Fitting a diesel night heater

Placement

Mount the heater where it can draw cool air, exhaust safely and be serviced without dismantling the kitchen. Floor plates need a clean hole, proper sealant and protection from road spray. Follow the maker's clearances around the body. A heater jammed against insulation will complain early and often.

Think about noise too. Some people sleep next to a unit that ticks and whooshes all night. Others put it further aft and duct the heat.

Fuel

Use a proper standpipe or tank tap. Support the fuel line so it cannot chafe. Keep joints accessible. A drip on the garage floor is a warning; a drip on the road is a fire risk. Do not improvise with random hose from a car parts aisle unless the kit says so.

Exhaust and intake

Route the exhaust away from doors and windows, lag what the kit requires, and keep the intake clear of exhaust gas. Check for soot and smell after the first few heat cycles. If the exhaust exit is under the van, watch for mud packing and damage from speed bumps.

Electrics and commissioning

Wire to a fused supply as specified. Bleed fuel carefully. Run a first heat outside with the van ventilated. Confirm it modulates and shuts down cleanly. Then live with it for a cold evening before you trust it on a remote pitch.

Weight and legality

The heater kit is modest in weight compared with water and batteries, but exhaust parts, tanks and ducting add up. Log them. Poor installs are a common MOT and insurance headache, so do not invent brackets or exhaust exits.

If you smell exhaust inside, switch off, ventilate and find the leak before the next night away.

Figures in this guide are planning estimates. Confirm weights and prices against real products, and have gas and electrical habitation work signed off by a qualified person.