Club 80-90 Forums

What is the best heater to go in my soon to be camper? Am in process of sorting out my 16" ambulance and need to think about heating it. Should i go propex, petrol, generator, diesel (would need new tank) or wood burner??? What is easiest to fit etc... Thank you.

Eberspacher or Propex, both have their devotees (we have a Diesel Eber with an empty fire extinguisher forming a 6ltr fuel tank) ... but you're buying at the wrong end of the year.

Ian.

The propex heatsource gas heater is cheaper to buy, at around £400, and easier to fit than an eberspacher/webasto, but only heats air.
A water heating webasto costs around £750, can be plumbed in to heat the engine, and two heater matrix's in the van. you can even plumb in a little hot water tank.
Your van should also have the VW fitted electric engine warmer. This you can then use at a campsite in the winter to keep the engine hot when on a hook up. I believe that it is not powerful enough to warm the engine from cold though.
So many options.
My webasto that came with the van I have managed to get working, but it needs new parts to make it reliable which make it un-economic to repair. In the ideal world i will by a webasto thermotop c. £731.85 from C.A.K Tanks. www.caktanks.co.uk
simon.

P.s
We used to get by with no heating in my old bay window. Living in Aberdeen at the time we camped out all winter with frozen shut doors in the morning. I just used to get the kettle ready for the morning, and as soon as you wake up, put the kettle on. This warmed up the van fine. So you can get by. The more common problem I have found is staying cool enough. Hence I will add another extractor fan in the roof, i will then be able to run one on suck, and the other on blow, for ultimate night time freshness.

P.p.s

Dont you just love your van, the factory hightop's extra re-enforcements arount the roof opening make it so so rigid, like it's hewn out of solid rock. They are truly amazingly solid bits of kit. My kids sit on the hightop, they climb up on the spare wheel carrier. It's so cool.

Secondhand D1LC Diesel Ebers are ~£220 from George 'Spannerack'

Thoroughly trustworthy and a damned fine chap to boot.

Ian.

Got my heater from a local breakers yard!
Its an eberspacher water heater, originally intended to pre-heat the diesel engine. Just stick it in and with a little pipework and a heater matrix and fan, its job done. Heats water as well through a small tank.
Cost me £40... Superb!

PROPEX all day (and night) .................fabulous!

Kev,
where do you fit it and is it easy to install?

Emma

what kev said!! in my t25 i had mine fitted in the bottom of the wardrobe with the vent coming out of the forward facing bit of the wardrobe, above the work top!