Espar Heater Problems

[charlie56]

Jeffery
I just checked mine. The intake hose is snaked over so the end is immediately adjacent to the side of the underfloor storage locker. It's pointed horizontal. Looks pretty protected in its location between the inside of the frame and the storage locker.

[Jeffrey]

If your tube is located inconveniently for access, I would position it with the last 6-8" facing straight down. That way dust and dirt cant accumulate in the tube. Some could if horizontal.

Of course, I'm particularly sensitive to this all right now....

[scatter]

My sore hands go out to you Jeffery. I also have the RB50 and know what it's like to have to pull the heater. Thanks for the post and the heads up on the air intake hose.

[Angel]

I am getting a flat plate heat exchanger for water. Will I have any concerns about an intake hose?

Angel

[charlie56]

Originally Posted by Angel

I am getting a flat plate heat exchanger for water. Will I have any concerns about an intake hose?

Angel

No, there is no intake hose associated with the flat plate. Although there are coolant lines which are connected to your cooling (radiator) system. Make certain these are routed (by SMB) and clamped so that they do not come in contact with sharp edges of any brackets. I had to replace one hose where it was rubbing up against a bracket.

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Angel

I am getting a flat plate heat exchanger for water. Will I have any concerns about an intake hose?

Angel

Only if you will be using the Espar Hydronic. The flat plate alone uses no air intake.

[Jammyauto]

Great thread Jeffrey, This should be moved to the Known Issues section.

[Jeffrey]

Heater works now, and intake hose is finished. The duct is 5' of a flexible light duty aluminum hose from McMaster-Carr. The grey plastic bracket you see is from an electrical supply store, as well as the 1" conduit joiner at the end. The black cable ties are to keep the duct from slipping down because the plastic clamp is not that tight. You can drive a screw through both to prevent sliding (just thought of that). I replaced the top screw in the joiner with a longer one that extends through a drilled hole and into the duct, and tightened it tight to prevent vibrating out. The lower screw I replaced with a thumb screw that keeps the cap in. The cap is a round piece of plastic that I turned on a lathe. If you don't have machining capability, use a wood dowel. The red wire is there to retain the cap while the heater is in use.

Hope this helps...

[scatter]

Looking good Jeffrey I guess I need to crawl under my rig and get to work on doing something like that. I hate to have one more thing to do when setting up and breaking camp, but it's better then not having heat when it's ten degrees outside - like what happened to me when mine quit.
Good solution!!

[daveb]

Scatter maybe I'm wrong but I think these pictures are of the Hydronic (water heater) air intake, at least it looks like the area mine is located. Jeffery please correct me if I'm wrong.
Dave