“Off-Grid Heat on a Budget: My $115 Diesel Heater Setup (Full Review + Demo)”

Summary

The speaker reviews a Vevor 8KW diesel heater he uses to heat his 23-foot camper. He demonstrates the startup and shutdown cycle, explains the installation, and compares its fuel efficiency to propane and electric alternatives. He states he has used diesel heaters for four years and paid approximately $115 for the current unit.

Topic

RV & Van Living · also covers: Off-Grid & Homesteading, Cost of Living, Tiny Homes

Tactics from this video

• Keep the diesel heater unit inside the living space rather than outside to prevent diesel fuel from gelling in freezing temperatures.

  The speaker says he puts the unit inside because he doesn't like the diesel fuel jelling up in the winter when it gets really cold.

  practical

• Use a battery maintainer plugged into the 12V battery that powers the diesel heater to keep it charged.

  The speaker mentions he keeps a little battery maintainer plugged into the battery that keeps the battery charged up.

  practical

• Run the exhaust hose through the wall to the outside so exhaust fumes do not build up inside.

  The speaker shows he runs the exhaust through the wall and out to the outside world so that fumes don't build up inside.

  practical

• Cycle between a diesel heater and a small 1500-watt electric heater to manage heating costs and comfort.

  The speaker says between the diesel heater and a small electric heater, he does pretty good keeping the camper warm.

  practical

• Wear extra socks and keep a pad under the table where you sit because camper floors get cold in winter.

  The speaker notes the floor gets bitter cold underneath on your feet at 0° outside, so he wears extra socks and keeps a pad down.

  practical

• Do not leave the diesel heater running when you are not present.

  The speaker explicitly advises, "don't leave it running when you're not there."

  safety

• Consider buying the analog controller version instead of the digital panel version, because the digital control panel is the most likely part to fail.

  The speaker's first unit's control panel went out, and Vevor does not sell individual control panels; he says had he known this, he probably would have bought the analog controller version.

  practical

Figures cited

• $112 — price the speaker paid for the Vevor diesel heater
• $115 — price the speaker thinks he paid for the current Vevor diesel heater
• about 40 watts — power consumption of the diesel heater
• 30 minutes at a time — how long the speaker can run the heater before it gets too hot in the camper
• 160 to about 180° — average temperature of air coming out of the heater tube
• three, maybe four days — how long a gallon of diesel fuel lasts the speaker
• one gallon of diesel fuel in 24 hours — fuel consumption if the heater were run continuously for 24 hours
• 8KW — size/heat output of the diesel heater unit
• 23 ft long — length of the speaker's camper
• five different speeds — number of fan settings on the heater
• number three — fan speed setting the speaker usually runs the heater on
• 25 pound cylinder — size of propane cylinder used by the camper's propane furnace
• 2 and 1/2 days — how long a 25-pound propane cylinder lasts in the dead of winter
• 2 and 1/2 days or less — how long a gallon of diesel can heat the camper compared to propane
• 1500 watt — size of the small electric heater the speaker also uses
• 0° — outside temperature at which the camper floor gets bitter cold
• four years — how long the speaker has been using diesel heaters

Pain points addressed

• I need affordable off-grid heating that doesn't drain my batteries or break my budget.

• Propane costs are eating me alive every winter.

• My camper or tiny space gets too hot or too cold because there's no thermostat.

• I worry about carbon monoxide and exhaust fumes from heaters in small spaces.

• Replacement parts are unavailable when the cheapest component fails first.

• My feet are freezing because camper floors have no insulation.