Around-Oz: Living the Dream!


Installing a Webasto Diesel Operated Motorhome Heater in 2002/2004 Winnebagos


Regular visitors to this site will know that we are very heavily into bush camping, and we tend to do it 12 months of the year. This means in winter you can get a wee bit on the cold side when you are in areas where you can't have a campfire. Yes, you can get a gennie and a reverse cycle aircon, for only a few more dollars than a Webasto heater, but we aren't fans of either of these gadgets. In practice what happens is you turn it on full blast for around 15 minutes when you get up in the morning and shower. High in the mountains in Tassie etc. you will occasionally need to run it at night on the low settings. Using it in this way we rather amazingly only used 20 litres of diesel in 3 months of Tassie from February to May, never staying in one caravan park, as we just didn't need the power. It draws around 2.8 amps but this does reduce when it goes into idle. Some mornings were minus one with snow and it very quickly brought the van up to over 10/20 degrees. There is absolutely zero smell and the heat is not too dry as happens with most electrical heaters. For all the newbies reading this don't forget it is very good practice to close all curtains just before the sun goes down. This makes a huge difference to comfort. Diesel and petrol heaters have been around for years, but being the conservative types we have waited until the technology really stabilises. Webasto is a really respected brand in Europe and a very experienced company. The engineering can give you goose bumps if you are that way inclined! For those worried about adding toooooo much weight please rest easy. The Webasto comes in at a very light 2.2 kgs if you don't count the extra diesel.

So here we go! First up this is not an ideal first timers DIY project as it involves cabinet work, sheet metal, electrical and a bit of knowledge on diesel. Having said that you could however use the collective knowledge of members of your CMCA chapter which was exactly what we did as no one ever knows it all!

At present the instruction manual does not cover how to handle the unique problems associated with wooden floored motorhomes.

Hopefully this article could fill in the "gaps", however we must point out that our methods are not necessarily endorsed by Webasto, although we have been in extensive communication with them throughout this project and they have this article on file. We hope to visit Webasto in Sydney in the next few weeks for them to run an eagle eye over it. Phone support from heater expert Roger is absolutely first class, particularly during "switching on" or "blast off" as Keith Smyth calls it! You can contact Roger by email on roger@webasto.com.au and the response is usually same day, and sometimes even by return. In a word - excellent and we were certainly very impressed! The photo below left shows the finished installation (behind the black mesh screen) and the one on the right is with the protective cover removed so you can all see the "workings". You can get an idea of the excellent compact size of the unit by comparing it with the size of the safety glasses in the background - exceptionally clever design!

Now there are two ways of getting fuel to your Webasto Airtop Heater and you really need to work this out before doing anything. Webasto have a very nifty system for getting fuel out of an existing diesel tank and it is just one of many options suggested. You simply drill a hole in the top of the tank and drop in a pick up tube, which is then simply sealed using a unique clamping system - very similar to the method used by RV Electronics on their excellent water tank gauges. Initially this worried us a lot, as a friend almost blew his head off doing a similar task - drilling holes in petrol fuel tanks. So we asked around! Colin McLean of Paradise Motorhomes has done several installations and he always takes the tank right out, and in that way he can easily remove any swarf with compressed air etc. A method we used on Keith and Laurie Symth's Coaster was to tap into the drain point on their second tank. Webasto supply a plastic tee for breaking into a fuel line, however you do need advice on this if you have a high tech motor as found in Mercedes/Iveco/Fiat etc. On other brands make certain that you are tapping into the line BEFORE the vehicle's fuel pump, otherwise your heater may only work with the vehicle's motor running, as many units have a submersible pump inside the tank!

We elected to go down the separate tank path. The piccies below show the location we used, however we suggest you don't rush in, but give this lots of thought if your RV is not similar to ours. We found it best to drill the fuel filler hole early in the piece. We did this BEFORE ordering the tank, so that we could get the entry angle spot on - makes filling so much easier. It's best not to silicone the fitting in at this stage, however you can drill the holes for the stainless steel CS screws. These don't come with the fitting by the way. Make sure that you place a piece of timber behind the hole if you elect to use a hole saw. As this is fairly large (and expensive!) it would probably be a "borrow" job! We got our "hole" absolutely spot on by using one of those circular drum sanders in an electric drill - ours came from Timbecon in Perth WA. This eliminates any chance of chipping the fibreglass. We have used this method several times and it really works well - Gary Dryden of Dryden Trailers was really impressed, as he kindly loaned us his holesaw! If you can't get hold of a holesaw simply draw a circle and drill a series of 1/4" holes. Remember that you can't actually see the finished hole, so you don't really need a perfect finish. Just a note on drilling large holes into the side of an RV. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES drill through any metal part of the frame, as this could have disastrous results on the overall integrity of your RV. Always triple check where you are drilling. Metal detecting devices are notoriously inaccurate on motorhomes - some are great on steel, but absolutely hopeless on aluminium. A really good method is to photograph your rig on a freezing cold day very early in the morning. The "cold transference" will be clearly visible. Even though we have three different detecting devices, in this particular case we drilled a series if 1/16" holes from inside the motorhome as we knew that Winnebago have very sensibly used a lot of metal at the rear of our unit. Winnebago are also very helpful in this area. If you ring Sahda and quote your Serial Number, he will get back to you on any problems you may have with the area in which you wish to drill as they keep records of every unit built. A VERY helpful guy!

We like to comply with all vehicle safety standards, and for that same reason at present we don't carry spare fuel. Jerry cans bolted on the back are a giant no, no, regulation wise - you wouldn't think so though if you walk around a rally site. So we have solved two problems in one go by installing an alluminium 23 litre diesel tank, built into the confines of the vehicle, with external filling. Ours was made up by Jason Small at J & T Marine Welding - Jacobs Well Qld and cost a very reasonable $115.00 - absolutely recommended and a truly first class job from an expert craftsman! Phone (07) 3807 7846 - Mobile 0411 602 989 and snail mail PO Box 992, Beenleigh, 4207. We used the Fiamma black filler as used on many commercial tanks - $24.90 from Coast to Coast RV as per the photo above right. These fillers have an inbuilt breather, so blowback when filling, is only a minor problem. A tiny thing to watch with this set up though, is they sometimes fail if too much force is applied to the base. The trick is to always insert the nozzle gently. After 4 months use we have concluded that the Fiamma was not the most perfect choice as filling is very iffy when forced to use high flow diesel filling pumps - found in many country areas. Watch for work-a-rounds on these pages if we eventually get frustrated enough and do something about it! The photos show the ideal location for us, but you may have problems due to model variations. We suggest that you try to stay away from the front of the vehicle, as this is an area in most Winnebagos (applies to most RVs) where you do not want to increase front axle loading - particularly all bed over cab models. Our Mercedes is very very borderline in this area for instance. With Iveco you can adjust the front torsion bars in under a minute, nevertheless you still must not exceed the manufacturer's maximum loading recommendation. There are also insurance considerations.

For those using a separate diesel tank this is what we did. The opposite locker had a similar void to the drivers side, so we used this area for the diesel tank. Once again we had to make an entry into the void and also move the tail light supply lines. We used the "void" to allow the filler pipe to enter the tank at a 45 degree angle. We also used a 10 mm spigot to act as a breather. The connecting pipe MUST BE FUEL GRADE. This is easy to pick in clear plastic as it has a red fleck through it - easiest to buy at marine suppliers such as Whitworths Marine. We used Nylex drum pump hose (25 mm) only because we had some in stock. It worked fine and you can get it at Bunnings for around $6.00 a metre. They will sell you half a metre if you grovel a bit! We used a Fiamma filler as noted at the start of this article. If anyone comes across anything better and not toooo expensive please email us the info so we can post it here.

You do need to take a bit of care drilling the large holes through the floor. We made up a rough plywood base the same size as the tank, to work out the tank pipe outlets. It is easiest to get the filler in first, but don't screw it in at this point in time. We attached the tank from the underside using 2 1/2" X 1/4" cup head bolts - 3 each end. Space was VERY tight, so we used a spade drill extension bit to drill the holes. It is ESSENTIAL to put silicone on the top side of the tank to positively prevent exhaust fumes entering the vehicle. Next drill the mounting holes in the tank top flange. The photo above left, shows the tank held up in position for the drilling of the holding bolt holes. The vehicle jack is ideal for doing this if you don't have a trolley jack. In our case, space was VERY tight, so we used an extension drill attachment, normally sold for spade/speedbore bits, as these fit a 1/4" drill almost spot on - around $18.00 from Bunnings and most electrical wholesalers. We made a plywood cover plate up to make the floor holes look a bit neater, as you do need to massage them a bit to get everything to fit easily in a confined space. We used the offcut from the void hole. You can see this in the photo below right. Attach the 25 mm and 10 mm hoses using top quality worm drive hose clamps. We used Loctite Silicon Gasket on all hoses - a good move is to always carry this in any RV, as it is resealable - you get it at engine and bearing shops. It keeps for months in the sealed tube and is very easy to work. This also lets the hose slide on more easily. Avoid filling with fuel for 24 hours. It has been suggested that you could knock the bottom out of the Fiamma and use a hose clamped to the outside. We could well end up doing this.

The gadget shown below left, is called a 90 degree drill attachment and is made by Supertool. You find these in Bunnings for under $30.00 and it is an excellent addition to any tool kit even though it is of fairly light construction. This gadget lets you easily drill holes in places with very little headroom at 90 degrees to the drill itself. Honestly, we would have been there for hours if we didn't use this device. Makita make a special drill that does the same job, but it comes in way beyond our budget, at a very hefty $395.00! In our case it let us drill from the top, rather than having to lay on the ground, with hot metal shavings going all over the place. You do get softer in your old age! The floor in most Winnies is 1 5/8" thick. This is made up of lino, plywood, styrene foam and galvanised iron. It is fairly easy to drill through with a hole saw. You do need to clear it often, but it is an easy job using just a battery powered drill.

Having decided on tank placement or fuel delivery method, the next step is to locate the heater in a safe place. The Webasto literature suggests that you can install the thing anywhere. We totally disagree with this, as motorhomes have special safety problems that must be addressed. For instance it's no good putting the heater on the floor of a bin if items can fall on it, or move whilst on rough roads, otherwise you run the very real risk of blocking the air intake. Now the Webasto has a plethora of fail safe systems, BUT you never know if one of these could itself fail, so in our view the best bet is to allow for failures, by never allowing the air intake to be obstructed in any way. It makes plain common sense to us. Similarly, the outside of the heater itself gets quite hot on the discharge end - around 55/70 degrees, so once again you have to think about any effect this could have on goods stored adjacent to it. In our Leisure Seeker we found the absolutely almost perfect spot right at the rear. The 2002/2004 models all have a false/double floor and we used this to our advantage. We simply cut an access hole through the 3 mm plywood into this area as shown in the photo above left. This spot has an enormous hidden advantage. As the "void" goes right across to the other side, it is just about impossible for air to ever be cut off completely, due to the number of access points. It was a shame we had to use this spot though, as it could have made the most perfect sullage hose storage area, simply by inserting a large waste pipe with screwed ends.

Moving onto the mounting of the actual heater - we will come back to the diesel connection in a minute. Now mounting through a wooden/foam floor is rather oddly not mentioned at all in the Webasto manual, however they are obtaining info for us on marine installations and this article will be updated if anything startling comes to light. We learnt a lot from our first installation in a Coaster belonging to Laurie and Keith Smythe - the webmistress for CMCA for two years. The biggest lesson was if underfloor access is limited you MUST use a mounting plate. This allows you to connect all the pipe work up well before attaching to the floor. At this point in time Webasto do not even supply/offer this as a paid extra, however this may well change if we all keep hammering away at them! What we would like to see is an optional motorhome kit. So what you need to do next is to make up your own adapter from thin steel plate. Initially we made a huge boo boo as we used 3 mm alluminium and this was a total disaster, as it transferred far too much heat straight to the floor. Should have paid more attention in physics lessons, as aluminium is a super conductor! We suggest you make the plate as large as practical to further aid heat dissipation. The minimum size we feel should be 1" bigger in all directions of the actual Webasto. Use the "other language" section of the book to tear out a template to mark out the holes. It's best if you stick this down using clear tape, as if you just hold it you could get movement. You will need a 1" hole saw for this job. We used 1 1/8", but you probably wont have one of these. (used for marine 12 volt sockets). Make certain though that the exhaust outlet doesn't touch the plate as the last thing you need is heat transference. When drilling the 3/16" mounting holes around the edges don't forget that you wont be able to get screws in along the centre line.

Next you need to make the "rectangular hole" through the motorhome floor. In our case this was a bit of a nightmare due to the lack of room to use a jigsaw, as the void is not very high. However, given enough time you can do anything using hand tools and lots of elbow grease and by drilling a zillion holes from underneath. Our rectangular hole ended up 250 mm by 125 mm. This was the maximum width we could get due to the metal frame in the floor - never cut this! To protect the foam from radiated heat from the exhaust, we used small pieces of light gauge angle pop riveted onto the 1 5/8" thick floor. It is very easy to bend just by clamping or using your vyce. You do not need to mitre the corners, as you just don't see the finished installation, unless you lie on the ground. We deliberately didn't mitre the corners so as not to frighten others off! Self tapers are quite OK if you don't have a pop rivet gun. We feel it would not be a wise move to use "Liquid Nails" etc. as these adhesives could eventually fail due to the radiated heat. Gary Dryden came up with an excellent idea AFTER he saw the completed job. He suggested mounting the complete unit in a flanged metal box with one long side missing. This would have the effect of having the unit below floor level and thereby dissipate any heat build up. This would not have worked in our case due to lack of room, but the idea appealed to us as it would be a doodle to fit.

OK, so why are we going to all this trouble? We contacted our good mate at Winnebago, Sahda Moodley the workshop manager, and he advised us that the styro foam used in the floor can start to melt at 73 degrees. This gave us a bit of a shock, but is 100% correct information, as an engineering club member checked out refrigeration foam for us, and found that it melted at 85 degrees, and could ignite from as low as 108 degrees. We had another problem with the Mercedes Sprinter, in that the supply lines going to the tail lights needed to be moved, as they ended up much too close to the heater. Simply remove the lenses and all the cables. Be careful here, as on most Winnies they DON'T use the same colour coding from front to rear. If you have a digital camera, taking a piccie before removing anything is a great move, in case you forget what goes where! The photos below are on a Mercedes, but Iveco, Fiat etc. is bound to be different and in some cases modifications may not need to be made. We also had to cut the wires leading to the number plate light and the high level stop lights. Winnebago solder these joints and cover with insulation tape, but we used crimped connections (better insulation in our view). If you have a Sprinter, it could be a good move at this point to check the tightness of the two nuts clamping the tail light assembly from the rear. This could easily be a one off problem, but on ours the nuts on both sides were only hand tight - this could lead to possible leaks and possible rotting of the floor a bit further down the track. The photo below right shows the lense assembly removed. The photo on the left shows the hole through the floor in the completely finished condition - photo taken looking up under the vehicle. Later on we intend to put some "lagging" around the exhaust pipe as "double" insurance against heat radiation - kindly "donated" by a fellow CMCA member.

The photos below are of an installation not done by us we stumbled across at a CMCA rally. We used it as an example for our own job due to the lack of Webasto motorhome specific info available (absolutely zero on the web as well but heaps on marine use?). We found that the hole needed to be lined or the exhaust covered in heat resisting lagging (asbestos type tape). Rather oddly, in this example the exhaust was clamped to the fibreglass side panel - very worrying as apart from the fire hazard this could well lead to delamination problems later on. We also didn't like the way the fuel supply line was routed and clamped, particularly as there were no precautions taken where the fuel line actually went past the sharp metal edges. The heater was also mounted directly onto the bin floor which meant it could easily be smothered if the cargo should move around.



So next we connect up all the hoses/pipes and make sure that the rubber gasket supplied is fitted. The supply line to the electric pump is folded up inside the air intake. Remove this now and connect up the plug you will find temporarily attached to the pump line. Assembling this plug can be an intelligence test, as the connections need to be trimmed before starting. The photo below shows the before and after shots - we are curious as to why Webasto use these fittings. Don't forget to put on the little rubber stoppers before finally crimping the cable on - look at the pump end of the cable to see how these work. You simply push the pins into the housing until you hear a "click". They either go in first pop or you have to "fiddle" using long nosed pliers. If you find this all too hard, just eliminate this section and use a connecting terminal block from Dick Smith etc. or if you have them use crimping pliers and push to connect terminals. In our view crimping pliers are an essential tool for any motorhomer. The photo below left shows the heater ready for siliconing to the floor. Note that the rubber fuel pipe has been attached as it can be difficult to do this later.

We used silicone on the base plate to seal it to the floor. Be very generous with this, as the last thing you want here is for exhaust gases to be leaking back into your motorhome. Please remember that carbon monoxide is a deadly silent killer, as it is invisible and totally odourless. Inserting the screws along the back was very fiddly due to the lack of room/visibility, and also the tail lights getting in the way. We used a magnetic screwdriver and a mirror on a stick (all Winnebago owners should get one of these!). Another neat trick is to use Loctite on the tip of the screwdriver. Set it hard by using a little heat then quenching in water.

Webasto go to great lengths to show the correct way to route the air intake and exhaust. Basically they MUST NOT FACE FORWARD. Try to keep them as far apart as practical. It is also prudent to keep the diesel line as far away from the exhaust as possible. You also need to think about how you will mount the muffler. This doesn't come as standard, but is a $28.00 extra. You may need to make a bracket if the one supplied doesn't suit. We feel that a muffler is ESSENTIAL, otherwise you could become very unpopular with your friends if you run it at night. We mounted ours parallel with the vehicle exhaust pipe and it looks quite smick! Keith Smyth said it looks like an afterburner!

The Webasto pump needs to be mounted as low down in the vehicle as possible, and preferably at a 15 degree angle. We used an area right at the rear of the vehicle near the spare wheel. Don't forget to use the rubber vibration mount supplied. We also fitted a small plate behind the pump to give it a bit more protection from flying stones/mud etc. Run the cable to the socket near the air intake. The diesel line goes straight to the Webasto. Try to keep this going uphill with no dips, otherwise you will give yourself lots of grief with air bleeding problems. Try to keep it as far away as possible from hot areas. The picture below shows the diesel line on the top, and the electric supply/control line on the bottom. Please note that the Webasto pump does not run continuously, so don't try running it to bleed the system of air, as it is a single pulse type, quite different to those used for fuel delivery. You wont have air bleeding problems if you stick closely to what we did. Make certain to push all connections right in to eliminate air gaps - the main cause of fuel line problems. This is all important stuff if you don't want to spend hours figuring out why the thing wont work!



For some odd reason, Webasto don't supply a fuel filter as standard. In our view you would be completely daft to install the unit without one, as it is just so easy to get "iffy" fuel in the back blocks of Oz. As we had no time to get one from Webasto, we used a Cooper at $3.99 from Autobarn Part Number DF 198/1. We attached it as close to the tank as possible using a 1/4 BSP brass barbed fitting. You can easily squeeze this into the small rubber hose supplied by Webasto. The other side of the filter goes to the inlet side of the pump. Sadly the instructions don't make this really clear, as the only clue is a tiny arrow marked on the pump body - very easy to miss. Stamping "inlet" and "outlet" on the body would be a good move. The outlet/discharge side is the end with the grey plastic gadget on it at 90 degrees to the pump body.

Next you need to hook up the main 12 volt supply voltage. Connect the dual loom up to the top of the Webasto. Make absolutely certain that you seal the cover back on until it clicks. We tapped into the cables going from the house batteries to the Electrolux fridge (better than 15 amp circuit and usually on a 20 amp fuse). The fridge and heater will NEVER be run at the same time in our case (if you did though the fuse could blow on Webasto start up). If you intend to use your Webasto for drying clothes etc. on the move, then please use a completely separate circuit. There is a 2.5 mm pink and purple wire coming out of the Webasto supply harness. Roger advises to just cut these off. There is NOTHING in the manual about this!

Next up we need to mount the thermostat/controller inside the motorhome. It's a good move to think about the best location for this a bit. Our reasoning went like this! Usually you would never run a heater when in bed, but we felt it would be a good move to be able to see it whilst in the "cot" - just to check if you had remembered to turn it off! Read the Webasto instructions carefully so as to get the knob at the correct height. Best to install it through any area with 3 mm plywood otherwise you will have a lot of work on your hands. Being perfectionists we reinforced with plywood and then had to "fiddle" to get it right. It is correct when the green LED is level with the front surface of the knob. Next run the lead from the Webasto (the one with the small square plug). Now you cant alter the length of this, so BE CERTAIN that it will reach your chosen location of the thermostat BEFORE you drill anything. We had a little length left over, so we neatly attached it in the rear well out of sight. Use plastic saddles about every 300 mm. If going through a cargo area, it is a good move to use split corrugated conduit as added protection. The photo below shows the thermostat location we used - it faces forward.



We made up some safety grills to shield the tank entry and the Webasto itself. This of course will vary with the model. The diesel grill (white plastic) came straight off the shelf from Bunnings (photo on left) and fitted perfectly - so rare in DIY jobs! We used a piece of security gauze on the Webasto side, but anything will do - you could use strips of timber, or heavy chicken wire for instance.

The final step is to run the main air distribution hose into the motorhome. For some odd reason Webasto don't supply worm drive hose clips for this, so you will need to buy at least one 65mm job - $1.65 at Autobarn. All installations will be different and below is what we did. Remember that hot air rises, so it's best to keep it just above the floor. If you have pets please think about them when choosing a location. We attached the vent using metal thread screws. These weren't supplied in the kit but in our view should have been. The photo below right shows where we plonked ours! It is at the rear and points to the front and really warms your tootsies when sitting at the dinette! Our Border Collie "Rex" thinks it's a great spot!

OK so we are now at the moment of truth. Webasto rather sadly only give you half a paragraph on starting up for the first time. Put some diesel in your tank and turn the thermostat FULLY clockwise. The fan should run at low speed. Leave everything for at least two minutes. If the fuel run is less that 2 metres it should start. This is happening if you hear it speed up and roar a bit like a quiet 747! Now if it doesn't start, turn it fully anticlockwise and wait until the green light goes off (this resets the computer). Turn fully clockwise again and keep repeating with a rest between each attempt, until you get blast off! The main advice here is don't rush it, as it will eventually go! Try to avoid testing on days over 35 degrees, as this can prevent the unit from starting due to the built in fail safe devices.

A flashing green light usually means that the electrical line going to the pump isn't plugged in, or your connections are iffy. It is trying to work, if when you put your hand on the pump, you feel a pulse like a heartbeat every few seconds - there is very little noise from the pump. None of this is mentioned in the manual. When the Webasto is working properly the green light will be on all the time. When you switch off, it will go out immediately, BUT the heater will still run. This is the automatic cool down cycle. We NEVER leave the motorhome until it stops completely. This is because there is nothing in the book indicating what can happen if there is a power failure during this period.

We suggest you ring Roger if you can't get it to start and he will "walk" you through it - usually the diesel is not reaching the heater. Heat output is superb. We always start with it on flat chat and then turn it down after about five minutes. When operating correctly it will cycle on and off like most thermostat fitted heaters - the fan ALWAYS runs. Fuel consumption is well under half a litre an hour on high settings. We will post exact readings after we return from the "cold" in Tassie. We are actually writing this perched high on a hill in Victoria and yes the Webasto is merrily chugging away and we are as warm as toast! We have recorded temperatures in excess of 110 degrees just inside the outlet - very good!

Finally DOUBLE check that you have absolutely ZERO leaks on the diesel lines, and that all clamps are tight. Make sure that nothing is getting toooooo hot with radiated heat - you MUST be able to comfortably touch the floor and surrounds under the motorhome - don't touch the exhaust as it is very hot. If you feel that anything is tooooo hot the best bet is to just wrap the exhaust in special tape. Roger will supply this if needed - just ask. We will be installing a simple fuel level gauge a bit further down the track - in the meantime we just top the tank up after we have filled the main tank. All we will do is fit a tee in the breather and also the output tank line and join with a hose with a floating red ball - we "borrowed" this great idea from our good mate Colin Ross Motorhomes. In the meantime we will use a dip stick as per the original Vee Dubs!



NOTE: We strongly suggest that you seriously consider running an extra line to the bathroom. On freezing mornings we have found by "bitterly cold experience" that this is really a necessity particularly if you visit Tassie or Victoria in the winter months. All you need is a "Y" type tee piece and a little more tube and four worm drive clips. It is a good move to put "switchable" registers on the ends of the tubes as Trakka is now doing as standard on the Sandpiper etc. With these you can control the amount of heat going into each area or even isolate one area. This is great for using your bathroom as a drying cabinet. The installation shown below also shows the mounting plate we continually harp about!



The photo above shows the huge amount of gear "left over"! In discussions with Roger at Webasto it was continually pointed out to us that it might be too expensive for them to supply a motorhome specific kit. Sorry Webasto, we totally disagree, as if you didn't need all the gear above it could easily be accommodated. All we need is a base mounting plate, a 65 mm worm drive clip and a bit of light angle for the hole. There is nothing in the manual about service life, but Terry Child (CMCA Casino Village Director and Rally Safety Officer) told us about a Danish couple who got 20 years out of theirs before a service - impressive stuff. Yes it is an expensive piece of kit at up to $2000.00 depending on where you buy, but as things stand, we feel it is the best heating option for the thousands of motorhomers who would rather cut off a limb before buying a generator! We are certainly enjoying ours to the full and look forward to lots of warm and cosy winters.

In summing up this is a really worthwhile project utilising an absolutely top product and will definitely extend the use of your motorhome no matter how cold winter gets. We absolutely recommend the Webasto Airtop Heater.

Bob & Chrissy Eustace


WARNINGS:- Please read these instructions and everything supplied by Webasto very carefully before commencing work, as this article is NOT intended to be a substitute for the factory advice, Make certain that nothing is getting too hot and take immediate precautions if it does. Have a fire extinguisher handy during initial testing just in case. Make sure you have a "buddy" with you during testing in case of accident. To find out more on just how it works please read the excellent informative articles by CMCA technical Guru and author, Collyn Rivers.

 

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