Caravan Diesel Heater Vs Gas Heaters

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.

Caravan Gas Heaters

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 The Trumatic E2400 was extremely popular and has now been superseded by the new and improved Truma VarioHeat Eco.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 2E, 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.

Caravan Diesel Heaters

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 leading brand in diesel heating for many years with D2 and D4 models available depending on your required power.

Autoterm Heaters are Russian made and relativity new to the Australian market, they have a proven history in Europe and America and are known for their durability.

The Eberspacher D2 or Planar 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.

Compare Heaters

To easily compare specifications of our heaters check out the comparison chart below: