photo by Mumemories via iStock
If you are a summer camper, you may not have considered a diesel air heater; however, if you like to go cold weather camping or if you like to seek out higher altitudes, this item is a must-have addition.
Additionally, you might want to consider a forced air diesel heater in your camping setup to ensure your next trip will be a toasty one.
In this article, we will walk you through the benefits of using a diesel air heater in your camping setup, as well as what they are precisely and how they work.
What is a Diesel Forced Air Heater?
photo by eclipse_images via iStock
A diesel forced air heater is a small heater designed to provide instant heat inside your camping vehicle or your tent to provide you with effective relief from the cold and, therefore, comfort.
How Does a Diesel Forced Air Heater Work?
photo by RomanBabakin via iStock
The device starts the process by drawing in air from an external intake pipe, which passes through the heater’s combustion chamber, where it is mixed with diesel and ignited. The combustion heats up a large surface area called a heat exchanger that will heat the cool air that flows past it.
These machines have an internal blower that is generally powered by electricity to help the airflow. The whole process heats up your cabin rather quickly while the exhaust gas is vented outside through an exhaust pipe.
Are They Safe to Use?
Diesel forced air heaters are generally safe to use, but you need to research them thoroughly before buying one. A low-quality version may come with various dangers, such as carbon monoxide poisoning.
We recommend you to get a good quality one like the Planar/Autoderm 2D-HA rather than a cheap knock-off. To ensure your safety, the Planar/Autoderm 2D-HA diesel forced air heater comes with overheating protection that will automatically shut down the device if the temperature exceeds the design specification. This ensures that there is no risk of damage from overheating or combustion.
As the combustion chamber is also completely sealed and all exhaust gasses are vented to the outside of your vehicle, there is also no risk of inhaling any gasses, making it safe to use in your car while sleeping in it without risking carbon monoxide poisoning.
Diesel Forced Air Heaters Offer Great Performance
A diesel forced air heater will also give you excellent heating performance that will make a world of difference when you camp out in the colder weather. In addition, these heaters are very cost-efficient as they have low fuel and power consumption while still performing admirably. See this heater being installed in a van in the video above by Susi Cruz.
Using other fuels may pose problems at certain temperatures and leave you with unwanted humidity and condensation inside your vehicle due to poor combustion. A good diesel forced air heater will leave you with pleasant, clean, and dry heat.
What About Power and Fuel Consumption?
Apart from consuming diesel fuel, a diesel forced air heater also uses a small amount of electrical power. It is used for the ignition, the fuel pump, and the internal blower that makes sure the heat is distributed throughout your vehicle. But, first, let’s look at the figures for our recommended product.
The Planar Heaters 2D comes with two options; you can use both 12-volt and 24-volt outlets. This particular diesel forced air heater consumes 1 liter of fuel per 5 hours of operation and generates 7,000 BTU/h with its strong airflow.
These Heaters are Easy to Use
The temperature control of the Planar Heaters 2D diesel forced air heater is fully automated, allowing you to enjoy a constant regulated temperature providing comfort and warmth from any type of cold circumstances outside your vehicle.
Once installed, these heaters operate quietly, and if you opt for the “High altitude” model, the self-adjusting system that these HA models are equipped with will ensure flawless operations at high altitudes up to 2500m / 8200ft.
Planar Heaters products also come with a 2-year warranty to ensure you will have nothing to worry about with their quality products and can travel in comfort under any weather circumstances. Get a detailed look at what you get with this heater in our video above.
Where Can You Use a Diesel Forced Air Heater?
photo by vovashevchuk via iStock
You can use diesel forced air systems in large tents, campers, caravans, mobile homes, Overlanding vehicles, busses, fishing huts, and boats. You can even heat your office or parts of your house in case your power and heating go out temporarily.
A diesel forced air heater is a very versatile machine that can be installed and removed or relocated easily without the need of a professional. Each diesel forced air heater comes with its own installation kit and instruction manual. It includes all the parts you need for installation. So you don’t need to worry about having to buy separate exhaust pipes as the ones included with the device will be enough for use in most situations.
If you wish to learn more about the Planar Heaters, please visit their website or contact a customer service representative to have any lingering questions answered.
Other Overlanding Accessories You Might Need:
- Portable Power Station
- Portable DC/AC Refrigerator
- Recovery Strap
- Recovery Board
- Winch
- KC Lites
- First Aid Kit
- Camp Grill
- GMRS Radio
- Hi-Lift Jack