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Which Heater Fuel is Right for Your Van: Propane, Electric, or Diesel?
Heating a van is one of those subjects that is difficult to answer. It’s not that it is difficult to do, the problem here is that it is hard to find a source that is efficient, safe, does not lead to condensation, and does not make much noise.
With all the above criteria you can imagine that producing a satisfying product can be difficult.
Companies have come up with products that use different kinds of fuels to achieve the above results.
Consequently, the number of choices has led to questions. Which is the best diesel heater for van use? What about a propane heater for van use? Is an electric heater for van use a good option? Should a 12V heater for van use be on your radar?
In today’s article, we are giving the pros and cons of the above options and the type of fuel and unit we would go for.
Diesel Heater for Van Use
The diesel heater for van use has been a great answer to the problem of heating a van and sticking to the criteria mentioned in the introduction.
You see, a diesel heater for van use produces dry and warm air which helps avoid condensation. In the case of vans, this can help prevent bad smells from mold build-up, rust, and a lot of cleaning and drying up every morning.
Furthermore, a diesel heater is far safer than something like a Mr. Buddy heater as there is no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
A diesel heater for van use does not rely on an open flame inside your sleeping area. Instead, it acts as a heat exchanger using diesel for combustion to produce heat and then transferring that heat in the form of warm air into the tent.
In the case of the diesel heater for van use all dangerous gases and the combustion area are kept separate from your sleeping area. Furthermore, the air only passes around the heated elements of the heater; therefore, there is no risk of it getting contaminated.
You should also keep in mind that if your van uses a diesel engine, you can use the van’s main tank as a fuel source; therefore, saving the hassle of needing to refuel the heater.
Of course, one of the main drawbacks of the diesel heater for van use is all the plumbing needed to make it work. You will need to route the intake and exhaust hoses and if you are using the fuel tank of the van as a source you will also need to make some modifications there.
As we all know diesel engines are also noisy and can be smelly; therefore, this should also be taken into account.
However, it must be mentioned that most good quality units like the Planar 2D Forced Air Diesel Heater do not make as much noise as you think, and most users did not report noise as an issue.
4WDTalk’s Heating Fuel and Unit of Choice
In our opinion, a diesel heater will do the best job of heating your van.
We have chosen the diesel heater for van use because the installation is not too complicated, diesel fuel can be found anywhere in the world, it can be paired with your van’s actual fuel system, it is slightly cheaper than the propane options, it produces dry, and safe heated air, and does not require complicated electrical installations to keep running.
Our choice of a diesel heater for van use is the Autoterm 2D Forced Air Diesel Heater and that is because of the safety standards it meets and the clever features it provides.
With this heater you will get operation on both 24V and 12V, a fuel consumption of about 1 liter per 5 hours of operation, 7,000 BTU/h with strong airflow, fully automated temperature control, self-diagnostic system, compact packaging, and plug-and-play installation.
Planar Heaters is a well-known brand and one of the best sellers in the industry of diesel heaters. Therefore, you can be sure that when it comes to diesel heaters for van use the one from planar will be safe, efficient, and most importantly warm.
