Auxiliary diesel tank for heater on a gasoline van

[TrainingWheelz]

Hey Vanning ExPo'ers! First thread from me, but long time reader. There's a lot of great info and stories on this site!!

I have a hi-top '97 AWD Astro that I'm working over into a much more comfortable rig for weekend ski trips and other adventures. After quite a few ski areas parking lot nights without a real heater, I have come into both Espar hydronic and airtronic units for FREE! (no controls or plumbing included, but they can be sourced separately) Not sure yet whether both or one will be installed - cabin heat for airtronic, hot water and block heat for hydronic.

But before either can be installed, need to figure out how to fuel the units with diesel in a gasoline powered van. I'm not going to need more than a couple gallons at a time so not interested in a large undercarriage mounted tank and probably don't have the space for that anyway.

What have other people out there in expo land done to solve this?? As diesel isn't explosive I was thinking about mounting a RotoPax to the rear door (like your standard jerry can mount) and run a small, protected, fuel line into the vehicle. I'd prefer not mounting a tank in the vehicle for spill and space reasons. There are small aux fuel tanks that could be mounted under the chassis, but refilling will be an issue as I'd prefer not adding a fill spout. With those constraints, seems like an rear mounted tank may be the best option. Any significant drawbacks to this? The tank could also be mounted to the side of the van to eliminate the interaction between the moving door and fuel line.

PS - with a hydronic unit, is a 12v water pump required to use the unit for hot water with a flat plate heat exchanger? Gravity feed may work but you'd need a high up mounted tank.

TGIF!

 

[TrainingWheelz]

Really? No one has installed an aux diesel tank to fuel something in a gasoline vehicle?

 

[Bikersmurf]

I'd use a portable marine tank mounted underneath if I didn't already have 2, 36 gal Diesel tanks. I'd figure out some sort of lift so I could tuck it underneath and then drop it for fueling.

Baring that, a military fuel can on a rack mounted to the back and locked on. AutoZone used to sell the cans and steel holders for not much money.

 

[Herbie]

Over on the Samba, there is at least one, possible two or three, people who are running Espar Diesel heaters in Gasoline buses. The one I know for sure of used a 1gal fuel cell from a go-kart and stored it inside the cabinetry. The tiny little pumps will pull over a greater vertical rise than would ever be a problem in an Astro, so you can pretty much put the tank wherever is convenient.

Do you have the rear heater package? If not, there's probably a good spot next to the front subframe, just behind the driver's seat. Even with the plumbing for the rear heater core, there's ALMOST room to hang a tank there. I'd mount it someplace like that and use a marine deck-fill fitting to put a fill cap somewhere on the bodywork.

I nearly went down this road in my Astro. Leaning more towards a Propex heater if I ever do it now, but if I'd come into a free/cheap Espar, I'd be where you are.

EDIT: Found the one thread I'd bookmarked. Unfortunately the picture links have gone dead, but it was good stuff.

 

[flightcancled]

You are one lucky duck!

Figuring consumption is roughly 1 gallon per day per unit running constantly you're probably actually going to want to allow 1.25 gal/day capacity. If you're at the mountain for a long weekend a 5 gal would be more than enough.

I like the idea of a tank mounted under the rig personally. You'll have tubing running around in plain sight otherwise. Giving yourself a good fill port/system will be a pain however you can order parts from online ambulance supply companies that would work.

 

[Herbie]

You are one lucky duck!

Figuring consumption is roughly 1 gallon per day per unit running constantly you're probably actually going to want to allow 1.25 gal/day capacity. If you're at the mountain for a long weekend a 5 gal would be more than enough.

I like the idea of a tank mounted under the rig personally. You'll have tubing running around in plain sight otherwise. Giving yourself a good fill port/system will be a pain however you can order parts from online ambulance supply companies that would work.

It's been a while since I was studying the specs, but IIRC, the burn rate was some trivial number of CC's/hour. 1gal of kerosene (cleaner) was lasting that dude DAYS since he was only running it at night...

 

[mezmochill]

Just installed a gasoline webasto airtop 2000. I placed a 1 gallon fuel cell right below the filler neck opening (you'll need to weld up brackets for this) and ran the neck up to the stock opening (think 2 side by side gas caps. )
I had originally planned to tap the fuel line but its a high pressure system and would have had to drop and drill the tank...PITA.

A gallon will last days (run it in the morning and before bed....not all night long). We think of the van as more of a tent as opposed to an RV. Good luck its worth it .

I need to post the install when I have a chance.


Fuel cell, filler necks, and fuel cell filler necks and kits can be found

 

[TrainingWheelz]

Thanks for the replies.
Herbie, I had the rear heater and just finished removing and capping the lines for it last night. The core was plugged so no heat came out and with no rear passengers, thought the space could be better utilized for electronics than with a unnecessary heater.

I'll have to crawl back underneath and look for fuel tank mount spots. This is definitely a better solution than a Rotopax on the rear door. There's space, but it's not especially deep so a shallow tank would be best.

The fuel consumption rate is very low and as mezmochill says it will only be run in the morning and evening, but will try for at least 2 gallon capacity.

More research....the battery isolator and redoing the electronics should keep my busy for the meantime. And won't need the heater for another few months.