Beach Heater Playing Up?

[jonnyboy]

Had the beach a few weeks now and getting to grips with it. But the Auxiliary heater thwarts me and not sure if it's me or it's faulty

We specced the van with the coolant heater, air heater and remote. The control is the simple control panel that looks like it's from the Multivan (according to the manual) hopefully an image is attached

My understanding is the coolant heater will be automatic with the engine, and the air heater will be controlled off the control panel or with the remote.

The heater seems to have a mind its own with these strange behaviours

• So far I've only ever wanted in on heat setting 1 (with no time setting - i.e. heat indefinitely). The fan won't seem to stay on "1" and seems to continue increasing in speed (and noise) so as to be unbearable
• Testing it, setting it for 120 minutes on setting 1, I can come back an hour later and its switched off - despite the control panel saying there's 59 minutes remaining.

Any ideas please?

John

 

[Blue Juice]

As I understand it with how our Beach aux heater works, you need to think of the heat level like a thermostat - setting it on '1' and coming back to find it off was probably simply because the van was warm enough. So it will turn off and kick back in if temp drops. Noise, yes it can be noisy particularly on first start up / getting to desired heat but I wouldn't call it unbearable - and as it tops up the heat it's quieter, atleast on ours!

 

[Hotel California]

Can't speak for your controlpanel as i have a T5 SE , but the heater itself is thesame on all Cali's .
Can confirm the above , setting 1 is the lowest so it will not take long before the heater turn itself of using the thermostat ....it goes back in heating modus when the themp. drops.
The fan indeed is noisy as is the diesel pump...ticking noise.

 

[jonnyboy]

Fair point chaps. I never considered there being a thermostat. That would certainly explain it.

As for the fan spinning up to "unbearable", well maybe I didn't give it long enough to settle down. We were in a crowded camp site and I was worried we'd wake the neighbours

Can I check something else:

• The Timer button does nothing. If I press it all I get is "Off". It doesn't seem to turn anything off, I'm assuming it means there is no timer that I can set
• The Mode button does absolutely nothing on the California.

 

[Amarillo]

Had the beach a few weeks now and getting to grips with it. But the Auxiliary heater thwarts me and not sure if it's me or it's faulty

Operation of the Beach parking heater is explained on page 257 of the Multivan manual.

The "mode", "timer" and "set" buttons are not active until "on/off" has been pressed.

To complicate matters, each of the four buttons has a different purpose in different functions shown by the sub-menus displayed on the electronic display.

I suggest setting aside 30 minutes of undisturbed time to play with it with page 257 of the manual open on your lap to understand the unnecessarily confusing menu and sub-menu structure.

And don't forget to press "set" once the option from the sub-menu has been selected and the sub-menu closed.

 

[jonnyboy]

Cheers Tom. RTFM, I get it... lol

Have had my 30 minutes with the manual but I still don't seem to have all the functionality of p257 For example, I can't seem to get any Timer functionality (i.e. programming different start times, presumably for the coolant heater) or I can't get to the "switch from heating to ventilation" Again for the coolant heater

The air heater functions seem to work OK but as I bought the air and coolant heaters (both plates are on the door), would have thought would have had all the functionality in the control panel

Can anyone with the air and coolant heaters confirm they have all the control panel functionality listed in the manual please

 

[WelshGas]

Cheers Tom. RTFM, I get it... lol

Have had my 30 minutes with the manual but I still don't seem to have all the functionality of p257 For example, I can't seem to get any Timer functionality (i.e. programming different start times, presumably for the coolant heater) or I can't get to the "switch from heating to ventilation" Again for the coolant heater

The air heater functions seem to work OK but as I bought the air and coolant heaters (both plates are on the door), would have thought would have had all the functionality in the control panel

Can anyone with the air and coolant heaters confirm they have all the control panel functionality listed in the manual please

You have NO control over the Coolant Heater. It is completely automatic in function. It will ONLY come on with engine start if the ambient temperature is 5c or below and will go OFF when the coolant temperature reaches about 80c.

 

[Amarillo]

Cheers Tom. RTFM, I get it... lol

Have had my 30 minutes with the manual but I still don't seem to have all the functionality of p257 For example, I can't seem to get any Timer functionality (i.e. programming different start times, presumably for the coolant heater) or I can't get to the "switch from heating to ventilation" Again for the coolant heater

The air heater functions seem to work OK but as I bought the air and coolant heaters (both plates are on the door), would have thought would have had all the functionality in the control panel

Can anyone with the air and coolant heaters confirm they have all the control panel functionality listed in the manual please

I do not have the manual to hand, but if memory serves me correctly, the timer simply allows you to set operation periods for the heater 15 minutes minimum to 2 hours maximum timed, or continuous.

The control does not control any other heater.

 

[jonnyboy]

Cheers all. Think I'm there then and working, certainly as in line with others

Thank you.

 

[Alied]

Cheers all. Think I'm there then and working, certainly as in line with others

Thank you.

This video is in German but it might help you.

 

[jonnyboy]

Thanks Allied. Followed that. But again mine doesn't have any Timer functionality like the last bit of the video. If I press the Timer button, all I get is "Off" (unless the timer button is being used for one of the internal menus)

 

[Stuart]

My control panel doesn't control the coolant heater, but it does allow me to program the air heater. I can provide more details if that would be useful?

 

[Grey one]

Cheers all. Think I'm there then and working, certainly as in line with others

Thank you.

If it helps, I am a other who would agree a degree of noise is normal with the Aux heater,especially on start up, but mine does calm down quite quickly. It gives the impression it's rushing to get up to speed/temperature then calming down as it gets there.

 

[Amarillo]

Thanks Allied. Followed that. But again mine doesn't have any Timer functionality like the last bit of the video. If I press the Timer button, all I get is "Off" (unless the timer button is being used for one of the internal menus)

I have just gone and checked. If you press and hold the 'Timer' button, the programmable timer sub menu will open.

 

[kave]

It works fantasticly well in cold weather, at mode 1 or 2 it keeps the cabin at 20C degrees no matter the outside temp and it runs quiet all night, no on off and takes very little fuel. I tested it in Norway this winter:

 

[Goldie]

We specced the van with the coolant heater, air heater and remote. The control is the simple control panel that looks like it's from the Multivan (according to the manual) hopefully an image is attached

The coolant heater is standard and used to bring the engine/heater coolant up to temperature when it's cold outside - see the post by WelshGas. You won't have been able to spec this and you're right that it's automatic, although there are people on here who have added a remote to it to switch it on to warm up the van before setting off in the morning.
You should have a silver sticker with 'Webasto, Thermo Top, 5 Kw' on the driver's door indicating this has been fitted. When fitting a secondary air heater to a Beach you tap into the supply for the Webasto to save removing the tank. My next project sitting in the garage ready to start!

Andy

 

[jonnyboy]

Thanks all. The timer functionality is there. Pilot error!! So I think we are good with everything there that should be.

Kave - absolutely love that picture. Looks like you slid sideways into that camping spot...

Goldie - the coolant heater might be standard in NZ but is an option in the UK. Good luck with the project

 

[Goldie]

Thanks all. The timer functionality is there. Pilot error!! So I think we are good with everything there that should be.

Kave - absolutely love that picture. Looks like you slid sideways into that camping spot...

Goldie - the coolant heater might be standard in NZ but is an option in the UK. Good luck with the project

Mine's a UK model I exported to NZ in 2014. It was standard and those adding an auxiliary heater usually T into the fuel supply. There's quite a bit of info and you'll find some diagrams on here.

Good to see problem solved.

Andy

 

[MattBW]

Thanks all. The timer functionality is there. Pilot error!! So I think we are good with everything there that should be.

Kave - absolutely love that picture. Looks like you slid sideways into that camping spot...

Goldie - the coolant heater might be standard in NZ but is an option in the UK. Good luck with the project

Hmm it was standard on my T5, did they make it an option on the T6? Cheeky VW.

 

[WelshGas]

Hmm it was standard on my T5, did they make it an option on the T6? Cheeky VW.

Well if you think about it, unless you plan on using the vehicle All Year Round, it will probably never be used . Even the UK summers don't get that cold.

 

[MattBW]

I do use mine all year round and on those cold winter days (both of them ), when I first got it the coolant heater wasn't kicking in and the difference was massive on my commute to work. Most cold days (until it was reset/fixed) the van wasn't warm after 20-30 minutes of driving. With it, its much quicker and the heater gets warmer quicker too.

 

[WelshGas]

I do use mine all year round and on those cold winter days (both of them ), when I first got it the coolant heater wasn't kicking in and the difference was massive on my commute to work. Most cold days (until it was reset/fixed) the van wasn't warm after 20-30 minutes of driving. With it, its much quicker and the heater gets warmer quicker too.

Agree. However, considering the number of owners who seem to lay their vehicles up for 6 + months each year and cover low mileage then they are just carrying around excess weight that is never used.

 

[Goldie]

Well if you think about it, unless you plan on using the vehicle All Year Round, it will probably never be used . Even the UK summers don't get that cold.

I guess that Matt is referring to the coolant heater in my post, not the auxiliary.

Andy

 

[WelshGas]

I guess that Matt is referring to the coolant heater in my post, not the auxiliary.

Andy

Correct, I think.

 

[totallyrocks]

It works fantasticly well in cold weather, at mode 1 or 2 it keeps the cabin at 20C degrees no matter the outside temp and it runs quiet all night, no on off and takes very little fuel. I tested it in Norway this winter:

I'm about to buy without the passenger ac option but with heater, does it heat the whole van or just the cab?