The bunk heater

That is extreme. It could happen to anyone not paying attention. Like me.

As far as whizzing on the tires, somebody told me it could help because ammonia has ice melting qualities. Not sure if it's true.

 

just transferred my Espar from my old truck to the new one. I've got mine set up on an auxiliary battery and can run all night without draining the battery. One thing I do every year as my maintance program is to run the fuel feed into a 1 gallon jug of kerosene and set it on high for about 1 hour. cleans everything up just right

 

Ok I brought this old thread back. I have that same bunk heat unit as shown above. Mine often won’t work at temps well below freezing.
The bunk heater blows cold air for about 1 min and then poops out. APU and heater just stop. I noticed that if I get it running first, it will run fine. It does smoke and steam for 10 mins like somebody said above.

But last night at 9 degrees was really fun having no heater. I see the tiny clear plastic fuel line to the heater. Could the fuel in that line gel easy? Maybe that’s the issue?

 

That's usually what happens. In the trucks i've been in. Drive it for the day and heater usually works the next night. That's one reason why i always idle truck below 20 degrees. Never know if heater gonna work or not. And i have no desire to have truck not start again. Waiting for roadcall to get you running while you freeze with no heat. Had that experience in casper wyoming at 15 degrees that night. Course, I should have topped off the tanks before parking. As i fueled in texas that morning. Where it was 65 when i left.

Anything below 20 was a crapshoot with the bunk heaters. When you don't have additives to add to the tank.

 

Most likely it was smoking before, am I right? When that happens you know your glow screen might need to be replaced or vent hole is plugged up. When it gets plugged up it shuts off fuel/power to the bunk heater.
Here is good video on how to maintain an Espar bunk heater.

 

Sounds like it may just need to be service( cleaned)
I had one that worked similar to yours and the only way I could get it to stay on and blow hot was to set the temp at 90 anything lower and it would be nothing but cool air for a bit and then just shut off.
I never did get it serviced though as my contract was up and turned in the truck.
By the way my current one has been working so at -7 so far.

 

I'm just curious , do you have a separate digital display and on/ off buttons for your bunk heater? Or is both controlled buy your apu.

 

I have my own controller next to my bunk. It has knobs that you select either AC, fan, or heat. A separate knob controls temperature. Once you make your selection the air begins to blow (cold a first) then the APU outside kicks on. If all is working well, the cold air becomes warmer and warmer until it’s roasting too hot. I can never get the temperature correct. It’s just a blue to red color selection and it really only seems to make heat on or off if you go toward the blue side too far.
So the 5-10 mins of steam with stinky white smoke coming out of the small outside exhaust area (on first use) is a new thing. It looks freaky from outside. I will definitely get this unit in for a service ASAP. That steam and smoke stops but still, I think it means APU needs filters and service.
I have added howes anti-gel to my fuel. I can just look at that tiny clear plastic fuel line and guess it is too small for 9 degrees cold and sitting.

I’m now in Lubbock. Gonna be 6 degrees tonight. So I checked into the Wyndham hotel. Company reimburses it after I explained this bunk heat problem. Nice hotel!

 

I do this on the ice I will walk on. It gives me better traction.
I save up 3 gallons for emergency piss needs like when my tires spin on ice. 1 gallon usually gets my tires traction to start moving. Also 1 gallon for steer tires if they are froze in the ice. This is tried and true for winter use. And if your out of windshield fluid you can use this also to clean the windshield.