Banggood Diesel Heater

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Good to see the strip-down. The disparaging remarks about Chinese "knock-off" technology are a bit misplaced these days. The high powered MOSFET switches used show that the Chinese took the sensible higher Tech option, rather than cheapo relays. If it looks similar to Webasto / Eber and Planar heaters - it's not very surprising as the variations on the theme are limited?
Controlling a fuel pump, glow plug, air fan and a couple of sensors is no longer rocket technology, so Eberbasto shouldn't be charging what they have got a way with for years. Sealing up the electrics for a marine environment is slightly harder- but not that much more!
 
Just ordered one with the discount code, £125.87 . Probably take me all winter to fit it!! Looks basic control compared to EU type ones but I'm sure Julian will come up with something. The 5kw one with remote start looks ok as well
Knig
 
Fascinating link to internals of a diesel heater. Are Eber Webasto any thing similar? I found it surprising that the outer container was plastic and inner combustion chamber was aluminium. I would have thought more heat resistant material appropriate but apparently not. Surprised also that the combustion chamber appeared to be single ended apparently using swirl to spread the fire.
Now back to aircraft cabin petrol heaters they have a legal requirement for full strip dome and overhaul at 100 hrs of operation. This includes a pressure test of cabin air versus combustion air isolation. Obviously concerned about Co contamination of cabin air. No less a concern on a boat. (aircaft heaters end to be made of heat resistant stainless steel.)
I would buy one actually have no need) but would put in place a maintenance program to strip it down for inspection at say 20 hrs operation then based on the findings if OK again at 50 hrs then 100. I just don't feel one could trust the ali to last long in a flame. ol'will
 
There's a facebook group dedicated to these heaters, with thousands of members, and I have yet to come across a story of one bursting into flames. There are some gripes but they are usually because the package that arrives contains a different controller to the one advertised, and very occasionally you do seem to get a duff one.

My own one, sourced from eBay, has had only a few uses but so far so good. I have a CO monitor nearby which sometimes gets set off by my cooker, but has never detected anything from the heater.

Installation wasn't too difficult, but I did splash out on a new exhaust and skin fitting which are marine quality, as this is where the greatest danger lies.
 
Looks good quality item but the package doesn't include many items required for instal on a boat but this doesn't mean that it's not a bargain. It's certainly going to shake the ever, webasto tree!
Couldn't find any info on the controller/thermostat.
 
Now back to aircraft cabin petrol heaters they have a legal requirement for full strip dome and overhaul at 100 hrs of operation. This includes a pressure test of cabin air versus combustion air isolation. Obviously concerned about Co contamination of cabin air. No less a concern on a boat. ol'will

Big difference in co output between petrol burning heater and diesel. A leak in the former will render you uncouncious very quickly and kill you shortly afterwards. A leak in the latter is unlikely to do much more than give you a mild headache. The levels of co from burning diesel is so low, I don't think I have ever heard of any fatal incidents involving it.
 
I'm considering one of the self contained units - can sit in the cockpit and duct through a washboard hole. Totally portable, would only be used when stopped anyway, and wouldn't risk BSS failure
 
There's a facebook group dedicated to these heaters, with thousands of members, and I have yet to come across a story of one bursting into flames.

My son Owen, who is MD of Planar Heaters UK, has problems with a wide variety of heaters referred to him via his Q&A facebook page. He knows of a good number that have burst into flames, plus they are very noisy and the glowplugs are unreliable.
 
My son Owen, who is MD of Planar Heaters UK, has problems with a wide variety of heaters referred to him via his Q&A facebook page. He knows of a good number that have burst into flames, plus they are very noisy and the glowplugs are unreliable.

That is interesting. Glow plugs do seem unreliable. Noise levels are not much different imo and I have an eber and a Chinese heater. The good number that have burst into flames is the most interesting point. The facebook group is perhaps the largest gathering of actual users that there is, and I have been a member for about a year. I don't recall a single story of one actually bursting into flames. Is there an way to independently collaborate these claims. I don't mean to sound disparaging, but a seller of another brand of heater cannot be considered independent. I am genuinely interested in hearing about cases of actual fires, because that was my main concern when buying one. So far, I have had nothing but good service out of it, although I accept that there are lots of reported reliability problems, although many of these appear to be installation and user related beyond the glow plug issue.
 
Admittedly, the sellers don't do themselves any favours with their marketing material :D

image.jpeg
 
I don't mean to sound disparaging, but a seller of another brand of heater cannot be considered independent.

He is not broadcasting these events. People with all types of heater ask him questions about their units/installations/problems, because he responds to queries, does his best to assist everybody and is highly regarded for it. When we meet, which is quite often, we discuss some of them.
 
He is not broadcasting these events. People with all types of heater ask him questions about their units/installations/problems, because he responds to queries, does his best to assist everybody and is highly regarded for it. When we meet, which is quite often, we discuss some of them.

I do get that, but was looking for an independent source or information regarding fires caused by these heaters. If there have been quite a few, I would expect there to be first hand accounts on the Facebook group, who are not normally shy of telling it how it is with Chinese heaters. I have only heard good things about Owen, so was not looking to speak ill of him.
 
If you want to talk about unreliable, lets talk about Eberspacher. I have thrown two of them in the skip, from two different boats. They are an absolute pile of expensive c**p. I can't believe they have the nerve to charge well over a grand for an aluminium extrusion with a nozzle and a fairly mediocre circuit board. I think Bangood it's much more appropriately priced. Double it for an Eber/Web and it would be about right. I am certainly going to get one as I still have all the ducting and diesel feed from the scrap Eber.
 
Big difference in co output between petrol burning heater and diesel. A leak in the former will render you uncouncious very quickly and kill you shortly afterwards. A leak in the latter is unlikely to do much more than give you a mild headache. The levels of co from burning diesel is so low, I don't think I have ever heard of any fatal incidents involving it.

It's worth adding that the "mild headache" can signal that the victim is undergoing permanent brain damage, as a consequence of breathing CO.
 
Now back to aircraft cabin petrol heaters they have a legal requirement for full strip dome and overhaul at 100 hrs of operation. This includes a pressure test of cabin air versus combustion air isolation. Obviously concerned about Co contamination of cabin air.

Cabin heater blamed for crash of DC3 which killed Ricky Nelson and others.
 
The one that I have has an aluminium case. Not sure about the rest.

Webasto outer cases are plastic. They are only there to trap and guide the heated cabin ventilation air. Ditto the Planar Russian heaters. They get warm but not hot.
Combustion air and ventilation air and exhaust are well separated on any of them. The main emphasis on installation is to keep the air connector for cabin air drawing from outside / as far away from the heater as is reasonable . Combustion air can come from closer to the heater, unless you are foolish enough to put the heater into a sealed compartment! On our boat cabin air is drawn through a 100mm duct from high up on the transom at the back of the liferaft locker. Combustion air from about 50cm from the heater. Exhaust high up on the Stbd aft quarter. Make sure connectors are secure and check occasionally?
 
I am certainly going to get one as I still have all the ducting and diesel feed from the scrap Eber.

We purchased and installed a Planar, after discovering the cost of repairing our Eber would have cost as much as a new Planar and we would still have an ancient noisy Eber wheezing away. .
The Planar was as simple fit with a very few minor mods needed to attach to existing ducting/ fuel/ exhaust inlets/outlets.
The supplied silencer was a paragon of silence compared to the highly annoying unsocial roar of the old Eberspacher.
 
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