Bunk heaters

Gaskets

 

For those who recommend knock-off heaters: If you had a knock-off heater in a camper, would you be comfortable with your wife and kids using it when sleeping - and when you are not around?

 

Yeah, there isn’t much of a risk unless you installed it like an idiot. Having good exhaust connections, tubing with no restrictions and clean install matters.

I’ve seen a few where they put papers and cloths directly on the unit causing a near fire.

if you know how the design works, it isn’t like a heat exchange furnace (house or rv) where a crack in the heat exchange can produce co enough to kill everyone in the enclosure. I just went through this crap with my new rv, the rear furnace was on and I got a headache right away, the rv went into the shop and they replaced the entire unit because there was a nice crack at one of the joints causing me to think maybe I need to replace the propane furnaces with diesel heaters. And this is a new 2020 motor home that has two large furnaces, imagine what if we were all sleeping.

I have a Stewart-Warner gas unit in my Jeep, it is 60 years old and work without any issue with co leaking, same design as the espar, webesto and the Chinese versions. I also have their internal heaters in other cars and they work very well with no issues of co leaking.

 

I would and will be putting a carbon monoxide detector in my camper when I mount the heater. I've been meaning to put one in my truck for years too but never have.

 

Did the RV's CO detector alert you to the dangerous situation? Glad you survived. I appreciate your posts.

Here's an excellent video from @Ezrider_48501 comparing Espar with a cheap one. Huge difference in build quality.

 

There are MORE than enough things that can go wrong with one of these trucks, and they burn to the ground.
I've been there. And I dont let a chance go by to let people know. Mine was an electrical short.
I slept in it the night before, luckily it happened the next night.
Bunk heaters are a prime spot for fire. Good quality ones have sensors and fail safes to try to prevent that. It still happens.
And you want to trust a chinese made bunk heater?
I have mine professionally rebuilt, the complete rebuild kit including burner pot is cheap. EVERY 2 YEARS.
I ALSO NOW HAVE A SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.
Pay your money, take you chances.
My truck went from smoke to this.. in less than a minute.

 

Sorry for your loss.
BTW, if you open "original" famous Airtronic or Webasto don't be surprised by made in China words.

 

Do you have any alarm codes? It's can turn off due to timer settings, overheating alarm, no flame detected alarm. My friend has bunk heater controlled from Volvo LECM side, it did the same. He just put disconnected it from Volvo and put Airtronic controller. No problem now.