Van Updates

When I installed the heater it came with a clear/white fuel tank.  The best place to mount this was on the side of the rear toolbox.   I was hoping to maybe cover it with some black checker plate or similar, but I couldn’t really fine anything suitable that wasn’t really expensive.   So everyone gave me a hard time suggesting the van had a specimen jar on the back!

So finally jack of it, I splurged and purchased a black fuel tank, and while more that I wanted to spend, it’s a lot cheaper and easier than the checker plate.  Of course only one of the original holes line up!

I’ve got to admit it looks 100% better.

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Replace the kitchen tap, as the filtered water outlet blocked up ages ago, must have had debris in the water as some stage.  We use an inline filter at all times when on mains or filling the tanks now, so hopefully the replacement won’t get blocked anytime soon.

I’ve bought some third-party side tables and a hotplate for the Weber, so these should come in handy.

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Post Update 14/3/2021

I’ve been having issues getting the Diesel Heater started for ages.  For a while is was low power warnings, but since the new batteries have been installed it is the issue with blowing an offensive amount of smoke for 2 to 3 minutes as it starts.  Once running the heater was fine and not problem at all.    Not so much a issue when at an isolated camp, but less neighbourly when close to other campers.

I’ve been reading up and watching youtube videos, and most people point to this little metal mesh ring that diffuses the diesel around the glow plug when it starts.   Some mention that this can become blocked or clogged with carbon and not work correctly.   Right then!  So on spec I order a replacement and the tool to make getting the glow plug out easier.   The parts finally arrived so last weekend I get outside, remove the glow plug and go hunting for this diffuser.  While it’s hard to see into the small hole,  can’t see any diffuser,  Surely it hasn’t disintegrated? I haven’t used the heater that much.  At a loss, I figure I’ll have a go installing the new one, and sure enough it just slips in.  So I can only figure it either disintegrated completely (seems unlikely) or it was never there to begin with.   Anyway, new diffuser installed, glowplug returned, heater cover back on, I go and start it.    There would have been at most 3-5 seconds of the smallest amount of smoke and the heater has started faster than I’ve ever seen!    Frustratingly, I now know more about diesel heaters than I ever cared to know, but at least it seem fixed properly now!

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