New Beach impressions. 204bhp 4motion

[Sp0_0k]

Had our first trip to Amsterdam from Prague.
3 nights out.
Drives perfectly.
- Decent sound proofing (acoustic package).
- Engine runs pretty quite.
- Insane torque and decent power. ( Loved it on German highways. At some points wanted even more power
- Consumption doesn't jump up too bad at higher speeds 150-170km/h
Got an average 33mpg so far. 2500km on the clock.

Had below zero 1st night. Was pretty cold up top. Slept down, not very comfy length wise with my height but we slept on double seat bench itself without mattress.
2nd night +6'c, slept up top with occasional heater turn on from remote. Was chilly couple of times
3rd night +5'c slept up top with heater on unlimited time on 50% power. Was pretty warm and nice.

A bit confused on how a heater works. Seems it has a thermostat and turns off on reaching specific temperature.
That power setting seems simply a highest temperature it will go. I wasn't able to put in unlimited on lowest setting for a night. It turns off pretty fast. Even on 50% power it ran for like 3 hours then turned off and turned on itself later.
Lots of heat is trapped down in the van. So to get comfortable temperatures in a tent you make it toasty down.

Anyway impressed with heater's power. You can dry clothes and boots in minutes. Might get some smell inside if there is completely no wind.
Need to get a small electric heater to blow up the tent. I recall some links here for some expensive swiss made box. Can't find it anymore.

-Roof lights a must have. Adjustable brightness. Well worth it.

P.S. Inka waterproof covers are a magic! So happy we received them just a day before leaving. Even seating in them is more comfortable. Reminds me my good old leather.

 

[Sp0_0k]

A bit messy still but Alex and 50L fridge sit perfectly.

Still love our comfy old camping chairs I might put some other stuff inside the rear door instead of those chairs

 

[Hotel California]

Prague -Amsterdam-Prague , three nights so four days trip only...you mist out on lots of things ....slow travel is better more seightseeing..
On the other hand better a short trip than no trip
So you could do Prague to France( Champagne )also in three nights!
Takes me to your speed ....it would not feel good driving +150km/h in my Cali .

Think 120 to 140 is ideal , it is a van not a sportscar . Did you consider how the Cali is gonne react when need to do suddenly monouver at that speed ? On a (sports) car it could end up good but guess a +3ton Cali , loaded with gear, taking to an emergency stop you would be looking as white as the Cali
​

The aux.heater indeed is not like the central heating at home it reacts quick on heating up but finding the comfortzone can be hard , specialy at night.
We usualy set 1 or 2 for the night turning it on 3-4 in the morning hours when it is could outside like we had last week in France , arroud zero at night.

Is it this electric heating you referring to?
http://www.ecomat2000.com/nl/index.html

I got one and love it , keep it on for the night when on a site with hook-up makes not so much noise as the aux.heater.
Packs up smaler than six-pack beers...!

 

[Gavinskii]

If you want to sleep up top, definitely get yourself an external roof topper. I have the Comfortz one (which is extremely well made and being a VIP member you get a good discount on!).

 

[Sp0_0k]

A bit concerned about time to fit it. Also no idea how it is even done on non-electric roof.

 

[Hotel California]

A bit concerned about time to fit it. Also no idea how it is even done on non-electric roof.

Fitting a topper takes 5 min.
Taking down 10 as you need to fold it back up
It does makes a whooole lot of diffrence keeping heat in...
Do not know on manual roof if you can open it up a bit to throw it over and then raise the roof fully .....
Electric you just open it a bit and it stays ....manual guess one would be holding it up from the inside.....beach owners tips here......?

 

[Sp0_0k]

It goes like 10cm up first and then all the way up.

 

[Gavinskii]

It goes like 10cm up first and then all the way up.

That is perfect, it must work as Comfortz make them specifically for the beach

 

[Hotel California]

10 cm seem difficult to me.
I raise it about 30 to 40cm ( electric) throw the topper on from the front fitting the corners in on the highest point of the roof then pull it down the lower rear part fitting the other corners and raise the roof fully.
Than walk arround the Cali attaching elastic straps to thighten it
But guess it just a trick you have to learn for yourself , it must work for sure on a Beach

 

[2into1]

This is the 2nd description I've heard of a T6 heater that implies it turns off completely when a set temperature is achieved, verses the T4 and I'm pretty sure the T5 that just slows down the fan / rate of fuel pumping when up to temperature. Is that right?

 

[Hotel California]

This is the 2nd description I've heard of a T6 heater that implies it turns off completely when a set temperature is achieved, verses the T4 and I'm pretty sure the T5 that just slows down the fan / rate of fuel pumping when up to temperature. Is that right?

As it is new to him don't know if he was correct saying "turning off"
It is not when the thicking noise and the fan noise is not hearing , the heater has "switched off" ...it just lowers the burning , adapting to the themperature in the verhicle....when you hold your hand on the vent you will feel warmth coming out ....it just kicks back in afther a while.

 

[2into1]

As it is new to him don't know if he was correct saying "turning off"
It is not when the thicking noise and the fan noise is not hearing the heater has "switched off" ...it just lowers the burning adapting to the themperature in the verhicle....when you hold your hand on the vent you will feel warmth coming out ....

As I said, 2 reports from T6 owners suggest is switches off completely. Something must have changed because most new buyers of T5's first post is to ask why the heater is so noisy and never turns off!
Something has changed or T6's are only being bought by folk who are hard of hearing....

 

[GrannyJen]

I don't think anything has changed.

If I set my heater on "2" in current weather (close to frost at night) it will fire up, noisily, reach desired temperature, stop roaring away and go on ticker and eventually when it's on temperature "maintenance" even the ticking becomes very intermittent, just soft wafts of warm air coming from the vents.

There have been a few times that I have woken up cold to a noiseless van, no roaring or repetitive ticking, thought "heating not working"... put my hand to the vent and thought "heating definitely working!".

The solution is to just turn it up a notch. I sleep under a lightweight duvet, all air vents fully open, so accept that with roof up there is quite a bit of heat loss and it's going to do me not much harm to just turn things up a bit. I do sleep on "two" which gives me another 5 notches to turn it up to, never gone past three yet

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

I've heard of a T6 heater that implies it turns off completely when a set temperature is achieved,

Unlikely, that's not how eberspachers work. It'll just be running on reduced fuel/fan speed.

 

[Sp0_0k]

It shuts off completely. No noises no warmth from the vent and display goes to a clock mode.

 

[Swissian]

I agree, mine also seems to shut off completely once the van is warm. No ticking, no fan and no heat from the vent!

 

[GrannyJen]

That sounds as though it is running on programme mode and not continuous.

When it is in programme mode, and switched off as part of the programme, so the "flame" symbol reverts to a clock symbol.

Have a look using the control panel to see if you have any "programmes" still booked in. If you have then delete them manually or switch off the control panel completely then back on again. That should erase all old programme commands.

 

[Sp0_0k]

I simply set time and power. Time infinite. Not sure what programs are there.

 

[2into1]

Interesting responses!
My understanding is that the traditional way eberspachers work (continuing to burn but lowering the fan and the fuel) was a reflection of the amount of energy (precious 12v's) required to re-light the burner if it would be switching off and on.
If they have made improvements to that, I see no reason why they couldn't operate intermittently (as seemingly described by 2 x T6 owners).
It seems a trade off between the amount of power required to keep the fan ticking over vs. the energy required to restart the burner.

 

[Hotel California]

I simply set time and power. Time infinite. Not sure what programs are there.

Your are using the program i guess , witch i never do...

 

[GrannyJen]

I simply set time and power. Time infinite. Not sure what programs are there.

Check heater - programmes on the control panel.

If you are just turning the heater on using the top left hand switch, and for that day during that time period there is a programme set, then the programme will override and turn off the heater at the end of the programme.

If your is like mine the maximum time for any programme segment is two hours. So alternatively, if you are using the control panel to set the heater to turn on at a set time, then it will turn off two hours later - or less if you manually set a switch-off time.

 

[GrannyJen]

I simply set time and power. Time infinite. Not sure what programs are there.

Check this:

Control panel - Auxillary heater - Status:

That will tell you both whether heater is off or on and whether there are any programmes set.

 

[Sp0_0k]

You know beach has different control panel, right?

 

[GrannyJen]

You know beach has different control panel, right?

Yes but I was hoping, even suspecting, that there may be common display interfaces.

From your reply, obviously not

Had there been complete similarity then the clock symbol that you describe would have the same meaning as the clock symbol displayed on mine, i.e. Programme control operating so therefore was hoping that equally you may have the same auxillary heater controls.

 

[WelshGas]

Have NEVER set any "Time " function for the heater. Just select Temperature Level and On.