As the temperature starts to drop, you may be finding life in your caravan or motorhome a bit chilly! When it comes to heating your caravan there are a few options so you will need to decide which heating system is best for you.
Gas heating is an efficient heating solution with many great benefits. Firstly, as most caravans already carry gas to run cooktops or 3-way fridges you do not need to carry an extra fuel source.
They are also very quiet to run, with only the fan creating any noise.
Truma has been a leader in Caravan Gas Heaters both in Australia and overseas for many years. The Trumatic E2400 was extremely popular and has now been superseded by the new and improved Truma VarioHeat Eco.
The VarioHeat features greater heating power and temperature control than ever before, with the option of two heating output levels (1.3kW or 2.8kW) as well as Boost and Night mode functions. It is simple to operate with the included digital CP Plus control panel allowing you to easily select your desired options.
There is also an optional add on for the VarioHeat - the Truma E-Kit which provides up to 1800W of additional heating power when 240V is available. The kit attaches directly into the VarioHeat unit (or anywhere in the warm air line) and allows you boost your heating power, or operate solely on electricity to save on gas when possible.
Another option is the Truma Combi 4E, which is a combined air and water heater. The combi operates on Gas but includes an electric heating element allowing for combined gas and electric operation when 240v is available. Both the hot water system and air heater can be run individually or simultaneously and are easily controlled with the included digital control panel.
One downside to gas heaters is that they must be installed by a licensed gas fitter and in accordance to gas regulations which may rule out some installations. Although they are very energy efficient, it will still increase the demand on your gas supply which could become an issue if travelling remotely with limited refill options.
Diesel heating also has a range of benefits with great fuel efficiency, flexible DIY installation and readily available fuel source.
Unlike gas heaters, diesel units do not have a flue that goes through the wall but rather an exhaust that goes through the floor of the vehicle. This gives greater flexibility for installation, which can also be carried out DIY without the need for a qualified tradesperson.
Eberspacher has been a premium brand of Caravan Diesel Heaters for many years with D2 and D4 models available depending on your required power.
Autoterm Heaters are also EU made and quickly becoming an Australian favourite, with the likes of Jayco fitting them in their newer RV's.
The Eberspacher D2 or Autoterm 2D would be sufficient for most installations with 4 power settings from 800W to 2.2kW
For larger vehicles the D4 provides up to a whopping 4.0kW
While Diesel heaters will be slightly louder than their gas counterparts, most noise can be minimised when selecting quality units and ensuring they are mounted correctly.
The Eberspacher comes standard with quality rubber fuel pump mount as well as an exhaust muffler which helps reduce noise created by the fuel pump.
Another benefit is while LPG may be hard to come by / more expensive in remote areas, diesel is readily available. This means you can spend more time off the grid without eating into your cooking / fridge gas supplies.
For those with diesel powered motorhomes, you can also tap directly into the vehicles fuel tank rather than having to carry a separate diesel tank.
To easily compare specifications of our heaters check out the comparison chart below:
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27 Comments
Keith
Could anyone with a gas caravan heater please tell me their opinion of it as I am undecided between gas and diesel heating Thank You
Peter
I've had both and would strongly recommend the gas, quite efficient and warms our 17ft van extremely well.
Richard
The best thing. It even has a quite night setting so you can still sleep. I have walked by a diesel one & they are loud as.
George
Keith, Some Caravan Parks are not allowing the use of a Diesel heater as it creates fumes for the van next door. This is also the case when Free Camping. We have a Gas heater and it is extremely warm and Efficient.
Alan
Hi Keith I got the Truma Gas Heater be cause I have 2 Gas bottles on my van. I don’t have to cart Stinken Deisel. I’m very happy with gas only downside is you have to get a registered gas plumber Good luck
Eddie
hi Keith I had diesel heater in my old van worked well until ran out of diesel in tassie one night they are really good warm van nicely .but in new van we just bought got a truma heater from caravan plus its brilliant would use truma again trump is good value for money
Steve
I run a diesel. Autoterm nice and quiet inside and not over noisy outside. When running on low fan speed it is hardly noticeable outside the van. Usually run fan speed on low in our 20 foot van as it gets to warm in the van even when it is -1 outside. My mate has gas model in his fifth wheeler and he gets a lot of moisture buildup in the van as a by product of running a gas appliance. Cheers
Keith
I have had both, the gas heater is quieter outside the van, both quiet inside. The gas heater needs to be fitted by a qualified gas installer the diesel you can do yourself. The gas is connected to the van gas system so you do not need to carry a jerry can of fuel.
Jack
I will not use diesel or gas heating.... Sorry, danger of Carbon Monoxide poisoning IF something goes wrong. A decent detector runs $200+ for a good one, not $15 for a useless Bunnings special.
Bev
Is it possible to replace the existing gas water heater with a combined air water heater.
John
I have had a Truma gas heater in my 6.7m van since 2014. It has performed perfectly very economically. It has certainly made travelling at any time of the year comfortable without relying on powered sites.
Ian
I have a Diesel Eberspeach that has been in operation for 17 years without any issues ...It was installed under our double bed & presents no operating issues....It dose make a bit of noise on start up but after a few minutes all is quiet & runs nice & cosy.... A 15 litre tank is all that is needed for a extended getaway....Highly recomend diesel as it leaves the gas for water heating & internal?external cooking...
Jesse
I'm curious to know how often you've had to get your unit serviced in that time? Our Eberspacher D2 has been a constant headache, barely running a year or two of light use without choking on its own carbon buildup.
Steven
Hi Jesse, like a motor vehicle your heater needs good clean diesel and a filter change every 12 months, but one thing you must do is run your heater at least once a month for 10 minutes, if its a quality brand diesel heater you shouldn't have a problem, if its a Chinese rip off then I have only one thing to say, good luck with that, cheers.
David
Love it no mess no filling up with Smelly derv no extra cans loaded with derv
Steven
I have fitted a Webasto diesel heater, I love free camping so I need the gas for cooking and hot water, and it works a treat, 4 hours running for 1 litre and super quiet. Easiest fit up i have done, can get diesel just about anywhere so carrying a small 10 litre jerry is not an issue. I have to laugh about people whining about the smell, yet have a diesel powered tug, probably handle fish when fishing and god knows what else, just wash your hands properly after filling the tank, not real hard!. I can't see gas being as efficient, and they need professional installation, so not for me. One thing I did do was fully wrap the exhaust from start to finish in exhaust wrap and the system is so quiet all you hear is the fan blowing heat. I have it mounted under the front club lounge in the van, it heats up the 24 ft Jayco beautifully, infact I have it set at 18 just to be comfortable. Good luck with your choice we all have different needs, so choose what suits you best, cheers
Roy
We have gas in our van, a Truma Model. It's fantastic and the Night Setting is very quiet. Never had any problems. I fitted the unit and had a Gas Fitter complete the gas piping.
Ian
I fitted a 2.2 kW Eberspacher diesel heater to our 16 ft pop top about a year ago. It seems very efficient and economical. It is safe to leave on overnight and we have stayed in some very cold places that would have been very uncomfortable without heating. Although it is a bit noisy on start up the noise level soon drops. I would recommend purchasing a well know brand with a reliable track record and availability of parts. reasonably easy to install if you have some good practical skills. The unit came with very clear installation instructions.
Leigh
There is shortage of LPG in rural areas retailers are holding stocks for regular customers only. Not sure why
Ian
G'day all. Some interesting comments and observations here. As pointed out by many in this conversation, there are pros & cons for both gas & diesel heaters. We have gas appliances (cooktop & water heater) because they were fitted when we purchased our motorhome second hand. We chose to fit a diesel space heater simply because the vehicle (like most, if not all, recent motorhomes) is diesel-engined and so an extra tank for diesel fuel was not needed. The diesel heater has been perfect in operation and heats a largish (9 m / 29 ft) motorhome in sub-zero temperatures to a comfortable 18-20 deg C (our choice). Once at set temperature it is both quiet and produces little in the way of fumes. There was a comment above about carbon monoxide poisoning which was a bit alarmist, in my opinion. Properly fitted space heaters ALWAYS draw air in from, and exhaust to, outside the vehicle. I suppose that same person doesn't cook inside with his gas cooktop? Far more people have been killed by using the old urban-myth of putting a ceramic flowerpot over a stove burner to heat the interior space OR use a small butane powered gas heater inside or running a generator near an open window. Carbon monoxide detectors are quite cheap now-a-days. We bought our multi-gas detector (hydrocarbons & carbon monoxide) from ALDI for around $50 from memory - certainly less than $100. Yes - diesel heaters do produce the typical smell of diesel powered devices as do trucks, tractors, cars, AND caravan-towing 4WDs unless they are fitted with modern pollution-minimising devices. BTW - petrol-powered cars ALSO emit a turpentine-smelling exhaust until the catalytic converter gets up to heat. No-one seems to be complaining about that. Noise from a diesel heater pales in comparison to MOST RV air-conditioners, generators, trail bikes, car engines, awnings clattering when being rolled up - and other noise polluting devices! When the time comes to re-furbish cooking appliances and the water-heater in our motorhome we will be going to diesel heated devices and doing away with gas completely - primarily because of safety (and ridding ourselves of the inconvenience of lugging gas bottles to the nearest bottle-exchange). In the redundant gas compartment, I'll install a diesel tank for all the appliances. NOW READ THIS CAREFULLY ... In my opinion, the single defining difference between gas & diesel is SAFETY. In the event of a fuel leak, one can go KABOOM and the other simply will not ignite, even when a match is tossed into the fuel. Petrol, butane / propane gas, methylated spirits and other volatile hydrocarbons, of course, just LOVE to ignite and/or explode with a simple spark or a match. You NEVER, NEVER, ## N E V E R ## hear of a house, caravan, motorhome or other enclosed space exploding because of a diesel leak. [Disclaimer - leastwise I haven't - and except in mainly American movies. :-) ] [ And ... whatever you do, do NOT get me going on the stupid, self-contradicting, gas regulations. :-( ] Just my two cents worth ...
Larry
I’m interested to hear if the newer trauma gas heater creates condensation as I believe the diesel heater is a dry heat & doesn’t.
Ian
Hi Larry. I believe neither will cause condensation, as the products of combustion (CO2, CO & water vapour) are ALWAYS vented outside the caravan/motorhome etc. Any internal condensation will be from wet things inside the heated space (towels, dogs, clothes). Also water vapour from human breath and gas cooktops. The moisture from any of these sources will condense on any cold surface (windows etc).
Rob
Ian, you are correct of course. Neither installed diesel nor gas heaters will cause condensation as the exhaust gas is vented outside. The exception, of course, is the use of an un vented gas heater designed only for tents or other well ventilated areas.. These are potentially deadly heaters when used in a caravan. Water condensing may originate from wet objects, exhaled breath or as a result of burning gas for cooking, where the products of combustion are released into the interior of the van. The other consideration which may infer that a heater has caused condensation is lack of fresh air ventilation due to windows being kept closed in cold weather so that the humidity inside the van rises and water condenses. And lastly, in cold weather, the walls and especially, less insulated or metal components will remain colder than the warm, humid air in the van and will be especially prone to having water condense on them.
Nathan
I've had both gas and diesel. On the diesel side, I've had both Eberspacher's D2 and D4+. The D4 is far too powerful for a caravan (even a large one) - only use the D4 if you've got a bus conversion motorhome. On the gas side I've rented a van with the Truma gas setup. I rented it out of curiosity before committing to diesel. The diesel makes fractionally more noise due to the ticking of the fuel pump, but the main noise is the fan which is common to both diesel and gas. Diesel is much cheaper than gas to run (check the spec sheets for both for the amount used per hour, then convert that into dollars), and refilling diesel is easier. In both cases, the location inside the van of the install is the most important aspect. If you have a couples van with a North/South island bed at the front, under there is a good place to mount it, blowing air down the hallway. If you have a bunk van and you mount your heater there, you'll find the back part of the van (where the kids are) is much colder than the queen bed. A much better installation location is under the dinette (which is always in the centre of the van), with two outlets - one blowing each way. The reason I mention this is that location of installation is a pain with gas, as you need access to the side of the van (rather than the floor), and gas regulations mean you can't legally have the gas exhaust under a window or under an awning. The other limiting factor with aftermarket gas heater installs is the need to drill through the wall (rather than floor), and the need to miss structural parts of the caravan in drilling what is a reasonably large hole. So in many cases, diesel is not only the sensible option, it's the only option. Having travelled with both, I'd get the diesel by choice, and in many cases gas regulations will mandate that it's the only option for your van. It's so much simpler to install, and cheaper to run as well. If you do decide to go with gas, I'd recommend getting your chosen certified gas fitter to look at your van first, talk through the install, and make sure that you can do it.
Rob
Ian, I have to say that I agree with everything you say regarding heaters. I have used a couple of the Chinese versions in separate vans and they have been wonderful. I did have to replace a glow plug but that is very easy. As regards diesel heaters becoming choked with carbon, I think it's probably like the diesel particulate filter on our new tow car. It needs to be run hot occasionally. Some people add kerosene as a cleaner fuel from time to time
Peter
Yes, the Truma Combi heats both the van and water. It works on gas or 240v.
Timothy
So anywhere from $1000 for a DIY Diesel Heater or $2000 for a Gas heater (I'm guessing you would add about $500 for the Gas fitter certification) No mention of the dozens of Diesel heaters out there you can install for about $200. Seems to be a massive price difference and a lot of people singing the praises of the cheap ones.