Low price diesel heater

TyBoo · Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 11:05 pm Post subject:

I bought a genuine Espar for a lot less than the cost of the heater we're talking about here. The cost was so good I even doubled it and called it a tip.

To quote the seller on the original price:

T.R. Bauer · Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 11:55 pm Post subject:

Lots of people use them up here - a good friend has one in his boat and it really kicks out heat and it's quieter than the furnace in my RV. They are a bargain and I too am strongly thinking about installing one. Having some heat up in the "v" would be nice too.

Peter & Judy · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2020 1:01 pm Post subject:

gulfcoast john · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:50 pm Post subject:

We agree with Colby (he will not be used to this) and with you.

Buy Quality the first time.

I understand the 'throw away' theory, but I for one agree it is indeed a safety of life issue on a trailer boat.

Others may disagree, and that is like it should be.

We want a safe, warm, UL approved solution for a hoped for BC Inside Passage in Aug 2021.

What do you experts advise?

PM me if you don't want exporsure to partisans.

Stay safe and healthy out there!

John

ssobol · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 11:22 pm Post subject:

Just to be Devils Advocate here, but a higher price does not automatically mean higher quality. There are lots of reasons that product A has a higher price than product B. One reason could be that product A is a higher quality product than product B and their manufacturing costs are higher.

Another reason could be that product A hired some well known personality to flog product A and they need to recover that cost. There are many examples of this.

Perhaps product A is produced in a country that has high overheads that must be accounted for that product B is not subject to but have no direct bearing on the quality of the end product (e.g. 52 weeks maternity leave).

To automatically say that a Chinese product that is lower price than a similar European product must be lower in quality without taking in the broader picture of the whole economy in each case is to take a rather narrow view IMO.

colbysmith · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:28 am Post subject:

I’d go with the Webasto John. It works extremely well and has a proven track record. If you decide to go that route let me know and I can email you my invoices showing the retailers and part numbers for the accessories like exhaust thru-hull, fuel tank, mount and exhaust tube insulation. You can look around to get the best price on the main Webasto air top unit, but stay away from the Russian company selling them on Amizon! Or you can just pay a little more and order it all right from scan marine (or the company that sells the Wallis). Colby

jkidd · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 10:50 am Post subject:

Here's a comparison between the two for what it's worth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpdcRwgHCtQ

Peter & Judy · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:51 pm Post subject:

starcrafttom · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:40 pm Post subject:

ssobol is completely right. price does not equal quality. lot of price is advertizing or the original engineering. China is good at ripping off others ideas and producing them cheaply. I owned a 71 dastun 510. When they were new they were half the price of any ford or chevy. BEST built and engineered car I ever owned. At the time datsun did not spend a lot on advertising it and it was built were labor was cheaper. but still best built car I have owned.

I do not know if these heaters are good or not or just good enough but for people on a budget the price is worth looking in to. I have always thought the espars and wallas are overpriced, over complicated ( wallas stove is a fing night mare to repair) in design . I bought my espar heater ( which I love) for far less then the local boat shops wanted at the time by getting it off of craigslist as a unit for autos. Was told by many of the same Karen's here that it must be junk or not made for marine use etc etc. WEll eight years later I have not had to touch it other then replace the stainless steel exhaust this year. ( my fault for a bad install now fitted) .

So posted this to share ideas and info not condemn products I have not seen yet.

thataway · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:22 pm Post subject:

The video makes some points about safety issues, and the possibility of combustion products (including C0) getting into the boat thru the mounting plate or muffler (if used), but the exhaust hose looks very weak also.

My impression is that when the production is supervised by a good company that Chinese products can be of good quality. For example Nordhavn Yachts were made there for some time. (Taiwan, Thialand and Turkey now I believe--maybe some still in China). I have had some optical products and electronics from reliable firms which were good quality.

On the other hand, to compare Harbor Freight with a quality tool from Milwaukee there is a real difference. Most of the Harbor Freight tools, I have purchased and used were either mechanical, like a clamp, or for a one time use--such as a small diameter cutt off wheel. I picked up a Dremel knock Off--and it was crap--same with their bits etc.

If I were buying the heater, I would go with the genuine product. It's like boat anchors--there are some knock off of CQR, but they never held as well as the CQR. Would I trust my boat to Chinese chain? No.

About a year ago, I bought a copy of a German electrical switch off Amazon. The first time it had a 200 amp load (rated for 300 amps,( the "real deal" had often been loaded over 300 amps.). there was a spectacular failure with arcing, melting of the plastic and sparks....not a warm and fuzzy feeling on a boat!

Lawrence11 · Joined: 21 Oct 2020 Posts: 1

colbysmith · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:27 am Post subject:

ssobol · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 1:26 pm Post subject:

colbysmith · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:59 pm Post subject:

I don’t believe everything from China is bad. But in this situation we are talking about diesel heaters for/on our boats. We may be paying more for the name recognition or just due to supply and demand. If you’re happy with a throwaway heater or with one that is comparably inexpensive, go for it. I stuck with the high priced Webasto due to my experience with it and the recommendation of a mechanic that has experience with them. And for my peace of mind! Colby

Marco Flamingo · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 5:57 pm Post subject:

I didn't quite throw away my Webasto. Somebody gave me $75 for the parts because they are so ridiculously expensive.

I thought some of the criticism in the video was clearly biased with the seller/installer making stuff up to justify the extra $500-$1K difference in price. For instance, the Chinese one had more and thinner cast aluminum fins. Yes, they would break easier if you hit them with a hammer. On the other hand, the casting would require more expertise and the heat transfer would be more efficient. Is your plan to hit it with a hammer or use it as a heater?

Criticism like the video often reveals the end of an era. Remember when the little Honda came out? Why buy a car from a Japanese motorcycle company when for $500 more you could buy an American Motors Gremlin? Now we know. Regardless of the claims at the time, the market sorted it out.