Aux Fuel Feed for Webasto Gasoline Heater

[WillS]

I have a 2013 TC and want to install a Webasto Air Top 2000 STC Gasoline Aux Heater.  My question is:  What is the best way to pull gasoline from the fuel system to run the heater.  I had a Sprinter, which had a nice factory aux fuel port near the tank, but have not been able to locate any information on such a thing for the TC.  Thank you if you have any suggestions.

 

The Webasto installation instructions state:

 

"7.1.2.Vehicles with fuel injection engine
When installing the heater in a vehicle with a fuel injection system, it is important to establish whether the fuel pump is located inside or outside the fuel tank.
If the fuel pump is located inside the fuel tank, fuel can only be extracted from the return line using the Webasto fuel extractor (Fig. 8). In this case it is necessary to ensure that the return line extends almost to the bottom of the fuel tank (otherwise the Webasto tank extracting device (Fig. 9, Fig. 10 and Fig. 11) can be used.
If the fuel pump is installed outside the fuel tank, the fuel connection can be made between the fuel tank and the fuel pump, again using only the Webasto fuel extractor (Fig. 8).

 

Installation Manual located at:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwikgISZqbnmAhWHJTQIHdFdDuAQFjAAegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.butlertechnik.com%2Fdownloads%2FWebasto_Airtop_2000STC_Installation_manual.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0H7lcuZDafOscK4Yjvsgl3

[Beta Don]

Many of us driving EV's use Webasto's or similar heaters because electric heat in an EV is a real range killer.  I know those heaters can burn gas, diesel, alcohol, kerosene or even JP4, but the idea of a gasoline burner still scares the heck out of me!!  -  GM used gas powered heaters in the early Corvairs and there were several reports of major problems with them  -  When the heater flooded and didn't start up when it should, the resulting explosion blew the trunk deck lid off more than one car.  The heater was mounted just in front of the windshield, in the front trunk cargo area

 

If I was mounting one in a TC, I would choose diesel over gas  -  They burn so little fuel a 1 gallon tankful might last you several days and diesel would be soooo much safer.  If I absolutely had to choose gas (can't imagine why I would) I would still use a small separate tank to  hold the fuel and keep it completely separate from the 15 gallons of high explosive located under my TC

 

Don 

[dinocarsfast]

On 12/16/2019 at 12:29 PM, WillS said:

I have a 2013 TC and want to install a Webasto Air Top 2000 STC Gasoline Aux Heater.  My question is:  What is the best way to pull gasoline from the fuel system to run the heater.  I had a Sprinter, which had a nice factory aux fuel port near the tank, but have not been able to locate any information on such a thing for the TC.  Thank you if you have any suggestions.

 

 

I have a 2015 connect and I also couldn't find any line to tap into, I think mostly because the fuel pump is in the tank or something so I ended up getting one of these and drilling a hole in the gas tank.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Tank-Pick-Up-Standpipe-600-mm-60-cm-for-EBERSPACHER-WEBASTO-251226895000/230954252956?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

Using this I also have the advantage of not being able to run out of fuel from the webasto usage because the pickup is a few inches from the bottom of the tank.

[windguy]

@dincarsfast - Interesting. Not that I would ever do this, but curious, if you drill a new hole in the gas tank, what holds this tap in place?

[REA43]

I would install a diesel heater instead of gasoline, it is a lot safer. I installed a Chinese knockoff diesel heater in my boat and it works very well and the cost was 1/10 that of a Webasto. 

[sKiZo]

Sure the heater you're looking at doesn't have it's own pump? Last gas heater I had was on a '68 VW Microbus and seems to me that had a siphon pump built right into it.

 

That said, I'd still think propane radiant panels would be a lot safer. No venting or exhaust required if you crack a window and use a monoxide detector ...

[jrm223]

Unvented propane heaters are a great way to ruin your camper build & possessions with moisture/mold/mildew. They put out a pound of moisture for every pound of LPG used. Either use a vented RV furnace if going propane or the CDH (Chinese diesel heater) like thousands of other campers/RV'ers already have - myself included, in my roughly 40ft long fifth-wheel camper. A 2kw unit will be very overkill for a TC, so don't even try a 5kw or the so-called 8kw (really just a 5kw with an 8kw sticker). 

 

For fuel use, the 10L tank (roughly 2.6 gallons) that came with my 5kw unit that I use in my camper needs to be filled every other day when I leave it running 24x7 in winter. A 2kw heater will be more fuel-efficient due to the smaller fuel pulse, plus you won't be running it non-stop in a TC, anyway. 

[Roam Free Campers]

On 12/18/2019 at 1:16 PM, dinocarsfast said:

 

I have a 2015 connect and I also couldn't find any line to tap into, I think mostly because the fuel pump is in the tank or something so I ended up getting one of these and drilling a hole in the gas tank.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Tank-Pick-Up-Standpipe-600-mm-60-cm-for-EBERSPACHER-WEBASTO-251226895000/230954252956?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

Using this I also have the advantage of not being able to run out of fuel from the webasto usage because the pickup is a few inches from the bottom of the tank.

Do you have pics of your build?