Parking Heater:The Ultimate Buying Guide

A parking heater is an electro-mechanical device that uses air or liquid (water) to warm/heat the interior and engine of a motor vehicle to a suitable temperature.

By burning various fuels such as diesel, petrol or propane in its combustion chamber, it transfers this heat to flowing air or liquid (water) through its heat exchanger system. The heated liquid or air, then flows to other parts of the vehicle.

These heaters feature modern technologies with various sensors and microprocessors to ensure seamless operation. The technology ensures safety, low fuel consumption and the overall efficiency of this system.

Of course, this is possible with the various parts of parking heaters that perform different functions. Besides, it will also depend on the design and the model of the heater.

You will learn more about this shortly, keep reading.

This is a Vvkb Parking Heater

You will learn more about this shortly, keep reading.

Basically, with an electric engine heater or diesel engine parking heater, you can conveniently heat various parts of the engine even before starting the engine. The purpose is to make engine start easily. And a diesel air parking heater can heat the cabin of vehicles(don’t need to start the vehicle), so that people can rest or sleep in the warm cabin. It is an auxiliary heating system for vehicles such as cars, commercial vehicles, buses, trucks and RVs etc.

More importantly, you can control how a parking heater works manually or with a smartphone, remote control or a timer. So, you don’t have to leave the house or be in the vehicle to start the heating process.

Such performance is only possible when you buy a quality parking heater that conforms to all quality regulations/standards such as CE, FCC, RoHS and E-mark.

In short, vehicle heaters are convenient to operate, improve comfort and guarantee significant cost saving. Also, engine heaters can greatly reduce the wear of engine, saving a lot of money on maintenance.

In case you are new to the parking heating technology, then this is a must-read eBook.

Now, let’s see how this vehicle heater works.

How does the Parking Heater Works Image source: parkedinparadise.com

In this section, you are going to learn how a parking heater works. It will focus on the basic working principles, without going into an in-depth analysis of each component.

You’re going to learn more about every component/parts of the parking heater later in chapter 6.

For now, I want you to have a quick overview of the diagram below. I will use it to explain the working principle of a parking heater.

A section of VVKB Parking heater – Image source: SOLIDROP

Now, let’s jump right into the main subject of this section:

As a quick reminder, parking heaters are available for nearly any vehicle or rooms that need warmth, be it cars, trucks, buses, RVs, boats, tents or mobile houses etc. They use a simple principle of operation to warm both the passenger compartment and engine of the vehicle.

Such parking heaters basically have what we call a dual function capability.

With these parking heaters, you can warm your vehicle without the engine running. They are basically auxiliary heating systems.

Their structures, positions and designs are completely different from the normal heating systems in the cabin of a car.

Here is a step-by-step process how the heating process takes place:

Step 1: Start the Parking Heater

First, you should install the parking heater as per the manufacturer’s instructions. It is a simple process as you will see later in chapter 7 of this complete guidebook on how a parking heater warms up cars.

Second, you can go ahead to switch on the gasoline or diesel parking heater using any of these:

• Manual control
• Mobile phone
• Preset timer
• Remote control

This will depend on the design and configuration of the parking heater system.

Once you turn on the parking heater, its control system or computer circuit board will run system diagnostic tests to ensure every component is in a proper working condition.

You can see this in the image above part no. 3. This system controls and executes various commands depending on the signal it receives.

In short, it is through this system that the parking heater manufacturer can easily automate the working process alongside various safety measures.

Once the parking heater system is in good condition, the motor fan will begin to rotate. As a result, it will supply high speed air into the system.

At this stage, you can choose appropriate settings of the machine and you will begin to see various parameters on the heater’s display. For example, the parking heater will display the ambient temperature of the system.

A control panel of a VVBK car heater

Furthermore, you can set the system to a heating mode.

Step 2: Air and Fuel Flows into the Parking Heater

To generate heat, combustion must take place.

Well, the idea here is not very different from the internal engine combustion of motor vehicles.

So, here is what happens next:

After step 3, the motor speed slows down as the ignition plug kicks in. By doing so, it preheats the combustion tube.

Parking heater system showing flow of air and fuel

I hope you can see the combustion chamber (part no. 6).

The fuel pump/dosing pump begins to deliver fuel to the parking heater system. The fuel can be from the vehicles’ tank or a separate fuel system.

At the same time, the glow plug (part no. 5) receives electric current which it uses to ignite the fuel after atomization. Meanwhile, the combustion air fan (part no. 4) keeps pushing air into the combustion chamber.

As the ignition plug ignites the mixture of fuel and air, the temperature/heat and flame monitoring sensors will detect and monitor every step in the combustion chamber.

Remember, combustion can only take place after the system reaches a suitable temperature (depending on the design). Besides, there should be a sufficient amount of fuel and air.

At this stage, the heater system will control flow of air, fuel and of course the combustion in the system.

So, both air and fuel will continue to burn and the exhaust leaves the system. You can see the position of the exhaust system in image 2 above.

Up to this, there is combustion going on within the parking heater system. This implies that, there will be heat within this system.

Now, how does this heat reach other components or parts of the car?

Let’s see what happens next:

Step 3: Warming Passenger Compartment & Engine

Parking Heater Warming Passenger Compartment – Image source: cicionisprinter.com

Since we have a sufficient amount of heat in the parking heater, it is now time to distribute it to other sections of the car.

So here, the parking heater may use either water or air. Like in the examples above, the two parking heaters use air.

As you can see from the diagram, cold air enters while hot air leaves the parking heater system. That is the same scenario you will find in those that use water (cold water enters and leaves when hot/warm).

This is exactly what happens:

Once there is sufficient amount of heat in the parking heater, it will warm (transfer heat) the flowing air/water via its heat exchanger. You can see the location of heat exchanger in image 2 above.

Air or water will then flow to the car’s heat exchanger system from where it will direct warmth to the interior section (passenger compartment). That is, it uses the car’s ventilation system.

Depending on the design of the fuel-operated heaters, the warm water/air will then flow to the engine. It warms the engine making it easy to start your vehicle even during cold weather.

From the engine, used water/air flows back to the parking heater and this cycle continues. Remember, this water/air is generally cold or has dissipated significant amount of heat as it flow through the car’s heat exchanger and the engine.

Step 4: Switching Off Parking Heater

Once both the car’s interior and engine have attained a desirable temperature/heat, you can go ahead to switch off the fuel operated heaters.

When the system receives a signal to stop the heater, its fuel pump will stop working. This will cut off the fuel supply.

At the same time, the ignition plug will run for a while to burn all the remaining fuel. On the other hand, the high-speed motor will also blow all burned carbon or residue from the heater while cooling it at the same time.

The fan’s speed will later reduce until it stops. It will also switch off the current supply of the system.

As you can see, the working principle of parking heaters is simple and straight forward.

Remember, the sequence of events in this system may vary depending on their unique designs. Therefore, it is important that you refer to the technical manual to know more about the parking heater model/brand.

With all these in mind, now let’s move to yet another critical aspect of fuel operated heaters.

Unlike other car accessories, we do not just install parking heaters for the sake of it. This equipment plays a pivotal role in extremely cold weather, more so when the temperatures drop to freezing point.

I know many of you have come across many forums on how cold weather affects fuel efficiency and overall driving experience. In most cases, you will find one of the most common advice being parking the car in warm places with an aim of increasing initial engine temperature. Also you can feel warm when you get into the cabin.

But, the question is: What if you cannot afford such a place? Or you camp a lot and there is no warm places near you. What do you do?

Well, this is the point where you need a gasoline, diesel or an electric parking heater, or engine heater, diesel air heater and diesel coolant heater. The heater you need will depend on the design of your car.

So, below are some of the key parking heater benefits:

1. Guarantees Safety by Ensuring Clear Visibility

At times, not even the scraper will remove all ice from your windscreens. Even if it removes, there is a chance of leaving misting or humid surface.

To make it worse, there is always a possibility of ice forming again.

The interior of the car and windscreen remain clear without wither ice or mist

This makes a car heater a perfect alternative for this job since it will cause all ice to melt, leaving a clear surface without any obstructions. By defrosting all windows, you will obviously have a clear view hence more safety.

2. Ensure Significant Cost Savings in the Long run

In most cases, a diesel air parking heater may cost between 629USD and 1500USD, depending on the size, design, power rating, etc. Generally, a diesel air heater has a working life of 8-10 years. Of course, regular maintenance to heater is required. You need to clear the redundant carbon and change the glow pin every 1-2 years. On the other hand, the idling fuel cost in a year is more than 2,206USD, and it’s 22060USD for 10 years.

Price of parking heater; Source – RVheater.com

The price of diesel engine heater is from 869USD to 1800USD. The exact number depends on the size, design and rated power etc. The fuel engine heater can use both diesel and gasoline. It can heat the engine coolant or provide hot water to those rooms that don’t have heating equipment. RV owners can also use it to enjoy the hot bath.

Price of diesel engine heater; Source – RVheater.com

The price of electric engine heater is from 155USD to 123USD. The exact number depends on the size, design and rated power etc. This kind of heater is powered by electricity and used to heat the coolant of engine. Then the coolant will pass the heat to make sure the temperature of engine is in the normal range. And because of that, the fluidity of lubricating oil also increases. Electric engine heater can be used to heat engines and electric generators of trucks, cars, snowmobiles and boats.

Price of electric engine heater; Source – RVheater.com

Parking heaters use a small amount of fuel to preheat the passenger compartment and the car’s engine. Therefore, this will reduce the idling time and cost.

At the same time, with these parking heaters, your car will bypass cold starting the engine. Cold starting burdens the engine, hence resulting in high and fast wear.

As a result, you may end up repairing your engine frequently, which will result in high costs. So, bypassing cold starting will result in significant cost saving.

3. Parking Heaters Improve Comfort

Gone are the days when you could freeze in the car when the snow covers the entire surface or, the external environment is extremely cold.

The parking heater will maintain a comfortable temperature. Thus, you will not shiver or experience frozen hands while driving.

After using the parking heater, you won’t need to wear the big and heavy coat(could be dangerous when driving) when you are in the cabin.

Uncomfortable car interior due to cold

As a result, it will improve your driving experience during all seasons.

4. Convenient and Easy to Operate

The modern control heaters are fully automated with better control mechanisms for low fuel consumption, safety system diagnostic and easy to operate features.

A general purpose control panel for VVBK car heaters

Depending on the design of your fuel operated car heater, you can switch it on using a wireless remote or an app installed in a mobile phone. During the heating process, you can monitor the operation conditions of the parking heater.

Of course, the fact that you do not have to scrape ice from the windscreens and windows makes it even more convenient too. In addition to this, it will save you a lot of time as well.

5. They Offer Intelligent Ventilation during Summer

Its design is such that the parking heater can cool cars during summer through the ventilation system that prevents excessive heat buildup.

Normally, it allows fresh external air to flow freely into the car when parked. This makes it a perfect accessory for both winter and summer seasons.

6. Low Environmental Pollution

The amount of exhaust gas your vehicle will produce when in idling state is much higher than that of parking heater. So far, there is a preliminary research that has established that using a parking heater to warm car engine and passenger compartment reduces pollution by over 47%.

7. Attentions When Using Parking Heater

While sleeping in an environment where there is a heater installed, you need to ensure a good ventilation for the heater. Don’t let it work in a sealed space.

When winter is coming, to make sure the parking heater is in good condition and work well for you, please inspect and maintain the heater according to the following requirements:

• Check if there is enough fuel in the external diesel tank and see if it’s still ok to use the fuel at local ambient temperature. Check if the fuel becomes thick or turbid. Also check if there is any leaks in the fuel line.
• After using parking heater for a while, you might notice it’s becomes hard than before to ignite and there might be white smoke. This is because there is carbon accumulated in the heater. You just need to clean the carbon according to “Error Solutions”, and the heater will work well.
• Remember to protect the fuel line when installing the parking heater. Make sure the fuel line is away from the exhaust pipe or any hot spot and away from the part that may cause wear to the fuel line. Dangers or safety problems could happen because of the lack of protection to the fuel line.
• After using parking heaters for 2 years, you need to clean the heater’s inside no matter if it’s working normally or not. And specially check the following spots:

Check the aging status of glow pin. You can put the glow pin outside and power it for 2-3 seconds. If it’s not turning from red to white, you need to change it. Here is a more simple way to check: if the heater is hard to ignite or there is white smoke coming out after using heater for 1-2 years, you need to clean the carbon inside and change the glow pin. You can purchase the glow pin for parking heater on many retail websites. You should know that the cable matches the heater. You will have to buy the according cable from the heater manufacturer. However, we believe those companies who produce cheap and low-quality heaters will not last long        . So it won’t be able to buy the cable from them, which means you need a change of heater.

Check the aging status of the black rubber connectors. If there is crack, you need to replace them.

Check the aging status of the cable. There are many companies who use nonstandard cable in order to control the cost. This kind of cheap cable will age faster than usual if the car drives in poor environment, and it will cause big safety problem to the vehicle itself. If the cable looks tidy, and still feels elastic and there is no crack, then it does need to be changed.

7.5 For diesel coolant heater, after changing the coolant or fill the water tank with coolant, you should turn on the water pump and loose the air bleed screw on the radiator until there is no bubble coming out from the air outlet. Then tighten up the screws again.

In short, buying a high quality and reliable fuel operated heaters with versatile control systems alongside on-board diagnostic features will definitely give you a peace of mind.

Now that you know the benefits parking heater, which design or model is suitable for your car?

Keep reading to learn more about the various types of parking heaters available in the market.

There are many types parking heaters available in the market. Mostly, you may classify these heaters depending on their shape, size, design, heating mechanism, etc.

For the scope of this parking heater guidebook, the discussion will be restricted to the following:

1. Air based parking heaters
2. Coolant based parking heaters
3. Electric parking heaters
4. Diesel parking heaters
5. Gasoline parking heaters
6. Propane parking heaters
7. Portable parking heaters
8. Boat heaters

Now, let’s have a quick overview of these types of parking heaters you can consider for your car, delivery van, yacht, buses, tent or mobile home.

Air Based Parking Heaters

The parking air heating systems are by far the most popular accessories in this industry due to their cost effective design. They are low power consumption heating systems that are easy to install.

Below is an example of VVKB air parking heater with EU authorized metal case:

Air parking heater with metal case

The working principle of air parking heaters is based on the following key principles:

• Heater system draws in fuel and air, which mix and burn to produce heat.
• Meanwhile, the blower of parking heater system sucks cold air. This can either be from the outside environment or vehicle system, depending on the design.
• It then forces this air to flow through the parking heater’s heat exchanger. During this stage, this air becomes heated.
• The parking heater, then forces the air into the vehicle system, thereby elevating temperature to the required threshold.

Due to its design, the air parking heaters release the heat faster since all heated air is blown into the vehicle system directly.

In most cases, you can install an air parking heater system under your vehicle’s chassis or cabin.

Moreover, you can use a manual control, timer, remote/wireless system or mobile phone to activate the heating system.

These are air based parking heaters are easy to operate and they come in many shapes or sizes. This will depend on the heating capacity that your lorry, truck or car requires.

A good example of air based parking heater is the VVKB 12V 5KW Parking Heater Apollo-V2.

VVKB 12V 5KW parking heater Apollo-V2; Source：www.RVheater.com

Below is the data for the VVKB parking heater Apollo-V1:

Below is the data for the VVKB diesel heater Apollo-V2:

Coolant Based Parking Heaters

The good thing about the coolant based parking heaters is that, they heat both the passenger/driver’s cabin alongside the car engine. Therefore, you not only realize a comfortable environment within the car, but also avoid instances of cold starting the engine.

Diesel Engine Heater

One of the most popular accessories in this category is the diesel engine heaters. At times, you may refer to them as liquid parking heaters.

Water parking heater

In most instances, you should install the water parking heaters within the engine compartment. This is because it will use the water circuit system of the vehicle.

The design and structure of this accessory resembles that of the air parking heaters except that, we replace air with the water.

That is, once there is combustion is the heating chamber, cold water from the vehicle system will flow through the parking heater’s heat exchanger system.

The hot/warm water will then flow to the car’s heat exchanger (part of the vehicle’s ventilation system) where it dissipates some heat. A fan will then blow this heat into the vehicle’s system, thereby heating the passenger and driver compartment.

At the same time, this water will again flow through the engine. It heats up the engine, thus bypassing instances of cold starting.

Like the air parking heaters, you can also start these systems using a digital panel, wireless/remote device or mobile phone.

When you observe these two parking heaters, it is quite clear that the main difference is how the system extracts heat from the heat exchanger of the device to other parts of the car.

It forms the first and a critical classification criterion of various types of parking heaters.

Next, the main focus will be on how these systems generate this heat. Let’s begin with:

Electric Parking Heater

VVKB engine heater Titan-P3

This is an environmentally friendly parking heater since it does not produce any emission like in the case of fuel operated designs.

With a conventional 230V power source, you can heat both the car engine and passenger compartment. This makes it a cheaper way to heat the car during cold weather.

Furthermore, the design of these heaters is such that whenever the heater is on, the car battery begins to charge automatically. A good example of an electric parking heater Webasto’s eThermo Top Eco whose working principle is almost the same as the VVKB Electric Heater.

Components and parts of an electric engine heater

Once you connect it to a source of power, the coolant will circulate through the electric parking heater, vehicle’s heat exchanger system and to the engine. This cycle continues until both the engine and passenger compartment attains sufficient heat.

The electric parking heater heats the coolant then it dissipates this energy to engine and the surrounding air in the vehicle’s heat exchanger. The vehicle’s fan blows the hot/warm air to the vehicle’s interior.

This coolant then flows back to the engine to heat it up. You can see how this works in the image above (follow the direction of the arrows).

Apart from heaters that use electric energy, there are those that use either gasoline or diesel.

Diesel Parking Heater

These parking heaters use diesel as their main source of fuel, hence, their name. They are suitable for diesel vehicles since it is easy to integrate them with the existing fuel system.

A good example of such accessories is the VVKB Apollo-V1 New Diesel Air Parking Heater.

Diesel parking heater

Depending on the design of the diesel parking heater system, you can use either air or water to transfer the heat it generates to other parts of the vehicle.

Gasoline Parking Heater

Just like the name suggests, these parking heaters use gasoline as the main source of fuel. They burn gasoline to produce heat that elevates the temperature of either air or water.

Moreover, gasoline parking heaters are common in vehicles that use gasoline as their main source of fuel.

So, generally, there is no big difference between the gasoline parking heater and diesel parking heater except for their main source of fuel.

Gasoline parking heater

You can read this article to learn more about: gasoline vs. diesel engines.

Propane Parking Heater

As people use propane to do the cooking on RVs, so propane parking heater is a main choice to those RV owners.

This kind of heater uses propane as its fuel and the propane doesn’t need to be atomized and mixed with air, so the propane heater is quieter compared to diesel heater.

Propane heater pic from Internet

It needs highly intelligent program to control the propane heater and also because of some serious safety problems, this heater is not widely applied yet.

Portable Parking Heater

While Victor Industries Ltd. is producing and selling parking heaters, there are many customers who give a lot of constructive suggestions.

Combining suggestions from users and opinions from dealers, Victor Industries Ltd. developed a new type of parking heater in 2015—VVKB portable heater Apollo-P series. We finally get its design patent after a few years of test.

VVKB Portable heater Source: vvkb.com

Many people will drive their RV and take a tent to go camping. Some like to sleep in the cabin, and some in the tent. But in winter, when it’s freezing cold outside, people like to keep themselves warm and what’s when a portable heater can show itself. People just need to take out the portable heater from RV and connect the ducting(The other side of the ducting goes to the tent). And now we get a tent heater.

The portable heater can also be installed in the van, and here is the way to install:

Drill two holes on the van body, connect the air-in ducting and air-out ducting with the holes.

Add diesel to the portable heater and use 12v batter to power it. Alternatively, you can use 110V or 230v plug provided by Victor Industries Ltd. to send electricity to the heater.

You may also use the USB socket to charge your phone or other electrical devices.

Portable Parking Heater use schematic

Many people like to get close to nature, and love living in the log cabin. Let’s imagine, how great it is to live in a place surrounded by those green plants.

Forest cabin, source：https://yourparks.co.uk

But in winter, it will be very cold in the log cabin, we must provide heat to it.

Winter forest cabin, source: loghome.com/articles/article/living-off-the-grid

We have multiple ways to provide heat to the forest cabin in winter:

1. Burn logs or coals in the fireplace. The advantage is it’s easy to get the log or coal, but the shortage is also very obvious: the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning by improper use of fireplace.
2. Use portable heater. It has many advantages to use this product—the highest heat sent out by a portable heater is 16000BTU. It can provide enough heat to a log cabin smaller than 15 squares(135 square feet). It’s also very easy to use portable heater. You just need to add the diesel and connect the heater to a 12v battery or 110v and 230v socket, then connect the air in ducting and the air out ducting with the heater. And then you can enjoy the warmth.

VVKB Portable parking heater Source：www.RVheater.com

3. Use electric heater. This heater needs to be installed(may cost a lot on installation)and the only power source is electricity.

Many people who like fishing on ice will buy or rent a small log cabin or a mobile tent in case of unpleasant environment.

Tent Heater

But they need to find a way to heat the ten or cabin, otherwise it might be very cold. Portable heater is a very good choice for such situation. The heater can provide enough heater for mobile tent and log cabin and it’s also very easy to take and install.

Those rental companies who provide mobile cabin and tent can also buy portable heaters in bulk. With built-in diesel tank, the heater can work over 12 hours and you just need a battery from an ordinary car which will supply enough power. With portable heater options, which can bring you extra profits, your rental company will outgrow the competitors.

The table below shows the data of VVKB Apollo-P1 portable heater:

The table below shows the data of VVKB Apollo-P2 portable heater:

Boat Heater

In winter, when you are on the boat, the air in your cabin and your clothes are all wet. You will feel very cold under such circumstance.

In this situation, you need boat parking heater to heat the cabin and everything near you will be warm and dry.

VVKB Boat Heater Apollo-V2, Source：www.RVheater.com

Compared to truck heater, the boat heater needs a higher standard on safety performance. Therefore, the requirement on parts is very strict. Victor Industries Ltd. provide the whole set of parts for boat heaters, including:

Stainless steel exhaust horn

Stainless steel exhaust silencer

Extra long spiral exhaust pipe

Stainless steel mounting plate

Stainless steel screws

The noise from a working heater is much lower if the heater is equipped with a better motor. The heater won’t be a bother to your customer’s neighbor and he/she will be thankful to you for providing such great boat heaters.

VVKB marine kit, Source：www.RVheater.com

Apart from these eight critical ways of classifying various types of parking heaters, the design and functionality are also critical aspects to consider.

For instance, you may have a removable all-in-one unit, which by far is one of the most popular in many cars.

As a rule of thumb, it is important to choose a parking heater that fits perfectly in your car without necessarily making several adjustments to the existing system. This will reduce installation costs significantly.

That being said, let’s now review some of the critical aspects that determine the price of a parking heater.

The parking heater price varies depending on a wide range of factors, some of which I will discuss in this section. This is why it is nearly impossible to give a fixed value.

First, let’s have a quick overview of various parking heater costs (these are few samples):

As you can see, there is variation in parking heater cost.

So, what exactly contributes to the unit price of parking heater?

5.1. Brand & Model of the Parking Heater

We are in a free market where every manufacturer is at liberty to have their unique pricing model. It is for this reason that you will find that the VVKB parking heaters are more cost competitive than Warmda or Webasto parking heaters, yet their performance and functionality is the same.

In most cases, you will find big brands having high price tags for their parking heaters.

In these two years, There are some very cheap China-made heaters sold on the Internet(We will talk about these heaters later)

But even if you only need cheap products and ready to sell parking heaters at low price, too. You will also need to consider this – safety performance.

In order to sell more heaters in the competition, a lot of manufacturers are only thinking about cost control and use very cheap parts and original materials to build the heater.

They are not socially irresponsible and they don’t care about the stability and safety of heater as well as people’s life.

Should any safety problem occurs, there will be a serious legal sanction. However, those companies are not able to take the responsibility together with you.

We should also consider the stability of heater’s quality. Unstable production of a factory will set you in a situation where you are gonna face a lot of after-sales problems. And those companies can’t supply you with technical support. You will see the favorite thing they like doing is to run away from problems .

5.2. Quality Determines the Parking Heater Cost

Why should parking heaters with the same specifications and performance (i.e. based on the manufacturers’ description) have a price difference of more than USD 210? Assuming the target market is the same with parking heater manufacturers located in one geographical location.

It is even interesting to find all the manufacturers claiming that their parking heaters meet the international standards such as FCC, CE, RoHS and E-mark etc.

Well, there is something more than what meets the eye. That is exactly what I want to discuss here.

It is important that you note the following:

5.2.1 Material for Parking Heaters

Quite a number of manufacturers opt for Nylon 66 for parking heater casing. This material is strong and resistant to high temperature.

Nylon 66 is frequently used when high mechanical strength, rigidity, good stability under heat and/or chemical resistance are required——- wikipedia.org

Nylon 66 structure and properties

Such parking heaters are durable with consistent performance.

The case of many cheap parking heaters are made from mixed and recycled plastics. Even though the price is low, it’s no good at all to use such case, because many kinds of poisonous materials will be added, and they are absolutely harmful to customers.

Due to the use of chemical additives during plastic production, plastics have potentially harmful effects that could prove to be carcinogenic or promote endocrine disruption.  ——- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_pollution#Effects_on_humans

Due to the pervasiveness of plastic products, most of the human population is constantly exposed to the chemical components of plastics. 95% of adults in the United States have had detectable levels of BPA in their urine. Exposure to chemicals such as BPA have been correlated with disruptions in fertility, reproduction, sexual maturation, and other health effects.^[36]Specific phthalates have also resulted in similar biological effects.——- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_pollution#Effects_on_humans

You cannot compare them to those made from recycled Nylon materials, which are mostly cheap. According to applications, different additives will be included during the production of Nylon. But when those recycled Nylon with various kinds of additives get heated, a lot of harmful substances will be released. And of course it will cause serious and irreversible health damages if people live in such environment for long.

In addition to these, the parking heater manufacturer can also opt for an A380 aluminum casing. Of course, this is the best grade and not the recycled aluminum casings that can either melt or corrode. The radiator is made by die casting, and the pressure applied is over 1000tons. Therefore, you will see no die casting holes on the radiator.

VVKB Parking heater radiator source：www.vvkb.com

However, there will be holes on the radiator if made from recycled aluminum. And the holes will allow exhaust(contains carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide) to enter the cabin. People might get killed by this.

5.2.2 Appearance of the Parking Heaters

Aesthetic value is very critical in any parking heater market.

For a fact, you cannot install a parking heater with a poor finishing or rough surface in your high end car. In fact, by looking at the surface finish and the processing on details, you can easily judge whether the manufacturer is serious or not.

VVKB parking heater with a fine finish

Manufacturers should focus on the perfection of product details and user experience. Obviously, accessories with a fine, smooth and attractive finish is a clear indication of high quality workmanship and spirit of entrepreneurship.

5.2.3 Consider Type & Size of Connecting Wires Connecting Wires

Be it electric parking heater or fuel operated parking heater, quality of the connecting wires will determine the overall cost of these accessories.

VVKB Parking heater connection cable, Source：www.RVheater.com

For example, you will find cheap parking heaters having very tenuous wires that can burn out and cause fire(only 1.2-1.5 square centimeters or 0.18-0.23 square feet). On the other hand, high quality parking heater use wires with an appropriate cross-sectional area (2 square centimeters or 0.31 square feet)that can handle the high starting current (it can go up to 10A).

In addition to these, the wire sheath or covering should be corrosion resistant, heat resistant, a perfect insulator, non-ignitable, resistant to temperature fluctuations, etc. It is only Teflon that meets this criterion.

In fact, Teflon is an expensive material, though durable and reliable.

Wires with Teflon as a cover

Therefore, do not expect parking heater prices to be the same for those that feature Teflon and normal polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as wire sheath/cover.

5.2.4 Cables for Parking Heater

The cable must have good water-proof performance which is the requirement of electric safety.

VVKB Heater Cable

A cables with good water-proof performance will lower the failure rates and increase the user experience. You may check this video on YouTube:

5.2.5 Number of Parts and Components of Parking Heater

VVKB Parking heater

An electric, gasoline or diesel parking heater may have many parts depending on the design, capability and technology. You will learn about parking heater parts and components shortly in chapter 6.

So here are a few things you should remember:

• Number of parts/components will affect the parking heater cost
• Technology; to control the cost. a company may opt for a low-end 8-bit chip which is obviously very slow, with some using few sensors and fragile components. It’s necessary to use a 32-bit chip in order to let the heater run steadily.
• Design of the combustion chamber; cheap parking heaters feature either 203 or 304 stainless steel, and not the recommended 2025. Using low quality material makes combustion chamber susceptible to deformation and this may increase fuel consumption, thereby reducing the service lifespan of the system. Furthermore, the type of fuel determines the design of a combustion chamber. This can either be gasoline or diesel.
• Parking heater base gasket; high quality parking heaters feature base gaskets that can withstand a wide range of temperature such as -40°C to 150°C.
  This makes silicon-rubber a perfect choice here and not nitrile rubber, which is common in many cheap parking heaters.
  Low quality base gaskets will burn out, thus producing pungent smell. Therefore, it will not keep your car cabin free from exhaust gas.
  Apart from these, other factors that will determine the parking heater price include:
• Ability of the parking heater to fit and heat all kinds of vehicles
• Safety features and technologies such sensors, low voltage protection circuit, auto stop, alarms, etc.
• Fuel and heating efficiency

As a rule of thumb, it is important to give quality the first priority and not price. This is the only way to get value for your money.

You should always insist on buying parking heaters that come with a warranty.

Generally, the price of reliable parking heaters may range from USD375 to USD2, 000. You can buy them online from Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, online retail website(www.RVheater.com) or any other B2C retail platforms.

Alternatively, you can contact the parking heater manufacturer. Later in chapter 10, we will review the top 5 parking heater manufacturers in the global market.

For now, let’s look at yet another critical aspect of parking heaters – parts and components of parking heaters.

A thorough understanding of this chapter is critical in installing, operating and troubleshooting parking heaters.

So, let’s jump right in the parking heater parts and components.

As you will realize in this section, a parking heater is an assembly of over 21 parts and components. However, for the scope of this section, the main focus will be on the most common parts of parking heaters.

Parts of parking heaters

With this information, you can comfortably assemble, disassemble or repair various types of parking heaters.

Let’s dive right in the main subject of this section:

Parking Heater Casing

This is the outer cover of parking haters. It can be aluminum 380, Nylon 66 or any other material that is heat resistant, durable, temperature resistant, etc.

Here is a good example:

VVKB Parking Heater

As you can see from the example above, the parking heater casing is an assembly of many parts and components that may vary depending on its design.

Take for instance, in the example above we have:

• Top cover as part (a)
• Air inlet as part (e)
• Hot air outlet as part (c)
• Bottom cover as part (b)
• Part (d) has fuel and combustion air inlet and exhaust outlet

All these parts are assembled using screws or any other viable locking mechanism.

Of course, for water parking heaters, you’ll have water inlet (cold) and outlet (warm/hot).

From chapter 2 (the working principle of parking heaters) the quality of this casing will determine the efficiency of the entire system.

Moreover, the design of the parking heater case should be that it is easy to install and can protect various components from shock or any other possible damage.

So, whenever you intend to maintain or disassemble parking heater, you have to open this casing using appropriate tools.

Combustion Chamber

Below is an image showing the exact location of the combustion chamber of a parking heater.

Internal section of the parking heater

Diesel is first sent to the fuel inlet by fuel pump and then enters the combustion chamber(part 6) to mix with air and burns after. The fuel consumption and thermal efficiency depend on the design of chamber. A fine-designed chamber can also reduce a lot of noise made by combustion when heater is working.

VVKB Parking Heater combustion tube

With the help of glow plug, the diesel and air mixture burns and enough heat is produced to increase the temperature of air or water.

Please note that the power of glow plug decides whether the the heater can start easily or not under low temperature.

To control the cost, many Chinese companies choose cheap glow plugs with low rated power. Heaters with such plugs may be able to start under normal temperature, but will fail if the ambient temperature is low because a qualified glow plug with bigger power is required to ignite the diesel and air mixture. Up to 2019, only the glow plug from Kyocera can match the power standard used on parking heater.

Cheap glow plugs will increase your spend a lot on maintenance.

VVKB Parking heater Kyocera glow plug Source（www.RVheater.com)

Quite a number of parking heaters combustion chambers are made by die casting aluminum. Besides, they have radiating fins on the rear section of the combustion chamber thereby forming a critical section called heat exchanger system (part 7).

VVKB Parking heater radiator

It is through this exchanger that heat from the combustion chamber reaches  air, to warm other components of the vehicle.

Below is a photo of radiator on the diesel engine heater:

The aluminum of radiator absorbs the heat generated by burning diesel to make the radiator hotter. The cold coolant will then absorb the heat from radiator and increase the temperature of itself. The coolant will go through engine and pass the heat to make it easier to start the engine.

Other parts of the combustion chamber are combustion pipes and combustor core. You can see these sections after dismantling the entire parking heater combustion chamber.

The design of combustion chamber and air to fuel mixture ratio alongside the ignition plug will determine the efficiency of the parking heater system. That is, it should produce sufficient amount of heat that can be transferred to either water or air.

The transfer of heat must be efficient with minimal losses.

Therefore, it is important to monitor all processes and variables in the parking heater’s combustion chamber. It is for this reason that modern parking heaters feature advanced sensors and up-to-date control chips.

Control System of a Parking Heater

Here, we refer to all components that are responsible for sensing, executing and displaying certain parameters in the parking heater system.

From the second image in this chapter (point 2), you can see the position of the controller – part marked 3. It is just behind the heating fan blade of the system.

It is this system that controls, monitors and impalements certain safety issues in this system. Throughout this time, the controller system will automatically adjust the working cycle to meet the specific heating demands of the car, truck, bus, etc.

VVKB Parking heater main controller

Among the key issues that it controls include:

• Rotation of the motor’s fan
• Working of the fuel pump
• Switch on/off of glow plug
• Receiving and interpreting signals from sensors
• Monitoring temperatures of furnace, heat exchanger and the entire system
• Stopping the device in case of any malfunctions such as broken circuits, ignition failure, short circuit, etc.
• Displaying parameters of the system on the control unit such as temperature alongside other status of the system

Both temperature and flame monitoring sensors are some of the critical accessories in parking heaters that guarantee safety.

In addition to these, the efficiency of the control unit will depend on the type of microprocessor/chip. It should be fast to respond to any changes in the system variables.

Therefore, you should avoid parking heaters that come with a low-end 8-bit chip which is very slow.

Power Supply for the Parking Heater

In most cases the parking heaters use the same power source as that of the motor vehicle. Normally, this power system has additional safety measures which ensure the parking heater only works within a specific range of voltage.

For instance, a situation whereby the power voltage goes above or below a specific range, it will automatically turn off the parking heater.

We can also redesign the program to make sure there is enough electricity left for vehicle’s start up—for example, the batter on the truck has a 12v rated voltage and the minimum voltage for start up is 8v. So if the main board of heater finds the voltage is close to 8v, it will shut off the heater.

Of course, it will display an error signal before turning off. This is also the work of the control system.

When we were discussing how a parking heater works, it was quite clear that fore an ignition to start, there must be an electric signal. This is mainly for the fuel operated parking heaters.

On the other hand, for electric parking heaters, they use a power supply to heat either water or air. This makes it a critical aspect of the parking heater system.

Fuel Tank

This is a critical component for fuel operated parking heaters. That is, for gasoline parking heaters or diesel parking heaters.

Depending on the design of the fuel operated parking heater, it may use either the fuel from the main tank of the vehicle or an independent source.

VVKB Parking heater fuel tank oil extractor

Well, the design of a parking heater fuel tank is not different from the ordinary ones we know – they are virtually the same. However, the pipeline to the parking heater has some special features that make them unique.

Some of the key components of a fuel tank include:

• Pipe which transports fuel to the heater
• Filter, it removes and debris or particles present in the fuel. This ensures no contaminants enter the pump and heater system.
• Diesel tank is not necessary, because we can use the tank on vehicles.
• Customer living in the Southern Hemisphere will find the diesel get blocks in it because of the strong ultraviolet. Those blocks then will make the fuel supply system stuck—Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society. To stop this, we recommed customers to use a black diesel tank.

Of course, these components work alongside other parts of the parking heater system such as fuel suction system, pipe clamping mechanism, connectors and joints.

Parking Heater Fuel Pump System

It is the component of parking heaters that ensure sufficient amount of fuel flows from the tank to the combustion chamber. This is a small component yet it plays a crucial role in the parking heater system.

A parking heater fuel metering pump

Fuel metering pumps come in a wide range of designs and configurations depending on the suction action and voltage supply.

Generally, a fuel pump system may have the following key parts:

• Fuel filter
• Pipes/fuel line/fuel pump connector/fuel hose; they allow fuel to flow from the tank through the pump and to the heater.
• Pipe and fuel pipe clamp; holds these components in place to prevent unnecessary vibrations that may interfere with the flow of fuel from the tank to the parking heater. You can also add a fuel pump holder to this list.
• You may also provide the fuel pump supporting bracket for customers for their convenience. The bracket is made of stainless steel and it’s installed under the fuel pump rubber bracket.

Another component that plays a critical role here and closely related to these is the fuel standpipe. It is the fuel stand pipe that ensures fuel reaches the combustion chamber of the parking heater from the tank.

Parking Heater Blower

Blower plays an integral role in both fuel operated parking heaters and electric parking heaters.

In the case of gasoline/diesel air parking heaters and electric parking heaters, it is this blower that sucks air from the external environment then pushes it through the system.

Air enters the parking heater system from one end when cold and leaves through the opposite side when hot.

Parking heater blower system

In air parking heaters, it is called the hot air blower. You can see its exact location in the image above (first image in this chapter).

Another important blower is the combustion air blower. This combustion air blower is in the inner section of the parking heater.

The parking heater blower must go through strict balance test in order to greatly lower the noise when heater is working.

Exhaust System

Whenever fuel and air mixture burns, the final products include heat and exhaust gases/waste. The design of parking heaters is such that these gases can leave the combustion chamber through the exhaust system.

Part of exhaust system

Again, you can see the position of the exhaust system from the above image.

It is important to equip the heater with silencing system because a lot of noise will be made when the diesel-air mixture is burning.

There are various sections that make up the exhaust system and they include:

An Exhaust pipe/tubing; a pipe through which the exhaust material leaves the combustion chamber of the parking heater. Real exhaust pipe is made of 306 stainless steel and shaped with spiral threads by special machine. This spiral structure can greatly absorb the noise when the exhaust is coming through the pipe. Also, spiral exhaust pipe is also very easy to bend, which makes it a lot easier to install.

VVKB parking heater exhaust pipe, Source：www.RVheater.com

But many cheap Chinese parking heaters are using exhaust pipe made of 203 stainless steel. There are just shaped with ordinary circles. This structure is no good to absorb the noise. And it’s very hard for workers to bend this kind of exhaust pipe and your customer will have to pay more for the installation fee.

Exhaust silencer; most noise caused by the burning is absorbed by the spiral exhaust pipe. So even if the exhaust silencer is not applied, the heater will not disturb the users when they are resting.

But to have a quieter environment to relax and not to disturb the neighbors, we    would recommend using our exhaust silencer made with excellent workmanship.

VVKB Parking heater exhaust muffler, Source：www.RVheater.com

Exhaust silencers look very similar on the outside, but you can feel the difference on weight when hold them in your hand.

From the comparison above, we can see that the exhaust silencer of VVKB parking heater is 326.5g(11.5oz), but the silencer of cheap Chinese heater weighs only 175.5g(6.2oz). And we know, cheap exhaust silencer will lower a lot of the product cost.

To make it more convenient during installation, we also provide customers with stainless steel bracket for exhaust silencer. It is very important to use a good clamp for exhaust pipe. The ordinary clamp can’t install the pipe tightly, so we need to use a heavy-type clamp and it’s better to use a clamp made of stainless steel.

Parking Heater Mounting Plate(Installing Support)

It’s very important to use a mounting plate when installing parking heaters. It stabilizes the heater when it’s working, making sure the heater won’t vibrate and make noise. Therefore, we must use a plate with proper thickness. Normally it should be more than 1.5mm(0.06in). The size is 200mm x 180mm(7.87in x 7.09in).

VVKB Parking Heater Mounting Plate

Air Inlet and Outlet of Parking Heaters

For fuel operated parking heaters, air plays an integral role during combustion. That is, combustion will only take place when a mixture of air and fuel is present alongside ignition mechanism.

Again, for air parking heaters, you need air to heat the passenger compartment among other components.

How air flows in parking heater components

Below are critical parts of parking heaters that form the air inlet and outlet system:

• Air intake silencer; it purifies air to the combustion chamber besides reducing noise due to intake systems. Furthermore, it prevents wasps from nesting within the air system of the parking heater.
• Air intake grill; it is on the extreme end of the system where it protects the blower impeller from damage by objects that may come into contact with it. Stray objects may damage the impeller resulting in insufficient air flowing into the system or failing to rotate completely.
• Air outlet; once air enters the parking heater system, it will definitely leave and this is why an outlet is a necessity. The hot air leaves the parking heater system through the outlet and is then blown to different sections of the car.
• Air ducting system; it helps to direct hot air to specific direction where it should perform various heating processes.

Apart from the different parts mentioned in this section, others may include:

• Nylon ties for fixing cables
• Wires; to connect various electrical components such as a heater to the power supply, sensors to controller and control panel, LED alarm light/sound, etc.
• Mounting plate for fixing the heater during installation. These may include mounting gasket and bracket.

From this section, it is quite clear that parking heaters have very many components. For instance, in this section alone, there are more than 21 parts and components.

With this in mind, we can now move to another critical segment of this complete guide to parking heaters and this is the installation process.

Let’s look at how you can install parking heaters within the shortest time possible.

In this chapter, you are going to learn how to install a fuel operated parking heater. This is a simple process that you can do on your own.

All you need to do is follow the instructions in the technical manual.

Even before we go to the details of this process, I want you to watch this 20-minutes video：

.

It explains how to install a VVKB Diesel Air Parking Heater.

Now, this installation process will also focus on a fuel operated air parking heater. You can use the process to install the parking heater in trucks, cars, marine systems, vans buses, etc.

You will learn more about these applications later in chapter 9.

For now, let’s dive right into how to install a parking heater in your vehicle:

Step 1: Verify the Packing List from the Parking Heater Manufacturer

To avoid instances where you can find yourself stranded because you do not have certain parts, it is important that you verify every component. This will ensure you check every specification alongside identifying every component.

Following is the packing list of VVKB parking heater:

NOTE: Some of these parts may vary depending on the model of your fuel operated parking heater. This is why you must do this assessment using the technical manual that comes with the parking heater.

Parts and components of parking heaters

In most cases, the parking heater manufacturer will pack this accessory with a manual. So, use this manual to physically identify and sort out all components.

This is what I mean:

Parking heater manual, heating unit and packaging box

In addition to these, you must have the necessary tools and accessories that you will use during the installation process. Parking heaters do not come with such tools.

The tools may include:

• Fastening tools such as screw drivers, pliers, spanners, etc.
• Cutting tools such drill, saws, etc.
• Welding accessories; this is in case you need to install it on a platform or place of your choice

In short, the number of tools and accessories will depend on where you intend to install the parking heater.

Step 2: Identify Where to Install the Parking Heater

You must identify convenient place to install various components of the parking heater.

Parking heater in an electric car boot – Image source:KiwiEV

These should include where you intend to install major components of the parking heater such as:

• Heater unit; there should be enough space around the unit. If possible the fuel line and pump should be such that fuel flows upwards to the parking heater unit. Remember, you will have numerous connections to the parking heater unit so the space must be enough.
• Fuel tank; if you need to install the tank, you can mount it vertically and the distance should be no more than 1.2m.
• Control unit should be in a position that is easy to see and operate.
• Air inlet and outlet should be at least on two opposite sides. This is to avoid instances of hot air getting into the parking heater unit again.

After identifying the right location, you can go ahead to begin the parking heater installation process.

The picture below shows you available spots to install the heater on different vehicles:

Step 3: Prepare Parking Heater Ready for Installation

First, before you begin installing the parking heater unit, try turning the impeller to ensure it rotates freely and smoothly. By any chance it does not rotate freely you can adjust the impeller gap.

After identifying the exact location where you intend to install the heater unit, it is now time to begin the actual process.

First, put the mounting plate on the exact place where you intend to install the parking heater then mark the out these holes:

Mounting plate for the parking heater

Then use a drill to make the holes. These holes include sections for:

• Fasteners
• Air inlet
• Heater exhaust
• Fuel inlet

As a rule of thumb, the holes should be slightly oversize to take care of the pipe fittings.

Even as you prepare this place, you should ensure that the air inlet and exhaust are free from any barrier.

As a general rule, you can leave a space of about 15 cm around the parking heater unit.

Now, you can install the sealing gasket then the mounting plate and use nuts to fix the two in place. It is this gasket that will prevent any possible leakage of exhaust.

Where to install the gasket and mounting plate

By the end of this process, you should have this:

Fastening the gasket and mounting plate

Now, with the parking heater in this position, you can move to the next step:

Step 4: Now Install the Fuel Pipe, Exhaust Pipe and Air Duct Pipe to the Heater

As you can see in image 2, we have three holes for fuel, air in and exhaust. To make the parking heater installation easier, you can fix these components first.

Now with the parking heater still in that position, you can do the following:

Fix the fuel pipe

The process will depend on the design of the parking heater fuel pipe. However, for the case of VVKB Diesel air parking heater, you fill first fix a black fuel pipe and secure it in position by tightening the clamp.

After tightening the black pipe, you can now plug in the white fuel pipe and secure it in place using a clamp. By the end of this process, you will have a continuous pipe (white and black) that will take fuel to the parking heater.

Install the exhaust pipe

Inert the pipe in the section with mark exhaust and clamp it tightly in place just like the fuel pipe.

Air ducting pipe

Go ahead to fix the air ducting pipe. Of course, like the other three, you will secure it in place using the clamps.

By the end of this process, this is exactly what you should have:

All the three sections with appropriate pipes

Now, you can go ahead to install the entire structure in place. That is, the exact location you had intended to install the parking heater unit.

The parking heater should be in a horizontal position.

Let the air inlet, fuel inlet and exhaust pipes pass through the holes you had drilled earlier and mount the parking heater system in its position using bolts and nuts.

Now, this marks the end of our first process. You can now proceed to step 5 of the parking heater installation process.

Step 5: Fix the Inlet Air and Exhaust Pipes

Whenever you are directing the inlet air to support combustion and exhaust, you should take precautions to avoid instances of the exhaust reentering the system.

In most cases the inlet air and exhaust pipes will bend outwards and downwards from the parking heater.

Again, as you bend these pipes, the sum total of the angles made by each pipe must not exceed 270°. Besides, the openings must not face towards the direction in which the vehicle will be moving.

You can summarize all these in the images below:

Comparing how to install inlet and exhaust pipes

At any given instance, the position of these pipes should be such that no slurry or particles can block the flow. They must be free from snow or water.

Furthermore, when the parking heater is working, the exhaust pipe tends to have a high temperature. Remember, all its contents come from the combustion chamber.

Therefore, you should install it away from flammable or substances with poor thermal resistance.

For the exhaust pipe, you will fix the extreme end using the appropriate clamping mechanism to ensure that it does not vibrate or move when the vehicle is in motion. That is, clamp it about 15cm(5.9in) from the far end.

Again, the tip (where exhaust gases leaves) should be about 90° to the ground. In case the exhaust pipe passes where one can get in contact with it, you must clad it.

In addition to these, you can also install and exhaust silencer just before the last section of this pipe. It should be like this:

Parking heater unit installed in a vehicle with an exhaust silencer – Image courtesy of Webasto

On the other side of the exhaust silencer, we need to install extra 20cm(7.9in) long exhaust pipe. This detail will magnify the effect of exhaust silencer a lot. At the end of the pipe, we use a fixed bracket to secure.

On the other hand, you should clamp the inlet air pipe on the surface of the vehicle. It should be a position that fresh air can flow freely into the system.

At the extreme end of the inlet air pipe, you will then fix the air filter and tighten it.

Step 6: Install the Fuel Tank

If possible you should mount the fuel tank vertically. In most cases, whenever you are installing the fuel tank, its position should not be extremely lower than that of the parking heater.

Below is a summary of how the connection from the fuel tank to the heater should look like:

Connection from the fuel tank to the parking heater

Where 1-fuel tank, 2-fuel extractor, 3 – fuel pipe connector, 4- fuel filter, 5 – fuel pipe, 6 – fuel pump and 7 fuel damper.

In most cases, if the system comes with a fuel tank, then there is always no need to use a fuel stand pipe. Simply make a hole at the bottom of the tank and use its accessories to connect it to the fuel pump.

You can go ahead to fix the fuel pipe and then clamp it after, which you will insert the white fuel pipe and clamp it.

This now leads us to our next stage.

Step 7: Install the Fuel Filter

As a rule of thumb, you should install the fuel pump close to the fuel tank. It should either be at a horizontal level or slightly slant upwards to the pump.

By doing so, it will be easier to discharge the air in fuel pipes.

From the fuel tank, we move to the fuel filter.

The arrow in the filter must point up and be in the direction of flow to the fuel pump. Here is how to go about fuel pump installation process:

• Cut the black fuel pipe, fit to the white pipe and clap them together.
• Fit the black fuel pipe to the filter and clamp it

Fixing fuel filter

• Again, cut the black fuel pipe, insert on the opposite end of the filter and clamp
• Then insert a white fuel pipe to the black pipe and clamp

By the end of this process, you will have this:

A complete installation of fuel filter in the pipeline

Remember, at every stage, you should clamp the fuel pipe on the vehicle to eliminate any circumstances of sagging in the pipeline.

Now, from the filter, you can install the fuel pump.

Step 8: Install the Fuel Pump

At about one meter from the oil filter, cut the white fuel pipe, insert the black one and clamp the two together. Now, insert the black fuel pipe in one end of the pump as shown below, then clamp the two together.

Tighten the parking heater fuel pump in place

Next, insert the fuel pump bracket as you can see below:

Parking heater fuel pump

You can now fix the fuel pump in the vehicle. Remember, the fuel pipe from the pump to the parking heater unit should flow uphill.

Then, connect the stainless steel bracket on the rubber.

Now you can connect the fuel pump to the heater. The procedure is still the same:

• Insert the black fuel pipe to the white fuel pipe from the parking heater unit and clamp the two.
• Insert the clamp to the black pipe and connect it to the fuel pump outlet and clamp the two.

Please make sure there is no air in the fuel line and fuel filter. After installation, you can use the auto fuel pumping function to exhaust air.

By doing so, you should have the following:

Final installation of the fuel pipe line, inlet air and exhaust

Let’s have a quick reminder of what you have achieved at this juncture:

• Fixing the parking heater to the vehicle unit
• Connecting the parking heater unit to the fuel system via the filter and the pump
• Installing air inlet pipe and connecting it to both air filter and parking heater unit
• Connecting and redirecting the exhaust via the silencer and to the parking heater unit

Now let’s quickly finish on what is remaining:

Step 9: Connect the Hot Air Outlet

You can now fix the hot air ducting system. Its work is to direct air to other parts of the vehicle.

Hot air leaving the parking heater through the duct system

Simply insert the duct system to the hot air output section of the parking heart unit then clamp it. You can direct the hot air to specific areas within the vehicle.

Having fixed all the piping systems and other components, the parking heater is almost ready.

Step 10: Fix the Electrical System

The design of these cables allows for easy installation. That is, similar cables have unique design thus you can easily know where to fix them.

All you should do is fix similar cables together:

Connecting parking heater cables

Press the button on the side to connect or disconnect the cables. In case the cable is very long, simply roll it nicely.

Next, fix the plug of the controller:

Parking heater controller plug

Now, you can connect the fuel pump as shown:

Parking heater fuel pump power plug

You can see the three plugs are completely different, hence making identification and installation easy and simple.

With all these in place, now connect the parking heater to the main power source. Again here, you must pay attention to the wire color, also the positive and negative of power.    .

Cables to the main source of power

You must connect the two to the battery or main source of electric power. So, never connect them to a cigar lighter – it can’t provide enough power for heater to ignite, so the system will not work.

At this stage, it is important to note the following:

• Ensure there is enough capacity of battery. Otherwise the heater will show the error code.
• Ensure you connect the cables/connecting wires firmly to prevent sparks or low voltage conditions. The parking heater system may not work under such conditions.
• Connect the positive cable directly to the main battery to ensure the starting voltage is in normal position. The cross-section of this wire must not be less than 2.5 mm2.
  Basically, all these steps, from step 1 to 10, illustrate the basic parking heater installation procedures. Remember, for the purpose of this illustration, I was using VVKB Diesel Air Parking Heater.</br/>
  The procedure is not different in other models of parking heaters. You can still use this as a guide.
  Finally, it is now time to test the parking heater for the first time. You should take note of the following:
• Switch on control panel to automatic pump mode or simply start the parking heater.

Switching on the parking heater

You can press the power button for about 2 to 3 seconds and the heater will turn on. On the display screen, it will show A00 which is the ventilation mode so you should turn to A01, which is the heating mode.

Wait until the pipe is full of fuel and connect it to the parking unit fuel inlet. Through this, you will remove air in the fuel piping system.

Now back to our switching mode A01. During this process, you may start the parking heater machine for about 3 to 4 times.

This will depend on the length of the fuel pipe and time it takes for the fuel to fully flow in the entire system as it exports air.

Apart from the above parking heater controller, the system has another controller with additional functionalities.

VVKB controller

These are what you can achieve with this parking heater control system:

• Pressing it for two seconds turns on the heater (you can see ON/OFF button)
• For ventilation mode, press the power button twice
• In the heat mode, the unit will start heating
• You can switch between auto mode and hand operated mode using the button indicated “auto”. This allows for temperature adjustment.
• On the display, you can see the ambient and setting temperature.

In short, with this controller, you can change the speed of the fan, set temperature and time the heater. This makes it a handy and versatile accessory.

At this juncture, when you follow this parking heater installation guide alongside the technical manual of the machine, going about this process yourself should not be a problem.

Now, what should you do whenever a parking heater is not working optimally?

Here is a must read section of this parking heater guide.

At times, parking heaters may develop some problems that may hinder its normal operation. Therefore, it is important to know the key parking heater troubleshooting procedures.

For the scope of this parking heater guidebook, I am going to make the process simple and easy for you to understand.

Below is a critical video that shows the parking heater repair and part replacement. This knowledge is handy whenever you want to troubleshoot and repair a parking heater.

This video covers three critical aspects of the parking heater troubleshooting and repair process. These include:

8.1 Step-by-step Process in Disassembling Parking Heater

Disassemble the parking heater

Disassembling the parking heater is a simple process that should take no more than 10 minutes. Let’s quickly go over the process.

The key steps include:

• Spread the anti-static mart on the working bench – you can go for a white one if possible.
• Wear anti-static gloves
• Get a set of hex key, screwdriver and spanner

With all these in place, you can now begin the process of disassembling the parking heater:

First, hold the heater on the working bench, with the hot air outlet facing down then remove the grey cover. Note: This process may vary depending on the design of the outer casing.

In the case of this illustration, we will use the VVKB Diesel Air Parking Heater.

Disassembling the parking heater

Next put the parking heater on the flat surface and remove the key component from the casing.

Remove the key component of the parking heater

Second, remove the impeller and begin separating the parts. You can start with the electrical circuit board of the parking heater.

Disassemble this part

With the parking heater system in that position, remove all the screws. Then unplug all the three electrical connections to this section.

Use a screwdriver to push it upwards (insert it in the space just where it joins the remaining component). This process should be gentle and you must be careful too.

Pull it upwards and outwards then remove the metal connectors.

Third, remove this section:

Next stage in disassembling parking heater

Remove the 4 fasteners using the hex key.

Then, you can go ahead to remove the inner component of the parking heater:

Disassemble the part from the main parking heater system

You can use the hex key with the help of the spanner to remove the fasteners. Then proceed disassemble this:

Remove part marked “star”

Then turn the wire slowly to remove the plug. Now you can lift the component out of the parking heater system.

Next, you can press the small metal part next to the yellow wire. By doing so, you can easily unplug the wire from the parking heater system.

And there you go – that marks the end of disassembling the parking heater. You can see all parts on the working bench.

All parts after disassembling the parking heater

Of course, it is at this stage that you can test and assess every component of the parking heater. Replace those that are faulty and clean the dirty parts before assembling back.

You should also note that, you can disassemble these parts further to separate each component as indicated in the technical manual.

Now, let’s move to the next step on how to repair a parking heater:

8.2 Step-by-step Process on How to Assemble the Parking Heater

Basically, this is the process of returning all parts back to their original position. Let’s have a quick overview on how to go about it.

First, you will return component (a) back to its original position.

Assembling the parking heater

The hollow part should face inside of the parking heater. Then fix it in position using the fasteners.

Second, insert the plug system to its original position and fasten it in place. Do not over tighten it.

Now, it’s time for fix part (b).

Fixing part (b)

Tighten this component in place, then fix part (c) to its original position. Again, remember to put back in place the two flat metallic components.

Now, return the yellow wire (e). Use the wire to fix it in place.

You can now hold the parking heater in an upright position and return the cables to their original positions. Once you have done that, put part (d) to its original position too.

Ensure the impeller can rotate freely before inserting it in the black casing part (f). You can then cover it using part (g) and clip it.

Voila! You have assembled the parking heater.

Assembling parking heater

Now, let’s proceed to another critical aspect of how to repair parking heaters.

8.3 How to Troubleshoot Parking Heaters

Generally, whenever you are using a fuel operated parking heater, at times, there could be a wide range of errors. They will appear on your screen as flashes in the LED.

In most cases, these errors range from:

• Failure to start the machine
• Problems with combustion system
• Voltage problems such as low voltage
• High temperature
• Sensor failure
• Short circuit
• Clogged fan motor
• Faulty glow plug to
• Overheating

The section three of the video above (in this chapter 8), gives a comprehensive analysis and precise solution to any possible error that you may experience whenever a parking heater has a problem.

You should watch this video.

It will give you a comprehensive insight on how to troubleshoot parking heater units and their assemblies. The video covers a total of 19 possible errors and their solutions for VVKB parking heater. And the solutions are only meaningful for parking heaters that are manufactured under strict production standard. If any error happens on the heaters listed in this book, customers can refer to the solutions made for VVKB parking heater.

Please note that these solutions have no reference value to those cheap Chinese heaters, because their heaters are produced under no standard.

Following are the solutions for VVKB parking heater:

In short, the ability to disassemble, assemble and troubleshooting parking heaters is a critical stage in ensuring seamless operation of this accessory.

Now, let’s review some of the most common applications of different types of parking heaters.

The parking heater applications have expanded significantly with the growing need to save energy costs, guarantee comfort and minimize environmental pollution.

Throughout the other 8 chapters of this parking heater guide, it is quite evident that you need this accessory for many applications.

Below are top 9 parking heater applications:

9.1 Parking Heater for Truck

Quite a number of trucks use the diesel air paring heaters. You can use it to heat the passenger compartment during cold weather.

A truck with VVKB parking heater

Alternatively, you may also have diesel engine parking heaters or diesel air heaters that can heat both the passenger compartment and the engine. The best thing about installing parking heaters in trucks is that, they consume less fuel compared to leaving the engine of the truck in idling mode. And the heater allows truck drivers to sleep in the warm cabin during the long drive. It consumes fewer than 6L even if the heater has worked for 12 hours. There is great profit for transport company.

Unlike other small vehicles, trucks have a large extra space for installing a parking heater.

9.2 Parking Heater for Car

Whenever it is too cold and the ice/mist has covered your car, a perfect solution here is a parking heater. Quite a number of cars use gasoline parking heaters with modern cars having electric parking heaters.

Too cold in the car

Unlike the truck, cars have a limited installation space so you must be careful to choose a place that will ensure you receive an optimal amount of heat.

Depending on the car design/model, it can be quite challenging whenever you want to install exhaust, air inlet pipe and fuel tanks.

Most people install car parking heaters in the car’s trunk. With a rated power of 2.5kw, the heater can generate 8500BTU of heat, which is enough for as per the size of a car.

9.3 Marine Heater

Parking heaters provide the best heating solution for boats and ships. The parking heater for marine provides a reliable and efficient way to counter the ever fluctuating weather in the sea.

VVKB parking marine heater

It becomes wetter on the ocean in winter, and people who work or relax on the boat will feel extremely cold because of the wet and cold air. It feels like the clothes are all wet. And the feeling continues even to stay in the cabin. Now would be a very good time to have a quality marine heater. All bad feelings will disappear and people will enjoy spring-like warmth.

But the salinity in the air is high on the sea, and it will cause damages to marine heater. So we need to make special process to the heater—all the parts have to be made of stainless steel instead of iron.

Also, the exhaust silencer needs special care also, it has to be sealed totally.

These heaters are available as air or water parking heaters. You can install the parking heater in a cargo ship, fishing boat, yacht, etc.

9.4 Parking Heater for RV, Caravans and Motorhome

Winter season can ruin your holiday. However, with an air or water parking heater for the RV, caravan or motorhome, you do not have to worry about the cold anymore.

Parking heaters guarantee comfort by providing sufficient amount of heat to the entire motorhome, RV or caravan. Generally speaking, we need to install external diesel tank, and we must choose a black one to make sure diesel won’t go bad because of ultraviolet. It’s better to use a black tank with a lock to prevent people from stealing diesel.

It needs a longer cable(6 meters or above) for a RV diesel heater than that for a truck heater. That’s because people usually install the heater under the bed(the back part of a RV). T joint is also a necessary part which allows heater to send heat to both bedroom and cab.

People can also choose a propane heater for their RV. However, because it’s not quite safe to use this kind of heater and the installation is a trouble, diesel heater is still the best choice.

RV – Image source Wandrly Magazine

Choose a high quality, reliable and trusted diesel heater.

9.5 Heater for Camping Tent

In case you will be going out with your kids during winter, do not forget to buy a parking heater for camping tent.

You can easily configure the parking heater to suit the specific needs of your tents. As a matter of fact, it only takes less than 30 minutes to install the parking heater.

Portable Tent Heater Source：www.rvheater.com

The portable tent heater is the best choice for you.

With 2.5kw rated power, the heater can produce 8500BTU of heat, and it’s enough for 2-4 tents. The heater has a 2.5L/0.92Gal built-in diesel tank. It consumes 0.25L/0.067Gal of diesel per hour if the heater works in its full power. A box of diesel would allow the heater to work for 14 hours. The current is 1.2A, a car battery would be enough to power the heater.

With 5kw rated power, the heater can generate 16000BTU of heat, which is enough for a big tent. The built-in tank is 5L/1.32Gal, and the consumption is 0.475L/0.126Gal per hour when the heater runs at highest gear. The current is 2.2A.

Customers can also use our power cable if the external power source is available. The heater has a built-in voltage inverter, it can change 110VAC or 230VAC into 12VDC.

The portable heater works quietly, you or your neighbors will not be influenced at all.

All the necessaries parts of a portable heater have been installed inside the iron case. You just need to add the fuel, connect the power and the air-out ducting(put the other end in the tent). The heater will then provide continuous heat to your tent.

Besides, using a diesel air parking heater will save you from adding more firewood to the bonfire. The parking heaters use less fuel to provide more heat than even the bonfire.

Tent heating ideas – Image source: Inspired Camping

Again, if you want to heat your car, tent or other rooms needs warmth, all you need to do is to have a portable heater.

9.6 Parking Heater for Van

Parking heaters for vans come in different sizes and designs. The vans can have water or air parking heaters depending on their unique design.

Again, you can choose either diesel or gasoline parking heaters depending on the specific needs.

Parking heaters for vans

The good thing about parking heaters for vans is that they provide sufficient amount of heat for the entire van. However, the efficiency of the heating process will depend on the capacity of the parking heater.

9.7 Parking Heater for Bus

The situation is not different when it comes to parking heater for buses. The parking heater for buses should be powerful enough to heat the entire passenger compartment.

Unlike for the parking heaters for trucks or cars where the heating should only take place within a small area, here every passenger must be free from cold.

This calls for an advanced and careful distribution of the warm air from the parking heater outlet.

They are either water or air parking heaters, although most of them use diesel. And they might need two 5kw heaters because of the bus size.

Snow bus parking heater, Source： https://www.mtashland.com/snowbus/

9.8 Parking Heater for off Road

These are mainly diesel water parking heater since off road vehicles may require heating the engine system as well. The parking heaters for off road are robust in structure to withstand shock and harsh weather conditions.

SUV Heater, Source： Https://gearpatrol.com

9.9 Parking Heater for Military

Like the off road parking heaters, those that the military use must be robust, versatile and strong to withstand greater shock and rough handling. Most of them are diesel parking heaters that use either air or water, depending on their design and specific application.

9.10 Heater for Mobile Cabin

In winter, if people go skating or hunting in the woods, they will live in a mobile log cabin. It always a big problem to provide heat for it. However, if you have a portable heater or diesel air heater, you can easily have warmth to your cabin.

The power of heater depends on the size of the log cabin.

Winter forest cabin

In short, you can use parking heaters for virtually any heating application. Whether you need it to heat a vehicle, room or tent, you can always configure it for that purpose.

For a fact, parking heater is a new technology that is still evolving. Therefore, whenever you want to buy one, it is important to consider only reputable and trusted companies in this industry.

Below are top parking heater manufacturers in the world.

You can buy a parking heater online or from other third-party vendors. However, one critical aspect that will still remain a subject of discussion is the manufacturer of that parking heater.

Below are some of the top parking heater manufacturers in the global market:

10.1 Webasto

Webasto is one of the leading parking heater manufacturers. These include gasoline parking heaters, diesel parking heaters and electric paring heaters.

Webasto Official website homepage

Webasto is a German company that was founded in 1901 and it has invested in a range of heating systems.

10.2 Eberspacher

Eberspächer is yet another German company that was founded in 1865 and manufactures a number of parking heaters for many applications. It is popular for its brand names:

• AIRTRONIC; it is a fuel operated air parking heater
• HYDRONIC; it is a fuel operated air water parking heater

Eberspächer official website homepage

Eberspächer is still a key player in the diesel parking heaters and gasoline parking heaters.

10.3 VVKB

For over 20 years, Victor Industries Ltd. has remained to be the only Chinese company that rivals the Webasto and Eberspächer parking heater manufacturers. Known by its brand name VVKB parking heaters, the company invests in various kinds of heaters such as diesel parking heaters, gasoline parking heaters, engine heaters and fuel heaters etc. for a wide range automobiles and systems.

VVKB parking heaters are known for their exceptional design, quality and cost competitiveness.

VVKB official website homepage

At the moment, VVKB parking heaters are a perfect alternative to the first two brands.

10.4 Truma

Truma is a German company that designs and manufactures a range of fuel operated parking heaters. These include parking heaters for vehicles and caravans.

Truma official website homepage

In case you are looking for German made parking heaters and you don’t need the first two, then Truma accessories can provide a perfect heating solution for your caravan.

10.5 Proheat

Proheat designs and manufactures series of auxiliary heating systems for trucks, buses, off-road vehicles and many others. Most Proheat auxiliary heaters are manufactured by the Marine Canada Acquisition Inc.

Proheat official website homepage

10.6 Warmda heater

A manufacturer of parking heaters in United States. They have produced heaters for more than 20 years.

Warmda.com Official Website

These are not the only parking heater manufacturers in the global market. However, they are the top companies whose fuel operated parking heaters have been tested over time.

Besides, their parking heaters are common in the global market hence, getting spare parts is easier.

In case you wish to learn more about the individual company, you can follow the links in each section.

Conclusion

In summary, a parking heater plays an integral in ensuring comfort during cold weather besides reducing heating costs and pollution. Depending on the specific application, you can opt for diesel parking heater, gasoline parking heater or electric parking heater.

All these parking heaters come in different designs and configurations as you have seen in this guidebook however the working principle is still the same.

I believe this parking heater guidebook has made clear all the vital aspects of parking heaters. That is, from the basic structure, parts, benefits, working principle to key manufacturers of parking heaters.

For more inquiries or free consultation, contact the VVKB technical team who authored this guidebook.

References:

www.warmda.com

www.RVheater.com

www.loghome.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon_66

https://www.slideshare.net/AnkushGupta40/nylon-66

http://www.scielo.br/

https://www.mtashland.com/snowbus/

Https://gearpatrol.com

https://webasto.com

https://www.eberspacher.com/

https://www.truma.com/

http://www.proheat.com/

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/

https://www.parkedinparadise.com/propex-espar-webasto-heaters/

https://cicionisprinter.com/box-truck-fuel-operated-heaters/