Club 80-90 Forums

Hi
I am new to the forum and pretty new to owning a 1986 T25- Westfalia Vanagon. Having spent the first year ironing out some mechanical issues we are now hoping to make the van a little more comfortable and maximise its use. Unfortunately my husband and I are not that brilliant at van DIY so I'd really love to find some help here please.

Being a U.S. model, our van, has no heating for camping meaning we are not getting to make trips when the weather is cool. I heard that heaters can be installed and have seen some propane kits online. I would be really grateful for some advice on whether this is the best/safest type of heating available, what type would be suitable for our van and whether there is someone out there within easyish reach of Southeast London who would be able to do a good job of fitting the heater for us ? I'd love to organise something as a present for my other half!

Thanks in advance for any help!

Google Propex (heatsource 2000), Webasto.(Air top 2000)
Being a US model does not matter.
these heaters can be easily fitted by yourself.
Or any Caravan dealership/service centre will gladly relieve you of a lot of money to fit it.

Also Eberspacher for diesel or petrol fuel source.

Hi and welcome to Club 80-90

I have a Propex 1600 that was fully re-conditioned about 2 years ago. It works fine but does take quite a while to heat up the van, mine is a Tin-Top camper, it would tale longer to heat up a Hi-Top or Po-Top version. Once the interior is up to temperature it is fine. If I were to do it again I would go for the more powerful HS2000 version (that Kev mentions above). They can work out a bit pricey to run if using bottled gas. Also worth noting that Butane in the blue bottles freezes at low temperatures and so in winter it is best to run them off Propane (red bottles with a different regulator). However, many folk either fit an underslung LPG gas tank or like me, use a legally refillable modern fibre glass LPG bottle like these = SafeFill link, though Shell garages don't seem to have got the message though, and won't let you fill them up (so if I find myself at a Shell garage I get all sneaky, too late once the deed is done )

When Kev says they are easy to fit, he of course means easy if you are confident and have the right tools to drill 2" holes through the floor of your van, have confidence in dealing with gas pipes safely and of course wiring it all up. He is of course correct in saying that most caravan places will do it if you give them enough money. It might be worth a trip to Grantham to let Campershack do it. They are very good and very fair. You could try it out by staying over at the very nice local rural pub just down the road from them

Winchweight wrote:Also Eberspacher for diesel or petrol fuel source.

Eberspächer don't make a petrol air heater in a suitable size (B4 is all - 4Kw) for our vans any more so it would mean putting an obsolete heater in. Webasto is the only choice for a smaller heater in petrol.(you haven't read my post on testing a petrol conversion then?)

Thank you all so much for your replies. I'm sure questions like this come up time and again so thanks for your patience!

We have an LPG tank on the underside of the van so I'm guessing a Propex could run off that? Do people tend to fit the main heating unit under the rear seat? Or in the wardrobe?

A couple of people in my family are quite handy so perhaps we can avoid the fitting costs. The place in Grantham looks good if all else fails!

Sizzle wrote:Thank you all so much for your replies. I'm sure questions like this come up time and again so thanks for your patience!

No problem, tis a friendly forum this is

Sizzle wrote:We have an LPG tank on the underside of the van so I'm guessing a Propex could run off that?

If that tank is for the cooking, then yes, it will be fairly easy for any half decent gas fitter to tap into the supply (with the correct parts of course).

Sizzle wrote:Do people tend to fit the main heating unit under the rear seat? Or in the wardrobe?

Anywhere that seems logical, where it will fit without losing too much space, where the gas and air outlet pipework can be easily installed, but perhaps MOST importantly, where it is feasible to drill the two ~2" holes through the vans floor, for the burner air inlet, and the burner's exhaust. Here lies the biggest issue in my opinion. Some parts of the floor are double skinned and making ~2" holes with a metal hole cutter (pretty essential tool) is hard enough through one skin, through two is hard work (ask me how I know ). Making absolutely SURE you are making those holes in exactly the correct place tests ones nerve I can tell you.

Sizzle wrote:The place in Grantham looks good if all else fails!

I've never heard a bad word about his service. He does lots of LPG engine conversions and general mechanical work on T25s. I sometimes drive the 90 miles to him to do stuff I can't (or don't want to) do.

A propex can be situated under the van too, placed in a suitable weather proof, box and piped correctly.

Think where you might put a shoe box (it's about that size)

^^^^^ Same with a Webasto.
I presume that you have a petrol van as the Yanks didn't go in for diesels as much as Europe.

Oldiebut goodie wrote:^^^^^ Same with a Webasto.
I presume that you have a petrol van as the Yanks didn't go in for diesels as much as Europe.

I suggested the propex as they have the leisure propane tank
Bit too noisy for me, but outside it might be tolerable.
The Webasto is just top class, whisper quiet and powerful.
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