Caravan heating- Gas or Diesel

Moto Mech

Moto Mech

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Jul 18, 2012
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Mole Creek, Tasmania
Will be installing heating in our van soon and had pretty much decided on diesel. Today I got a boating catalogue in the mail and noticed Dometic gas heaters, $200 more than equivalent diesel heater.
Got me thinking, already has gas on van(but would need licensed plumber to install), would save playing with dirty smelly diesel but haven't heard much about their performance.
So, pro's and con's for gas v's diesel heating please?
 
mbr37746

mbr37746

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Oct 20, 2013
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Central West NSW
G'Day @Moto Mech,
You have the cons in your post. Licensed plumber required, sometimes there may be limited installation placement due to exhaust venting through walls (and with new laws regarding gas outlets for fridge into annexe - not sure if this may affect placement on LHS of van).
I can vouch for the performance of the diesel, in a Hawk, 17.56 Expanda and also a 21' Starcraft all excellent. I prefer the diesel over the A/C in the van and still use it when in a park and connected to power. I can't say anything about the gas, except that I was talked out of it for the 2 reasons I mentioned.
Have a look at my last installation in our van here.

Good luck.
 
Bushman

Bushman

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Nov 9, 2010
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We are going gas simply because the gas is already on aboard, don't see the point in the extra added weight of a diesel tank, granted not that big but it all adds up.

If it were a motorhome where diesel is already on board it may be different story.
 
expanda

expanda

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Dec 22, 2009
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www.expandasdownunder.com
Agree with @Bushman gas in my next van as it's already there.

Diesel means I have to carry an additional something that I will always forgot to check and it smells.

Have been in a couple of vans both gas and diesel on cold days never noticed a difference.

In terms of vent diesel also needs quite a substantial vent for the exhaust.
 
Bellbirdweb

Bellbirdweb

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Jan 24, 2014
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The exhaust issue is the same regardless of gas or diesel, both produce carbon monoxide which can't be flued into an annex.
 
macca

macca

(aka maccayak)
Mar 20, 2012
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Victoria
Gas for the following reasons.
- Appliances such as the Truma (Au version) are approved for use in Australia in Caravan applications, Companies pay quite a bit of money to have appliances approved in Australia, the labs do a lot of safety checks and check it for worst case scenarios and they make sure components used in the appliance are safe. They comply to Australian Standards. That's why quite often they are dearer, but you get what you pay for.
- It has to be installed by a licensed Gasfitter, he is licensed because he did an apprenticeship for 4 years(subject to state) and passed exams, he can only give you a certificate of compliance if he has insurance, that's what a COC is, an insurance policy.

I do not understand how a handy man is allowed to install an appliance with a flue, I think it is a real grey area. The flue on a wood heater still needs to be installed by a suitably qualified person. The flue is carrying products of combustion which are poisonous and a fire hazard if the flue is run incorrectly.

However! If you purchase a diesel heater that meets Australian Standards, then I would still get a plumber to check it and certify it because it has a flue. My opinion, by the way..I am a Licensed Plumber and Gasfitter so if there was an emoji for a high horse, I would insert it here!

:llama:Close!
 
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ShaneT

ShaneT

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Jul 24, 2014
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W.A
I run a diesel heater
1) cost me $450 delivered
2) Can install it myself
3) The jerry can I run it off is a spare 20l for the tow vehicle should I need it.
All up fully installed and running $470. This is my second one, sold the other one with the camper trailer and have nearly 500 hours on this one in the 23ft van. Plenty of heat, run it mostly on half since we have been in Tassie, although it has been sitting on the lowest setting for the last week now.
 
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Meanderthals

Meanderthals

Aka PhilD
Mar 16, 2012
837
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Near Darwin
macca said:
Gas for the following reasons.
- Appliances such as the Truma (Au version) are approved for use in Australia in Caravan applications, Companies pay quite a bit of money to have appliances approved in Australia, the labs do a lot of safety checks and check it for worst case scenarios and they make sure components used in the appliance are safe. They comply to Australian Standards. That's why quite often they are dearer, but you get what you pay for.
- It has to be installed by a licensed Gasfitter, he is licensed because he did an apprenticeship for 4 years(subject to state) and passed exams, he can only give you a certificate of compliance if he has insurance, that's what a COC is, an insurance policy.

I do not understand how a handy man is allowed to install an appliance with a flue, I think it is a real grey area. The flue on a wood heater still needs to be installed by a suitably qualified person. The flue is carrying products of combustion which are poisonous and a fire hazard if the flue is run incorrectly.

However! If you purchase a diesel heater that meets Australian Standards, then I would still get a plumber to check it and certify it because it has a flue. My opinion, by the way..I am a Licensed Plumber and Gasfitter so if there was an emoji for a high horse, I would insert it here!

:llama:Close!
Click to expand...
I chose to have a diesel heater installed because of a few reasons. Vehicle is diesel so carrying a jerry can of it as well ensures that there's extra for both vehicle and heater. If diesel used up then we would resort to just an extra blanket for a bit, but if gas was used up then what's the opposite of "Happy wife, happy life"? As to inherent safety of gas or diesel I'm a bit paranoid so I had both a CO and a gas detector installed as well anyway.

I quoted your posting because I have a bit of a problem with the area of Licensing. With all due respect to you and your certification and the quality with which you do your work, that isn't universal across way too many trades so merely someone having been "Licenced" doesn't ensure that anyone will get certified quality work unless the Customer knows the person personally or has references from satisfied Customers. I've had too many instances over the years of Plumbers, Electricians and Builders that should have their registration removed. In fact I have tried to have that done to a couple but even with photographic evidence of their failings and their own claim to have done the job that way on plenty of other houses the relevant authority has decided to do nothing to remove their self certification status. Maybe that all meant that up here we are over represented by shoddy workmanship, and probably quite true, but I doubt that we are the only area to suffer from the hands of these rogue people. Frankly, in many cases I could have done far better myself but the Law doesn't allow it in this country.
I also might be getting a bit on my high horse here as I'm currently trying to get a house repaired that had a Southern based Engineer certified structure that has proved to be less than adequate for floor strength. It's a 2 story house with a sagging floor in some places and now multiple local Engineers don't want to get involved because of potential future problems. I know how I would fix it but any modifications/additions have to be Certified as it's a rental property and if we wish to sell, it later on. We could try and sell it as is but the idea of paying Capital Gains Tax is even less appealing.
 
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Crusty181

Crusty181

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Feb 7, 2010
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@macca and @PhilD. You guys both have valid points but in defence of the certification, you have to start somewhere. There may well be cowboys across all industries, including plumbing, but Im still not going to get the manager of the local supermarket to fit my gas, regardless how damned good he insist he is.

I have 2 kindred folk that truly truly truly believe they can do far too many things oh so way better than not only licence trades, but entire industries that they themselves hold no qualifications or experience in; and from repeated observational experience they sure as Mary was no virgin, they can't; to the point they are deluded to the fact they can't; sometimes dangerously oblivious. Too often that little part your dicking around with and thinking your fixing, can have catastrophic impact on other stuff you just don't understand without the qualified knowledge or experienced.

I would happily trust @macca on just the knowledge he is a plumber, but would never blindly rely on engineers drawings ..... I pick sh*t out of the engineers drawings before I touch a tool, whilst Ill happily let @macca loose to do his thing. If I rely on certified engineering drawings, and they are wrong ....... guess what, its never the engineers issue, my fault and my problem every day of the week. And like Doctors, engineers will never ever rat on each other, for fear they'll get ratted on themselves.

Don't get me wrong, plumbers are a unique breed. They can't tell the time, they think "urgent" is a sea creature and the word "appointment" is just a word that the Prime Minster uses to instal a new Governor General; but I personally haven't met one yet who can't do his job (when I can get the bastard there. ha)
 
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millers

millers

Active Member
Mar 25, 2011
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Adelaide
It would seem to me this has degraded into a profession bashing thread. May be you need to move that portion to Linkedin. What about the pros and cons for the heater.
 
Meanderthals

Meanderthals

Aka PhilD
Mar 16, 2012
837
1,356
93
Near Darwin
millers said:
It would seem to me this has degraded into a profession bashing thread. May be you need to move that portion to Linkedin. What about the pros and cons for the heater.
Click to expand...
That's a bit harsh. There are too many people who just because someone presents themselves as having a title that that somehow convinces them (the Customer) that the person can be trusted. That's how people manage to find themselves locked out of their own computer after the supposed caller from "Windows support" says that you have a virus problem or you need to supply your bank account details so that someone can deposit a lottery win or dubious oil money to you. Rather than go to Linkedin I could post an off topic post (rant) about 20 years of dealing with Contractors, Tenants and various others. Only trouble is that the toilet roll long story wouldn't be read by many. Then there's the 38 years experiences of a past employment. My work nickname was "Grumpy" for a very good reason.

Back on topic though, if I had known about them at the time I would have gone for something like the Webasto or Truma combination units that do both water and space heating in the one unit and operate on either diesel or 24oV or gas and 240V. Could save a bit of space. When ever either of our diesel heater or the water heater fail I would be going that way.
 
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