Skotl's diesel heater garage install thread

[m_c]

I'm currently trying to decide whether to buy the Afterburner controller, or make my own, as I want the ability to turn the heater on remotely before I go into the workshop.
If I can turn the heater on before leaving work, that gives it 30 minutes to start warming the workshop up, whereas last winter I had to endure the cold for that first 30-40 minutes it took for the place to start warming up.

Afterburner would be mostly plug and play, but would need a MQTT service setup that I can access via the internet (would probably use MS Azure), whereas if I make my own controller based on an Arduino wifi board, I could use the Arduino Cloud service, which has a very handy app for remote access. Or I wonder if I could run a MQTT broker on an Arduino that the Afterburner could talk to....I'm off to do some googling.

 

[mike os]

Next question … power direct 12v15/20a or with a battery as well?

Is the power off shutdown really an issue? Assuming it’s not a regular occurrence?

 

[jsf55]

I've switched mine off twice by mistake at the power switch, flicked it back on goes into " cool down mode" then it will restart fine, just takes a bit of time

 

[Morris]

I run both mine from power supplies from eBay, 20A from memory. Work great.

 

[not done it yet]

Next question … power direct 12v15/20a or with a battery as well?

Is the power off shutdown really an issue? Assuming it’s not a regular occurrence?

Not really, but best to keep a spare PCB board handy if a shutdown doesn't include keeping the PCB below failure point, temperature-wise. PCBs start at about a tenner a time?

I'm currently trying to decide whether to buy the Afterburner controller, or make my own, as I want the ability to turn the heater on remotely before I go into the workshop.

Nobody at home to turn it on? I found ten minutes was sufficient to warm my workshop before going out to it. Heat can be directed to the working area if really necessary.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

If I have to go out to the cave for any length of time when it's Baltic outside [becoming less often the older I get ] I just go out, fire mine up, then come back inside for 20 mins or so to allow things to warm up a bit.

 

[not done it yet]

If I have to go out to the cave for any length of time when it's Baltic outside [becoming less often the older I get ] I just go out, fire mine up, then come back inside for 20 mins or so to allow things to warm up a bit.

Mine can be started, with the remote control, from inside our back door. It also has other facilities but I don’t rely on them!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Mine can be started, with the remote control, from inside our back door. It also has other facilities but I don’t rely on them!

Tbh, I've never tried the remote which came with the heater. I have no logical reason for not doing so....

 

[not done it yet]

I have, on at least one occasion, had a ‘failure to start’ with the remote control fob. Not too important as I don’t need much heat to be OK-ish in the workshop.

BUT, I would not trust it to shut down from the remote control. Could cost me several litres of fuel! Anyway, I usually shut it off a while before shutting up the shop for the night. My air heater power-supply battery is usually back on ‘float charge’ before I exit.

I, yet, have the smaller heater to install in my car - but still not sure whether I should use it instead of burning gas, for heating the lounge this winter…

 

[Barking Mat]

Next question … power direct 12v15/20a or with a battery as well?

Is the power off shutdown really an issue? Assuming it’s not a regular occurrence?

You must never just cut the current when they're running.

They must be turned off and allowed to do their cooling cycle.

I'd expect melting or fire risk otherwise.

 

[not done it yet]

You must never just cut the current when they're running.

They must be turned off and allowed to do their cooling cycle.

I'd expect melting or fire risk otherwise.

Some say it doesn't matter - and they have encountered power cuts, with only a mains power supply in use, and their machines have not been affected. Others have reported dead electronics after such a failure to shut down as per the instructions. I’ve not actually seen any (reliable) reports of conflagrations occurring, but I recommend the battery as a buffer. I see no reason to take that chance when the suppliers of these machines obviously do not consider that risk - they are sold as parking heaters for motor vehicles, so would not normally be grid powered.

For a start, a smaller power supply can be installed - as the battery can supply the high current starting requirements. That would not save much on capital cost, but life-time power usage would likely be more favourable.

Check that ‘stand-by’ power required - it adds up! - and cheap chinese power supplies are not always the best option. Even if you can afford the inefficiencies, it is neither good for climate change, nor for avoidance of possible winter power restrictions.

My system is protected - the battery may be more expensive than one PCB, but if I were to lo lose just one PCB that would be one too many (and it could re-occur again and again and….). My float charger is the weakest link - it does not restart after a power cut - but my old car battery would last several days, at least, before becoming exhausted.

The controller on my workshop heater consumes little power when idle. I was expecting (from studying you tube etc) that the idle current draw would be about 3W. I believe earlier/some controllers use rather more energy when idle. It may be pot luck on stand-by current requirement if the cheapest controller is chosen.

 

[mrsbruce]

I have, on at least one occasion, had a ‘failure to start’ with the remote control fob. Not too important as I don’t need much heat to be OK-ish in the workshop.

BUT, I would not trust it to shut down from the remote control. Could cost me several litres of fuel! Anyway, I usually shut it off a while before shutting up the shop for the night. My air heater power-supply battery is usually back on ‘float charge’ before I exit.

I, yet, have the smaller heater to install in my car - but still not sure whether I should use it instead of burning gas, for heating the lounge this winter…

I have one set up in the conservatory. It makes the conservatory useable in winter (I keep my big sewing machines in there), and adds an extra layer of warmth to the house on a very cold day. All run on a decent quality 12v power supply, and way cheaper than than using an electric heater.

I did modify the fuel tank to draw the diesel from the top, as the bottom fittings have been known to loosen and leak, but otherwise standard.

 

[not done it yet]

did modify the fuel tank to draw the diesel from the top, as the bottom fittings have been known to loosen and leak, but otherwise standard.

The first heater we purchased was selected because the top fuel take-off pipe was included. Unfortunately that part was missing.

My wife negotiated a refund to enable that part to be purchased from elsewhere. I thought the cost for the replacement part was too expensive, so I made one up. A simple project using connectors already in the workshop.

 

[mike os]

So if I use a battery what charger do I want … searching battery charger is not helping

 

[not done it yet]

I just watched a david McLuckie video on a new air heater on the market. Blue tooth and everything comes in a carry-box affair.

Looks, to me, to be a candidate for killing a user - probably sooner than later - because someone, somewhere will be running the thing inside, without sufficient ventilation ((it likely needs one h*ll of a draught to avoid CO poisoning).

 

[not done it yet]

So if I use a battery what charger do I want … searching battery charger is not helping

Rather depends on the size of battery you select. A large automotive battery that can easily supply the start-up current and still have plenty of capacity left for a shut-down would only need a charger which will supply a little over the normal running current.

If a tiny (cheap?) battery, the charger may need to replenish the battery fairly quickly, I would think, to take into account the possibility of multiple start/stops in a short time frame.

The battery charger I am using is likely less than 5A and is a float charger - in that it charges to 14.4V then stops charging until the battery voltage drops to ? Volt, at which point it charges back to 14.4V and carries on ‘floating’ between the two - unless the mains is disconnected.

I would not recommend a transformer type charger for this application (stand-by losses, again ).

 

[mike os]

not really wanting a car battery if i can avoid it... so probably a moderate size sealed lead acid?

 

[m_c]

Figure I may as well add to this thread.

After some deliberation, I've opted to buy an Afterburner controller for my heater (full details can be found at http://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/ )
However, I've also had to buy a new ECU (mrjones also supplies them), as some newer heaters are using a new ECU and control panel which use a different communication protocol.

So this collection got delivered a couple days ago-



A quick dismantle of the heater, and the old ECU is out -

New ECU on the left, and old on the right.
All the wiring/connectors are different places, but all the leads have plenty slack in them so that's not a problem.

All plugged in, new controller connected, temp sensor plugged in to the Afterburner, power connected, and we have power.
Press of the middle button, and we have ignition-

Now the main reason I wanted this, was for remote control.
After much fiddling on my phone (I should have taken a laptop out to the workshop!), I got the Afterburner connected to the wifi, so I can now control it via any browser connected to the wifi -


This obviously limits 'remote' control to within range of wifi, so now I need to configure a MQTT broker that can allow web access.
At the moment, I'm thinking Pi with NodeRed, and having NodeRed connecting to Arduino Cloud. Arduino Cloud is quite basic, but it will allow easy access via their phone app, which eliminates having to browse to a webpage, login, then click on links. Just open App, select correct Dashboard, and tap the on/off switch.

 

[mike os]

Can I see how you guys have connected the fuel line to the tank? Mine didn’t come with a dip pipe or other connection

 

[mrsbruce]

Can I see how you guys have connected the fuel line to the tank? Mine didn’t come with a dip pipe or other connection

I bought a feed pipe kit thing off amazon, and drilled a hole in the neck of the tank, just below the filler cap. Less chance of leakage (don’t ask me how I found that out).