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Has anyone gone with the new Espar B4L-AM3 heater that operates up to 18000’? I can only find them at Heatso. Supposed to be more user friendly with plug and play wiring and less finicky fuel hookup?
New Espar B4L-AM3
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It hooks up the same. The biggest reason I'd buy it over the 9000ft version is the newer fuel pump. I have had zero problems with my heater but having a quieter fuel pump with less clicking noise during startup would be nice.
I bought from heatso with no regrets doing so. They have people here in the states that you can talk to on the phone for any issues.
I bought from heatso with no regrets doing so. They have people here in the states that you can talk to on the phone for any issues.
I had a very different experience with Heatso, so take it as you will.
I would be VERY cautious of buying from Heatso. I did and had to rewire my harness and the US rep for Esperbacher told me to not buy from them and to spread the word. We worked through the issues with my B4( i needed a new fuel pump and a new ECU with the current software) and it has served me well ever since.
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Thanks for the input! I don't understand why I cant find any other vendor that sells this new model. Even the Colorado upfitters that answer their phones don't know about it. I'm hesitant to purchase it without knowing someone has run it with success.
I would also recommend to avoid Heatso, I believe they sell EU versions that may not get support in the US. I have been talking with a rep here in the US for over a year about the 2kw gasoline altitude compensating model. The US version was pushed back and at the latest update he gave me said it was supposed to be released around July 2023.
I have... not sure who you were talking to. I sent an email earlier today since we were talking about this. I will update when he replies.
I sure am curious about this new "quiet" pump. Maybe it's just where ours is installed, but I have never heard our pump. Just the quiet sound of the fan going and then the whump-whump as the burner gets going followed by the low roar of it putting out heat.
Had the heater on 24-hours a day for the last few days at 8,000-9,000 feet with temps down to ~30 below freezing (plus wind). Pretty steadily able to deliver 50+ degree differential inside/outside. But I really don't hear the pump - even at night with everything quiet.
What am I missing?
Had the heater on 24-hours a day for the last few days at 8,000-9,000 feet with temps down to ~30 below freezing (plus wind). Pretty steadily able to deliver 50+ degree differential inside/outside. But I really don't hear the pump - even at night with everything quiet.
What am I missing?
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315 Posts
Gregoryx
I know you chime in about your perfect Espar system often. It is appreciated.
What you need to understand is that you aren't helping by making us feel like we are crazy, wrong, or unlucky. I've had my system gone through a half dozen times at this point.
It isn't like 1% of us with constant issues with these units. It is much higher than that. My contact said closer to 1/3 of folks with Transits with this system are dealing with the issues that seem to have no instant solution.
I've gotten comments from people enough that I park away from folks and with the exhaust pointed away so no one else needs to hear it.
I know you chime in about your perfect Espar system often. It is appreciated.
What you need to understand is that you aren't helping by making us feel like we are crazy, wrong, or unlucky. I've had my system gone through a half dozen times at this point.
It isn't like 1% of us with constant issues with these units. It is much higher than that. My contact said closer to 1/3 of folks with Transits with this system are dealing with the issues that seem to have no instant solution.
I've gotten comments from people enough that I park away from folks and with the exhaust pointed away so no one else needs to hear it.
Sorry for chuckling... I know you're not crazy or wrong; you and others have done the installs as well as anyone else.
I appreciate the feedback. I don't doubt the problems AT ALL. I'd say we just got lucky - meaning unlucky for you and others, I guess? I've read the threads of some of the problem installs and it's clear there's something wrong. I sure don't know squat about how to install these; I'm not even sure we did a good job following the instructions.
I'm curious which issues you're having: loud exhaust? That seems normal - ours is loud as well. The loud pump? I just don't hear ours but I'm curious if that's a "lucky" pump as well? But the cases where they just don't work... that is seriously troubling. Altitude or otherwise. The cases where the stand-pipe didn't resolve issues? Or the cases where the stock gas line works fine at altitude? So weird.
FWIW, if we had issues, I'd go with one of the cheap Chinese diesel units since there's more possible resolutions there. In theory, these units are all nearly identical and I think the down-side to the Espar and Webasto units at this point is they don't have the huge user-support-base that the cheap ones have. There have been altitude adjustments and fuel-metering and external control and SO many other great options for these for years. I just wish there was a gasoline version that worked with the Afterburner controller.
Heat is essential for our usage. I'd have removed the Espar and replaced it with /something/ or our van would be useless half the year or more.
Man... a third of the installs? That would be insane if true: the most expensive air-heater is far more failure-prone than a $100 Chinese diesel unit? That would /really/ suck. Heck, I'd install two of those thing if that were my only option. It's the diesel tank install that sucks, not installing the units.
@gregoryx Mine for the most part is quiet but sometimes when it starts up the fuel pump makes a ticking sound pulling fuel. I bought it from heatso which people say don't do. I also didn't install any pickup tube and people said it wouldn't work right. I've used my heater more than most in harsh conditions for days at altitude with zero issues. 
Interesting on the noise. Imma have to listen more carefully on startup. Curious.@gregoryx Mine for the most part is quiet but sometimes when it starts up the fuel pump makes a ticking sound pulling fuel. I bought it from heatso which people say don't do. I also didn't install any pickup tube and people said it wouldn't work right. I've used my heater more than most in harsh conditions for days at altitude with zero issues.
And, yeah, you're on the super-lucky side with @Bazz99 - working perfect with the stock pickup. 🤷♂️
I have the Webasto Air Top 2000 STC and I also never hear the pump. When the heater is on I do hear the exhaust, but I feel it isn't very loud. Hard to describe....like the sound of queit jet flying over you way up in the sky, or quieter.
As far as the pump, I never hear it, inside or out. I did drop the tank to install the pickup tube that came with the kit but I doubt that matters.
Final point. I did hear back from Ray at Espar. He said he was hoping for July for the new 2kw gasoline model.
As far as the pump, I never hear it, inside or out. I did drop the tank to install the pickup tube that came with the kit but I doubt that matters.
Final point. I did hear back from Ray at Espar. He said he was hoping for July for the new 2kw gasoline model.
There's some additional mystery problems. There is at least one person on here who spent a bunch of time with the US Espar guy resulting in replacing parts and/or firmware to eventually get it working (IIRC). There's some additional weirdness that happens - witness those who have NO problems even at elevation with the Ford pickup. Then others with the Espar pickup and issues - though that /seems/ less common.
Do you /want/ a 2kW version instead of 4kW? I thought the idea of running full-blast had been discredited and the 4kW was preferred at this point. 🤔
If I can fit it under the passenger seat, I guess I would go with the 4kw. I am not building a van right now so I am not really considering which one. I am really missing the building process though. I may decide to sell just to build again. Problem is, I love using it too darn much to be without! But, I digress.
I like the idea of it running wide open to keep up with the temp while also keeping the dealio inside clean. On the other hand, I would rather it keep the van at 63 even if it was -20 out (without an additional heater). So far I haven't had any issues keeping up with the temp using the heater. The only time it had gotten a bit chilly in the van was when I was up in the Rockies and wouldn't run the Webasto due to not wanting to get it all carboned up. I ran a Wave 3 heater instead and that did not keep up well. Never had any pipes freeze but it got cold in the van when it was -17 outside. I have since changed that out to the Wave 6. I only use the Wave heaters above 5k feet. Anything 5k-ish and below I use the Webasto. It would be nice to not have a second heat option, but I do appreciate redundancy.
The wave is installed in such a way that I install it before I leave home if I may go above 5k feet. I remove it when it no longer needs to be in there. I can install and remove in 5 minutes.
The fuel line is something I should probably swap out this summer. I'm running the blue stuff that came with it from heatso. Have others just ordered theirs from esparparts.com?
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I forget where I saw it it someone posted a unit from Heatso and it said on the label “no warranty if sold outside the EU”. I spoke to a builder who got burned, no pun intended, by ordering from Heatso when having an issue.
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