[dazmond]

id stick with webasto...they are far more reliable...id be seriously wanting my money back if i had your problems dean....you shouldnt be having these problems mate....

it should be working and be reliable day after day for a few years at least

i hope you get it sorted!what a ball ache for you esp in this cold weather!

[Spruce]

Thanks all for the info specially spruce

Answers to many questions below

What make of diesel heater is it then? It’s a Russian make which name I can’t make out on the warrant card supplied with the hotbox heater, all the info is English just the name of company is Russian

Are you plugging the return valves back into your tank between jobs? I don’t do this between jobs only on the way to the first

Do you fire it up first thing in the morning before driving to your first job? Yes on timer

What battery bank are you using?(you need at least 2 x105ah batteries in tandem) Yes

Are you charging them up every night? Yes

Do you have a split charge relay
 fitted too? Yes

Also why is it shutting down during the day?
System has been shutting down due to code
25 appearing  on digital pane. The info below is what was sent to me by supplier when code first appeared

technical has provided me with the following in regards to the error code you are seeing.
Code 25 = The coolant is being heated up too quickly.
The cause of this is due to the pre-heater goes into the cooling down mode three times in one cycle in less than 6 months.
The method of repair for this are the following: Check the entire liquid circuit for air blocks, Check the pump, Check the overheating sensor and the temperature sensor, Check the antifreeze for suitability at current ambient temperatures.

After they had this info they removed hotbox from van to fix in there yard, they replaced coolant  pump , digital panel and flushed header tank / radiator ( I think I’m saying that right) , and sent heater to supplier which was diagnosed as ok and sent for re fit. After re fit was all working in yard aswell as for me on glass  for 4 days 36c from reel then code 25 appeared again shutting down system. Iv not used it since.

Wish I’d looked at getting the 9kw but didn’t even give it a thought as I’m a one man band, might get them to fit the 9kw and pay the extra if the faulty hotbox needs replacing altogether?

Thanks

There is no way that this size of heater will heat up the water too quickly. It either sounds like a faulty temperature sensor or a water pump issue. When I say water pump issue, this could also mean the controllers on the PC board as well as cabling and connectors to the water pump.

I have often wondered when suppliers would be tempted to cut costs and fit Chinese and/or Russian manufactured diesel heaters.

[dazmond]

had an absolute nightmare with my Genie hot box from The cleaning warehouse. Just had them remove it a few weeks back  as it kept shutting down during the day and was running at 22c (from reel not brush head)  between shut downs, had it back a week running at 36c (from reel not brush head) and now it’s shutting down again and running at 22c.
Back on the phone with them today asking what are they going to do next about it and there getting back to me after speaking to the boss. Already lost 2days work for the removal and re fit and £100 in diesel getting there and back as it’s 6 hours each way. What would you guys expect from them now if you was in my position??

I would say they have been more then helpful with trying to rectify the issue but I’m  back to square one now after today

 What does your guys water come out at from reel as I don’t think mine has ever got to the optimal temp

Thanks

Mine is around 65-70c after it's gone through 100m of hose(coiled on my reel)so very hot..too hot to put my hand under it for long....less when off the reel...esp in cold weather...in summer it can still be at 60c at brush head even with most of my hose off the reel...

[Dean champion]

Iv decided that if my  hotbox 5kw needs replacing all together I will upgrade to the 9kw but yet to hear back from them

Thanks for info and advice

[JandS]

Couldn't they configure these heaters so if the heater malfunctions you can quickly bypass the heater and clean with cold?

[Splash & dash]

Couldn't they configure these heaters so if the heater malfunctions you can quickly bypass the heater and clean with cold?

You can run it with the boiler off and use cold water if you want to .

[Smudger]

How long have you had it?

if your going for a full refund (seeing as you have now let them repair it) I think it has to be less than 3 months old to be classed as not fit for purpose - if you used a credit card to pay pass it over to them to get the money back

Darran

[Spruce]

Iv decided that if my  hotbox 5kw needs replacing all together I will upgrade to the 9kw but yet to hear back from them

Thanks for info and advice

The Chinese also make a copy of the Webasto Thermo 90 ST. I see a Russian manufacturer Autoterm  do a 5kw and a 14kw. 14kw is far too big for our application.

Personally, I believe as a single operator you still need a 2 man system. This is so you can connect the second unit back up to your tank. With a controller set low you can just bleed enough heat back to your tank so your heater doesn't switch off.

[dazmond]

Any news Dean?

It would be great if you could get your money back and get grippatank or pure freedom to fit you a proper webasto thermo pro 90 instead of the cheap chinese/russian rubbish.....

Webasto are expensive but you get what you pay for..they are a quality ,reliable heater....

[dd]

Looking at the Cleaning Warehouse website their hotbox is only £300 cheaper than a webasto from Grippa, so not really a cheap option (£3000 as opposed to £3302),price does not include fitting.

[Dean champion]

No news from them yet

But today I took this info from Dazmond -:

Are you plugging the return valves back into your tank between jobs? I don’t do this between jobs only on the way to the first.

So started doing the info above today and the system has been working for a full day with no codes/shutting down. Iv just keep the hotbox continually running  ( as spruce advice which they like to do ) either on the glass or back to tank between jobs. So the hotbox don’t have to keep cooling down then heating up which it obviously don’t like, wish I was advised of this on fitting. This also helps with warming the water in tank to feed to hotbox which helps with getting the water temperature up at brush head, I was expecting more ( as in temp ) from this one man heater so every little helps. Would advise any one to get the 2 manner.

Always used the cleaning warehouse for all my gear which been happy with  so went with them for hotbox not really looking at price but I wasn’t expecting a Russian heater. Should of done a bit more homework on it.

Yes spruce the manufacturer of heater is  Autoterm found ther web address last night for them amongst all the Russian on warrent card.

Now I’m after more advice from you guys   

For cold nights, Does anyone put pump on low flow say 25,  with batteries on charge. Then  set timer on  hotbox to start up early morning around 5am for a few hours before starting work to warm up water in tank to feed help with reaching higher temps at brush head through the day ?? How long do you think it would have to run to warm a 600 litre tank  ??

[dazmond]

Good stuff mate....yes it's imperative you plug back into your tank within 2 mins(to avoid heater shutting down)in between jobs and leave it plugged in at lunchtime too with your engine running to keep your water hot....

First thing in the morning before you leave for work...

1.start your van

2.fire up your heater with engine running

3.leave your heater running all day plugging into tank when not cleaning

[dazmond]

As for overnight heating if you don't have frost stat just put an oil filled radiator in the back on freezing nights...

Charge your batteries up EVERY NIGHT ALL YEAR ROUND with a decent charger like a ctek or numax commercial charger

[dazmond]

Dean your water will be hotter in the warmer months...

Have you checked the temperature of your water after 15 mins of firing up your heater?(coiled hose temperature)

Is it luke warm?or too hot to put your hand under it?

On a cold day you ll lose heat the more hose you have off your reel...which is just as well as you d be cracking glass if it was red hot at your brush end

[Spruce]

No news from them yet

But today I took this info from Dazmond -:

Are you plugging the return valves back into your tank between jobs? I don’t do this between jobs only on the way to the first.

So started doing the info above today and the system has been working for a full day with no codes/shutting down. Iv just keep the hotbox continually running  ( as spruce advice which they like to do ) either on the glass or back to tank between jobs. So the hotbox don’t have to keep cooling down then heating up which it obviously don’t like, wish I was advised of this on fitting. This also helps with warming the water in tank to feed to hotbox which helps with getting the water temperature up at brush head, I was expecting more ( as in temp ) from this one man heater so every little helps. Would advise any one to get the 2 manner.

Always used the cleaning warehouse for all my gear which been happy with  so went with them for hotbox not really looking at price but I wasn’t expecting a Russian heater. Should of done a bit more homework on it.

Yes spruce the manufacturer of heater is  Autoterm found ther web address last night for them amongst all the Russian on warrent card.

Now I’m after more advice from you guys   

For cold nights, Does anyone put pump on low flow say 25,  with batteries on charge. Then  set timer on  hotbox to start up early morning around 5am for a few hours before starting work to warm up water in tank to feed help with reaching higher temps at brush head through the day ?? How long do you think it would have to run to warm a 600 litre tank  ??

The trouble is that most suppliers of any equipment don't always have hands-on experience with the stuff they are selling. I seem to think that Alex Gardiner was the only supplier who still maintained a small window cleaning round that he used to test new equipment. I'm not sure if he still does that now. If he does, then I just don't know where he finds the time.

I have my own version of a froststat. I have a 12v digital temperature controller with a heating mode. The temperature sensor is fitted to the bulkhead connector out to my pump. When the temperature inside the heater drops to 3 degrees C the digital controller switches the heater on. I have set my controller to switch off at 9 degrees. I don't circulate any hot water through my hose reel and back to the tank.

At 9 degrees C when the controller switches the heater off, the internal hot water circuit is at around 75 degrees C. I have found that the heater casing does get a little warm, which does keep the temperature in the van above freezing where we live on the North East coast. It might not be the same inland, where temperatures drop much lower.

The important thing is to keep your diesel heater from freezing up. You will have antifreeze in the internal water circuit so that won't be the problem, but you will have pure water in the other side of the heat exchanger which will freeze. Plate to plate heat exchangers aren't cheap.

https://www.butlertechnik.com/webasto-motor-home-plate-heat-exchanger-with-mixer-valve-4111209a-p1516

I just use my system to bleed heat out of the system automatically. But tbh, the amount of hot water going to the tank doesn't make much difference to the water temperature in the tank. Personally, I would rather not heat the water in the tank specifically,  as I see that as wasted energy. It costs enough to run a diesel heater just heating the water I am using to clean windows with.

But this is my opinion. There is/was a cleaner in Andover who used a 5kw diesel heater to only heat the water in his tank and then pumped that warm water to his brush head. He had a couple of videos on YouTube showing his setup, but I couldn't find them last time I searched.

[P @ F]

I’m not dead , still very much alive !
I decided not to produce in the end due to supply issues through Covid.

I have redesigned now , not due to problems , just a simplified layout which has given me hotter water to boot .
It’s now horizontal and much shorter which is a bonus , only needs one 105 amp battery and runs on half a litre per hour 

The copper coils have fared extremely well  , as Spruce pointed out it was a concern to begin with if they would last or not , I have only just last weekend had the first customers unit back to replace his coil , it didn’t fail , he neglected to refit the flow sensor whilst doing some maintenance, the result was a super heated coil that went pop when he forgot to turn his water pump on , the flow sensor would have prevented the heater firing up but it wasn’t there was it John 

I think mine has been in service for 3 years now and all it’s had replaced is a glow plug at £11 a fuel pump at £15 so not too bad !

[Spruce]

I’m not dead , still very much alive !
I decided not to produce in the end due to supply issues through Covid.

I have redesigned now , not due to problems , just a simplified layout which has given me hotter water to boot .
It’s now horizontal and much shorter which is a bonus , only needs one 105 amp battery and runs on half a litre per hour 

The copper coils have fared extremely well  , as Spruce pointed out it was a concern to begin with if they would last or not , I have only just last weekend had the first customers unit back to replace his coil , it didn’t fail , he neglected to refit the flow sensor whilst doing some maintenance, the result was a super heated coil that went pop when he forgot to turn his water pump on , the flow sensor would have prevented the heater firing up but it wasn’t there was it John 

I think mine has been in service for 3 years now and all it’s had replaced is a glow plug at £11 a fuel pump at £15 so not too bad !

Hi Richie, I'm glad you are still around. Nice to see you.