Diesel Heater Tank

[garfield28]

Hi all,

I am in the middle of installing a diesel heater in our 2010 16.49-2HL and I am finding it real hard to find a spot to store my tank.

I only have the single gas bottle on the drawbar and nothing else really to attach the tank to so very limited on where I can stick it.

I saw a video where you can add a quick disconnect attachment to the fuel line and it got me thinking if I could possibly have one of those connections and have it set up down the back of the van to add just when I am camped in winter and not have to have the tank always on the van, anyone done something like this or can suggest/show where they have put theirs?

Thanks
Geoff

 

[Drover]

There is a thread, I know not where....... Not liking Eau De Diesel I fitted the tank permanent on mine, I toyed with the idea of a portable job, looked at a boat fuel tank but where to store it ? certainly not in van boot or vehicle as they stink and with it on the ground, other than theiving bustards around, it means the little pump has to lift where tank mounted on bar means it gravities to the pump and you don't have to stuff around with it........... and once you loose prime on the mongrel things its something you don't want to have to do again....

To mount it on the draw bar you can make up a simple frame for it and using large U bolts clamp it to the bar, no need to weld onto the draw bar, similar idea for mounting on rear..... Mine has a section of C channel which I welded to rear bar and tank bolts onto it... only go near it to refill.

 

[Grandpa Gunna]

I have my quick disconnect tank sitting in small box on drawbar. I don't carry it when not needed, is secure and out of sight
(17.58.3 van with extended drawbar)

 

[garfield28]

There is a thread, I know not where....... Not liking Eau De Diesel I fitted the tank permanent on mine, I toyed with the idea of a portable job, looked at a boat fuel tank but where to store it ? certainly not in van boot or vehicle as they stink and with it on the ground, other than theiving bustards around, it means the little pump has to lift where tank mounted on bar means it gravities to the pump and you don't have to stuff around with it........... and once you loose prime on the mongrel things its something you don't want to have to do again....

To mount it on the draw bar you can make up a simple frame for it and using large U bolts clamp it to the bar, no need to weld onto the draw bar, similar idea for mounting on rear..... Mine has a section of C channel which I welded to rear bar and tank bolts onto it... only go near it to refill.

Thanks for the reply Drover.
I have no experience with the heaters as I've never used one before so thanks for the tip on priming them, You wouldn't have a pic of your tank on your set up would you?
Thanks

I have my quick disconnect tank sitting in small box on drawbar. I don't carry it when not needed, is secure and out of sight
(17.58.3 van with extended drawbar)
View attachment 68408

Thanks for the reply grandpa
I'd love to be able to put a tool box on my van like that and have the same setup but not sure about how the weight works etc, is that an Expanda in the pic? That drawbar looks longer than mine too.

 

[Grandpa Gunna]

Hi @garfield28, no it's a Starcraft 17.58.3 OB poptop.
Yes it does have the extended drawbar.
In relation to weight the spare wheel is now situated on rear bumber, I moved it from underneath the frame at front and had gas bottles moved back and inside the A-frame, they used to sit on A-frame.
Weights are a major issue for us all, tug and van, Mrs Gunna says I'm anal about the weights, but some of the setups we see on the road scare the daylights out of me.

 

[Drover]

Well @garfield28 once you prime it once so long as you don't run it bone dry you shouldn't have to do it again but that initial time when fitting it all was a big pain for sure, I think I have a pic of my tank mounted on the back of Big Mal somewhere on its thread I just couldn't find it, its so damn big, did have some laughs over all the comments and banter over the years ........... https://expandasdownunder.com/threads/drovers-new-rig-big-mal.8414/page-9

They aren't that hard to fit if your handy and stop and think it all out first... mine had to go on the LH side of van which isn't all that great for the exhaust as the exhaust is only 25mm x 900mm, extending it isn't a good idea, the exhaust doesn't get away quick enough so the thing gets a tad too warm and fries itself, so with the second one I fitted a 45mm exhaust pipe to it so it exhaust's to the RH side of van away from doors and windows..... must have got it right as it still working 4 or 5 yrs later............... the power to mine is drawn from my main board with a switch so I can turn it on so it doesn't try to fire up itself or short out as the wiring runs under the van....

 

[garfield28]

Thanks mate I'll have a look at the link.

When it rains it pours, I've somehow fried my battery. It must have unplugged from the charger somehow run completely dead and I'm getting a faulty battery warning from my charger.

 

[Drover]

Thanks mate I'll have a look at the link.

When it rains it pours, I've somehow fried my battery. It must have unplugged from the charger somehow run completely dead and I'm getting a faulty battery warning from my charger.

What sort of battery is it and whats the charger ? Unless you know it was a lead disconnected then a check of wiring and charger is needed for sure, though a faulty cell is not uncommon..... If the battery is just dead flat and it was a bad connection then charging on a suitable bench charger can often restore them where dedicated van units won't....

 

[garfield28]

What sort of battery is it and whats the charger ? Unless you know it was a lead disconnected then a check of wiring and charger is needed for sure, though a faulty cell is not uncommon..... If the battery is just dead flat and it was a bad connection then charging on a suitable bench charger can often restore them where dedicated van units won't....

Hey Drover, the battery charger is I think like a 4amp multistage charger Supercheap brand. It keeps beeping now saying faulty battery. The wiring is ok I believe but the kids must have knocked out my lead that is always on when parked at home so not sure how long it had been like that, but it hasn't got an ounce of juice in it now, not even enough to power the shunt display for the battery management system

 

[Drover]

If its an AGM battery, check that charger is set for that type.. disconnect it from everything , unplug charger, give it a few hours then hook charger up to battery and see. The battery may have rested a bit and charger forgotten..dont have anything connected to battery.

 

[garfield28]

If its an AGM battery, check that charger is set for that type.. disconnect it from everything , unplug charger, give it a few hours then hook charger up to battery and see. The battery may have rested a bit and charger forgotten..dont have anything connected to battery.

Cheers mate, will give it a go when I get home from work this arvo

 

[Drover]

It should be an AGM or GEL, if its a calcium it shouldnt be in a van so get an AGM deep cycle of at least 100ah.

 

[Boots in Action]

Hey Drover, the battery charger is I think like a 4amp multistage charger Supercheap brand. It keeps beeping now saying faulty battery. The wiring is ok I believe but the kids must have knocked out my lead that is always on when parked at home so not sure how long it had been like that, but it hasn't got an ounce of juice in it now, not even enough to power the shunt display for the battery management system

@garfield28 , try charging as @Drover said firstly, all loads disconnected!!. Make sure Pos and Neg leads are on correct terminals. If you look at the instructions for your Super Cheap charger, it will show you what each stage does. I have a similar one, later model 15A 7 stage auto battery selection type. First stage is Analysis/De-sulphation (usually for a short time), then Soft Start (low charging rate), then Bulk Charge (max for unit), then to Absorption ( for some time), then to Analysis (testing - Test where charging stops and a load is placed on battery to see if charged good enough to hold load without too much voltage drop, or if fault in battery). If it passes this test (No alarm!!) then it moves on to Boost/Equalization (for a while) and then onto Maintenance (Float).
If the unit detects a fault in battery earlier, (at start or at Analysis), this will suggest an internal fault (internal short between plates or some other fault internally). Mine has a zero voltage start up. Some chargers need a start up voltage of 5 or 6 volts before they will do anything, or they just alarm. Sometimes this can be overcome by connecting another good battery in parallel and charging that way for a while. That allows the charger to try too get some charge (and voltage) into low cells so charger thinks it is okay to continue. After a while, you can disconnect the good battery while keeping the low battery connected to charger. If battery charger still goes into alarm after continuing to charge and fails the Analysis test, then battery is cactus and will never be recovered.

 

[BJM]

as Drover said if the battery is flat a 4amp charger will not bring it back.Take it to a battery shop get them to load test if it comes up with say a 14amp charger .All lead acid should be vented to outside even AGMs. !

 

[Boots in Action]

as Drover said if the battery is flat a 4amp charger will not bring it back.Take it to a battery shop get them to load test if it comes up with say a 14amp charger .All lead acid should be vented to outside even AGMs. !

You may be correct, but in any case a 4A charger is a little low in output to charge a 100 to 140Ah battery specially from dead flat, but if brought up to speed with a higher capacity charger, and the the 4A type to keep it up, may be successful??? General rule for charging (except Lithium) is at least approx one tenth amp hour capacity of battery to be charged . So, @garfield28 should probably use a 10A or 12A least or better still a 15A.

 

[garfield28]

 

[garfield28]

View attachment 68413

Have just got home from work, went straight out and have disconnected all of the loads and have put the charger on. Had a look and can confirm its a AGM battery. I will go back out shortly and check how the charger is going... I definitely need a bigger charger but have never really run it down much before since we've had it and the small charger has been sufficient

 

[garfield28]

 

[garfield28]

In a side note so filthy! I put silicon on the diesel heater vents so I wouldn't have to screw it in, put tape over the vents to hold while the silicon dried, I pulled the tape off and this is the result

 

[garfield28]

The charge failed, got the beeping failed battery again.

I'm going to get some jumper leads tomorrow and try charging in parallel and see if I can get it back that way