Retrofitting a diesel powered auxiliary air heater - different questions to others on the Forum!

[Peter]

We have been in touch with a local fitter in Cornwall, who has never worked on a Marco Polo before, so I said I would try to get more information from the Forum experience.

We aren't looking for a programmable system with a remote control just something efficient, quiet and with good fuel economy.

So, rather than drive the van over to him during Lockdown he has asked:

How many output vents are there (and where are they located)?
What is the ducting size on the vents, is it 60 or70?

We'd like to also ask:
What is the optimum power for the heater, 2kw or 3kw?

Which systems are quietest? He is recommending the MV Airo diesel. Does anyone have one of these fitted?

Also, what make/systems does anyone recommend for ease of use and noise level when sleeping?

Is it best for him to fit the unit under the drivers seat or outside, underneath the van?

All answers to any of the aspects above will be much appreciated.

Many thanks, in retrospect we wished we'd bought it when we ordered our Marco Polo 3 years ago, but couldn't afford it back then!

 

[caMPike]

I installed Eberspacher Airtronic S2 in my MP, 2kw and very satisfied, it can be operated by EasyStart Web with full controle in smartphone
The heater is under driver seat (right hand drive version) with 1 input on side and 1 output vent with air-flow back to cabin

 

[Peter]

Thank you caMPike, that is really helpful. I have cut and pasted all of the thread your referred me to, to pass on to the company we will use for the installation. All knowledge is good knowledge!

 

[Jimmyd]

We also fitted the eberspacher 2kw heater under drivers seat ( external ) and took the 60mm intake in below the step trim ( on a vw you have enough space to put the intake in the vertical updraft of the step but not on the MP) we routered the honeycomb base of the step to get the flow to the intake from the grill. The output comes in at back of seat. The plastic cover is profiles so had to finish with silicone to make it look tidy which worked a treat. Temperature sensor in pillar and control unit on air vent in roof. tank Also needs dropped to fit fuel line properly

 

[Gordon B]

Thank you caMPike, that is really helpful. I have cut and pasted all of the thread your referred me to, to pass on to the company we will use for the installation. All knowledge is good knowledge!

Hi Peter. I am in the same boat wishing my Marco Polo had the heater fitted. I would be very interested in knowing who you are using as I am also in the West Country and am struggling to find someone to undertake fitting a heater. Regards. Gordon.

 

[Gordon B]

Hi Peter. I am in the same boat wishing my Marco Polo had the heater fitted. I would be very interested in knowing who you are using as I am also in the West Country and am struggling to find someone to undertake fitting a heater. Regards. Gordon.

 

[Peter]

Hi Gordon, my apologies for not responding sooner.

The chap we will be using (who comes highly recommended from a good friend) is Dave, who owns Elite Automotive in Pool. His number is 01209 697090.

I have spoken to him once and agreed I would get back to him once I had more facts via the Forum and also Mercedes in Truro. He has not worked on a Marco Polo before but was very informative and had good logic behind his thoughts and recommendations. I have been printing off all the useful information from the Forum with all photographs and will be putting this in the post to him early next week, we will take it from there. If you are further East in the County there is a firm in Plymouth who also comes recommended to us via the son of a friend who works there. We decided not to use them simply because of the distance, but I can find the information out for you if you would like.

I am happy to keep posting updates at they occur such as make, model and price, once we get to that point.

Kind regards

Peter

 

[Peter]

We also fitted the eberspacher 2kw heater under drivers seat ( external ) and took the 60mm intake in below the step trim ( on a vw you have enough space to put the intake in the vertical updraft of the step but not on the MP) we routered the honeycomb base of the step to get the flow to the intake from the grill. The output comes in at back of seat. The plastic cover is profiles so had to finish with silicone to make it look tidy which worked a treat. Temperature sensor in pillar and control unit on air vent in roof. tank Also needs dropped to fit fuel line properly

Dear Jimmyd

My apologies for not thanking you sooner.

Thank you very much for taking the tine to send this detailed information together with the photographs. These will be extremely helpful alongside all of the other information I have been able to gleam from the Forum.

Best wishes

Peter

 

[Gordon B]

Hi Gordon, my apologies for not responding sooner.

The chap we will be using (who comes highly recommended from a good friend) is Dave, who owns Elite Automotive in Pool. His number is 01209 697090.

I have spoken to him once and agreed I would get back to him once I had more facts via the Forum and also Mercedes in Truro. He has not worked on a Marco Polo before but was very informative and had good logic behind his thoughts and recommendations. I have been printing off all the useful information from the Forum with all photographs and will be putting this in the post to him early next week, we will take it from there. If you are further East in the County there is a firm in Plymouth who also comes recommended to us via the son of a friend who works there. We decided not to use them simply because of the distance, but I can find the information out for you if you would like.

I am happy to keep posting updates at they occur such as make, model and price, once we get to that point.

Kind regards

Peter

Hi Peter. Thank you for your reply and my apologies for delay in acknowledging. I have taken the plunge and booked the van in at Plymouth which is one of the one’s you mentioned. They appear to be reliable and have previously worked on a couple of Marco Polo’s.
It goes in tomorrow and I should have it back Thursday.
Kind regards

Gordon.

 

[Method7]

I have been thinking about this so please keep us posted.

 

[Peter]

Hi Peter. Thank you for your reply and my apologies for delay in acknowledging. I have taken the plunge and booked the van in at Plymouth which is one of the one’s you mentioned. They appear to be reliable and have previously worked on a couple of Marco Polo’s.
It goes in tomorrow and I should have it back Thursday.
Kind regards

Gordon.

Hi Gordon

This is great news, I am really keen to hear how it all went generally. I cannot get hold of the Pool chap so he's either really mega-busy or not open right now.

So a few questions please:

Which company did you go with in Plymouth?
Which make and size did they install?
Where did they put it i.e. under which seat?
Are the noise levels acceptable?
How much was the total cost?

Enjoy being warm.

Regards

Peter

 

[Gordon B]

Hi Gordon

This is great news, I am really keen to hear how it all went generally. I cannot get hold of the Pool chap so he's either really mega-busy or not open right now.

So a few questions please:

Which company did you go with in Plymouth?
Which make and size did they install?
Where did they put it i.e. under which seat?
Are the noise levels acceptable?
How much was the total cost?

Enjoy being warm.

Regards

Peter

Hi Peter.
I used Espar in Plymouth (01752 491900) whom appear to be very efficient and certainly friendly to deal with. I went for the Eberspacher AS2 D26. It is fitted under the drivers seat.
noise levels are similar to having an electric heater - you can hear the fan but it is what it is. We do not find it too intrusive.
easystart pro controller was difficult to find the right place to fit but in the end fitted above the 13 amp socket column and seems to be fine.
I haven’t, as yet, had chance to properly test it - just putting it on a couple of times for 30 minutes in this cold weather on the driveway is a big ask to get the whole van cosy. However, after putting it on for a bit longer and we were getting there. I’m fairly confident it will serve us well but will be testing it a bit more thoroughly during the next week or so.
price was just under £1,500 supplied and fitted.
only slight issue I have is the position of the exhaust- it is under the drivers door facing backwards ( which it has too). It will affect any drive away awning we are considering as the fumes will go into the connecting tunnel to the awning! It is going back on Thursday to re position - I only mention it just in case you or anyone was considering drive away awnings!
hope that helps. Gordon.

 

[Peter]

Hi Gordon, this looks great. Thank you for posting the photos. So the blower unit itself is fitted internally under the passenger seat in the existing gap. This is where Mercedes tell me the factory fitted ones are installed.

I hope you are happy with it and that the new position of the exhaust works well.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Hi Gordon, Thanks for the info, very interesting to see the install and get the initial user feedback. Please post an image of the adjusted exhaust position, I am very interested to know where that goes.
Do you get any smell from the heater on initial start up?