Heater Question

[Peckham California]

Hi everyone.

I bought an ex demo 2011 cali last year and loving it.

I have question about the heater. I have a 2 and 5 year old which is why I am more concerned than maybe I would be if I was using it on my own.

When I use the heater it runs cool to start with and then heats up, but it can be pretty smelly, somewhere between a bit diesely and the hot/new smell you sometimes get on a new plane. It’s not terrible, but enough to raise questions of safety in my mind. It could be just because all the plastic components are new as its probably only been through 5-6 heating cycles.

I don't have confidence that I am not going to gas everyone by leaving it on all night (although its loud anyway) and I was considering getting a mini plug in oil radiator so I could at least go away in the cold when there is a hook-up available. This cuts against the grain as I wanted to be able to avoid those sorts of sites.

Any thoughts would be gratefully received:

- is the heater smelly or smelly when new
- do people have carbon monoxide alarms or similar
- do people use them overnight?
- are the caravan mini radiators sufficient and a good alternative

Thanks for any help.

 

[Martin]

- is the heater smelly or smelly when new
- do people have carbon monoxide alarms or similar
- do people use them overnight?
- are the caravan mini radiators sufficient and a good alternative

Hi There and welcome to the forum, our heater does smell a bit inside when we first turn it on but then it is fine once it gets up to temperature, you can however sometimes smell diesel fumes outside. So my thoughts are to get it checked out as maybe there is a problem with the heater exhaust?

As for carbon monoxide alarms, we do have one of these in the van as it also protects against leaks from your camping Gaz.

We do leave the diesel heater on overnight unless we are on hook-up when we will use an electric blow heater or a oil filled one ( might aswell use their electric and save your diesel)

 

[Californiaman]

I've always found the can too warm to leave the heater in overnight (we camp all year but do have a vanorak)

Ours was new in Dec 2010 and the heater has never smelt noticeably.

If you are unsure, get it checked out by VW!

We do tend to use a small electric heater when we are away in the colder months and have a hookup available but find that even a tiny one is a bit too hot even on the lowest settings. We would like a very small oil radiator so let us know if you do find one.

 

[barry]

57 plate 4Motion - no heater smells: either fuel or 'burning dust'

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

When you have tried it, how long ghave you been leaving it on for? Might be worth leaving it on for a longer period of time maybe and seeing if the smell goes as it is so new as you say.

Please keep us informed.

cheers