Cheap Chinese Diesel Heaters the Return !

[Hot Property]

Hi Nick and a Happy New Year to you.

Well two years of reliable but occasional service from the Chinaspacher saw it last start as part of pre-sale checks and then again at hand over when I sold Boadicea in October, when after a couple of priming runs after the Summer saw it burst into life (note NOT flames) without a problem.

I did fit a safety overheat circuit that in the event of an overheat of the outlet (100oC) would cut the power to the fuel tick tick pump, but never did the outlet get even close to the trip threshold.

Also throughout I have remained assigned on FB to the Chinese heater users group, mostly on motor vehicles, and not one mention of one catching fire anywhere.

The one I received was CE marked - was it genuine ? - did not / do not care. I explained the background to the buyer, but I also informed my Insurer when I fitted it who were also not concerned.

So the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

I am no fan of the Chinese ability to contaminate this World with biological agents, but the product here is a near copy of an Eberspacher D4 at ~ 10% the price. I myself bought an Eber D4 for my prior boat and whereas it worked, it worked no better nor worse than the Chinaspacher. Was it worth the £1,400 I shelled out - DEFINITELY NOT.

So from a practical perspective and IMHO a very effective product that beats proven cheats (mis)selling their versions. This website if for Practical Boat Owners, and this is a very practical now proven technology for those who use their boats in the cooler weather.

I now have one in my workshop for Winter use only. I fired it up a few weeks ago after 9 months sitting non used, it started first time and had my workshop garage up to 18oC in ~ 20 minutes despite the up over door being open and outside was ~ 3oC.

You choose.

Hi Trev,

Happy New Year to you when it comes...

Any thoughts on another boat? I find a moored boat much more convenient to use, if I had a trailer Cuddy or RIB it would no doubt cost less to run, but my boating would be severely restricted.

Sorry for thread hijack Dennis!

 

[snowbird30ds]

I wonder why we don’t see these fitted to any production boats ? there’s a good reason for that.

Probably as much to do with parts supply issues.

 

[madabouttheboat]

I wonder why we don’t see these fitted to any production boats ? there’s a good reason for that.

I think the answer to that is obvious. They are not properly CE marked and they are not tested and type approved. No builder is going to install something like this in a production boat.
As an aftermarket DIY product though, they are great. Cheap, easy to fit and, in my experience, reliable and safe.

 

[Bigplumbs]

I wonder why we don’t see these fitted to any production boats ? there’s a good reason for that.

So not your last word on the issue as you said in previous posts..... I saw a black cat the other day. I am going to continue to tell people it was white despite the evidence

 

[bowler]

When I bought mine a few years back the heater had a CE sticker. I contacted the manufacturer directly and asked for a copy of the CE cert which they provided. The cert was issued by Udem in Turkey. The cert checked out on their website and Udem are listed on the official CE website. I am no expert on this. Thoughts?

 

[Elessar]

Well 10's of 1000's of people are using them to very good effect.

Did you not hear about the 'main Two' getting fined Millions of Euro for their Price fixing that is why the others are so cheap.

That fine Print you read Care to post a copy or extract here

And he’s wrong. The combustion chamber is not.

 

[Elessar]

When ever there is a thread like this all the back room lawyers jump in and spout all sorts of laws and nonsense and completely miss the point of the thread and generally have no idea what they are talking about. They say they will never buy such an item so you got to wonder if that is the case why are they so interested. Is it perhaps that they want to be seen as being clever...... which again is interesting as they usually show themselves to be quite the opposite.............. Makes me laugh. Those sort of people have little common sense and like to be led by the nose of others that write rules.... Given this, it is probably good that they don't own such an item which to operate safely does require a modicum of sense.

I wonder why as the OP to this thread I used the Words .....'The Return'...... !

you can code a boat and rent it out commercially and get a boat safety certificate for boats fitted with chinese heaters. I don’t know of any other safety regulations for the operation of boats under 24m but I’m happy to be corrected on that.
You have to install them properly as, as sold, they come with a truck installation kit. But as long as you have the common sense lacking from many here you will be fine.
The irony is that the people ranting about the Chinese heaters are doing so on their Chinese iPhone.

 

[madabouttheboat]

When I bought mine a few years back the heater had a CE sticker. I contacted the manufacturer directly and asked for a copy of the CE cert which they provided. The cert was issued by Udem in Turkey. The cert checked out on their website and Udem are listed on the official CE website. I am no expert on this. Thoughts?

View attachment 127811View attachment 127812View attachment 127813

As Turkey is not in the EU or EEA, I suspect it may not be 100% legit. I may be wrong though, and am happy to be corrected.

 

[bowler]

I hear you. However, they are listed as a notified body on the EUs NANDO database, as shown in the 3rd image above. I may be wrong but my understanding is that awarding bodies do not need to be in the EU itself. I will stress again though, I am no expert.

 

[madabouttheboat]

I hear you. However, they are listed as a notified body on the EUs NANDO database, as shown in the 3rd image above. I may be wrong but my understanding is that awarding bodies do not need to be in the EU itself. I will stress again though, I am no expert.

I am sure you are correct, but from what I understand CE certification is largely self policing, ie the manufacturer declares it is all good and meets all specs and safety requirements and a body will issue a certificate. Some CE issuing bodies may be a little ‘easier’ to deal with than others, I suspect. It then requires the EU to take action if a product is reported to be non compliant despite claiming to be.

 

[Bigplumbs]

I am sure you are correct, but from what I understand CE certification is largely self policing, ie the manufacturer declares it is all good and meets all specs and safety requirements and a body will issue a certificate. Some CE issuing bodies may be a little ‘easier’ to deal with than others, I suspect. It then requires the EU to take action if a product is reported to be non compliant despite claiming to be.

All of this is of course interesting. The most important thing however is that the reports you hear on various sites and Facebook groups etc are almost always good and they have had a very good real life test.

If People dont want to try them or indeed trust them that is fine with me, what makes me laugh are those that have no intention of buying one but rant on and on usually getting the facts wrong

 

[Rappey]

The irony is that the people ranting about the Chinese heaters are doing so on their Chinese iPhone.

Really ? Some of us would never subscribe to apples closed ecosystem and prefer samsung, which are not made in China !

 

[Elessar]

Really ? Some of us would never subscribe to apples closed ecosystem and prefer samsung, which are not made in China !

If you have nothing made in China in your house I’ll give £100 to a charity of your choice.

 

[Bigplumbs]

If you have nothing made in China in your house I’ll give £100 to a charity of your choice.

Me too

 

[Seastoke]

I don’t have , so donations to the CHBVS please.

 

[jon and michie]

I wonder why we don’t see these fitted to any production boats ? there’s a good reason for that.

Commission payback on fitting - However lets forget whys etc the OP is doing his heater regardless which is his thread

 

[limecc]

Probably as much to do with parts supply issues.

Yes that's why these guys went for a Planar heater which they said was middle of the road and half the price of German units.

 

[Elessar]

The only way they are half way is in price. If that makes the purchaser feel better good for them. Have had 2 Chinese heaters. Fitted one for a friend. And have just bought 2 more for my latest boat.
I wouldn’t buy eber or webasto. They are overpriced.

 

[limecc]

The only way they are half way is in price. If that makes the purchaser feel better good for them. Have had 2 Chinese heaters. Fitted one for a friend. And have just bought 2 more for my latest boat.
I wouldn’t buy eber or webasto. They are overpriced.

Planar isn't Chinese. Russian built clone for heating trucks and use in Siberia. Widely used in USA. The entire kit was £560 I recall.

ABOUT PLANAR MARINE
& TRUCK AIR HEATERS
Planar Heaters Ltd. is the exclusive North American distributor of the diesel-fired autonomous heating systems PLANAR manufactured by Russian company Advers (Russia).

 

[Elessar]

Planar isn't Chinese. Russian built clone for heating trucks and use in Siberia. Widely used in USA. The entire kit was £560 I recall.

ABOUT PLANAR MARINE
& TRUCK AIR HEATERS
Planar Heaters Ltd. is the exclusive North American distributor of the diesel-fired autonomous heating systems PLANAR manufactured by Russian company Advers (Russia).

I didn’t say they were Chinese!