@@__WJK__ Supposedly, it gets the glow plug hotter during start up and shut down. Quicker more dependable starts and more cleaning action on shutdown. I'm not sure that this is necessary unless you are having issues.... it will draw more amps andis harder on your power supply... possibly harder on your glow plug.
it makes the glow plug run for 30 seconds longer which helps start the burn in minus temps or at higher altitudes in the winter or burning kerosene insteed of diesel like we do (kero is very cheap here). however be aware that if your running from a 12 volt battery it will not last very long before the battery becomes weak. after two brand new car batteries and about 9 months use I installed a 20 amp led light power supplies from amazon they also have adjustable voltage controll pots for those longer lead lengths to the heater if needed. @@__WJK__
Good video as usual, Joel. If you haven't tried it already, here's a small simple mod people can make on the CDH that will increase air flow from the heater considerably: replace that screen pattern on the nut holding the case together with something less obstructive; I used 1/2 inch wire mesh cut to fit the inside of the nut. It doesn't seem like it would do much but it does and it still leaves a barrier to keep fingers and such out of the fan. As a proof of concept test: while the heater is running, place your hand near the output of the case with the nut on, then remove the nut; you'll see/feel what I mean. Looking foward to your next adventures.
Thanks for the comment ! I have played around with air flow on the heater inlet some. For a while I was running it completely open and I have also made a video about restricting the inlet (viewer suggestion) in an attempt to raise the burn chamber temperatures. A free flowing heater matters more if your heater is mounted in an unheated area. Heat that is not carried away by the fan will escape. However, if your heater is mounted in your heated space, this doesn't really matter much. Any heat that escapes does so into the space you are trying to heat. The only real benefit of more free flow is directing that heat where you want it.
I have been following you on this waste oil burner rabbit hole for about a year now, and I love your video's. I have the same controller and set up as yours with the good remote. I have found if i block off about 50% of the air flow over the unit and let the unit bounce off the limiter 210c it burns supper clean and my intervals between cleaning are surprisingly long of 30 days give or take. Give it a shot and maybe do a vid on it. Also I am using the waste oil mixture of 1 qt. of ethanol to 1 qt of red diesel to 2 qts of used motor oil. thank you again and I look forward to all your new vid's
Thanks for the comment ! When talking about these heaters, it's really easy to get confusing. When you say "same controller ... good remote" I assume you are talking about my blue controller with the red LCD remote? When talking about blocking off air flow, are you talking about combustion air, or heating air? haha. I have so many videos on this it's hard to keep track of, but I did do a video about blocking the heating air off... I haven't done one specifically on blocking the inlet but I have played with that as well. With either of these blockages my temperatures would spike up and I would have to monitor them closely of the heater would shut down from overheating. I believe my heater decreases fuel flow at 210 and safety shutdown is at 236C. I wonder if your results are down to the oil mix you are using. Ethanol, diesel and waste motor oil. That would be 50% waste oil, 25% ethanol and 25% diesel. Hmmm. Ethanol where I am is $50 for 4 quarts, so that is not at all cost effective. I can buy a 45 gallon drum for $1700 haha. Reason being that we do not use it here in quantity. We don't even have E85. Methanol, very similar, is $16 for the same 4 quarts. I have done a little testing with methanol, but I don't think I ever tried that specific mix. Maybe something that I can try in the future !
Great to see you back again on the diesel heater odyssey. I'm going a different road, bought an Eberspacher X2/1 diesel heater real cheap on a local marketplace, it's build like a tank ;-) Have to get it working first before trying "exotic" fuels...
Great video, you have a real knack for knowing what info we will need when doing these ourselves. Thanks for all the experiments you do in your garaaaage 🤟🏻🤟🏻👑🤟🏻
Sheesh, just when I thought I knew something you didn't, you end up showing it. I was about to say, my blue controller does all that and before I dared typed a message, pow, you mentioned it, lol. Good show mate, another great video as usual.
HAHA... I will never claim to know everything about these controllers and ECUs .... I'm in way over my head on this topic... I know a few things, and I know that I don't' know a lot more, haha.
Actually Joel, your blue controller is the newer controller and the ECU you have with it is incompatable with the new Blue screen, the Blue controller special code is 9009. it has different code to the old Black controller, the ecu that goes with the blue screen has a blue colour to the ecu board with a metalic strip runing across the top of it. I upgraded to the Blue screens and blue boards about 9 months ago on all of my heaters they have been 100% reliable and if you use the code 9009 the special menu is easily accesssable. all you need to do is swap the ecu as it appears you have the correct one for the Blue screen second time around. Altogether there are 4 screen options and 4 Ecu's to choose from. they dont always seem to supply the right compatable ecu with the right compatable screen if you want special menus and special settings. My blue screens also have a greenish blue light to the digits like yours.
Thanks for the comment ! There must be a quite a bit of variation in these controllers and ECUs ... I will try to explain my findings. Yes, I tried to say this in my video. My blue controller is MY old controller, but the new style. The black controller with red digits is the old style. Yes, the ECUs are not cross compatible, so I got the black controller and ECU as a set, and it worked well for a few weeks. My blue controller appears to have a place to enter a code, but it is only 3 digits. I have seen blue controllers that use the 9009 code, but from what I can tell they have red digits? My blue controller came with my original heater and the green ECU. Many people have told me different ways to access the secret code menu, but none of these methods have worked. That is very interesting... They make blue screens and blue boards that also have a secret code. I believe I have tried the black controller with my green board but not the blue controller with the blue board, as far as I can remember. I believe my blue ECU developed an issue and would not cycle the fuel pump or something. I can't remember. It may still function enough to check to see if it will work with my blue controller.
What's the key sequence to prompt the 9009 entry? Does it then present pump rate range in Hz and fan speed RPM? Please confirm you refer to the blue-trim controller with gear icon and blue readout. This industry failing to standardize control interface would be like auto makers not all implementing steering via a wheel. On the other hand, yoke steering would be pretty cool. Thanks!
@@3genac I hope you are not asking me, because I have tried every combination and my blue controller does not have access to any 4 digit menu. Maybe the person who originally posted this comment can answer you.
@@loweredexpectations4927 I found the answer and it's hilarious, and sad: u/marchebert9164 1 year ago "Well I spent the last 45 min putting in every code from 000 to 999 , 678 takes you to a menu that shows error code history , 987 takes you back to the main menu but no acess to hz or fan speeds so new controller it is" ua-cam.com/video/OjuZFT2G5DY/v-deo.html
@@3genac As i figure it out the controllers look doesn't matter, blue or black square shape or not as in this video, (or silver or red or orange)its the inside of controller with matching motherboard. So only when you turn screen on you can tell straight away if it is a "fine tune/trim" controller, if the temperature shown in center (above the big heater units symbol) of screen and have a battery as a symbol in upper right corner, its the one with 4 digit code (1688 or 9009 or 1234 or 3064 or etc, and it doesn't matter if it has red or blue, green digits) At the black controller in video you can actually see if it's with "fine tune/trim" with out to turn on the screen, the ON symbol at the right middle button is fatter and also OK button down on left side, (also the arrow symbols, but not easy to see) and the "gear" (tool) symbol up to the left are fatter and less space between inner symbol and outer ring symbol COMPERE to the one that do not have "fine tune/trim". If temperature is shown up in left corner, its the 3 digit code one, that for now no one knows how to fine tune it. Yet . . . . all from 000 to 999 are tested only 678 and 987 opens something, but to get further you may need to press a button combination that no one knows. We have low "expectations here" so if Im wrong, let me know
the one you fist showed, yeah, that sucker coked out in about 4 hours of run time at 8,000ft altitude and smoked like crazy, also overheated several times. I threw it out in favor of the older style controller, I liked the features on the newer style a lot, especially the slow ramp up/down in response to the temp setpoint, putting out only as much heat as needed. but couldn't adjust the emissions, which were horrid
Did you have it set to plateau mode, when it was doing all the scooting and overheating ? I ran mine in normal mode at 4000 ft and it worked fine, but 8000ft is a different beast. If you are feeling really adventurous, you cold use that same controller and buy a lower output pump... the one that comes with these heaters is generally .022 lm / 1000 pulses. You can get .017 or smaller. This would run at the same rate, but move less fuel and could take care of the problem.
Hey man I got the same smoke agony at 5000' Please you expand on your experience. I'm thinking about chucking my heater and starting over -- I got it a month ago and it worked ok for a week or three; already got a refund. It has the crap ECU without mix control. Maybe lay down the facts on r/vandwellers and share link here? Any thanks very much!
@@3genac It might be worth while to order a new ECU / controller set from aliexpress ... Most people have good luck with them. You will obviously need a 2kw ECU.
I missed this video, I ordered the 5Kw ECU with the black plug, and the controller has the wrench in the top left. I think mine will work with the afterburner controller. That display looks like the one I can't get 190C from.
Have you got any suggestions for a ecu and controller for my friend. He has a static caravan on a holiday site it's let out most weeks of the year he discreetly installed a diesel heater a few years ago to try it out only when he was using the caravan he noticed a big saving on his energy bill and it warmed the caravan better. He's got the E6 code I've had a good look at it and the motor etc all seem fine I'm thinking it's the ecu and he would also like to have it turn on if no one is there in winter to stop it freezing
Hey Colin. Just seeing this commnet now. There are plenty of great controller / ECU combos ... The important thing (in my mind) is to buy them as a set ....If you buy the components individually they may not work together.
Why keep them separate? All that is needed is a relay for the glowplug, fet for the pump and a temperature sender. Ground + power + glow + pump + temperature - only 5 wires. Then a raspberry pi could be used, even with a web interface via wifi!
Is this the continuation of a conversation ?... I feeling like I just waked in in the middle, haha. If you want the system to be safe, and to work well, you need what you said, but then a lot more. You need the fan to start and for the ECU to know that the fan is connected and working. Once the ecu knows this, it then turns on the glow plug for. minute... Only after the low plug is hot, will the fuel start injecting. The fan speed and pump speed are then programmed to ramp up at a predetermined rate, for a minute or so. The ECU monitors the temperature of the heat exchanger and turns the glow plug off about a minute in. If the exchanger can't reach a specified temp within a specified time, then the heater will reset and try again. If the temp is reached, the heater will go on with its day. The ECU then monitors the heat and also checks to see if all of the components are connected. It also monitors fan speed with a magnet (or 2) on the fan passing the ECU. A few people have build their own control system. Some more basic than others. I am going to be trying to fire my heater up with only a 12V power source and drip feeding fuel in the near future... not practical and not safe, but it can be done, I'm sure.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Thanks, sorry, I could have phrased it better, got a bad cold today! I appreciate the sequencing, a Raspberry Pi Zero is a bit overkill, - depends upon the type of thermo sensor, digital would be find, else perhaps an arduino might be better. Open source the software, everyone is happy :) My question was really if it would be easier to create a new single board or double board pair, instead of just replacing the remote panel. Then the game of identifying the motherboard/ECU would not be an issue.
@@G-ra-ha-m Oh.... I think I understand. On the heater you need a speed and temp sensor, glow plug and power for the motor ... Other than that it is silly to have an ECU actually on the heater. It would be better to have an ECU as part of the controller, in my mind. I believe viewers on David McLuckie's channel actually did something like this... Quite honestly, electronics scare me a little... I know they shouldn't, but I'm a mechanical, hands on type of guy... I work with electronics when I need to, that that's it. I realize that's silly, but it is what it is , haha. When I was growing up we had a room of my house dedicated to electronics and would build stuff in the popular science magazines, books from Radio Shack... from old scrap components from TVs and radios. I have forgotten everything. I also tend to be very obsessive about everything I do... I feel like if I went down the path of building an ecu or controller, the next thing you know my channel would be 100% about electronics.... I'd be building ham radios or .... just random nonsense.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Yes, that was my thought. get rid of the internal ECU. I found that Shane Hogarth is experimenting with this system, early stages. But the scope is good, proper dynamic fan adjustment based on air and heatsink temperatures, gentle startup etc, quite a nice system could be built. But I also understand it's a new realm, but a well documented one :D
@@G-ra-ha-m I was going to mention Shane in my earlier comment. I have seen those videos. I'm not sure if he has been working in it recently. His first love seems to be radios. 👍
So after all this brouhaha I'm getting a 2kw model VEVOR that purports to have automatic and manual mix control. Plus an 18ml pump. Please suggest what I might substitute for subpar parts that many heaters furnish by default, or just throw me some luck. I could not use the code you offered. I could ask the vendor to credit you; just tell em LowEx sent me? This is the most useful video and commentary on all the interwebberfacernets. Thanks all!
Thanks for the comment, and good luck. I'm curious how you stumbled across this information that your heater will have both of these features. I'm not saying that it is impossible, but I doubt that this information is correct. Reason being this. A heater that has the ability to manually control mix has a changeable map. You set your highs and lows, and the computer does a little math (likely liniar) and figure everything out in between the two points that you have set. If you set min fan at 1000 and min pump at 1hz max fan at 6000 and max pump at 6 (easy numbers) then your mid setting will be 3000 fan and 3 hz pump. If you then add a automatic compensation, it will almost certainly have two different maps. One for low and one for high elevation. things get really complicated really quickly and some reasons are more obvious than others. I'm not going to try to explain this further, but hopefully it makes some sense. I would check to see if the fuel line is kinked anywhere before you try to fire it up. Make sure that it is primed well before you try to start it. If you are installing it in a place where you will not have access to the fuel lines, it is probably a good idea to upgrade to a better quality fuel line, though I have not had issue with mine. If you can't use one of the links then you can't... that's fine. You should still be able to use a discount code... unless it's not valid in your country or something. Cheers !
I got the auto/manual mix info from VEVOR sales, and I share your skepticism; I can't find corroboration. The "auto" feature is a function of optional Plateau Module, evidently; I got it and hope I don't regret it. I'd rather experiment with manual settings than live with judgement of an unreliable robot. Say a novena for me. Hope you don't mind, but I posted a question in new thread above. If you have another forum more suitable please let me know. I also post to /r and faceworlds.@@loweredexpectations4927
We had a little fun with a old hot water jet washer a few weeks ago the fuel pump wasn't working so we put a massive one on that we had it first became a smoke machine then a flame thrower over 6ft out of the exhaust for a short while and then acted like a pulse jet engine a good ending for something 30+year old and obsolete
Sounds like a lot of fun, haha. I used to work at sears and we had a lot of fun with some scrapped equipment... Lots of engines had Pepsi poured in them while running, candy, meat, governors tied wide open.... You know.... fun stuff.
@@loweredexpectations4927 the surprising thing is it's no worse off it's actually just cleaned off all the crud in the burn chamber with a new pump it would probably live again. The spark ignition part has given me a few ideas for a big diesel- oil shop heater
I wonder if you can get the Vevor -D 2 stand alone BT ECU to work on your old faithful. That would probably be the maximum upgrade You could do, it would work exactly like a regular diesel furnace.
I believe it would work. I have disassembled the heater and all of the connectors appear to be compatible. I haven't been able to find this ECU or controller sepparatly (without buying a whole heater) I'm guessing they will show up on aliexpress at some point. I actually have a cool little unit from a company called Bureck, that changes most standard controllers into a thermostatic controller.... well... It is the thermostat and turns your heater on and off... I hope to review it soon.
Hi Ive got very low Expectations .. ha like that .. ive got a blue controller but it dosent have the red circul in the windows ..i have the silver and black remote for it .. i can not get the controller into HFA mode for pairing ... any info please ?? cheers Ian UK
Maybe someone else here can answer you, but I'm sorry, I don't know. I actually misplaced the owner's manual, and need to know this for a test I am doing... so hopefully someone posts an answer for us both.
I've played with these for some years and that new ecu should work with that controller,you had errors at the end because it wasn't connected to the heater sensor.
I have tried it at least 4 different times, and it has never worked for me. I connected it once while the heater with the heater running, and it ran for a minute and then shut off... Can't remember if it gave an error or not. I think I may have showed it in the follow up video to this video, I can't remember.
I just recently acquired a diesel heater that has the controller that is very much like the blue control you have in this video. Mine has the red numbers/letters and a place in the settings menu to enter a 4 digit number to access the advanced menu settings. I've tried both 1688 and 9009 and neither codes will access the advanced settings. Are you aware of any other codes that may exist to access the advanced settings?
I need to upgrade my controller and eco to a programmable set due to elevation on a basic new Vevor model which one should I buy and where? Please advise and Do the fuel pump and blower motor need to be matched to the ecu and controler?
The new Bluetooth models have automatic elevation compensation. As for a programmable unit, not many companies actually give you enough information to figure this out. The fuel pump needs to be the correct volume. Most are 22ml, meaning 22ml if 1000 pulses. If you replace a pump it should be replaced with the same volume it came with. Fan motors are almost all the same. Most are 12V units, but there are 24V units as well.
As you imply, certain controllers provide "advanced" mode via 4-digit code, and you point out how simple it is to set pump rate and fan speed using old "black" model controller -- your refer to this as "new" since it's the one you're installing, but it's the model that came with most heaters until relatively recently. The "new blue" trim controller with a gear icon at top-left evidently does not provide pump rate/fan control, despite having a three-digit advanced mode feature -- do you suspect identifying the three-digit code would provide control for pump/fan range? Seems it would be easier to try all 1000 codes, or find the engineers and beat it out of them, than essentially rebuilding the unit. You also allude to a new blue that has a "wrench/spanner" icon in lieu of the gear. Does that type controller work like the "black" model you demonstrate that provides the advanced pump/fan control feature? In any case, the "blue-gear" controller is essential unless you lead an unadventuresome life. I move from elevation between 0-10000'/3000m and at elevation the default mix will run rich and make your life miserable, as you suggest. I was not aware of the temperature/humidity variable -- yikes. The handcuffed controller is ridiculous; thank you for the workaround, it's the best treatment of this subject I've found. My advice is to buy a heater on Amazon and return it if it comes with the new, valueless controller, or find a reputable dealer, or pay for a non-pirated design. We are all complicit in violation of international law. Thanks again! PS playing around with waste oil? PPS where can I find a 16-18 pump for my 2kw baby?
I suspect that the 3 digit code is actually just for some sort of informational menu that is of very little use. I get what you are saying about trying all the codes, and I'm no mathematician, but the possible combinations would be a lot more than 1000. There are blue controllers that do have an engineering menu that give you pump/ fan control. From what I have seen they all have red digits on the screen. My new controller, the Bluetooth one form Vevor, has automatic elevation compensation, but I'm not sure that it would be suitable for 10,000 ft. My blue coltroller without access to fan/ pump control has an "alpine mode" where you push a button to lean it out for high elevation. Again, not sure if it would work at 10,000 ft. At 4000 ft it rins at 185C and in normal mode will go up over 220. This is true... retailers will sell whatever they can get away with selling... we vote with our $$ letting them know what we will put up with. Aliexpress sells the 18ml pumps. They may also sell the 16.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Thanks again LE. Not that it matters much, but please clarify units of measure. I've seen .18 L/min, which does not equal 18 centilitres. Do I misunderstand, or are some label's a bit fast-and-loose with units? 3 digit code decimal allows combinations 000 to 999. 4 digit would be 10000 combinations. Also, please point to any video you may have describing how to troubleshoot air and fuel delivery. Mine worked fine for months on old 5kw. A few weeks after I replaced with 2kw, I now have white stinky smoke. I'm at elevation and can't adjust mix, but symptom seems to indicate something more severe like wacky pump or an air intake leak. I can't find any evidence though. I seal my unit to the floor of my van home pretty good and it's a hassle to remove the heater -- is there a way to install that doesn't require sealant and still keeps air out? Anyway, before I bother I'm going to first return the unit with the useless controller and get another. I can't find a 2kw Vevor via the site you link and a Lavander that looks good is on backorder until mid-Feb evidently.
@@3genac Everyone on the internet simply refers to these pumps as 16, 18 or 22 ml pumps ... The pump body itself will usually say 22ml ... What this is, is a measure of fuel delivery over 1000 pulses. Sometimes described as 22ml/1000 but that can be equally as confusing if you don't know. Basically, the rating in ml is over 1000 pulses of the pump so 22ml or 22ml/1000 = .022ml per pulse. What hz the pump runs at determines the ml/min. For some reason I was thinking that 3 digits would give way more possibilities than that... You are right 👍👍 I can't remember of you told me your elevation, how high are you ? I don't know if a specific video, but David McLuckie has a bunch of videos adjusting and checking mixture with a CO meter. If you are getting white smoke, I think you are correct ... that sounds like ay too much fuel/ not enough air. I would remove everything from the heater, inlet, exhaust, ducting, make sure that it is thoroughly blead (no air in the system) and then attempt to start it. If after a few minutes it is working normal, then start adding pieces to see of one of them or multiples of them is an issue. If the heater has white smoke after a few minutes of running, then this sort of rules out those things that are not attached. Your heater may have mistakenly been fitted with a 5kw ECU... this would run the pump at too high of a HZ. I don't know for sure, but the 2kw runs around 3hz (3 clicks per second) where the 5kw runs closer to 5 hz. If you are able to determine the heater is running around 3hz at max heat setting, and still has white smoke, it may be some sort of blockage in the exhuast outlet, or burn chamber.
@@loweredexpectations4927 #irony -- "Your heater may have mistakenly been fitted with a 5kw ECU... this would run the pump at too high of a HZ. I don't know for sure, but the 2kw runs around 3hz (3 clicks per second) where the 5kw runs closer to 5 hz". There's no way to tell because it's a blue-readout controller? If I have 22 pump and it sounds like 5hz clicks, I can suspect the ECU? SMDH. It's only 3 EDT so I'm not that high yet, but I live in my van in Colo front range and in mountain towns. Plus seasonally I farm oysters, so 0 - 3000m/10000' above sea level. Presently at 1500m. What's the stuff about pf settings -- I also ask OP below. Could my glow plug be inefficient? Due to low voltage, which I've suspected independent of this smoke problem. I think I need 12 ga wire to unit but I'm scared to touch the wiring harness for fear of crippling the unit entirely. Pls point me to your wiring info. Thx again, this is amazing info.
@@3genac If you have a multimeter, even pretty basic ones these days have a HZ test setting. I've never actually use it, but that's one way. I have a friend who is a drummer and he would be able to tell you immediately by listening, haha. The ECU is what controls the pump HZ, so if it is operating at 5 on a 2kw, with a 22/1000 pump, it's the wrong ECU. I believe PF is the power for the glow plug. The plug turns off after your heater starts and has nothing to do with the operation after start up. If the heater won't start, it is possible the glow plug is the issue. If it starts and smokes, it has nothing to do with the glow plug. If you can use a stopwatch / timer on your phone and try to count out pump pulses for a few seconds, then do the math, maybe that will tell you something... If it really is 5hz that is almost certainly your problem.
Joel, When you talk about Setting a max fan speed of 4000rpm and then bringing your fuel Hz up to the correct setting for your area, when do you stop tuning? Do you stop tuning/upping the Hz when it reaches max burner temp as without a C.O meter you carn't realy tell how its doing in the furnace. Sorry if this dosent make much sense
This is a good question. If you are doing this without a CO meter, you are sort of playing a guessing game. Based on a lot of experience and hearing what others have to say, I would aim for a exchanger temperature of around 185 - 190. This should not be too rich. I know that when I am running my heater a little on the rich side, it is up around 210 220C If you go too rich, you get a lot of CO and will also produce some black smoke out of the exhaust.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Thanks Joel.. See i can run the internal temp to around 250°c but didn't know if it would be producing too much CO and not getting a clean burn but on the other hand I felt that the cooler the furnace temp the more likely carbon was to build up but then again if its a high temp and a fast fuel HZ it will do that anyway??.. so you and others recommend keeping the furnace temp to around 185-190c.. what about fan speed as you can have that temp with 3500rpm fan speed and 5000 rpm fan speed 😆🤣... what to do for the best out put..
@@martinpanks992 Lots of people get confused about this, and there is a lot of misinformation about these heaters. Gasoline, and some other fuels, have a very narrow operating air fuel ratio... Many fuels will burn hotter when you run them very lean. Diesel is not like this. It can operate well between 14:1 and 75:1, and burning cool and dirty is not at all the same thing. If you have ever seen a modified diesel vehicle "rolling coal" this is because they are jamming a bunch of excess fuel into it.... Diesel will continue to burn hotter and make more power, long after it is creating a LOT of smoke and soot. A diesel engine operates with the inlet wide open (gas engines use a throttle body) and control power by increasing or lowering fuel ratio. Gas engines need to keep the same ratio and add more fuel and air. All this to say, your heater will keep making a lot of heat (till it hits the safety shutdown) if you keep adding fuel. It will also make a lot of soot, smoke and CO in the process. The temperature that you see on the exchanger has little to do with the temp or the burn chamber, and more to do with the amount of heat being produced. People often confuse heat with temperature. If you consume X amount of diesel, it burns at diesel burning temperatures. If you burn more diesel, it still burns at diesel burning temperatures, but produces more heat energy. The temp that you see on your exchanger has more to do with how quickly the exchanger can absorb and dissipate the heat energy. If your fan stopped running for just a few seconds, it would quickly spike to several hundred C. Probably way too much info and also stuff you already knew, haha. Bottom line, You can run your diesel heater VERY lean, and the exchanger temp will be very low, but unless you run it extremely lean, the temp of the flame and burn chamber will still be just as hot, and hot develop a lot of soot. Where this threshold is, is a guessing game, unless you actually have a probe on your burn chamber. As for the fan speed, this is why it is a good idea to base it off CO, if you can.... However, If you are running 3500 rpm, you will be running rich due to less air flow in the chamber and this will make more heat. The temp of your exchanger will also go up due to less heat being carried away, so you will need to lean it out to maintain the same temp. Make sense ? haha. If you are running 5000 rpm, It will have a tendency to run lean and make less heat, you will also be carrying more heat away, so the echanger temp will have a tendency to drop... to bring the temp up you will have to increase fuel consumption. For efficiency, you are better off to run the heater at around 4000 rpm. The faster you run the heater, the more air you force out the exhaust. Basically, all of the inefficiency of these heaters is heat lost out the exhaust. Running your fan speed lower allows more of the heat to absorb into the exchanger. The hotter you run the exchanger, the more effective it will be at putting the heat into the air due to the temperature differential.
@@loweredexpectations4927 I've had the temp up to 250°c at 4000 rpm fan and around 5hz pump and I've had it to 250°c burner temp at 5000 rom fan at 5.5hz (rough numbers) they both produce the same internal temp but 5k rpm moves the air more and 4k rpm less. I suppose the more you turn it up the more it will use..
@@martinpanks992 The temp you are seeing is not internal temp, that is temp of the outside of the heat exchanger. I can highly suspect if you are running 250C, you are running too rich, especially at 4 or 5000 rpm. The pump is a dosing pump, so the hz and how much fuel it uses is directly related. I believe most of these pumps are rated for 22ml per 1000 pumps. That's right. More air moves, and thus carries away more heat energy. My old heater has a safety shutdown around 236. Different heaters have a different thresholds, but I would not run my heater any hotter than 220C. They don't get enough credit for the amazing engineering, haha. These little heaters with one motor managed to do a pretty good job, at factory settings, to function pretty well.
So.. I am currently trying to change one of my heaters over to the 1688 controller, which has the full service menu , but i thought this one only worked with the black ECU ? asking because ive Read that the blue boards have a better start up and shut down routine would be nice if i could get both full control but also updated start/stop If you found a way to get the black LCD with time and full service menu to work with Blue board it would be super useful , there seem to be ridiculous number of variations (edit) looks like 1688 controller works with both Blue & black ECU
The controller is basically a keyboard and the ECU is your computer. The functions are on the ECU and the controller is either compatible, or not. Manufacturers do not follow any industry standard. It's a crap shoot what ECU has what built in functions.
Where were you able to order the new ecu and controller? My blue controller‘s ecu is shot, stuck with an E03 code. Installed a new glow plug with no luck still.
Are you sure that you don't have a glow plug issue ? A bad plug, broken wire, bad connection at your ecu or a short will cause this code. You can purchase these as a set from Aliexpress or Amazon. I would recommend only purchasing them as a set so that you get the correct ones... Otherwise it takes a lot of research, and you still. may end up with the wrong ecu or controller.
I resoldered the pins on the board, and put a whole new glow plug in with the same code coming up. Both plugs measure at 2ohm from the plug and right at the head of the glow plug. I ended up ordering a new controller and ecu set from aliexpress last night, just got to wait now. Hopefully the mild winter sticks around for December over here in Sask.
@@jonholaday2733 If you can't wait, I see one on Amazon Canada, delivery date to me for Dec 8th. $44.00 2.99 delivery. I will send you the link in a separate comment as UA-cam sometimes blocks comments with links. Title of the product GUANLI 12V 3KW 5KW 8KW Air Heater LCD Monitor Switch/Control Board Motherboard/Remote for Car Parking Control Controller Heater. Not a bad idea to have a back up / some spares if you are depending on it to stay warm.
Your original blue controller, any idea how to get into the settings menu to check / adjust 12v - 24v settings on it? I can't figure it out for that controller
This controller doesn't have any of that functionality, and it doesn't have an engineering menu. You can scroll through the menu and see some info, and there is a way to set a single on timer, meaning you can set it to come on in 8 hours, but I don't think it even has a clock. You can set it to high elevation mode by pressing and holding both top buttons, and you can prime it by pressing the < and > arrow at the same time, though you have to keep holding them. Very little functionality. This is why some people choose to replace them.
When you said, green digits, i did see blue digits. 09:30 Is this a calibration problem of my new monitor - or maybe your camera changed the colour from green to bright blue? I'd like to know that.
It's sort of a blue green. A matter of opinion rather than calibration, haha. The thumbs up on this comment is blue... but it may actually be black for you... Hmmm. I would say this color can pass for either blue or green... a bluegreen, I suppose.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Man, that gets really confusing now. The thumb turns from black outlined to dark black, when i press it, the "number count" of thumbs looks a bit grey, not deep black - but no color mixed in, the "reply" along with the number and the arrow to see or hide the replies is the same blue as the reply button, which i have to press to send this stuff, RAL 5015 related, about windows standard blue, i'd say. The blue of the digits in question is a brighter blue, exact the colour of the controller itself - no green hue to me 😵💫 But wherever grass or other known greens show up, it looks very natural to me on the monitor. My GPU is supposed to be quite ok (AMD FirePro W7100) but i cannot find tools in the software to calibrate the monitor - although i remember, 23 years ago i did have a graphic card, which was able to do that. But i also was more into computers back then. Whatsoever - i checked with the other monitor, no difference. Sorry, i used to photograph a lot in a former life setup, also did paintings decades ago. Stopped it, tried later to continue painting on computer, when the Win 3.1 PC came up, didn't give me the kick though - but of course, differing colours on monitors could drive me nuts back then. Had to leave that stuff behind anyhow for a living, but colour problems still can worry me. The limitation of the human sensor system and the therefore wildly differing processing results in different peoples brains is the next uncertainity to overcome, but that doesn't just include colour reception. Never mind 😎
@@werner.x Oh, you weren't kidding ? You are really having issues with your screen color ? I feel like there should be some sort of screen calibration thing that you can download ... or a site that you can visit to tune your monitor or TV. The digits are not at all the same green that grass is. I would say that real blue is the color or the "comment" button on UA-cam, and grass is definitely green... The digits are somewhere in the middle of this, and when seen with your eye, and illuminated, they appear brighter than on camera. I'm sure there is a fancy name for this color. It's probably close to teal or arctic blue. I honestly didn't put any thought into what I called it. One is red, and the other is not red 🤣 Wikipedia says "In many languages, the colors described in English as "blue" and "green" are colexified, i.e., expressed using a single umbrella term." lol !
@@loweredexpectations4927 👍Arctic blue is exactly, what i would describe the blue my screen shows. That's good enough for me now. Yes, if i'd do serious paintings or professional photo grading again, i'd have to find me a calibration tool and a screen calibration sensor. But i may have more fun reactivating my old, old electronics hobby. But for the moment there are enough automotive leftovers surrounding me. I'm getting tired, too. My neighbour died lately, when i was in Bavaria - and nobody even realized it, before i came back last week - he was only 8 years older, i liked him - and he loved Max, my last old dog a lot. And my new one loved him a lot, although he couldn't handle her energy. So, time is running out.
So I have a 5kw vevor And I got it. The control screen is completely dead. power going to it. Having a hard time finding the exact same controller how easy It to just grab any controller and connect it in.
There are a few different controller types. Most of the time, if you have a connector that is the same (AND the same color) then it will work.... However... you can easily end up with a controller that won't' work with your ECU at all. I generally recommend that you replace the ECU and controller as a set, so you are sure they match. If you have a matching set, you can use almost any 5kw ECU and controller.
I assume you are referring to my waste oil experiments? I have 30 videos with many different mixes... I think at best it was 8 litres and worst only a few.
I could tell you from my usage. Hadn't to decoke one single unit in years of use, but i just burned clean Diesel up to now. I usually run two units for hours continuous at lowest setting, with intermittent higher demand. Got a problem with motor oil contaminated Diesel recently, the unit burning the 40 liters of "black Diesel" didn't want to stay on at lowest setting , had to choose second lowest setting, but this problem went away by itself with the next canister of clean diesel. I switched to "Heizöl EL" yesterday, got some for this winter for the first time - it's identical with Diesel quality of the older days, means more smelly, harder engine noise in ICE engines, but i don't expect any changes in heater performance, since it is most important for "Heizöl EL" not to clog expensive house heating systems.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Yes, you save a lot, but it depends. If you order 3000 liters, the average price is 1,08 Euro per liter as today, the average price of Diesel these days is around 1,80 Euro customer retail price. Problem is, hardly nowhere in Germany can you get your canister filled with heating oil any more. Usual is tank truck delivery only, you'd need a certified tank at home and a minimum order of 500 to 1000 liter.
Vevor claims "Automatic Altitude Adjustment" and yet when I asked them if the controller has a barometer, they said no. I wish someone could explain how that's possible.
You need to have Lowered Expectations. Try walking into Walmart and asking the person who "works in automotive" about what additives are in the 15W40 diesel oil that make it diesel specific. These poor people can barely speak english (in most cases) and are also responsible for answering questions about all Vevor products. These are not heater specialists. I know a heck of a lot more about these heaters than they do, and I can't give you a straight answer. I assume that it is a barometer, as the number on my controller will change form 980 something to 1000 ish while I am parked in the same spot. It could use a crappy gps chip... All that matters is that it sort of keeps track of your general elevation ... and tells you so on the app. My guess is that this does not have to be very accurate, as it likely changes from a high to low fuel deliver (and back) and does not change fuel gradually based onelevation. Meaning, it doesn't have one fuel map for seal level, one for 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 feet etc... It likely has one for sea level to 2500 feet, and then one for 2500 to 5000.
@@loweredexpectations4927 It might not matter to most, but as someone who sometimes camps at 10k, I don't want to have to deal with a coked up heater because I didn't know how to set the altitude on the controller. If it does somehow know the altitude by some unknown magic, that's all I need to know. If, however it has to be set manually, I'd need to know that also.
@@The_Ballo I'm not sure if you are using the Bluetooth app, but it will tell you the elevation on the top left hand corner. I have considered putting a controller in my vacuum chamber and pumping it down to see if this changes the reading, haha, but that's a lot of work and I have been busy. Regardless of what it says or does not say, or of you have a heater that you can manually adjust, I would suggest keeping an eye on the temperature of the heater. Diesel tends to run hot when rich. If it is constantly over 220C (428F). You can also keep an eye on the exhaust to see if it is developing soot. They will generally run quite hot, make some black smoke and develop soot at the end of the exhaust if you are too rich. Cheers.
@@loweredexpectations4927 I don't have one yet, which is why I'm asking 😊 So you're saying it's supposed to automatically adjust rather than manually adjust. That implies it has a barometer. I mean my cheap AF weather station has one so that would be the obvious way to go. Obviously you always have a backup way to stay warm, but if I don't know how it works ahead of time it makes me leary, if you catch my drift.
@@The_Ballo I totally understand you wanting to know. How about sealing it up in a plastic bag and squeezing it... if the elevation goes down, you know it is using pressure. Yes, the Bluetooth controller is supposed to adjust to elevation automatically. I believe I said in my first comment "I assume it uses a barometer, but it may use GPS. I assume it uses a barometer as the elevation displayed on the app will change several meters throughout the day, with the vehicle sitting still." I assume the more cost effective method is to use a barometer... I also assume that this would technically be called a barometer as, if it is what we think it is, it reads barometric pressure, however, it does not tell you barometric pressure, it tells you elevation.... so I can see how that is confusing.
Hey Joel, if I use your affiliate link, and go rooting around on their site, and end up buying something, do you still get a kick back for promoting them? Or is it only for the diesel heater that you have linked? I've made myself quite a wish list on their site, and want to make sure you get yours for putting in all this work with them. I wouldn't have known about them without your videos! Are you planning on showing "fuel economy" on these heaters? It would be interesting to also see what kind of voltage they pull from a battery as well. Like, can you run one of these all night in your truck, without it draining your battery? And one more fun experiment, could you have this heater warm up a water loop? I'm thinking diesel block heater! ;) Warm the cab, and the engine at the same time. Does Vevor have little radiators you could put in front of it? I'll go check and let you know! ;)
No... I only get kickback of you purchase that exact item. I can always provide an affiliate link for any item, and that way I would get a small kickback. Without a dedicated link, I get "credit" as they know I sent you to their site, but I do not get credit for that sale. That is a good idea to also post wattage ... It's pretty easy to calculate when keeping it on one setting, so I will try to remember that for the next time. Haha... They actually have a liquid to liquid exchanger... I have thought about this experiment. It's a cool idea.
Good question. This all depends on your specific installation, I suppose. You want to make sure that animals / bugs aren't going to nest in it, so it would be a good idea to block off your inlet, exhaust and heating ducts. As for the rest of the heater... If it is exposed to the elements, you will want to protect it from UV rays and the weather. Your power supply should be disconnected and if you are using a battery, put it on a trickle charge or maintenance charger. Diesel doesn't go bad nearly as quickly as gasoline, so you don't have to do anything with the fuel itself... however, if you have a fuel tank that is mounted above your heater and pump, you should either have a fuel valve inline, or disconnect the fuel... If your fuel pump leaks, you could dump all of your fuel into the heater, causing a mess, maintenance and loss of your fuel. That's about it.
I have now had several people comment and tell me this... After reading your comment, I decided to go and actually give this a try, because I honestly didn't know about this... I will be releasing a video later today.
Are you sure that's the right way around , carbon monoxide generally comes from Yellow flames which are sooty and also colder, blue flames produce way less carbon monoxide more heat and less soot? Generally too rich burns yellow, complete combustion is blue.
Sorry. I'm not sure what you are referring to. What you are saying sounds correct but I don't know what it is in reference to. You can direct me to part of the video by typing the time. For example Pushing buttons 16:00
@@loweredexpectations4927 what i was wondering is if the heater is producing monoxide, and we reduce fuel or add air then we should actually see temp increase and the monoxide drop as the fuel will now be burned fully?
@@robb1chan9 Much of what you said is the case with some fuel, like gasoline. In race cars or performance cars, they often dump in extra gasoline purely to have a cooling effect to protect the engine at high boost. Diesel, on the other hand, will continue to make power and heat even after you are well past the ideal air fuel ratio. This is why you see performance diesel engines "rolling coal". Although your efficiency goes WAY down you still make more heat / power. As an example, if you consume 400 lm per hour, in your diesel heater, it may run without any CO and make 4kw of heat. If you consume 500 ml per hour, it will make 4.5 kw and more CO.... . If you consume 600 ml per hour, it will make 5kw lots of CO and lots of soot. (Assuming your fan speed is constant & not actual kw numbers) 600 ml has the potential to make kwh of energy, but if you burn it with too little oxygen it isn't as efficient. If you use gasoline in this same test, as you added fuel, the kw would actually drop instead of increasing.
@@loweredexpectations4927 thanks for the detailed explanation that makes a lot of sense i wrongly assumed after peak efficiency was reached output would start to go down again is the same true for kerosene?
@@robb1chan9 Most oil based fuels will increase output, even after peak efficiency is reached. I believe heavier oils more so, but I can't say any of that for certain. Gasoline, alcohol, and other lite fuels, from what I understand, have a cooling effect after peak efficiency.
@@loweredexpectations4927 I have two heaters, and I bought two new new displays+ecus for 36 euros, as spare parts, these new ones if you press "ok+on" together it asks you for a 3-digit code, the blue ones I had before (identical to the 100 %) they don't have it!...has anyone found the 3 digit code thanks?
Yes pf is glow plug setting. I have both my heaters on 6.
Good to know. Thanks.
Interesting... why do you have it set to "6" (?)
@@__WJK__ Supposedly, it gets the glow plug hotter during start up and shut down. Quicker more dependable starts and more cleaning action on shutdown. I'm not sure that this is necessary unless you are having issues.... it will draw more amps andis harder on your power supply... possibly harder on your glow plug.
it makes the glow plug run for 30 seconds longer which helps start the burn in minus temps or at higher altitudes in the winter or burning kerosene insteed of diesel like we do (kero is very cheap here). however be aware that if your running from a 12 volt battery it will not last very long before the battery becomes weak. after two brand new car batteries and about 9 months use I installed a 20 amp led light power supplies from amazon they also have adjustable voltage controll pots for those longer lead lengths to the heater if needed. @@__WJK__
@@__WJK__ I set it to 6 simply because that’s what most other people seem to set them at.
Good video as usual, Joel. If you haven't tried it already, here's a small simple mod people can make on the CDH that will increase air flow from the heater considerably: replace that screen pattern on the nut holding the case together with something less obstructive; I used 1/2 inch wire mesh cut to fit the inside of the nut. It doesn't seem like it would do much but it does and it still leaves a barrier to keep fingers and such out of the fan. As a proof of concept test: while the heater is running, place your hand near the output of the case with the nut on, then remove the nut; you'll see/feel what I mean. Looking foward to your next adventures.
Thanks for the comment !
I have played around with air flow on the heater inlet some. For a while I was running it completely open and I have also made a video about restricting the inlet (viewer suggestion) in an attempt to raise the burn chamber temperatures.
A free flowing heater matters more if your heater is mounted in an unheated area. Heat that is not carried away by the fan will escape. However, if your heater is mounted in your heated space, this doesn't really matter much. Any heat that escapes does so into the space you are trying to heat. The only real benefit of more free flow is directing that heat where you want it.
Finally a REALLY useful video 🤣
very well explained, camera at the point, crisp image, good sound.
Wish, i could do it that well.
HAHA... thanks ... I didn't think I did a great job with this, but I appreciate your comment.
I have been following you on this waste oil burner rabbit hole for about a year now, and I love your video's. I have the same controller and set up as yours with the good remote. I have found if i block off about 50% of the air flow over the unit and let the unit bounce off the limiter 210c it burns supper clean and my intervals between cleaning are surprisingly long of 30 days give or take. Give it a shot and maybe do a vid on it. Also I am using the waste oil mixture of 1 qt. of ethanol to 1 qt of red diesel to 2 qts of used motor oil.
thank you again and I look forward to all your new vid's
Thanks for the comment !
When talking about these heaters, it's really easy to get confusing. When you say "same controller ... good remote" I assume you are talking about my blue controller with the red LCD remote?
When talking about blocking off air flow, are you talking about combustion air, or heating air? haha.
I have so many videos on this it's hard to keep track of, but I did do a video about blocking the heating air off... I haven't done one specifically on blocking the inlet but I have played with that as well.
With either of these blockages my temperatures would spike up and I would have to monitor them closely of the heater would shut down from overheating. I believe my heater decreases fuel flow at 210 and safety shutdown is at 236C.
I wonder if your results are down to the oil mix you are using. Ethanol, diesel and waste motor oil. That would be 50% waste oil, 25% ethanol and 25% diesel. Hmmm.
Ethanol where I am is $50 for 4 quarts, so that is not at all cost effective. I can buy a 45 gallon drum for $1700 haha. Reason being that we do not use it here in quantity. We don't even have E85.
Methanol, very similar, is $16 for the same 4 quarts. I have done a little testing with methanol, but I don't think I ever tried that specific mix. Maybe something that I can try in the future !
Great to see you back again on the diesel heater odyssey. I'm going a different road, bought an Eberspacher X2/1 diesel heater real cheap on a local marketplace, it's build like a tank ;-) Have to get it working first before trying "exotic" fuels...
Hey there ! Sounds interesting ! Do you plan on actually using it to heat a space, or just for testing ?
@@loweredexpectations4927 I have a garage I want to heat with it using old motor oil. Might do a video about it.
@@rolandleusden I would love to see that. I hope you have better luck than me.
Great video, you have a real knack for knowing what info we will need when doing these ourselves. Thanks for all the experiments you do in your garaaaage 🤟🏻🤟🏻👑🤟🏻
HAHA... Garaaaage ! You are welcome ! Thanks for the comment.
Sheesh, just when I thought I knew something you didn't, you end up showing it. I was about to say, my blue controller does all that and before I dared typed a message, pow, you mentioned it, lol. Good show mate, another great video as usual.
HAHA... I will never claim to know everything about these controllers and ECUs .... I'm in way over my head on this topic... I know a few things, and I know that I don't' know a lot more, haha.
Actually Joel, your blue controller is the newer controller and the ECU you have with it is incompatable with the new Blue screen, the Blue controller special code is 9009. it has different code to the old Black controller, the ecu that goes with the blue screen has a blue colour to the ecu board with a metalic strip runing across the top of it. I upgraded to the Blue screens and blue boards about 9 months ago on all of my heaters they have been 100% reliable and if you use the code 9009 the special menu is easily accesssable. all you need to do is swap the ecu as it appears you have the correct one for the Blue screen second time around. Altogether there are 4 screen options and 4 Ecu's to choose from. they dont always seem to supply the right compatable ecu with the right compatable screen if you want special menus and special settings. My blue screens also have a greenish blue light to the digits like yours.
Thanks for the comment !
There must be a quite a bit of variation in these controllers and ECUs ... I will try to explain my findings.
Yes, I tried to say this in my video. My blue controller is MY old controller, but the new style. The black controller with red digits is the old style.
Yes, the ECUs are not cross compatible, so I got the black controller and ECU as a set, and it worked well for a few weeks.
My blue controller appears to have a place to enter a code, but it is only 3 digits. I have seen blue controllers that use the 9009 code, but from what I can tell they have red digits?
My blue controller came with my original heater and the green ECU. Many people have told me different ways to access the secret code menu, but none of these methods have worked.
That is very interesting... They make blue screens and blue boards that also have a secret code. I believe I have tried the black controller with my green board but not the blue controller with the blue board, as far as I can remember.
I believe my blue ECU developed an issue and would not cycle the fuel pump or something. I can't remember. It may still function enough to check to see if it will work with my blue controller.
What's the key sequence to prompt the 9009 entry? Does it then present pump rate range in Hz and fan speed RPM? Please confirm you refer to the blue-trim controller with gear icon and blue readout. This industry failing to standardize control interface would be like auto makers not all implementing steering via a wheel. On the other hand, yoke steering would be pretty cool. Thanks!
@@3genac I hope you are not asking me, because I have tried every combination and my blue controller does not have access to any 4 digit menu. Maybe the person who originally posted this comment can answer you.
@@loweredexpectations4927 I found the answer and it's hilarious, and sad: u/marchebert9164
1 year ago
"Well I spent the last 45 min putting in every code from 000 to 999 , 678 takes you to a menu that shows error code history , 987 takes you back to the main menu but no acess to hz or fan speeds so new controller it is" ua-cam.com/video/OjuZFT2G5DY/v-deo.html
@@3genac As i figure it out the controllers look doesn't matter, blue or black square shape or not as in this video, (or silver or red or orange)its the inside of controller with matching motherboard.
So only when you turn screen on you can tell straight away if it is a "fine tune/trim" controller, if the temperature shown in center (above the big heater units symbol) of screen and have a battery as a symbol in upper right corner, its the one with 4 digit code (1688 or 9009 or 1234 or 3064 or etc, and it doesn't matter if it has red or blue, green digits)
At the black controller in video you can actually see if it's with "fine tune/trim" with out to turn on the screen, the ON symbol at the right middle button is fatter and also OK button down on left side, (also the arrow symbols, but not easy to see) and the "gear" (tool) symbol up to the left are fatter and less space between inner symbol and outer ring symbol COMPERE to the one that do not have "fine tune/trim".
If temperature is shown up in left corner, its the 3 digit code one, that for now no one knows how to fine tune it. Yet . . . . all from 000 to 999 are tested only 678 and 987 opens something, but to get further you may need to press a button combination that no one knows.
We have low "expectations here" so if Im wrong, let me know
I also bought old controllers for two blowers, 15 eur controller.
Excellent. Have yours lasted. Mine worked great but it died pretty quickly.
Looking forward to it
🤟
the one you fist showed, yeah, that sucker coked out in about 4 hours of run time at 8,000ft altitude and smoked like crazy, also overheated several times.
I threw it out in favor of the older style controller, I liked the features on the newer style a lot, especially the slow ramp up/down in response to the temp setpoint, putting out only as much heat as needed. but couldn't adjust the emissions, which were horrid
Did you have it set to plateau mode, when it was doing all the scooting and overheating ? I ran mine in normal mode at 4000 ft and it worked fine, but 8000ft is a different beast.
If you are feeling really adventurous, you cold use that same controller and buy a lower output pump... the one that comes with these heaters is generally .022 lm / 1000 pulses. You can get .017 or smaller. This would run at the same rate, but move less fuel and could take care of the problem.
@@loweredexpectations4927it ran worse in normal mode
@@davidconner-shover51 Yes... that would make sense.
Hey man I got the same smoke agony at 5000' Please you expand on your experience. I'm thinking about chucking my heater and starting over -- I got it a month ago and it worked ok for a week or three; already got a refund. It has the crap ECU without mix control. Maybe lay down the facts on r/vandwellers and share link here? Any thanks very much!
@@3genac It might be worth while to order a new ECU / controller set from aliexpress ... Most people have good luck with them. You will obviously need a 2kw ECU.
I missed this video, I ordered the 5Kw ECU with the black plug, and the controller has the wrench in the top left.
I think mine will work with the afterburner controller.
That display looks like the one I can't get 190C from.
Have you tried injecting propane ? I heard that fixes everything !! haha.
Have you got any suggestions for a ecu and controller for my friend. He has a static caravan on a holiday site it's let out most weeks of the year he discreetly installed a diesel heater a few years ago to try it out only when he was using the caravan he noticed a big saving on his energy bill and it warmed the caravan better. He's got the E6 code I've had a good look at it and the motor etc all seem fine I'm thinking it's the ecu and he would also like to have it turn on if no one is there in winter to stop it freezing
Hey Colin. Just seeing this commnet now. There are plenty of great controller / ECU combos ... The important thing (in my mind) is to buy them as a set ....If you buy the components individually they may not work together.
Why keep them separate?
All that is needed is a relay for the glowplug, fet for the pump and a temperature sender.
Ground + power + glow + pump + temperature - only 5 wires.
Then a raspberry pi could be used, even with a web interface via wifi!
Is this the continuation of a conversation ?... I feeling like I just waked in in the middle, haha.
If you want the system to be safe, and to work well, you need what you said, but then a lot more.
You need the fan to start and for the ECU to know that the fan is connected and working. Once the ecu knows this, it then turns on the glow plug for. minute... Only after the low plug is hot, will the fuel start injecting. The fan speed and pump speed are then programmed to ramp up at a predetermined rate, for a minute or so. The ECU monitors the temperature of the heat exchanger and turns the glow plug off about a minute in. If the exchanger can't reach a specified temp within a specified time, then the heater will reset and try again. If the temp is reached, the heater will go on with its day.
The ECU then monitors the heat and also checks to see if all of the components are connected. It also monitors fan speed with a magnet (or 2) on the fan passing the ECU.
A few people have build their own control system. Some more basic than others. I am going to be trying to fire my heater up with only a 12V power source and drip feeding fuel in the near future... not practical and not safe, but it can be done, I'm sure.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Thanks, sorry, I could have phrased it better, got a bad cold today!
I appreciate the sequencing, a Raspberry Pi Zero is a bit overkill, - depends upon the type of thermo sensor, digital would be find, else perhaps an arduino might be better.
Open source the software, everyone is happy :)
My question was really if it would be easier to create a new single board or double board pair, instead of just replacing the remote panel.
Then the game of identifying the motherboard/ECU would not be an issue.
@@G-ra-ha-m Oh.... I think I understand. On the heater you need a speed and temp sensor, glow plug and power for the motor ... Other than that it is silly to have an ECU actually on the heater. It would be better to have an ECU as part of the controller, in my mind.
I believe viewers on David McLuckie's channel actually did something like this... Quite honestly, electronics scare me a little... I know they shouldn't, but I'm a mechanical, hands on type of guy... I work with electronics when I need to, that that's it. I realize that's silly, but it is what it is , haha.
When I was growing up we had a room of my house dedicated to electronics and would build stuff in the popular science magazines, books from Radio Shack... from old scrap components from TVs and radios. I have forgotten everything.
I also tend to be very obsessive about everything I do... I feel like if I went down the path of building an ecu or controller, the next thing you know my channel would be 100% about electronics.... I'd be building ham radios or .... just random nonsense.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Yes, that was my thought. get rid of the internal ECU. I found that Shane Hogarth is experimenting with this system, early stages.
But the scope is good, proper dynamic fan adjustment based on air and heatsink temperatures, gentle startup etc, quite a nice system could be built.
But I also understand it's a new realm, but a well documented one :D
@@G-ra-ha-m I was going to mention Shane in my earlier comment. I have seen those videos. I'm not sure if he has been working in it recently. His first love seems to be radios. 👍
So after all this brouhaha I'm getting a 2kw model VEVOR that purports to have automatic and manual mix control. Plus an 18ml pump. Please suggest what I might substitute for subpar parts that many heaters furnish by default, or just throw me some luck. I could not use the code you offered. I could ask the vendor to credit you; just tell em LowEx sent me? This is the most useful video and commentary on all the interwebberfacernets. Thanks all!
Thanks for the comment, and good luck.
I'm curious how you stumbled across this information that your heater will have both of these features. I'm not saying that it is impossible, but I doubt that this information is correct.
Reason being this. A heater that has the ability to manually control mix has a changeable map. You set your highs and lows, and the computer does a little math (likely liniar) and figure everything out in between the two points that you have set. If you set min fan at 1000 and min pump at 1hz max fan at 6000 and max pump at 6 (easy numbers) then your mid setting will be 3000 fan and 3 hz pump.
If you then add a automatic compensation, it will almost certainly have two different maps. One for low and one for high elevation. things get really complicated really quickly and some reasons are more obvious than others. I'm not going to try to explain this further, but hopefully it makes some sense.
I would check to see if the fuel line is kinked anywhere before you try to fire it up. Make sure that it is primed well before you try to start it. If you are installing it in a place where you will not have access to the fuel lines, it is probably a good idea to upgrade to a better quality fuel line, though I have not had issue with mine.
If you can't use one of the links then you can't... that's fine. You should still be able to use a discount code... unless it's not valid in your country or something. Cheers !
I got the auto/manual mix info from VEVOR sales, and I share your skepticism; I can't find corroboration. The "auto" feature is a function of optional Plateau Module, evidently; I got it and hope I don't regret it. I'd rather experiment with manual settings than live with judgement of an unreliable robot. Say a novena for me.
Hope you don't mind, but I posted a question in new thread above. If you have another forum more suitable please let me know. I also post to /r and faceworlds.@@loweredexpectations4927
We had a little fun with a old hot water jet washer a few weeks ago the fuel pump wasn't working so we put a massive one on that we had it first became a smoke machine then a flame thrower over 6ft out of the exhaust for a short while and then acted like a pulse jet engine a good ending for something 30+year old and obsolete
Sounds like a lot of fun, haha. I used to work at sears and we had a lot of fun with some scrapped equipment... Lots of engines had Pepsi poured in them while running, candy, meat, governors tied wide open.... You know.... fun stuff.
@@loweredexpectations4927 the surprising thing is it's no worse off it's actually just cleaned off all the crud in the burn chamber with a new pump it would probably live again. The spark ignition part has given me a few ideas for a big diesel- oil shop heater
@@colinhamer6506 Haha... gotta love that. What's worse is those.... if you fart it breaks, but if you try to break it you can't 🤣
Wow,you are amazing! 👍👍
Thanks ! You're pretty great too 😁
Appreciate the video 😎👍
Thanks.
I wonder if you can get the Vevor -D 2 stand alone BT ECU to work on your old faithful. That would probably be the maximum upgrade You could do, it would work exactly like a regular diesel furnace.
I believe it would work. I have disassembled the heater and all of the connectors appear to be compatible. I haven't been able to find this ECU or controller sepparatly (without buying a whole heater) I'm guessing they will show up on aliexpress at some point.
I actually have a cool little unit from a company called Bureck, that changes most standard controllers into a thermostatic controller.... well... It is the thermostat and turns your heater on and off... I hope to review it soon.
Hi Ive got very low Expectations .. ha like that .. ive got a blue controller but it dosent have the red circul in the windows ..i have the silver and black remote for it .. i can not get the controller into HFA mode for pairing ... any info please ??
cheers Ian UK
Maybe someone else here can answer you, but I'm sorry, I don't know. I actually misplaced the owner's manual, and need to know this for a test I am doing... so hopefully someone posts an answer for us both.
I've played with these for some years and that new ecu should work with that controller,you had errors at the end because it wasn't connected to the heater sensor.
I have tried it at least 4 different times, and it has never worked for me. I connected it once while the heater with the heater running, and it ran for a minute and then shut off... Can't remember if it gave an error or not.
I think I may have showed it in the follow up video to this video, I can't remember.
I just recently acquired a diesel heater that has the controller that is very much like the blue control you have in this video. Mine has the red numbers/letters and a place in the settings menu to enter a 4 digit number to access the advanced menu settings. I've tried both 1688 and 9009 and neither codes will access the advanced settings. Are you aware of any other codes that may exist to access the advanced settings?
Sorry, I'm not aware of any others. That doesn't mean that there aren't more.
I need to upgrade my controller and eco to a programmable set due to elevation on a basic new
Vevor model which one should I buy and where? Please advise and Do the fuel pump and blower motor need to be matched to the ecu and controler?
The new Bluetooth models have automatic elevation compensation. As for a programmable unit, not many companies actually give you enough information to figure this out.
The fuel pump needs to be the correct volume. Most are 22ml, meaning 22ml if 1000 pulses. If you replace a pump it should be replaced with the same volume it came with.
Fan motors are almost all the same. Most are 12V units, but there are 24V units as well.
exactly wat i needet to know; thank you
Great ! I'm glad it helped.
Please do an upgrade vid for a bluetooth controller
You mean upgrading an older heater to the Bluetooth controller ? Do you know where these parts are available ?
Have you tried the new glow plugs?
I have never had a glow plug issue, other than breaking the wires off. I believe the ECU that failed would not cycle the fuel pump.
As you imply, certain controllers provide "advanced" mode via 4-digit code, and you point out how simple it is to set pump rate and fan speed using old "black" model controller -- your refer to this as "new" since it's the one you're installing, but it's the model that came with most heaters until relatively recently. The "new blue" trim controller with a gear icon at top-left evidently does not provide pump rate/fan control, despite having a three-digit advanced mode feature -- do you suspect identifying the three-digit code would provide control for pump/fan range? Seems it would be easier to try all 1000 codes, or find the engineers and beat it out of them, than essentially rebuilding the unit.
You also allude to a new blue that has a "wrench/spanner" icon in lieu of the gear. Does that type controller work like the "black" model you demonstrate that provides the advanced pump/fan control feature? In any case, the "blue-gear" controller is essential unless you lead an unadventuresome life. I move from elevation between 0-10000'/3000m and at elevation the default mix will run rich and make your life miserable, as you suggest. I was not aware of the temperature/humidity variable -- yikes. The handcuffed controller is ridiculous; thank you for the workaround, it's the best treatment of this subject I've found. My advice is to buy a heater on Amazon and return it if it comes with the new, valueless controller, or find a reputable dealer, or pay for a non-pirated design. We are all complicit in violation of international law. Thanks again! PS playing around with waste oil? PPS where can I find a 16-18 pump for my 2kw baby?
I suspect that the 3 digit code is actually just for some sort of informational menu that is of very little use. I get what you are saying about trying all the codes, and I'm no mathematician, but the possible combinations would be a lot more than 1000.
There are blue controllers that do have an engineering menu that give you pump/ fan control. From what I have seen they all have red digits on the screen.
My new controller, the Bluetooth one form Vevor, has automatic elevation compensation, but I'm not sure that it would be suitable for 10,000 ft. My blue coltroller without access to fan/ pump control has an "alpine mode" where you push a button to lean it out for high elevation. Again, not sure if it would work at 10,000 ft. At 4000 ft it rins at 185C and in normal mode will go up over 220.
This is true... retailers will sell whatever they can get away with selling... we vote with our $$ letting them know what we will put up with.
Aliexpress sells the 18ml pumps. They may also sell the 16.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Thanks again LE. Not that it matters much, but please clarify units of measure. I've seen .18 L/min, which does not equal 18 centilitres. Do I misunderstand, or are some label's a bit fast-and-loose with units? 3 digit code decimal allows combinations 000 to 999. 4 digit would be 10000 combinations.
Also, please point to any video you may have describing how to troubleshoot air and fuel delivery. Mine worked fine for months on old 5kw. A few weeks after I replaced with 2kw, I now have white stinky smoke. I'm at elevation and can't adjust mix, but symptom seems to indicate something more severe like wacky pump or an air intake leak. I can't find any evidence though. I seal my unit to the floor of my van home pretty good and it's a hassle to remove the heater -- is there a way to install that doesn't require sealant and still keeps air out? Anyway, before I bother I'm going to first return the unit with the useless controller and get another. I can't find a 2kw Vevor via the site you link and a Lavander that looks good is on backorder until mid-Feb evidently.
@@3genac Everyone on the internet simply refers to these pumps as 16, 18 or 22 ml pumps ... The pump body itself will usually say 22ml ... What this is, is a measure of fuel delivery over 1000 pulses. Sometimes described as 22ml/1000 but that can be equally as confusing if you don't know. Basically, the rating in ml is over 1000 pulses of the pump so 22ml or 22ml/1000 = .022ml per pulse. What hz the pump runs at determines the ml/min.
For some reason I was thinking that 3 digits would give way more possibilities than that... You are right 👍👍
I can't remember of you told me your elevation, how high are you ? I don't know if a specific video, but David McLuckie has a bunch of videos adjusting and checking mixture with a CO meter. If you are getting white smoke, I think you are correct ... that sounds like ay too much fuel/ not enough air. I would remove everything from the heater, inlet, exhaust, ducting, make sure that it is thoroughly blead (no air in the system) and then attempt to start it. If after a few minutes it is working normal, then start adding pieces to see of one of them or multiples of them is an issue.
If the heater has white smoke after a few minutes of running, then this sort of rules out those things that are not attached. Your heater may have mistakenly been fitted with a 5kw ECU... this would run the pump at too high of a HZ. I don't know for sure, but the 2kw runs around 3hz (3 clicks per second) where the 5kw runs closer to 5 hz. If you are able to determine the heater is running around 3hz at max heat setting, and still has white smoke, it may be some sort of blockage in the exhuast outlet, or burn chamber.
@@loweredexpectations4927 #irony -- "Your heater may have mistakenly been fitted with a 5kw ECU... this would run the pump at too high of a HZ. I don't know for sure, but the 2kw runs around 3hz (3 clicks per second) where the 5kw runs closer to 5 hz". There's no way to tell because it's a blue-readout controller? If I have 22 pump and it sounds like 5hz clicks, I can suspect the ECU? SMDH.
It's only 3 EDT so I'm not that high yet, but I live in my van in Colo front range and in mountain towns. Plus seasonally I farm oysters, so 0 - 3000m/10000' above sea level. Presently at 1500m.
What's the stuff about pf settings -- I also ask OP below. Could my glow plug be inefficient? Due to low voltage, which I've suspected independent of this smoke problem. I think I need 12 ga wire to unit but I'm scared to touch the wiring harness for fear of crippling the unit entirely. Pls point me to your wiring info. Thx again, this is amazing info.
@@3genac If you have a multimeter, even pretty basic ones these days have a HZ test setting. I've never actually use it, but that's one way. I have a friend who is a drummer and he would be able to tell you immediately by listening, haha.
The ECU is what controls the pump HZ, so if it is operating at 5 on a 2kw, with a 22/1000 pump, it's the wrong ECU.
I believe PF is the power for the glow plug. The plug turns off after your heater starts and has nothing to do with the operation after start up. If the heater won't start, it is possible the glow plug is the issue. If it starts and smokes, it has nothing to do with the glow plug.
If you can use a stopwatch / timer on your phone and try to count out pump pulses for a few seconds, then do the math, maybe that will tell you something... If it really is 5hz that is almost certainly your problem.
Joel, When you talk about Setting a max fan speed of 4000rpm and then bringing your fuel Hz up to the correct setting for your area, when do you stop tuning? Do you stop tuning/upping the Hz when it reaches max burner temp as without a C.O meter you carn't realy tell how its doing in the furnace. Sorry if this dosent make much sense
This is a good question.
If you are doing this without a CO meter, you are sort of playing a guessing game. Based on a lot of experience and hearing what others have to say, I would aim for a exchanger temperature of around 185 - 190. This should not be too rich.
I know that when I am running my heater a little on the rich side, it is up around 210 220C
If you go too rich, you get a lot of CO and will also produce some black smoke out of the exhaust.
@@loweredexpectations4927 Thanks Joel..
See i can run the internal temp to around 250°c but didn't know if it would be producing too much CO and not getting a clean burn but on the other hand I felt that the cooler the furnace temp the more likely carbon was to build up but then again if its a high temp and a fast fuel HZ it will do that anyway??.. so you and others recommend keeping the furnace temp to around 185-190c.. what about fan speed as you can have that temp with 3500rpm fan speed and 5000 rpm fan speed 😆🤣... what to do for the best out put..
@@martinpanks992 Lots of people get confused about this, and there is a lot of misinformation about these heaters. Gasoline, and some other fuels, have a very narrow operating air fuel ratio... Many fuels will burn hotter when you run them very lean. Diesel is not like this. It can operate well between 14:1 and 75:1, and burning cool and dirty is not at all the same thing.
If you have ever seen a modified diesel vehicle "rolling coal" this is because they are jamming a bunch of excess fuel into it.... Diesel will continue to burn hotter and make more power, long after it is creating a LOT of smoke and soot. A diesel engine operates with the inlet wide open (gas engines use a throttle body) and control power by increasing or lowering fuel ratio. Gas engines need to keep the same ratio and add more fuel and air.
All this to say, your heater will keep making a lot of heat (till it hits the safety shutdown) if you keep adding fuel. It will also make a lot of soot, smoke and CO in the process. The temperature that you see on the exchanger has little to do with the temp or the burn chamber, and more to do with the amount of heat being produced. People often confuse heat with temperature.
If you consume X amount of diesel, it burns at diesel burning temperatures. If you burn more diesel, it still burns at diesel burning temperatures, but produces more heat energy. The temp that you see on your exchanger has more to do with how quickly the exchanger can absorb and dissipate the heat energy. If your fan stopped running for just a few seconds, it would quickly spike to several hundred C.
Probably way too much info and also stuff you already knew, haha. Bottom line, You can run your diesel heater VERY lean, and the exchanger temp will be very low, but unless you run it extremely lean, the temp of the flame and burn chamber will still be just as hot, and hot develop a lot of soot. Where this threshold is, is a guessing game, unless you actually have a probe on your burn chamber.
As for the fan speed, this is why it is a good idea to base it off CO, if you can.... However, If you are running 3500 rpm, you will be running rich due to less air flow in the chamber and this will make more heat. The temp of your exchanger will also go up due to less heat being carried away, so you will need to lean it out to maintain the same temp. Make sense ? haha.
If you are running 5000 rpm, It will have a tendency to run lean and make less heat, you will also be carrying more heat away, so the echanger temp will have a tendency to drop... to bring the temp up you will have to increase fuel consumption.
For efficiency, you are better off to run the heater at around 4000 rpm. The faster you run the heater, the more air you force out the exhaust. Basically, all of the inefficiency of these heaters is heat lost out the exhaust. Running your fan speed lower allows more of the heat to absorb into the exchanger. The hotter you run the exchanger, the more effective it will be at putting the heat into the air due to the temperature differential.
@@loweredexpectations4927 I've had the temp up to 250°c at 4000 rpm fan and around 5hz pump and I've had it to 250°c burner temp at 5000 rom fan at 5.5hz (rough numbers) they both produce the same internal temp but 5k rpm moves the air more and 4k rpm less.
I suppose the more you turn it up the more it will use..
@@martinpanks992 The temp you are seeing is not internal temp, that is temp of the outside of the heat exchanger. I can highly suspect if you are running 250C, you are running too rich, especially at 4 or 5000 rpm. The pump is a dosing pump, so the hz and how much fuel it uses is directly related. I believe most of these pumps are rated for 22ml per 1000 pumps.
That's right. More air moves, and thus carries away more heat energy. My old heater has a safety shutdown around 236. Different heaters have a different thresholds, but I would not run my heater any hotter than 220C.
They don't get enough credit for the amazing engineering, haha. These little heaters with one motor managed to do a pretty good job, at factory settings, to function pretty well.
So.. I am currently trying to change one of my heaters over to the 1688 controller, which has the full service menu , but i thought this one only worked with the black ECU ? asking because ive Read that the blue boards have a better start up and shut down routine would be nice if i could get both full control but also updated start/stop
If you found a way to get the black LCD with time and full service menu to work with Blue board it would be super useful , there seem to be ridiculous number of variations
(edit) looks like 1688 controller works with both Blue & black ECU
The controller is basically a keyboard and the ECU is your computer. The functions are on the ECU and the controller is either compatible, or not.
Manufacturers do not follow any industry standard. It's a crap shoot what ECU has what built in functions.
Where were you able to order the new ecu and controller? My blue controller‘s ecu is shot, stuck with an E03 code. Installed a new glow plug with no luck still.
Are you sure that you don't have a glow plug issue ? A bad plug, broken wire, bad connection at your ecu or a short will cause this code.
You can purchase these as a set from Aliexpress or Amazon. I would recommend only purchasing them as a set so that you get the correct ones... Otherwise it takes a lot of research, and you still. may end up with the wrong ecu or controller.
I resoldered the pins on the board, and put a whole new glow plug in with the same code coming up. Both plugs measure at 2ohm from the plug and right at the head of the glow plug.
I ended up ordering a new controller and ecu set from aliexpress last night, just got to wait now. Hopefully the mild winter sticks around for December over here in Sask.
@@jonholaday2733 If you can't wait, I see one on Amazon Canada, delivery date to me for Dec 8th. $44.00 2.99 delivery. I will send you the link in a separate comment as UA-cam sometimes blocks comments with links.
Title of the product GUANLI 12V 3KW 5KW 8KW Air Heater LCD Monitor Switch/Control Board Motherboard/Remote for Car Parking Control Controller Heater. Not a bad idea to have a back up / some spares if you are depending on it to stay warm.
@@jonholaday2733 www.amazon.ca/GUANLI-Monitor-Control-Motherboard-Controller/dp/B0BRKFZRQH/ref=sr_1_44?crid=2I4E448QUMT2F&keywords=diesel%2Bheater%2Bparts&qid=1701116983&sprefix=diesel%2Bhe%2Caps%2C376&sr=8-44&th=1
Your original blue controller, any idea how to get into the settings menu to check / adjust 12v - 24v settings on it? I can't figure it out for that controller
This controller doesn't have any of that functionality, and it doesn't have an engineering menu.
You can scroll through the menu and see some info, and there is a way to set a single on timer, meaning you can set it to come on in 8 hours, but I don't think it even has a clock.
You can set it to high elevation mode by pressing and holding both top buttons, and you can prime it by pressing the < and > arrow at the same time, though you have to keep holding them.
Very little functionality. This is why some people choose to replace them.
@loweredexpectations4927 many thanks my fellow Canuck 🇨🇦
When you said, green digits, i did see blue digits. 09:30
Is this a calibration problem of my new monitor - or maybe your camera changed the colour from green to bright blue?
I'd like to know that.
It's sort of a blue green. A matter of opinion rather than calibration, haha. The thumbs up on this comment is blue... but it may actually be black for you... Hmmm.
I would say this color can pass for either blue or green... a bluegreen, I suppose.
@@loweredexpectations4927
Man, that gets really confusing now. The thumb turns from black outlined to dark black, when i press it, the "number count" of thumbs looks a bit grey, not deep black - but no color mixed in, the "reply" along with the number and the arrow to see or hide the replies is the same blue as the reply button, which i have to press to send this stuff, RAL 5015 related, about windows standard blue, i'd say.
The blue of the digits in question is a brighter blue, exact the colour of the controller itself - no green hue to me 😵💫
But wherever grass or other known greens show up, it looks very natural to me on the monitor.
My GPU is supposed to be quite ok (AMD FirePro W7100) but i cannot find tools in the software to calibrate the monitor - although i remember, 23 years ago i did have a graphic card, which was able to do that. But i also was more into computers back then.
Whatsoever - i checked with the other monitor, no difference.
Sorry, i used to photograph a lot in a former life setup, also did paintings decades ago. Stopped it, tried later to continue painting on computer, when the Win 3.1 PC came up, didn't give me the kick though - but of course, differing colours on monitors could drive me nuts back then.
Had to leave that stuff behind anyhow for a living, but colour problems still can worry me.
The limitation of the human sensor system and the therefore wildly differing processing results in different peoples brains is the next uncertainity to overcome, but that doesn't just include colour reception.
Never mind 😎
@@werner.x Oh, you weren't kidding ? You are really having issues with your screen color ? I feel like there should be some sort of screen calibration thing that you can download ... or a site that you can visit to tune your monitor or TV.
The digits are not at all the same green that grass is. I would say that real blue is the color or the "comment" button on UA-cam, and grass is definitely green... The digits are somewhere in the middle of this, and when seen with your eye, and illuminated, they appear brighter than on camera. I'm sure there is a fancy name for this color. It's probably close to teal or arctic blue.
I honestly didn't put any thought into what I called it. One is red, and the other is not red 🤣 Wikipedia says "In many languages, the colors described in English as "blue" and "green" are colexified, i.e., expressed using a single umbrella term." lol !
@@loweredexpectations4927 👍Arctic blue is exactly, what i would describe the blue my screen shows. That's good enough for me now.
Yes, if i'd do serious paintings or professional photo grading again, i'd have to find me a calibration tool and a screen calibration sensor.
But i may have more fun reactivating my old, old electronics hobby. But for the moment there are enough automotive leftovers surrounding me. I'm getting tired, too.
My neighbour died lately, when i was in Bavaria - and nobody even realized it, before i came back last week - he was only 8 years older, i liked him - and he loved Max, my last old dog a lot. And my new one loved him a lot, although he couldn't handle her energy. So, time is running out.
So I have a 5kw vevor And I got it. The control screen is completely dead. power going to it. Having a hard time finding the exact same controller how easy It to just grab any controller and connect it in.
There are a few different controller types. Most of the time, if you have a connector that is the same (AND the same color) then it will work.... However... you can easily end up with a controller that won't' work with your ECU at all.
I generally recommend that you replace the ECU and controller as a set, so you are sure they match. If you have a matching set, you can use almost any 5kw ECU and controller.
How many liters were you gettinf before you had to decoke the unit
I assume you are referring to my waste oil experiments? I have 30 videos with many different mixes... I think at best it was 8 litres and worst only a few.
I could tell you from my usage. Hadn't to decoke one single unit in years of use, but i just burned clean Diesel up to now. I usually run two units for hours continuous at lowest setting, with intermittent higher demand.
Got a problem with motor oil contaminated Diesel recently, the unit burning the 40 liters of "black Diesel" didn't want to stay on at lowest setting , had to choose second lowest setting, but this problem went away by itself with the next canister of clean diesel.
I switched to "Heizöl EL" yesterday, got some for this winter for the first time - it's identical with Diesel quality of the older days, means more smelly, harder engine noise in ICE engines, but i don't expect any changes in heater performance, since it is most important for "Heizöl EL" not to clog expensive house heating systems.
@@werner.x Yup... "black diesel" = problems. Can you get heating oil at a much better price ?
@@loweredexpectations4927
Yes, you save a lot, but it depends. If you order 3000 liters, the average price is 1,08 Euro per liter as today, the average price of Diesel these days is around 1,80 Euro customer retail price.
Problem is, hardly nowhere in Germany can you get your canister filled with heating oil any more. Usual is tank truck delivery only, you'd need a certified tank at home and a minimum order of 500 to 1000 liter.
Sn is how many magnets on the fan and Pf is glow plug power and should be set to 5.
Thanks !
Does the "blue display" ECU have glow plug power setting? where is it?
@@3genac it's under pf in settings if you're controller allows it.
Vevor claims "Automatic Altitude Adjustment" and yet when I asked them if the controller has a barometer, they said no. I wish someone could explain how that's possible.
You need to have Lowered Expectations.
Try walking into Walmart and asking the person who "works in automotive" about what additives are in the 15W40 diesel oil that make it diesel specific. These poor people can barely speak english (in most cases) and are also responsible for answering questions about all Vevor products. These are not heater specialists.
I know a heck of a lot more about these heaters than they do, and I can't give you a straight answer. I assume that it is a barometer, as the number on my controller will change form 980 something to 1000 ish while I am parked in the same spot.
It could use a crappy gps chip... All that matters is that it sort of keeps track of your general elevation ... and tells you so on the app. My guess is that this does not have to be very accurate, as it likely changes from a high to low fuel deliver (and back) and does not change fuel gradually based onelevation. Meaning, it doesn't have one fuel map for seal level, one for 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 feet etc...
It likely has one for sea level to 2500 feet, and then one for 2500 to 5000.
@@loweredexpectations4927 It might not matter to most, but as someone who sometimes camps at 10k, I don't want to have to deal with a coked up heater because I didn't know how to set the altitude on the controller. If it does somehow know the altitude by some unknown magic, that's all I need to know. If, however it has to be set manually, I'd need to know that also.
@@The_Ballo I'm not sure if you are using the Bluetooth app, but it will tell you the elevation on the top left hand corner.
I have considered putting a controller in my vacuum chamber and pumping it down to see if this changes the reading, haha, but that's a lot of work and I have been busy.
Regardless of what it says or does not say, or of you have a heater that you can manually adjust, I would suggest keeping an eye on the temperature of the heater. Diesel tends to run hot when rich. If it is constantly over 220C (428F). You can also keep an eye on the exhaust to see if it is developing soot. They will generally run quite hot, make some black smoke and develop soot at the end of the exhaust if you are too rich.
Cheers.
@@loweredexpectations4927 I don't have one yet, which is why I'm asking 😊
So you're saying it's supposed to automatically adjust rather than manually adjust. That implies it has a barometer. I mean my cheap AF weather station has one so that would be the obvious way to go.
Obviously you always have a backup way to stay warm, but if I don't know how it works ahead of time it makes me leary, if you catch my drift.
@@The_Ballo I totally understand you wanting to know. How about sealing it up in a plastic bag and squeezing it... if the elevation goes down, you know it is using pressure.
Yes, the Bluetooth controller is supposed to adjust to elevation automatically. I believe I said in my first comment "I assume it uses a barometer, but it may use GPS. I assume it uses a barometer as the elevation displayed on the app will change several meters throughout the day, with the vehicle sitting still."
I assume the more cost effective method is to use a barometer... I also assume that this would technically be called a barometer as, if it is what we think it is, it reads barometric pressure, however, it does not tell you barometric pressure, it tells you elevation.... so I can see how that is confusing.
Hey Joel, if I use your affiliate link, and go rooting around on their site, and end up buying something, do you still get a kick back for promoting them? Or is it only for the diesel heater that you have linked? I've made myself quite a wish list on their site, and want to make sure you get yours for putting in all this work with them. I wouldn't have known about them without your videos!
Are you planning on showing "fuel economy" on these heaters? It would be interesting to also see what kind of voltage they pull from a battery as well. Like, can you run one of these all night in your truck, without it draining your battery?
And one more fun experiment, could you have this heater warm up a water loop? I'm thinking diesel block heater! ;) Warm the cab, and the engine at the same time. Does Vevor have little radiators you could put in front of it? I'll go check and let you know! ;)
No... I only get kickback of you purchase that exact item. I can always provide an affiliate link for any item, and that way I would get a small kickback. Without a dedicated link, I get "credit" as they know I sent you to their site, but I do not get credit for that sale.
That is a good idea to also post wattage ... It's pretty easy to calculate when keeping it on one setting, so I will try to remember that for the next time.
Haha... They actually have a liquid to liquid exchanger... I have thought about this experiment. It's a cool idea.
I got a question what to do when you store your heater for the summer.
Nothing
Good question. This all depends on your specific installation, I suppose.
You want to make sure that animals / bugs aren't going to nest in it, so it would be a good idea to block off your inlet, exhaust and heating ducts.
As for the rest of the heater... If it is exposed to the elements, you will want to protect it from UV rays and the weather. Your power supply should be disconnected and if you are using a battery, put it on a trickle charge or maintenance charger.
Diesel doesn't go bad nearly as quickly as gasoline, so you don't have to do anything with the fuel itself... however, if you have a fuel tank that is mounted above your heater and pump, you should either have a fuel valve inline, or disconnect the fuel... If your fuel pump leaks, you could dump all of your fuel into the heater, causing a mess, maintenance and loss of your fuel.
That's about it.
Haha... you gave the short and sweet answer... I chose a longer one.
Use blue ecu with blue controller rite mach
I have now had several people comment and tell me this... After reading your comment, I decided to go and actually give this a try, because I honestly didn't know about this... I will be releasing a video later today.
Are you sure that's the right way around , carbon monoxide generally comes from Yellow flames which are sooty and also colder, blue flames produce way less carbon monoxide more heat and less soot? Generally too rich burns yellow, complete combustion is blue.
Sorry. I'm not sure what you are referring to. What you are saying sounds correct but I don't know what it is in reference to. You can direct me to part of the video by typing the time. For example Pushing buttons 16:00
@@loweredexpectations4927 what i was wondering is if the heater is producing monoxide, and we reduce fuel or add air then we should actually see temp increase and the monoxide drop as the fuel will now be burned fully?
@@robb1chan9 Much of what you said is the case with some fuel, like gasoline. In race cars or performance cars, they often dump in extra gasoline purely to have a cooling effect to protect the engine at high boost.
Diesel, on the other hand, will continue to make power and heat even after you are well past the ideal air fuel ratio. This is why you see performance diesel engines "rolling coal". Although your efficiency goes WAY down you still make more heat / power.
As an example, if you consume 400 lm per hour, in your diesel heater, it may run without any CO and make 4kw of heat. If you consume 500 ml per hour, it will make 4.5 kw and more CO.... . If you consume 600 ml per hour, it will make 5kw lots of CO and lots of soot. (Assuming your fan speed is constant & not actual kw numbers) 600 ml has the potential to make kwh of energy, but if you burn it with too little oxygen it isn't as efficient.
If you use gasoline in this same test, as you added fuel, the kw would actually drop instead of increasing.
@@loweredexpectations4927 thanks for the detailed explanation that makes a lot of sense i wrongly assumed after peak efficiency was reached output would start to go down again is the same true for kerosene?
@@robb1chan9 Most oil based fuels will increase output, even after peak efficiency is reached. I believe heavier oils more so, but I can't say any of that for certain. Gasoline, alcohol, and other lite fuels, from what I understand, have a cooling effect after peak efficiency.
there is a blue controller with a 3 digit code and not a 4 digit code. i have one. anyone else have one? anyone figure out the 3 digit code?
I talked about it in this video. No one seems to know what the code is.
@@loweredexpectations4927 I have two heaters, and I bought two new new displays+ecus for 36 euros, as spare parts, these new ones if you press "ok+on" together it asks you for a 3-digit code, the blue ones I had before (identical to the 100 %) they don't have it!...has anyone found the 3 digit code thanks?