My last hurdle - condensation

[luthj]

Just about any PET bottle will work as a fuel tank as well (most carbonated drink bottles).

 

[luthj]

There are marine portable fuel tanks which are often used for small outboard engines. These tend to be short and stout. Also note that there are limits to the fuel line. The line between the pump and heater needs to be the rigid clear plastic stuff. The line between the pump and tank can be regular rubber. The length of the line between the pump and heater has a limit, I would say 8 ft for the smaller diameter line. You don't want a large amount of line between the pump and tank (I would say 5ft MAX. That assumes the pump is below the tank level to aid priming.

 

[TantoTrailers]

Well that's more wrenches! The line from the tank to the pump may be 8' long and the pump would sit about 1' above the top of the tank if I install it outside under the tongue box. The fuel pump would be in the same compartment as the heater so very close, about 2' of line from pump to heater with a loop.

 

[luthj]

The pump can be above the tank. 1' is acceptable in that situation, but don't let the line run dry or it could take a while to prime. 8' of clear line will probably work, but avoid going longer if at all possible.

 

[TantoTrailers]

I found a guy selling a whole bunch of small engine gas tanks near me, going tonight to check to see if one will fit my setup. Hoping this solution pans out because that would result in a very clean install in the galley.

 

[TantoTrailers]

Well I’m an idiot...turns out the original tank that came inside of the all in one unit is the perfect size for under the trailer, however I don’t have any good way to get the cap through the bottom of the tongue box due to the awkward placement of the spare tire under there. It’s probably for the best as That would put the tank kind of lower than I would like. My new plan is to mount a box under the camper near the rear galley where I can slide the tank in with a loop of extra hose so I can remove it and set it on the ground for filling. Not the easiest and may turn messy in bad weather but it’s the only real way that I can come up with at this point for this rig. It was never intended to have 95% of the things I have now added...I was going for hard shell tent on wheels haha...oops. I’m on the search for the perfect box....that’s what she said...

 

[TantoTrailers]

Found a suitable box, wider than I want but I can make it work. It will need some paint and some drilling to mount it underneath but this will suffice. Over the next month or so I will fabricate a nicer box for the trek to UT but this will do for POC. This will also allow me to mount the tank much closer to the pump and heater....if the damn 2kw arrives tomorrow haha!

 

[TantoTrailers]

Well leave it to premium ground shipping to take 10 business days to not deliver a package coming to IL from California...I don't think I am getting the heater today so I either wait and hope it arrives tomorrow, then try to get it installed in a hurry before leaving for camp....or I install the 5kw and say the hell with it...my only issue is that the intake and exhaust holes on the bottom of these heaters are all in slightly different locations on the bottom of the heater and I can really only drill once into the floor of the rig.

Pros on the 5kw
-I have it...had it for 2 weeks!
-I know it works
-I know it runs silently (some heaters come with noisy fans and/or fan motors)
-I know it sips fuel
-I know it will probably not be too hot if I run it at its lowest setting

Cons on the 5kw
-It is slightly physically larger than I really want (but I think the "2kw" that is in the mail is about the same size?)
-I will have to either clean it more frequently or try the "run on highest mode for 5 mins before shutoff" method to clean the soot buildup
-It's housed in black plastic compared to shiny white aluminum that the "2kw" is housed in (not really a con, I just like shiny things) This may actually be a pro in reality cause I have a feeling the aluminum may get a bit warm to the touch after running all night, the plastic stayed cool....tbd?

 

[luthj]

If you are keeping the trailer long term, then install the heater thats best, even if you need to wait. If you aren't, then install the heater that works now.

 

[luthj]

Also, I prefer to cut a single large hole in the floor. Then use a small plate to attach the heater. The plate has 4 screws in the corners. This makes removing the heater easier.

 

[Florida Native]

If you are keeping the trailer long term, then install the heater thats best, even if you need to wait.

^^^^^ This. Waiting sucks but down the road you will appreciate having exactly what you wanted and what works best for your setup.

-Mike


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[TantoTrailers]

Yes an exercise in patience cant hurt since its a local campout anyway. Im getting as much done without the heater unit as I can.

@luthj you mentioned that I should use rigid clear plastic hose from pump to heater. Is there a reason? The all in one had the clear rubber hose from pump to heater. It would be easier to work with the softer clear tube than the rigid stuff.

 

[luthj]

most heaters have a clear plastic hose. Its flexible, but firm. Not a true rigid hose. There have been bad results using the soft rubber hose for long runs. The fuel pulse from the pump gets kinda softened, and affects the flame. I have not don't enough testing myself to know for sure, but the espar and webasto install manuals say to use the small firm plastic hose. The stuff is cheaper anyways, so there isn't much reason to use the more expensive hose. Being clear you can also see bubbles if they are present.

It looks like this.

 

[TantoTrailers]

I had the clear plastic hose from a fridge install at my house so I have that ready for the heater but the pump is about a foot from the heater fuel intake. I may swap it to the softer hose if I don’t like the way it is laying. I was able to get a lot of prep work completed for tomorrow’s heater arrival. I will need to drill the holes for the heater but I’m reluctant to guess without it in hand. Should be a matter of cranking it all together and rolling to camp.

 

[Florida Native]

Make sure whatever tubing/hose you use is rated for petroleum products. Otherwise, at some point in the future you will have a big mess and get to do it all over again.

-Mike

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