Chinese diesel heater

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

A 1Kw electric heater without any external ducting gives off exactly 1Kw of heat, there are no losses, except those which heat up the body of the heater, and they are reclaimed after the power is switched off.. Same with an electric kettle, the heating of the body and the surplace water eventually adds heat to the room, reducing slightly the power needed for heating. The surplace heat is only wasted if the room temperature is naturally high enough to not benefit from that added heat, such as in the summer.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Posted by Hopper on 11/12/2022 12:21:20:

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 11/12/2022 09:56:56:

It's possible to work this out , basically comparing the cost of an oil heater with the cost of electric.

Inputs.

• Diesel costs £1.83 per litre (Heating Oil £0.79)
• Burning a litre of oil produces about 9.5kWh
• Electricity is £0.28 per kWh, but might rise to £0.4

But does one kWh of electricity produce 1kWh of heat? Most heaters are not that efficient methinks. So to produce 1kWh of heat would take more than 1kWh of electrickery.

Anyhow, I am off to sleep in my air-conditioned bedroom. It should be a nice cool 20C by now. 30 in the rest of the house at 10pm, with 75 per humidity it's getting a bit sweaty.

Yes, a basic electric heater converts all of the electrical input to heat. The only exception as a a fan heater which has some noise output but that is insignificant.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

Posted by Keith Wyles on 11/12/2022 14:05:10:

Posted by Jon Lawes on 11/12/2022 10:26:28:

My exhaust runs a while around the workshop to add radiant heat.

Do you really mean that it is giving off IR radiation, or that it is heating by conduction and convection. Household radiators are wrongly named as the main heat from them occurs via conduction and convection.

Yes exactly that, but I suspect everyone knew what I meant.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Thanks for all the input from you members. I did go ahead last night & order one. The one without the enclosed cabinet. I also ordered a t piece & 3 metres of extra 75mm hose. So i can have 2 outlets in the workshop. This is all going to be mounted in my garage.next to the workshop ,behind the interior wall. I already have a power supply. The tank is a wall mounted 10 litre version. All tips taken on board.

From all what you guys have said about cost & what testers have done on video's, I am hopeful that it will be a fair bit cheaper than Electricity.

Steve.

[Alan Wood 4Participant @alanwood4]

Mike T – sorry been off lunching … diesel at low temperature thickens up and goes a bit like soap. I am guessing that modern lorries have some form of heater in their tanks to protect against extreme cold ?

[john halfpennyParticipant @johnhalfpenny52803]

Alan, winter diesel has additives to mitigate against waxing. Summer diesel used in winter conditions will be more likely to solidify – that may be the problem.

[John Doe 2Participant @johndoe2]

I never thought of using a Webasto/Erbespacher (sp?) heater in the workshop.

In a previous life, we did the winter Olympics at Lillehammer in Norway in 1994.. The Outside Broadcast trucks were parked in minus 20°C or so for about three weeks without turning a wheel.

When the event had finished and we were de rigging, the Norwegian guys helping us really knew their stuff. They climbed all over the truck engines and the Diesel lines with blowtorches, to thaw the Diesel that had turned waxy with the low temperatures.

Some transport trucks in cold countries are left running all winter, 24/7, because if they are allowed to freeze up, it is game over.

[John Doe 2Participant @johndoe2]

It was so cold, the air seals on the pneumatic mast I used to carry my transmitter aerials aloft would freeze and not seal, so the mast would not extend. So I had to lower the mast and cover it with insulation all night, and leave the internal heaters on in the technical area. The next morning I had just one chance to extend the mast and lock-off each section as it extended.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Ady1 on 11/12/2022 01:21:25:

The way domestic prices are going it won't be long before large numbers of people start using these solutions to save money

Edited By Ady1 on 11/12/2022 01:43:00

People have got a much better method over here by way of ticktoc. It involves two terracotta flower pots, one being a size smaller than the other, + one terracotta tray the same size as the top of the biggest pot, a piece of threaded rod and a dozen tea lights.

Bolt it all together without any washers cos they are 50p each and you get what looks a bit like a terracotta tree rocket powered by burning tea lights.

The tray gets hot, the pots are heavy and lean just a little, the tray cracks , everything falls over, the tea lights spill wax, which goes up all in one go, and the Brigade gets a call out to free entertainment from yet another Darwin attempt to cheaply (£20 worth of materials + all the redecoration costs) heat a room.

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Yes fire in Derby caused by one of those, see BBC News

John

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Posted by Journeyman on 11/12/2022 21:25:46:

Yes fire in Derby caused by one of those, see BBC News

John

I actually saw an advert for making one of those on youtube

"Use this simple hack to heat your home!"

Edited By Ady1 on 12/12/2022 01:53:02

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Ady1 on 12/12/2022 01:44:54:

Posted by Journeyman on 11/12/2022 21:25:46:

Yes fire in Derby caused by one of those, see BBC News

John

I actually saw an advert for making one of those on youtube

"Use this simple hack to heat your home!"

Edited By Ady1 on 12/12/2022 01:53:02

A case of believing everything written on the internet, or shown on youtube, as gospel – without the reader thinking? Sums up about half the population I might suggest?

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

A bit off topic but back in the 70’s a colleague of mine owned a moskvitch car and it was built to cope with the worst that a Russian winter could throw at it. Under the bonnet on the side of the engine block was a hand wheel which when turned opened a valve in the engine cooling system and dumped the entire contents of the cooling system, this was because when the weather was 30 – 40 degrees below zero antifreeze wouldn’t protect the engine from freezing so every time the engine was shut down for any period such as overnight the coolant was dumped and fresh hot water was added to the engine before starting. A very simple, practical and inexpensive method of frost protection. Dave W

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Alan Wood 4 on 11/12/2022 12:22:06:

I have two write ups on my blog relating to my experiences installing and using one of these heaters.

Heater install

Heater Update

Re pump sticking this may relate to using domestic heating oil rather than diesel fuel. Domestic heating oil has no lubricating oil content and therefore the impulse pump will fail. I use a 60/40 mix and have had no problems.

Alan

Good write ups you have done Alan. Thanks for the links.

Steve.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Well it's been a while since I posted this thread. What a fiasco. Ordering from suppliers who have no stock etc. But show so many in stock.

I did eventually get one & have done a couple of video's of it. I bit of a fudge together of clips & pics but the final outcome has been very successful. I am still working on a air recirc circuit to reclaim ceiling heat, where of course it always ends up. For anyone thinking of fitting one (without burning your property down) Highly recommended.

Steve.

[PatJParticipant @patj87806]

Steve-

A bit off topic perhaps, but what a fantastic Ducati and ride through the countryside video you have.

I guess it goes to show that some of us may look like mere mortal workshop dwellers, some of us have a wild side/wild ride every now and then.

I need to get out my trusty CR500 and take a spin in the new year.

Pat J

Edit:

I have toyed around with diesel burners for my foundry for a number of years, and have seen both compressed air nozzles, and pressure atomization nozzles with gear pump.

The small diesel heating units do appear to be very nice, and so compact.

Edited By PatJ on 29/12/2022 10:12:40

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Road diesel in the UK after some date in September is treated with an anti waxing agent that should keep the fuel fluid to -12*c. For conventional injection(not common rail) one could add up to 30% petrol to prevent waxing. Routing a COPPER fuel line into the warm(note warm) air flow before going into the filter or pump will help prevent waxing. Old 1905 peugeot/citroen diesels had an electric fuel heater, or a simple heat exchanger in the base of the filter housing. Noel.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by noel shelley on 29/12/2022 11:24:30:

Road diesel in the UK after some date in September is treated with an anti waxing agent that should keep the fuel fluid to -12*c. For conventional injection(not common rail) one could add up to 30% petrol to prevent waxing. Routing a COPPER fuel line into the warm(note warm) air flow before going into the filter or pump will help prevent waxing. Old 1905 peugeot/citroen diesels had an electric fuel heater, or a simple heat exchanger in the base of the filter housing. Noel.

My father used the gallon of petrol then fill up with diesel winter dodge otherwise it was a fan heater pointed at the filter for half an hour.

Does anyone else remember the line of lorries with fires under the tanks on the A1? I'm sure it aired on the news one winter.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Dave Halford on 29/12/2022 11:36:34:

…

Does anyone else remember the line of lorries with fires under the tanks on the A1? I'm sure it aired on the news one winter.

 

’63? Or later than that?

 

I have noticed the recent rash of trashy videos re installing/running these chinese diesel air heaters.  Many contain lies, myths and sometimes dangerous suggestions.  Beware of what you see on youtube!

Edited By not done it yet on 29/12/2022 14:27:49

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by PatJ on 29/12/2022 10:12:09:

Steve-

A bit off topic perhaps, but what a fantastic Ducati and ride through the countryside video you have.

I guess it goes to show that some of us may look like mere mortal workshop dwellers, some of us have a wild side/wild ride every now and then.

I need to get out my trusty CR500 and take a spin in the new year.

Pat J

Edit:

I have toyed around with diesel burners for my foundry for a number of years, and have seen both compressed air nozzles, and pressure atomization nozzles with gear pump.

The small diesel heating units do appear to be very nice, and so compact.

Edited By PatJ on 29/12/2022 10:12:40

Hi PatJ. Thanks for that. Yes we often go out Skipton & Hawes way. We always check the weather. If its going to be fine we head over to the east coast (Yorkshire). Need to get the major service done now, but very expensive so saving the Pennies up.

CR 500 mental machine. Very powerful. My mate had the CR 250 & that was quick.

Regards.

Steve.

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Dave

I remember the lines of lorries on the A1 with fires under their fuel tanks during the heavy snow and freeze of must have been the winter of 83. I had to drive up the A1 from Newark to Alnwick in Northumberland, the road was only cleared of snow for one carriageway width in each direction because of the heavy snow, going was treacherous. I was in the Air Force and had to travel to RAF Boulmer to carry out a ten minute inspection on a Sea King Chopper, stayed overnight sleeping in a wooden hut with outside temperature as low as minus 18 degrees. It was bitter cold and we had a Sherpa van for the journey which wasn’t the best performer when driving on snow but we made it without crashing into anything. Dave W

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

in the 70’s and early 80’s I always went to the old USSR in early January – one year it was a coach tour around the Golden ring of historic Monasteries (or Kremlins) that circle around Moscow – temperature about -16 to -20 – each morning whilst we were at breakfast the driver would put two fires under the coach one for the main engine, the other the fuel tank for the coach heater.

Edited By Frances IoM on 29/12/2022 18:13:00

[Roger Williams 2Participant @rogerwilliams2]

Ive had a Chinese diesel heater in my workshop for 3 years, excellent it is too. One with the burner and tank in one unit . What can go wrong with them are the fuel atomiser thimbles now and again, cheap off ebay. Be careful when the heater plug has to be removed, they are ceramic and are easily broken. (dont ask how I know). Diesel in cold weather , 2 main phases , cloud point and filter clogging point.

Used to work on Finnish Valmet timber forwarders and they all had a male and female connector near the radiators for pumping hot anti freeze round the engine in extreme cold !.

[lee websterParticipant @leewebster72680]

I went to Trago Mills, a shop in Falmouth, to buy some model makers filler. I also bought a new cutting mat, LED worklight, and 4 fibre optic lamps for a project I am working on. A nice trip out, and 15% off the price because it was sale time. Nice To get in the fresh air.

[lee websterParticipant @leewebster72680]

I must be tired or something. My last post about buying stuff at Trago Mills should have gone in the What have you been up to today, or some such name. Time for bed before I mess up even more.

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