Neither! Do yourself a favor and get a diesel Chinese parking heater for under $150!

 

My van is gas and I don't want to carry around diesel fuel for a heater, and don't really want to do propane.

 

I'm in the same spot. Do not want to carry diesel and an open propane valve sounds like a recipie for not sleeping very well. Also I've heard the $150 Webasto China knock offs are loud.

 

Big mistake but it’s your van and your money! Good luck.

 

I heartily disagree with KOV. He doesn't mind diesel. I do. The Chinese option wasn’t available when we bought our Webasto gasser 4 years ago, and I’m glad I wasn't even tempted. I’d gladly pay the difference to not have to mess with diesel.

I've read good things about the Espar—I'd love to have its automatic altitude adjustment, but we have had good luck with our Webasto. We did the crude altitude adjustment and have run it up to 9,000 feet.

Either way, these heaters are quite sensitive to proper installation.

 

I've read good things about the Espar—I'd love to have its automatic altitude adjustment, but we have had good luck with our Webasto. We did the crude altitude adjustment and have run it up to 9,000 feet.

I bought the Airtop 2000 STC with the digital control from Russia, and it's been great. I also bought the rheostat control so I could do the altitude adjustment, but the wiring bundle has been hacked up/looks very different from the US bought ones. It didn't look anything like what they showed on FarOutRide's guide. I didn't have the "user potentiometer" plug at all.

How did you do the adjustment, @MsNomer ?

Questions for others:
1) Has anyone else in here installed a Russian STC?
2) Has anyone done an altitude adjustment on one of the ones from Russia?
3) Does anyone know where to what pins the main cable that plugs into the heater uses and where to buy them? I want to add a remote temp sensor, but it looks like I'll have to add a couple pins to the main plug that goes into the heater.

 

Gasoline webastos with new digital rheostat are 550 right now. I love mine and installation was pretty easy. Highly recommend.

 

Where? Do you have a link to a website? I'm shopping for a Webasto right now.

 

MsNomer & I love to agree to disagree 🙀 but, of course, I must say she is missing out with that overpriced gas dog of a heater😉

 

You bet. Missing out on the sweet stink of diesel.

 

@windlover

IMO, the answer to your question is in answering these 3 questions about how are you gonna HEAT;

cooking
Hot water
Heater/furnace

It is not a stand alone choice IMO

We cook with propane, so we use a propane furnace

 

I'm trying to avoid using propane and having electric for hot water and cooking....isotemp hot water heater and induction cooktop.

 

Good Choice 👍

With that sorted out Gasoline seems to be your direction for a furnace;

early gasoline were finicky Might be better now

Check out this website for a report of the early issues on gasoline heaters (diesel can be finicky also, but not as bad)

Webasto VS Propex | Real World Van Heater Comparison - FarOutRide

Can't decide between Webasto Air Top 2000 or Propex HS2000 heater to keep you warm in your van? We installed both; we can help you choose the best option!

faroutride.com

 

That's what I would like to know...I hear problems with both the Espar and Webasto and even though the Espar is supposed to automatically adjust for altitude, I hear problems there too. Also would like to hear about anyone who purchased their webasto from the russians at a price 1/2 of what you get in the US. I hear good things but I also hear the wiring harness is different than the ones sold here. There are differences, but I don't know how critical they might be.

 

I have a diesel $300C 8K heater I use @ my cabin. I like it, but not for me in a van.

One think I can tell you is the gas or diesel heaters will use more 12v power than a Propane Propex.

Also their startup & shut down time is very lengthy compared to propane’s 30 seconds or less.

As I type this I am at a campsite in my van near freezing outside & I love how my propane heater keeps an accurate interior temperature. It turns on, heats, turns off.

I did not want propane when I started my build in 2018 either.

 

anyone using a truma heating system in their promaster?

 

what is a trauma heater?

 

that price I've seen on ebay thru the russians

 

Thanks, I found it. $550 + $120 shipping

 

I don't have a built-in heat system in my van. I currently use a Buddy Heater, which has worked well for our temperate climate and warm-season use. But I would like to install a permanent, built in heater. If my van were diesel, I would happily install a Chinese diesel heater and never look back (for fear of seeing billows of black smoke - joke). But I really don't want to deal with filling a separate diesel tank. If I could find a cheap and simple exterior propane tank mount, I would gladly go Propex. Just no easy (and cheap) way. Well, except the Chinese diesel....

Probably just stick with the Buddy heater for now....

 

What about little propane fireplaces like the Dickinson heaters??, they seem pretty cool. The only thing I would be unsure about with them is how well they distribute the heat as there is no ducting, it's mostly just a small fan pushing the radiant heat outward...

 

I'm going diesel because I hate the smell of gasoline but diesel does not bother me a bit....go figure.

 

are you referring to the smell inside the van or the fuel itself? I have the Chinese diesel heater ready to install but am having second thoughts about it.

 

I’ll back up the CDH. Installing a 5.5L under the hood is easy (just ask Phil). The tank was the least of my problems with my install- These heaters all have issues, (I’ve only heard stories about webasto), do yourself a favor and get the one that’s $120!

 

We installed an Espar B4L and have had no issues. We have used it all the way up 11,300’. It didn’t sound fantastic up that high but it worked. We love the heater and use it religiously to camp all winter. Our install was under 4 hours and the thing works amazingly. We are generally camping between 5k’-9k’. We have the digital thermostat and really we have no complaints. Best purchase for the van hands down.

 

Did you install the tank under the van or tap into main fuel tank?

 

I bought the Russian version of Webasto gas heater for my 2017 PM 2500. It came within a week and Heaters4Us were incredibly good about answering questions.
It is being installed today, ironically, by a custom van guy. However, given they do not come with instructions, I have watched many YouTube videos on how to stall it. This is by far the best:

I am happy to be propane free and have a heater that eats gas from my tank at a rate of 1 gal/13 hrs.

 

I'll throw in my vote for the Webasto AT gas heater. Tapped into the extra fuel tank tube and installed it in the cabin with the fuel pump underneath. It's fairly quiet vs. the clack clack of the cheaper diesel heaters ( I bought one and it works but I decided I didn't want to carry diesel fuel inside the van) yes I paid more but I really like it and I think it was worth the money. The electronics are potted and I'm sure I can find replacement parts. Also since it's a reputable manufacturer I'm not worried of burning up while I'm sleeping.

 

After all my research, I was really frustrated with the different reviews of both gas heaters and since I was concerned with altitude adjustment I made the decision to go with a truma boiler system. It seems like everyone that has one loves them and no issues with altitude. Means I have to install a propane tank underneath the van but now I can have an oven/range which I would like. Thanks everyone for your input and help.

 

Webasco 2000 gasoline under passenger seat on 2018 159. Talk to Scott at Thermo King of Pittsburg (724) 863-1555. Yes, I paid more for gas heater but it works GREAT and as long as I have gas in the tank I have heat, no diesel smell or extra tank to fill, no carrying propane inside of van , no expensive under slung propane tank or crawling under van to service propane. Power usage; about 8 to 10 amp draw for first few seconds then drops down to 1.8 within 2 minutes. Then 1.2 to 1.8 amps, depending on temp setting. Don't waste your money on a digital thermostat, it don't take long to find where to set the rheostat ( 9 to 10 o'clock works good most of the time). Amp draw is reversed on shut down for about 2 min. so I crack my vent just enough to keep it running on low (1.2 amps) and maybe a gallon of gas every 18 to 20 hours. I travel east of Mississippi River mostly. I have not put a muffler on mine, just used one section of exhaust pipe and not too loud. I use the webasco when parking overnight at walmarts, truck stops, service plazas, etc... and a small electric heater when plugged in at camp grounds so noise is not a problem. My opinion,,,, There are many flavors of ice cream !!! Y'all be safe and have fun.

 

I used FarOutRide's instructions, which were blessed by Webasto Tech. Mine is a US unit.

 

does anyone experience any type of smell or exhaust inside the van when running one of these heaters?

 

Not a bit. If it's installed correctly, there is no chance of exhaust coming inside. Air is drawn into the combustion chamber from outside and exhausted outside.

 

I have seen some youtuber van people complain about smell but I am not certain if its exhaust or maybe some type of burn off coming from the heat chamber

 

No smell even with the rear window open near the exhaust. I did get smell one time I was trying to give it its monthly run but it was hot summer so I opened all the doors—not something one would do in normal operation.