New 6.1 Heater smoke INSIDE

[s2bear]

Thought I’d give the brand spanko t6.1 Heater its inaugural blast (on the driveway as it’s not registered yet) to check it was ok.
Whacked it up to 10 on ‘heat immediately’ as it just cut out on level 0 …. Probably because that’s level er… zero. Anyway. After about 7 minutes I thought my eyes had misted up. Turns out there was a haze of smoke in the van. It wasn’t acrid and it definitely wasn’t diesel fumes, I could see a bit of it waft out when I opened the door. Guessing it maybe just because it had never been fired up before (?) didn’t seem quite so bad second time but I was getting hot by then. Will give it another try tomorrow but - anyone else experience this with their new Cali?


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[Perfectos]

I would run it starting on a fairly low setting,
When The heat comes through turn it up gradually to full heat for for half an hour. (Leave window / doors open so the thermostat doesn’t throttle it back)
getting the unit up-to full heat should clear any residue (after the ignition phase) which may be present in The combustion system From new,

Smoke from the exhaust is usually to do with the start up phase, there is a tiny air inlet jet, that allow a small amount of air/ fuel into the system at start up, the combustion chamber then gets going (when the small initial amount of fuel heats the pre combustion phase enough for full flow of fuel To be feed into the main combustion chamber.

usually smoke from the exhuast is s sign that the Jet is partially blocked due to poor early combustion (not running long enough) which Gums up the jet) causing smoking from the exhaust, which yours isn’t ?

assuming your issue is from the heat phase I would assume it’s just newness (oil / residue) from manufacturing.
I would imagine on a new unit it would clear after reaching temperature being allowed to run for a period of time 30 mins + (longer if possible)

For completeness here is a link to smoke from the exhaust

Smoke Problem with Espar, Webasto and Other Heaters

Usual causes of smoke and remedy of Espar, Webasto and other similar types heaters. Required heater service, maintenance and repairs.

generalcomponents.ca

could also be water vapour from combustion or fuel,
(doubt the later, unless VW are now watering down their Diesel

 

[Ch1pbutty]

It’s normal. Same as when you have a new exhaust fitted to a car. It’s just the factory protective coating burning off….just run it for an hour the smell will go away.

It does give off a slight smell externally when running normally.

 

[andyinluton]

Unless smoke/ fumes are being sucked in from outside via the dashboard vents, there shouldn’t be anything from combustion on the inside of the van.
All the air coming out of the night heater is just recirculated cabin air, sucked in from the drivers footwell & blown out of the B pillar.

 

[s2bear]

Thanks everyone. Will give it another shot tomorrow. Suspect it’s the ‘new thing’. Suspect it’s been sitting around for a few months.


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[Perfectos]

Unless smoke/ fumes are being sucked in from outside via the dashboard vents, there shouldn’t be anything from combustion on the inside of the van.
All the air coming out of the night heater is just recirculated cabin air, sucked in from the drivers footwell & blown out of the B pillar.

Agreed the combustion chamber is totally isolated from the air supply.
S2B said the smoke appeared after about 7 minutes, “it was definitely not diesel fumes, nor acrid”
so the only conclusion the smoke either;
A) came in from outside (another source, but not diesel fumes)? or
B) it came from the hot air system (fan or duct work) water or another contamination which would potentially evaporate within the system during the 7 minutes the system was running, thus venting through the B pillar vent?