Smoking auxiliary heater.

[Outanbout]

Hello everyone and we are after your combined help with an issue we have with our van heater.

We just spent our first night away in our 2020 T6 new to us van and on arrival last night decided that as it was a bit chilly, well more than a bit, we would turn the heater on.
Turned it on via the control unit and heard the fan start up followed by a flow of air from the vent.
After a couple of minutes we noticed a lot of blue smoke swirling around the outside of the vehicle. Very worrying for sure, so quickly turned the heater off.
Thankfully, the smoke stopped.:
Obviously this is not normal, so we would really appreciate your thoughts on what is the cause.
Could it be that if heater has not been used before we purchased the van, this Is what it does and will take a while to settle down, or?

Thank you for reading this post.

Chris.

 

[steve_b]

My recollection is that it is alarming and not that unusual when not been used for a while.. only does it for a couple of minutes but can freak out passers by. my t5 does it, you are supposed to run them for an hour a month but not sure where that info came from.

 

[WelshGas]

My recollection is that it is alarming and not that unusual when not been used for a while.. only does it for a couple of minutes but can freak out passers by. my t5 does it, you are supposed to run them for an hour a month but not sure where that info came from.

Eberspacher says the heater should be run for an hour monthly. VW - silence.

 

[WelshGas]

Hello everyone and we are after your combined help with an issue we have with our van heater.

We just spent our first night away in our 2020 T6 new to us van and on arrival last night decided that as it was a bit chilly, well more than a bit, we would turn the heater on.
Turned it on via the control unit and heard the fan start up followed by a flow of air from the vent.
After a couple of minutes we noticed a lot of blue smoke swirling around the outside of the vehicle. Very worrying for sure, so quickly turned the heater off.
Thankfully, the smoke stopped.:
Obviously this is not normal, so we would really appreciate your thoughts on what is the cause.
Could it be that if heater has not been used before we purchased the van, this Is what it does and will take a while to settle down, or?

Thank you for reading this post.

Chris.

Not unusual if not used for a while. When used it should be run for an hour or so to get upto temperature, and adjust the Control panel temperature level, not On/Off repeatedly.

 

[Outanbout]

Thank you for those quick replies, very much appreciated.
When feeling a little more brave will give a go but stand well back.

It certainly was alarming, not just for us, but also for other campers near by.

Thanks again.

Chris.

 

[Perfectos]

Thank you for those quick replies, very much appreciated.
When feeling a little more brave will give a go but stand well back.

It certainly was alarming, not just for us, but also for other campers near by.

Thanks again.

Chris.

Hi Outanabout,

The combustion chamber is like a tube with a fan attached , it can become gummed up by Diesel deposits, which consequently smoke (white smoke) until the glow plug and combustion chamber reaches a high temperature at which point the chamber becomes self cleaning to an extent.
Hence the advice from WG To run the heater periodically.

have a look at this Vids, it will give you a good understanding of how a diesel heater works and possible causes of smoking.

edit: The heater can be used when driving ( not just stationary) the smoke will become less apparent while driving and therefore less of a worry to others!

 

[Outanbout]

Sorry not to have replied sooner and thank you all for the replies.

Did as suggested and became brave and switched the aux heater on the next evening.
Initially quite a bit of smoke, but only lasted 30 seconds or so before clearing and giving a nice toasty warm van.

Thanks again for you involvement.

Chris.

 

[AlisonF]

Glad it’s working ok.