Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 11:41:35 -0800
Reply-To: Malcolm Holser <mholser@ADOBE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Malcolm Holser <mholser@ADOBE.COM>
Subject: Re: Auxiliary Gas Heater Power
In-Reply-To: <4399aac6.3642f60e@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
><< If the gas heater can already be used when the engine is off, why do so
> many listees go to the big expense and complicated installations for "P4"
> and "Catalytic" heaters? Why not just use the VW gas heater for winter
> camping??
> - >>
>
>ummmmm...they dont make it anymore...
>
>chris
>
Well, they _do_ still make these heaters, but the price is really steep.
The old company has changed its name -- it is Espar now, and they have a
web site. They make lots of heaters, but it seems only the military can
afford them (with our tax dollars). Last time I looked, the appropriate
heater was about $2000. They are very nice heaters, though a bit overpowered
for a Vanagon -- most of these are made for heating big buses and tractors
(like the big trucks). The "distributor" in the San Francisco area is not
interested in VW's -- he is selling them for tanks and self-propelled
howitzers. They make both air and water-cooled versions, both diesel and
gasoline. Typically, their numbering goes by size, "B" means gasoline and
"D" means diesel. The web site tends to list the diesel versions, but
they make both in most models -- just change the "D" to a "B" if you
talk to them.
All that said, these are less appropriate for camper heating than would be
expected. They use a _lot_ of electricity and would draw down an
auxiliary battery quickly. They produce _lots_ of heat very quickly, but
are not designed for maintaining a temperature. This is appropriate for
pre-heating your van before you drive off into the arctic night -- you
want the van heated *now*, but will use the engine to maintain the heat.
The water-heater versions can be used to preheat an engine before starting
as well. This is the main use that the big diesels put them to.
One of the main current draws on these is the glow-plug. I have been told
that it is not really needed on gasoline versions until it gets fairly cold
(well below freezing). On the one I plan on installing in a camper, I will
be using the glow plug only when very cold, hopefully.
The other problem with the stock heaters is that they are rare. They
typically
are not maintained well, and they are fairly primitive in design by current
standards (their newer cousins from Espar are not). They are not trouble-free
and parts for them are really expansive.
Malcolm H.
| 
