Radiant hot water heater install#

High AltitudeĪs mentioned above, many people experience problems with the Espar Heater when using it at higher elevations.

Radiant hot water heater install#

This problem is amplified at higher altitudes and the recommended fix is to install the high altitude kit.Īn espar heater is not a “set it and forget it” unit and does require servicing but with proper care you can go a few years between servicing. Since the heater is not running on high and not hot enough, the excess diesel will clog up the heater which will cause it to stop running properly. This happens when the heater is being run on low and an excessive amount of diesel flows through the heater. The problem that most people experience with the Espar D2 is that over time the unit can get clogged with soot, which is essentially unburned diesel. I’ll admit this temperature still requires a hoodie and some sweats but it’s 100% comfortable. I’ve had my van in -30C and the Espar D2 running on high has been able to get the van to 17-18C. This is an extreme scenario though… Winter Camping If let’s say, you were to run the heater on high all day during severely cold weather, the heater would cost you around $5 a day. Typically, running the heater costs around $1-$2 per day. The only issues I had experienced came from improper care and maintenance of the unit.Ī couple of quick comments to answer some key questions I get regarding the Espar D2 in my van build… Fuel Efficiency / Cost to Run I traveled in my 170″ Sprinter van for about 4 years while using the Espar D2. I installed the Espar Airtronic D2 Heater which is one of the most common heaters installed in any campervan conversion. Campervan Heating Optionsīefore I jump into the Van Life Tech system, I want to take a moment to talk about the heating system I used in my first van build, which I still believe is an excellent heat source for vanlife. While the Van Life Tech system is not designed to be installed by your average DIY Van Builder, I am going to talk about all the reasons I decided to use this system in my van and hopefully help you decide if this is a good option for you. I get a ton of questions about this system, so let me start by saying that this is a luxury item for a van conversion.