not done a full cold night, but sleeping in the roof and being able to put it on for an hour before getting up is great. During the winter it’s our go to vehicle for everything as my wife is a redhead (cold blooded) and can’t survive the cold for more than two minutes without me suffering!
 
DaveyB said:
I’m in conversation currently with Propex Leisure as I don’t want a duct coming up through my floor, I want to look OEM. Have discussed with one of the owners about using the caravelle/ Cali System, I.e duct in front step and another in the b-post. Just need to give them some part numbers so that they can get the bits from TPS and double check it will work on their own T6, then it’s down to Ringwood I’ll be going.
Can’t see why it won’t work, they are parts that are made for a factory auxiliary heater.
I was quoted £1200 for tank, heater and bbq point.
Click to expand...
@DaveyB
Hi I know this post was a while ago but did you ever get this set up sorted. I really like to sound of it and would be interested in doing the same at Ringwood. Thanks Ian
 
I have an Eber D2 fitted. Great piece of kit and fully recommended. I have it under the drivers seat mounted outside. It requires two 70mm holes drilled for the inlet and outlet.

Insulate the van and buy some good curtains and you will be nice and toasty. Mine is on low ticking over throughout the night and sometimes its too hot for the girlfriend!
 
Christ on a bike, had my Caravalle for over 2 years and just spotted the sticker on the door, checked for the exhaust and there it is!! Where is the controller??? I’ve been doing the odd night sleeping in the Cairngorms, Baltic!!
 
dereckerick said:
Christ on a bike, had my Caravalle for over 2 years and just spotted the sticker on the door, checked for the exhaust and there it is!! Where is the controller??? I’ve been doing the odd night sleeping in the Cairngorms, Baltic!!
Click to expand...
The Thermo Top Evo heats your engine coolant, not your cabin. However it might be possible to modify it to do both.
 
Hi. I’m looking to install a diesel heater in my T6 and looking for recommendations. Prices seem to vary dramatically. Looking to install behind swivel drivers seat. Appreciate any input.
 
Not everyones cup of tea but I have one of the Chinese heaters of flebay and works a treat . Cost me 160 for 5kw and new LCD screen , I then got it installed at my converter and they recommended I changed the exhaust and air intake as they felt they were not up to standerd and ran it into my fuel system , total cost was 500 supplied and fitted , not had a problem yet and the unit itself is very well built
 
I would go Eberspacher all day long (Biased opinion as I’m a Eberspacher dealer)
EB have a new D2 (AS2) out which has a longer life span on all components and is canbus so the Controller you get will read faults.
Webasto are expensive when they go wrong (my opinion, I’m a dealer for them as well)
No offence to anyone with the Chinese heaters, yes there cheap but poor quality and have no safety certs, CE approval, I have fitted one but used everything EB apart from the heater and Controller wiring loom

So for me Eberspacher, Bowers and Butler Technic do good prices online.
 
I would have loved to have one but unfortunately had a budget and they were we'll out it after installation fees lol
 
If your looking second hand then look for a ex BT one there quite good, I have not come across many with more than 300 hours yet and I’ve seen a few. You may need to pick up a few extra bits like the stand pipe for the diesel tank though
 
I'm thinking of fitting a diesel heater to my van for the odd day out when it's a bit chilly.

Can't really justify the cost of a brand new erspacher or webasto given the amount it would get used so looking at either a second hand one or going down the chinese copy route. Apart from Ebay and the usual market places anyone have any contacts for suppliers of used heaters?
 
Haven't got one myself . . . . But.

I've seen a few interesting/good reviews detailing the China ones on YouTube.
 
Dellmassive said:
Haven't got one myself . . . . But.

I've seen a few interesting/good reviews detailing the China ones on YouTube.
Click to expand...
I have a 5kw Chinese one and so far so gd , didn't fit it myself as I wanted it fitted under the van so was a bit out my technical skills
 
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