I’m not sure why the Total Composite unit would be any better at high altitude. They don’t explain why their heater would be any better than the others and what particular tech makes their heater especially good @ high altitude.
This may be essentially the same as the cheap(even using the same components) Chinese unit but with a fancy case and a high price tag.
I figured I’d go cheap and take a chance and if it doesn’t work out, I’m only out $200.
The Chinese versions are interesting and many comparisons online and youtube. Basically the only strong negative appears to be the lack of quality control therefore you may get one that works or waste a lot of time.
The Planar diesel heaters are made in Russia. They are tried and true and used in Military applications and Arctic Expeditions. They have an excellent record, good quality control and parts are easy to find due to a decent dealer network. I believe they are not affected by altitude due to direct injection rather then needle and jet. The Composite Tech. unit is the Planar factory 2D model in there portable case configuration with a 7 L fuel tank. The case is ewxcellent and is worry free design for hard use dusty areas such as a truck bed. They are good units and will easily cook you out of a GFC camper in - 10 C. Battery life off a my GEL cell blue top deep cycle 55 Ah battery is around 36 hours at - 10 C roughly 14 hours of furnace time on a full tank of fuel with varying heat setting.
You can also order directly from Planar Canada and save yourself a bit of $
Dimitri is very helpful.
good luck
maybe a dumb question, but kerosene in a diesel heater? how does that work?
have you had a chance to use it?
any reason that it can’t be kept outside the truck at night with the heat duct run directly into the tent?
Kerosene is a very similar fuel to diesel. It is more refined and has a lower gel point, and is less viscous. In cold climates diesel is often cut with Kerosene, and in some markets it’s even sold as Diesel #1 (vs. the #2 you find at most pumps in the states).
You could duct the heater in from the outside just like Runt shows pictures of. Not sure at what point heat loss from the duct would become an issue.
Just finished my propex in a box build. It’s been running about an hour now. I used a Plano storage box which fits nice between the tailgate and fender well. Riveted an aluminum plate in the bottom of the storage compartment and the side of the Plano box for the exhaust to exit outside. In the summer I can pull it out without too much trouble and put the compartment door back on. I installed this unit in my VW bus a few years ago and it worked great…now it’s portable and can be used in both vehicles without too much effort.
How is the cheap heater doing?
I haven’t had time to install it yet. There’s a seven page thread over on Expedition Portal discussing these Chinese clone heaters. I don’t know that I should give the link?
I don’t want to get banned here too.
For a single night or weekend I use an electric blanket and a Jackery. This does not help with longer trips or making the whole rear headed for casual use.
Another electric blanket user here. I need an external source of electricity. KOA or some situation where an extension cord can be utilized. For off grid cold weather camping, a Nalgene full of boiling water stuffed into a sock helps some to warm a good sleeping bag and maintain heat throughout the night.
Peace.
I have a 12v bunk warmer on a goal zero, and a cheap Chinese diesel heater.
Both have strengths and weaknesses. Bunk heater is great but hard to move (like if you have two sleeping upstairs and one needs to get out). Also uses a lot of power, typically ~40% of my yeti 1000 if run at a medium temp.
Diesel furnace gets things warm! Have had 70+ upstairs in ~20 outdoor temps. It takes up room, can smell a little, requires significant power (8+ amps) at startup and shutdown. Also a little sketch for CO2 reasons. I won’t run it while I’m sleeping.
8kw diesel heater in a tool box. We use it in the wife’s “garden studio”, when not in use on the road. Thing works great, sub $200 for the whole kit. Sips diesel and no condensation like propane.
Here’s a different camper build using a marine propane heater - description starts around 2:40:
Looks like the design keeps the heat but vents the humidity. Don’t have a GFC or a heater yet so no idea how feasible this setup would be. Maybe mounted on the truck instead of the canopy wall and vented through the box?
Great info for when I get my GFC in December. Following
Here is another Propex heater install. Plate mounts the heater to the Goose Gear bed plate. Exhaust and intake go out the drivers side cubby and go right out inside of fender with exhaust near the bumper and inlet over by spare tire. Only had to use hole saw to drill small hole in plastic cubby. This is on 2nd Gen Access Cab. I use Worthington Horiz. 6 lb propane tank mounted up front in side of bed. Raises the ambient about 20 F inside the GFC.
My plan once the new rear bumper is here is to use the spare tire area, and build a platform that the spare tire lift can lift up and down, to add a heater and air tank. The main thing I work on after is how to duct from under the truck into the camper cleanly and with little loss of heat. Still working out the details. This is on the Tundra.
I just got the Planar Portable diesel from Advanced Composites- have been saving for a year and when I was in Montana it got down to 15 F in my GFC, so could have really used it. Not getting caught without heat again! GFC was fine, very little condensation even, kept windows open (small ones).
Very cool. Does it make much noise?
have not needed yet or unboxed, camping in kentucky this weekend and it’ll be warm down there so check back in a month! unfortunately ill need it soon
Had an opportunity to test the heater out both in the camper and by the fire…talk about “cheater” camping… I was warm and toasty the whole time even when it was 35 outside. Long story short, the Planar portable diesel heater from Advanced Composites in BC, Canada worked out great!
It used only 10% of the tank for the whole weekend, is so hot it heats up the gfc in a couple minutes, has a long remote to run through the hole in the GFC floor and another long cable to wire to your 12v power (mine is in a national luna power pack). I permanently wired those in and now to set up camp, I just take the heater suitcase thing out, plug in two wires with quick connects and thats it! This was pricey but I have a feeling it’ll last a lifetime, be used on my patio on lake michigan and ice fishing.
Pics aren’t liking the forum, trying to upload…
Trying to figure out how to pipe this in to the camper
