Thoughts on fitting Chinese Diesel Heater and connecting to main tank

R

Romolo

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First one 3 days ago!!!!!
Hi everyone,

Got my first pre-done Campervan conversion on a Ford 2000 Transit LWB.

I only have an air blow heater when on EHU.

I want to fit a Chinese Diesel Heater and read quite a bit on here.

My question is I am ok with fitting this but want some opinion on the following please:

a) Should I fit the intake on the outside of the Van or the inside to reduce fuel as it is recirculating same temperature VS. heating up much cooler outside?

b) I can use another tank for the Diesel. BUT... would much rather fit to main tank so I can fill up both so to speak and not have to start using an approved fuel container and then funneling into my separate tank. Which is totally ok.. just my first van so want to know if I can skip this bit. I have looked on my main tank and got see any nubs or protruding bits like another intake I could just fit...But wondering on the success of this.. AND... how not to die as its a tank of fuel :).

Many thanks in advance


R
 
If you want to use the main tank the best way is get the dip tube kit you remove the sender unit and drill it through some transits are allegedly fitted with a spare connection on the sender thats capped of
 
Aha ... so googling the parts you mention... then is this sender unit connected directly to the main tank I imagine so obvious for me to see. And I may find a capped bit which I can cut and uncap and fit this dip tube kit to it.

Or if no sender unit second capped bit then where would I cut and affix the dip tube kit? I know there is a pump as part of the Chinese Diesel kit (not purchased yet.. doing so next couple of weeks) but normally I would think this would be a gravity thing and therefore I would need an empty tank?

Very green on this and first van so can you please elaborate?

Many thanks in advance

R
 
I put the air intake inside to pick up the vans ambient temperature air.

The supplied pump will pull the fuel from the top of the tank.....where the dip tube kit should be fitted.

The dip tube will want to be short enough from the bottom of the tank to leave you enough fuel (1/4 ish) in the tank to still drive the van to refuel.

E9B361DB-3410-4E22-BE8D-F7997B742CED.jpeg



 
Last edited:
OK.. glad to see air intake inside. Makes sense to me.

OK.. I am trying to visualise as the videos I have watched all focus around separate tank.

So..

a) Drill hole in the top of the fuel tank or find a capped 2nd inlet if there is one and open that.
b) Install Dip Tube.
c) With Diesel kit I get a clear tube to suck fuel out of the tank I guess as there is a pump.
d) Put suck tube into tank via dip tube and then get an air seal with some washer etc.. or whatever I receive.
e) Put it 1/4 up from bottom of the tank so diesel heater will cut out before it uses all my fuel for safety of still having fuel.
f) Fit the rest as instructed.

Does that sound ok.

And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE advise on the simple steps to drilling a fuel tank (if necessary) or even the sender unit as I am being thick thinking fuel and drilling?

Many thanks

R

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Not sure you want to drill into fuel tank, on my Citroen pvc they drilled into the sender unit next to the pipe feeding the engine. It’s not a big job but I would get someone with auto mechanics experience to do it unless you are one .
 
Some Chinese diesel heater kits come with a steel dip tube as did mine which I did not use, so if the diesel heater kit you buy does not come with a dip tube fitting then let me know as your welcome to mine.

I was stuck for space to fit my diesel heater in the van, so mine is all mounted under the van along with the fuel tank with only the heat outlet entering the hab area of the van.
 
It seems like you are a bit vague on how they work. Theres usually an outside air intake and exhaust for the burner and an inside air intake and hot air duct with wheat exchanger in-between. Basically the burner gets air from and puts fumes outside. The inside bit is separate so there's no risk of fumes inside. Our Chausson had a diesel heater fitted it runs off the main tank the fuel take off is above the bottom of the tank so in theory it's not possible to use too much and run out of diesel fuel for the engine
 
Thanks for the replies everyone.
Yes drilling the sender unit is more sense and was mentioned above. Just trying to visualise.... Just need to buy the unit and have a proper look.
Thanks Roy
 
You can drill a Diesel tank safely with a hand drill. The pump isn't a conventional pump: it only operates in single-shot mode and as such is the fuel metering device for the heater. The heater determines how much fuel it needs then pulses the pump appropriately.

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tonyidle said:
You can drill a Diesel tank safely with a hand drill. The pump isn't a conventional pump: it only operates in single-shot mode and as such is the fuel metering device for the heater. The heater determines how much fuel it needs then pulses the pump appropriately.
Click to expand...
It's not so much the drilling the hole but sealing the new outlet that would worry me.
 
I fully agree with fitting the stand pipe into the tank. A frIend of mine is a fuel system specialist. He was struggling to sort out a rough running self build van .The diesel heater fuel feed was tapped into the main fuel pipe from the tank to the pump. By taking the heater feed off the fuel pipe and repairing the pipe the problems disappeared. He though it must have been drawing air into the system.
 
My opinion...

There are 2 inlets. One for the burner and one for the inlet of air to be heated.
The burner one HAS to be outside for safety reasons. The heated air inlet should be inside the van. It is a balanced flue system.

For the fuel. I debated this with myself for a while and settled on the internal separate tank. For 2 reasons.
1) You don't have the hassle of dropping the main tank to do the install and you don't run the risk of running down your transport diesel.
2) But more importantly, having a second tank means you can use Red Diesel and alternative fuels.

I would also recommend dumping the connector that comes with most chinese heaters and buy a top feed one.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=283094610417

I have seen too many people report leaks from the secondary diesel tank. This avoids that.

I would also buy a larger tank so you can go for 2-3 days in winter without filling. But this is down to your internal layout and space availability.
 
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Not read the whole thread thoroughly..but ford have supplied an aux fuel take off on their tanks for years.. so you shouldn't need to be drilling anything or fitting separate dip tubes..
Pop into a Ford dealer and ask for the kit..
You simply cut the top off the tube and fit their kit..
Andy..
 
Gromett said:
My opinion...

There are 2 inlets. One for the burner and one for the inlet of air to be heated.
The burner one HAS to be outside for safety reasons. The heated air inlet should be inside the van. It is a balanced flue system.

For the fuel. I debated this with myself for a while and settled on the internal separate tank. For 2 reasons.
1) You don't have the hassle of dropping the main tank to do the install and you don't run the risk of running down your transport diesel.
2) But more importantly, having a second tank means you can use Red Diesel and alternative fuels.

I would also recommend dumping the connector that comes with most chinese heaters and buy a top feed one.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=283094610417

I have seen too many people report leaks from the secondary diesel tank. This avoids that.

I would also buy a larger tank so you can go for 2-3 days in winter without filling. But this is down to your internal layout and space availability.
Click to expand...
Possibly for you as a full timer who doesn't move for long periods a separate tank is better .For most people the need for carrying a secondfuel doesn't make sense also the length of the dip tube can be set to leave ample reserves

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This site contains affiliate links for which MHF may be compensated.
It should be possible to fit the dip tube to the plate that has the vehicle fuel pump & tank sender mounted on it. This would avoid drilling the tank itself. The mounting plate could be removed & the drip tube installed on the bench before re-fitting the assembly.

Looks like the big 'ole in the piccy.

fuel-tank-ford-transit-2000-2006-3039.jpg
 
Hmmm lots of good posts here.

My view on the fuel tank is I wanted to fill the main tank conventionally and auto have fuel for the heater.... keep it simple.

By having a second tank I need to lose precious space in my Ford Transit Converted Camper and also then carry a fuel fill up container and fill separately from the fuel station and then funnel or syphon fill the second diesel container....

Totally not a problem in the grand scheme of things... just seemed like something I might want to avoid by going to the easy source.

Am I over thinking this?

On the Wirral North West... is it easy to buy red diesel? Sorry... very very new to this so totally green....

Thank you

R
 
I helped scrap some Transits recently, mk6 has a dip tube in place with a cap on the outlet
Mk7 has a sealed dip tube, just needs trimming (like a mastic tube).
The reason that a Transit has these outlets fitted is there is an option for diesel heater in the minibusses.
 
Romolo said:
Hmmm lots of good posts here.

My view on the fuel tank is I wanted to fill the main tank conventionally and auto have fuel for the heater.... keep it simple.

By having a second tank I need to lose precious space in my Ford Transit Converted Camper and also then carry a fuel fill up container and fill separately from the fuel station and then funnel or syphon fill the second diesel container....

Totally not a problem in the grand scheme of things... just seemed like something I might want to avoid by going to the easy source.

Am I over thinking this?

On the Wirral North West... is it easy to buy red diesel? Sorry... very very new to this so totally green....

Thank you

R
Click to expand...
Our coachbuilt comes with a diesel heater already fitted and it's fed off the main fuel tank. It seems really efficient unless I was camping a lot in winter I wouldn't bother about a separate fuel tank I think it would take a while to pay back the cost of fitting and wouldn't fancy the risk of leaks/spillages.
 
I fitted a tank as the units can soot up if used on diesel all the time advice on the net is to put kerosene in the tank to clean it now and again

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Lofty1 said:
I fitted a tank as the units can soot up if used on diesel all the time advice on the net is to put kerosene in the tank to clean it now and again
Click to expand...
Been used on trucks for years without kerosene and never give any problems but they need using regularly,,BUSBY.
 
andy63 said:
Not read the whole thread thoroughly..but ford have supplied an aux fuel take off on their tanks for years.. so you shouldn't need to be drilling anything or fitting separate dip tubes..
Pop into a Ford dealer and ask for the kit..
You simply cut the top off the tube and fit their kit..
Andy..
Click to expand...
andy63 Do you have to drop the tank to access the take off?
 
gus-lopez said:
andy63 Do you have to drop the tank to access the take off?
Click to expand...
hi gus, I did on the mk 7... not completely , but had to undo two securing straps and lower it on to some supports rather than all the way to the ground..if memory serves me correctly I had to get enough room to make sure I had the right pipe and the top had to be cut off... the dip tube and fitting from ford just snapped into place over the pipe..
Andy
 
busby said:
Been used on trucks for years without kerosene and never give any problems but they need using regularly,,BUSBY.
Click to expand...
Had to repair / renew lots of them all makes on trucks as an hgv mech over the years, quite supprising how many soot up.
 
Romolo said:
OK.. glad to see air intake inside. Makes sense to me.

OK.. I am trying to visualise as the videos I have watched all focus around separate tank.

So..

a) Drill hole in the top of the fuel tank or find a capped 2nd inlet if there is one and open that.
b) Install Dip Tube.
c) With Diesel kit I get a clear tube to suck fuel out of the tank I guess as there is a pump.
d) Put suck tube into tank via dip tube and then get an air seal with some washer etc.. or whatever I receive.
e) Put it 1/4 up from bottom of the tank so diesel heater will cut out before it uses all my fuel for safety of still having fuel.
f) Fit the rest as instructed.

Does that sound ok.

And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE advise on the simple steps to drilling a fuel tank (if necessary) or even the sender unit as I am being thick thinking fuel and drilling?

Many thanks

R
Click to expand...
No do not drill into tank only the sender unit which is usually made if some sort of Nylon, and you need to take the sender unit off the tank to drill otherwise you could end up with scarf ( the little twisty but if waste) falling into the tank which could potentially block your diesel filter.

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The Wino said:
It seems like you are a bit vague on how they work. Theres usually an outside air intake and exhaust for the burner and an inside air intake and hot air duct with wheat exchanger in-between. Basically the burner gets air from and puts fumes outside. The inside bit is separate so there's no risk of fumes inside. Our Chausson had a diesel heater fitted it runs off the main tank the fuel take off is above the bottom of the tank so in theory it's not possible to use too much and run out of diesel fuel for the engine
Click to expand...
The pipe for air is for burner and should always be outside,nothing to do with heating air which is drawn in by heater fan,
 
madroy said:
The pipe for air is for burner and should always be outside,nothing to do with heating air which is drawn in by heater fan,
Click to expand...
Just what I said!. Does no harm putting it in different words though👍
 

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