WJ, Carl:
The diesel part of my project started last May when I wondered out loud on the forum about whether a diesel powered trailer was possible.
You can follow the discussion here:
http://www.airforums.com/forum...ler-23048.html
Member WESTFALIA suggested that I contact a fellow member of his Volkswagen Bus Club, who worked for a company making hydronic heating systems for large motor homes. Bill Moxon is his name.
Bill assured me that my idea was workable and offered to help in any way that he could.
He meant it. During June and July I’ll bet he answered dozens of emails from me and patiently got me to understand how what I was embarking on worked.
I don’t think I could have done this without him. This chance meeting is again a sterling example of how interesting this forum can be.
Everything was researched on the Internet. I compared countless alternatives, and assembled the component parts from various sources.
I got the WEBASTO TLS 17 coolant heater from an Ontario dealer serving the trucking industry.
The Italian made ISOTEMP water heater I bought over the Internet, from Florida. (The American importer tried to force me to deal with their useless Canadian distributor but I raised hell over that).
I bought the three fan-coil heaters from Bill’s firm, Vehicle Systems. All the advice he freely gave was not conditional on buying anything from him. Until near the end, I did not even realize that his firm made the fan coil units.
I also got a two-way valve (to isolate the heaters from the main system during the summer) and a couple of hose fittings from Vehicle Systems.
Bill’s co-worker David Haynes also got involved, making me a splendid schematic of my layout, which I can follow to easily plumb the system.
The 3/4” coolant hose and heater control valves I got from a local small town auto supply.
I got lucky with the expansion tank needed. A local rad man had years ago made an overflow bottle for a Volkswagen out of brass. He still had it and gave it to me for only thirty bucks.
The cost for everything was around $1600.00.
Carl, the water heater is 6 gallons and is ordinarily used in the marine world. Usually, the hot coolant from the boat’s diesel motor flows through a heat exchanger in the water heater, thereby making your potable water hot.
In my case, the WEBASTO takes the place of the diesel motor, heating the coolant, which then circulates through the water heater and then the space heaters.
The usual application for these German made heaters is to pre-heat diesel truck engines and often, as well, to heat the sleeper cab.
The Webasto uses 1/16 gallon per hour
The trailer body around the fuel entry is to be painted black so the filler cap will disappear into the bodywork, so to speak.
Still, I may have the world’s only Airstream Argosy with a diesel fuel spout.
Sergei
Carl
I googled your supplier but did not find a hit, so would you please post the URL for those of us who are interested?
Linear Mode
