Well now – how do we fit a Webasto or Eberspacher night heater into our vehicle? Below you will find some handy tips from the Butler Technik technical department that will help you with the process of installing your vehicle night heater.
Pre-installation Check
Hmm well the first two major considerations are – where do we put it and where do we get the fuel from?
The first thing that to do is to look at the inside of our vehicle and try to locate a flat space on the floor that is big enough to accommodate the heater and not in the way of any other accessories that we may want to fit. (If it is a composite floor, I would advise using a turret mounting plate)
Next look underneath the vehicle to establish that there is adequate clearance at the chosen spot and that no pipes or wiring will be too close to the heater exhaust.
Once we are comfortable with the placing, we can go ahead and mount the heater, making sure not to distort the casing when tightening down.
Positioning Your Heater
The exhaust should be routed towards the rear of the vehicle with a slight downward bend at the outlet to drain condensation, the combustion air intake routes sideways and backwards away from the exhaust in such a position as to be clear of direct airflow from the direction of travel of the vehicle. (Always bear in mind that the exhaust is extremely hot and should be kept apart from any plastics, fuel, or brake pipes)
Fuel Supply
Our heater needs a constant fuel supply, and this will vary from vehicle to vehicle, even the same models only a few years apart may be different. Several aftermarket fuel kits and installation accessories are available. Fuel can be picked up direct from fuel tank sender units using various fitting kits or on earlier non-pressurized systems from the fuel supply line itself.
The fuel is drawn into the dosing pump and a measured amount is fed via a nylon pipe to the heater (care should be taken when routing the pipe to ensure no chaffing takes place and the line is kept away from the vehicle exhaust and any moving parts)
Electrical Supply
Once your heater is mounted and a fuel supply obtained, we need to find an electrical supply, this would normally be through a pair of fuse holders connected to the positive terminal of an auxiliary leisure battery with a plain brown wire connected to the battery negative terminal.
The heater can be switched on via a simple rheostat switch to complex timer modules or even an internet connection, dependent upon personal preference from the wide choice available. A variety of options of Eberspacher controllers and Webasto controllers are available.
Delivering Dry Warmth
Now we have a switching device, a heater with fuel supply and we now need to decide where we would like to distribute the heat, a large variety of outlets and ducting adaptors are available. Each component has a ‘value’ which is relative to the heater output (kW). The technical information relating to these can be found in the relevant heater section of our technical library, along with a range of Eberspacher and Webasto manufacturers installation manuals.
Warm and Dry
Now you have all the components and guidance you can install your vehicle heater and enjoy your Eberspacher or Webasto heater and be Simply Warm & Dry in your vehicle on cold days and nights.
Choose a heater to suit your vehicle using our vehicle night heater product finder.
More Help Needed?
If you require further assistance Butler Technik provide award winning customer service. We can be contacted online or by telephone on +44 (0)1522 24310. We are always happy to help.
