My eBay Diesel Heater Review [Pros, Cons, FAQs]

This article is to review something that’s commonly known as a ‘cheap Chinese’ diesel heater. 

But here’s a fun fact:

The people that call them this are usually people that have one. And love it.

I bought one like this here on eBay…

I’ll give you its pros and cons.

And, in this diesel heater review I’ll also answer some frequently asked questions like:

Are they hard to install?

How much diesel do they use?

How loud are they?

And:

Are they safe?

Let’s get started:

My review: Here’s my thoughts and opinions on eBay diesel heaters

At first I was sceptical about buying one of these.

But, there were a few things that reassured me:

1. The amount of positive comments on all the Facebook caravanning groups
2. With only 2 moving parts (fuel pump & fan) there’s not much to go wrong
3. YouTube’s diesel heater expert (John McK 47) recommends them

Doing a ton of reading, it was also quick to see that many of the problems with diesel heaters were to do with how they were installed

Read: 13 Diesel Heater Installation Mistakes (And How To Fix Them)

And, when I compared getting a new gas vs. diesel heater… this was the winner

Read: Gas vs Diesel Heaters [Pros, Cons, FAQs… and Myths]

Also:

They’re a simple design that hasn’t changed in about 80 years. With only 2 moving parts there’s not much that can go wrong… so if you buy a German version it’ll cost you around 10x more to do exactly the same thing.

So after some research I ended up choosing a 5KW diesel heater over a 2KW

(more on that later… but if you want to jump the gun then read here)

Then, after reading A LOT of reviews I ended up buying this from eBay:

99% positive feedback… and it arrived in a few days because they’re in Sydney

But one of the main reasons for my choice…

What’s included with eBay diesel heaters:

I was happy with what came with it. This is what was included with my diesel heater:

[highlighted with the red circles are some things that don’t come as standard]

These are what sold me on this particular eBay seller… the inclusion of:

1. Exhaust muffler. Good to keep it quiet
2. Air intake filter. Stops the engine getting filled with dust and bugs
3. Fuel standpipe. Stops leaks (and dirty diesel getting into the fuel lines)

I did buy a few extra things for installation:

1. A rubber stopper to act as an extra spacer to keep it even quieter
2. A downpipe pop to neaten up the hole in the floor

It would be good if the kits came with these in the first place…

…but $9 later at Bunnings, I was good to go for the install

Is it hard to install a 12V diesel heater in a caravan?

No… but the instructions are notoriously bad (or sometimes non-existent). Once you’ve got your head around it, installation is pretty straight forward and only takes a couple of hours.

Anyway:

I took plenty of photos and made notes as I went, so if you end up getting a diesel heater…

Bookmark this article: Jayco Swan Diesel Heater Installation [Step-By-Step With Pictures]

(I wrote that before this diesel heater review… it’s the article I wish I had when I installed mine)

Running My eBay Diesel Heater: First Impressions

Within 2 minutes of starting our diesel heater (with its remote control) I knew this thing was worth it.

These things work well.

It was VERY warm.

Within about 5 minutes, the caravan was at a comfortable temperature.

I’m actually looking forward to laying in bed on a cold morning, reaching over and grabbing the remote control, and preheating our van before we get up.

How loud are these diesel heaters?

If installed correctly, when you first start up a diesel heater they run fast and are about as loud as an air-conditioner

(it’s like a loud whooshing noise)

Read: 7 Tips To Quieten Your Diesel Heater Fuel Pump Noise

Then, after running a few minutes they slow down to their set speed:

All you can hear is a gentle whooshing noise.

Outside, it’s still about as loud as an air-con, but you can hear a ticking noise from the fuel pump

[you don’t hear this ticking from inside if the fuel pump is mounted correctly]

VERDICT: Won’t wake the kids OR upset the grumpy campers in the Silverline next to us.

Do diesel heaters use much 12V power?

They’re power hungry at start-up (5-10 Ah).

But, that’s only for a few minutes while the glow plug is running and the fan’s running high.

Then, when they’re self combusting it’s only the power to the fan and fuel pump (about 0.7 – 0.9 Ah).

VERDICT: Perfect for free camping with our single 105 Ah battery.

UPDATE: I’d recommend getting a 12V isolator switch

The LCD on the diesel heaters are on all the time. This means:

• Drawing a small amount of current (even when not in use), nd
• Attracting toddlers like moths to a flame

So I bought, and would recommend, getting a 12V isolator switch.

One like this is about $20 here off eBay (less than half the price of what they are in an automotive parts store)

HINT: Better to install under the seat away from the toddlers!

How much fuel do these diesel heaters use?

These diesel heaters are pretty efficient and don’t use much fuel.

Like most, ours can be set to run 2 ways:

1. Thermostat controlled, or
2. Manual controlled (fuel dose frequency)

If it’s thermostat controlled, fuel use will depend on how cold it is outside, and what temperature it’s set to.

But in general, after the initial heating we need to run it on Low

(otherwise it gets too hot inside!)

On Low, they use 115 ml of diesel per hour.

[That’s 60-80 hours run time on this one tank of fuel]

VERDICT: These diesel heaters are cheap to run… about 1 L of diesel for 8 hours of heating.

How hot do the actual diesel heater units get?

After running our diesel heater on high for 10 minutes the casing was 51 degrees, and the base plate was 47 degrees

(that’s my hand comfortably resting on it)

VERDICT: They’re not going to burn the place down, and there should be no problems mounting them near a battery.

Are the cheap Chinese diesel heaters safe?

Yes. Diesel heaters work by blowing the heat off the outside of a fully contained motor.

Also, they’re very efficient and achieve almost complete combustion

[even when you hold a carbon monoxide detector at the exhaust these things don’t set off an alarm]

So, I’m just as worried about our fridge or cooktop having a gas leak.

Either way, for peace of mind we have one of these Carbon Monoxide detectors by Quell:

They’re about $45 here from eBay, or just pop down to Bunnings and get one (more like $60 there though)

5KW diesel heaters compared with 2KW diesel heaters

There’s 2 schools of thought here:

1. Buy the smaller one 2KW and work it harder so that it doesn’t get a build-up of carbon, OR
2. Buy the larger 5KW one and don’t work it as hard so there’ll be less wear and tear on the fan and fuel pump (and just run it on high every now and again to burn away the carbon)

The guru of diesel heaters on YouTube (John McK) recommends the latter option…

…and since we’re in a Jayco Swan with a load of canvas, I figured it’s better to err on the side of warmer

We went with a 5KW (and are happy with our choice)

If you’re in a small fully enclosed van with no canvas then a 2KW diesel heater may be a good option

(you can get one here on eBay that has the muffler, air filter, and standpipe)

Not sure which size is right for you? 

Read: 2kW vs 5kW Diesel Heater for Caravan or Camper [Pros and Cons] 

Ebay diesel heater price: Bargain

I got mine here on eBay

When I got it, it was about $220 (including delivery)

Because we’re in the middle of winter and they’re in high demand they’re slightly worth more…

…but if you plan on doing any free camping they’re definitely worth it!

Cheap to run. Pretty quiet. Don’t use much battery. Super warm.

Conclusion: Very Happy With our diesel heater

Overall, I’m really impressed with my eBay diesel heater. It’s helped me cheaply heat our Jayco Swan when we don’t have 240V

I can completely understand why they are one of these 35 Most Popular Jayco Camper Trailer Modifications

I highly recommend an eBay diesel heater especially if you’re planning on doing any free camping or using unpowered sites…

…they are basically the main thing here in this list of 7 Tips to Keep Your Jayco Camper Trailer Warmer in Winter

If you would like to buy one?

Click here if to go through the seller I used, highly recommend.

Well, thanks for reading this eBay diesel heater review. I hope it answered any questions you may have but if you do have any questions please leave a comment below

UPDATE: Change to fuel tank

Since I bought this diesel heater I’ve made one change… I replaced the fuel tank with a jerry can and a quick disconnect kit that I bought off eBay here from dieselheat

This now makes a jerry can the fuel tank. It saves space, and I can just take the jerry can to the servo to fill it up

READ: Diesel Heater Fuel Line Quick Disconnect: Installation and Review