Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 971
A different kind of FBH thread... diesel space heater
Hi all, good morning.
Have any of you fitted a diesel fuel burning heater into your D3/4. Not the engine heating one, but a space heater like you find in most campers/motorhomes. This is the kind of kit I'm thinking of:
I'm trying to think of the best place to install one, bearing in mind it needs to exhaust out through the body somewhere. I've thought of a few options:
1. Putting the spare wheel onto a spare wheel carrier and fabricating an ally box to take up the space under the boot. It can sit in there with a small diesel tank and I can cut a hole up through into the cabin for the hot air vent.
2. Putting it into the space where the second battery usually sits in the engine bay, then somehow venting the hot air into the cabin maybe via the existing air vent system.
3. Placing in under my kitchen area, which is in place of the nearside middle row seat, and exhausting it through the cabin floor somehow avoiding the air tank. Problem is finding somewhere to hide a small fuel tank that doesn't stink out the cabin.
4. I've removed the nearside second row cubby hole and plastic trims, there's a surprising amount of space in there. Perhaps I can fit the heater in a box there and put in a small tank that has a filer neck out of the side panel of the rear quarter. Problem being I can't work out where to send the exhaust as I don't fancy the exhaust venting out of the side panel - hand height for kids etc.
5. I've also considered whether I put together a heater inside a Peli case - you can buy them fully built online from reputable dealers - so perhaps buy one or make one and stick it on the roof and vent the hot air into the cabin through the sunroof. Not ideal in the rain though...
Thanks, any clever ideas (or stupid ones) appreciated.2022 BMW i4 M50. Bought Oct 2022. 10,200 miles and counting...
2014 BMW 435d convertible. Bought July 2021. 58,000 miles and counting...
2005 Discovery 3 HSE Auto. Bought Feb 2019. 169,000 miles and counting...
2009 Freelander 2 XS Manual. Bought Sep 2013. SOLD Aug 2021 (already regretted!)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
30th Dec 2023 11:23 am
DIY Ace
Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 971
Thanks, thats a superb install though id have to be confident about my skills to avoid killing myself with CO poisining. Perhaps I can work a way to route the exhaust outside immediately after leaving the heater.
I could also try to mount a 12v electric heater somewhere, it'll be much easier to install and less faff to operate, but they sap energy like nothing else and I'll empty a leisure battery overnight using even a small 400w one. That's 400w over 12v being 33.3 amps. That'll suck the life out if a decent 110ah in about 2.5hrs. I could buy a 330ah battery for about £1400 and use a 200w heater, giving 12 hrs of use. But, would 200w be enough heat to keep the cabin warm? I doubt it, and that's a lot of cash for a half-useful system.2022 BMW i4 M50. Bought Oct 2022. 10,200 miles and counting...
2014 BMW 435d convertible. Bought July 2021. 58,000 miles and counting...
2005 Discovery 3 HSE Auto. Bought Feb 2019. 169,000 miles and counting...
2009 Freelander 2 XS Manual. Bought Sep 2013. SOLD Aug 2021 (already regretted!)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
30th Dec 2023 11:37 am
DIY Ace
Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 971
Another good idea, I can strap it onto the roof when off grid camping, I will add that to the shortlist!2022 BMW i4 M50. Bought Oct 2022. 10,200 miles and counting...
2014 BMW 435d convertible. Bought July 2021. 58,000 miles and counting...
2005 Discovery 3 HSE Auto. Bought Feb 2019. 169,000 miles and counting...
2009 Freelander 2 XS Manual. Bought Sep 2013. SOLD Aug 2021 (already regretted!)
Good luck 2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
30th Dec 2023 11:47 am
ronald.soak
Member Since: 29 Apr 2008
Location: London
Posts: 533
Would it be possible to utilise the FBH.?.
It would be necessary to separate the electrical supply to it and the cabin fans but it is already fitted and has a fuel supply and exhaust.
I believe the rating is 5kw although there would be some heat lost from the engine.
Just a thought.
John
30th Dec 2023 3:25 pm
KevinD3
Member Since: 05 Aug 2020
Location: Sutton Coldfield
Posts: 1276
Did you figure a solution out? Where have you planned to fit now your camper build
Out is underway (nice build btw)
You mentioned not using a 12v heater due to the battery drain, what’s the amperage of these diesel heaters? Been looking at them but don’t want to drain the aux battery overnight just for a bit of comfort heating.2008 HSE Stornoway Grey
My Wife thinks the D3 is a hobby, The D3 thinks the wife is 💕
5th Mar 2024 5:24 am
DIY Ace
Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 971
Hi Kevin.
I've not yet sorted out a heater for it. With spring and summer around the corner I thought I'd try out the camper as many times as possible first, just in case I feel the need to change or tweak the layout or design. Hopefully a heater won't be necessary until October or beyond.
That said, current thinking is against putting one inside the cabin anywhere. I don't think there's enough room to do it well and from what I've read they make annoying ticking noises, can smell of diesel (particularly if its a small aux tank inside the cabin) and I don't fancy the risk of fumes.
I am currently thinking ill put a spare wheel carrier on the back of the D3, or put the wheel up on the roof rack, and then I can install a heater, aux tank and all the other bits into a fabricated metal box installed into the spare wheel well, under the car. That way everything is external, all I'll need to do is route the air in via the floor somehow. I've not yet made my mind up, but that is currently plan A.2022 BMW i4 M50. Bought Oct 2022. 10,200 miles and counting...
2014 BMW 435d convertible. Bought July 2021. 58,000 miles and counting...
2005 Discovery 3 HSE Auto. Bought Feb 2019. 169,000 miles and counting...
2009 Freelander 2 XS Manual. Bought Sep 2013. SOLD Aug 2021 (already regretted!)
Member Since: 24 Sep 2023
Location: Highlands
Posts: 396
I'm impressed with how good the existing FBH is at keeping the cabin warm for prolonged periods with ignition off and heater fan running. Only draw-backs to that are: 1) the ingition is on(!) and 2) it is draining the battery. So I wonder if it is possible to power the blower motor from a separate switched supply from a leisure battery.
Although we are heading into warmer temperatures, wet days in a camper van often need some heat, even if it is only for condensation control.Previously:
2010 FL2 TD4e GS
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW - still got this, non-runner on SORN.
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel
5th Mar 2024 6:50 am
pwheeldon
Member Since: 14 Jan 2020
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 1504
Check out LR Time, they put one in a box on the roof. There are also a few people in the states that very fitted them in Rigid tool boxes, we have them branded are Erbauer or Magnusson over here.Discovery 4 GS 2009 Auto Stornoway Grey
Discovery 3 s 2005 Auto Bonatti Grey Gone
Discovery 3 SE 2005 Manual Zambezi Silver Gone
Range Rover Sport HSE 2006 Black
Aston Martin DB7 VV
5th Mar 2024 8:59 am
DIY Ace
Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 971
I've also seen that solution. Could work well, so it's also on the 'I'll give that more thought' list. I have a sunroof model so I've wondered about fabricating a vent for that, to clip in place when the sunroof is cracked upwards (not rearwards).
The only issue with the roof setup is that I'm hoping to be able to stealth camp occasionally - cities etc - so a roofmounted one isn't so subtle.
A well-fabricated box under the chassis is the frontrunner solution at the moment. It'll be subtle and easy to remove to work on and fill an aux tank.
If I can find a way to use the existing FBH in the engine bay then brilliant, but that seems a huge job trying to separate it by valves and switches from the main engine loop/Loom. It wouldn't be efficient to run that for hours on end, heating the whole engine cooling system, just for some cabin warmth.2022 BMW i4 M50. Bought Oct 2022. 10,200 miles and counting...
2014 BMW 435d convertible. Bought July 2021. 58,000 miles and counting...
2005 Discovery 3 HSE Auto. Bought Feb 2019. 169,000 miles and counting...
2009 Freelander 2 XS Manual. Bought Sep 2013. SOLD Aug 2021 (already regretted!)
Member Since: 24 Sep 2023
Location: Highlands
Posts: 396
I agree that heating the whole engine block, when you only want warmth in the cabin isn't hugely efficient, but given the actual number of hours of use that it is likely to see, then the excess diesel consumption might cost less than adding a new parallel system. In terms of wiring, my thinking was that it might be as simple as a second power line from the leisure battery to the heater blower, a relay that cuts the leisure feed when the ignition is on, and a switch on the leisure circuit to power it up when the ignition is off.Previously:
2010 FL2 TD4e GS
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW - still got this, non-runner on SORN.
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel
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