12 V Diesel Heater Pelican — External Exhaust Kit, CO Alarm, Quick-Disconnect Fuel
Portable, sealed-combustion heat for tents/sheds/workspaces. Heater stays outside; warm air in through duct; exhaust and intake stay outside. Built to run from your DC bus.
Mission Profile
- Heater-in-a-case: 2 kW class diesel air heater mounted in a Pelican-style case.
- External exhaust & intake through stainless thru-hulls; airtight plate.
- Warm-air duct into tent/shed; heater unit remains outside.
- Quick-disconnect fuel to jerry can; CO alarm in occupied space.
- 12 V DC bus input with surge-safe wiring and proper fusing.
Startup draw 6–10 A; running draw ~1–2.5 A; fuel ~0.12–0.24 L/h (typical 2 kW heaters).
What You Need (at a glance)
Full BOM below; this is the gist.
2 kW 12 V diesel air heater Pelican 1500/1520 case Stainless exhaust + muffler Combustion intake hose + filter 75 mm warm-air duct ISO 7840 A1 fuel hose + CPC QD Fuse + DC breaker CO alarm (UL 2034)
Bill of Materials (with notes)
Core & Case
| Heater | 2 kW class 12 V diesel air heater (Webasto/Espar-type or equivalent) |
|---|---|
| Case | Pelican 1500/1520 (or similar) + aluminum or FRP base plate |
| Mount | Isolation grommets for heater base + rivnuts/M5 hardware |
| Heat shield | Stainless or aluminum shield between exhaust area and plastic wall |
Combustion & Exhaust
| Exhaust | Stainless flex exhaust (per heater size, e.g., 24–38 mm ID) + muffler + through-hull |
|---|---|
| Intake | Combustion air hose + intake silencer; separate, outside air pickup |
| Thru-hulls | 2× stainless thru-hull fittings (exhaust + intake), high-temp gasket |
Fuel & Power
| Fuel hose | Diesel-rated hose (ISO 7840/SAE J1527 Type A1), 5/16″ (8 mm) typical |
|---|---|
| Quick-disconnect | CPC NS4 (non-spill) or all-metal CPC valved QD (diesel compatible) |
| Primer + filter | Inline fuel filter + optional primer bulb |
| 12 V input | Anderson SB50 or XT60 panel + 30 A DC breaker + 25–30 A fuse at source |
| Wire | 12 AWG (≤3 m run) main feed; 14 AWG for auxiliaries; ferrules & heat-shrink |
| CO alarm | UL 2034-listed, battery backup; mount inside occupied tent/shed |
Use proper crimp lugs (no solder-tinned ends), torque per spec, and grommets on every pass-through.
Hazards & Safe-Mode Layout
- CO & fumes: Keep heater unit outside. Exhaust and combustion intake stay outside, pointed away from people/fabric. Place a CO alarm in the sleeping/working area.
- Heat: Exhaust is extremely hot; use stainless parts, heat shields, and keep clearances from plastic and fuel lines.
- Fuel: Only diesel-rated hose. Route away from hot exhaust. Secure every 50 cm to prevent abrasion.
- Electrical: Startup glow draw is 6–10 A; voltage sag causes faults. Use short, thick leads and fuse near the source.
- Ventilation: Provide makeup air so the heater isn’t starved. Never block the warm-air return path.
Assembly — Step by Step
- Mock-up & base plate. Remove case foam. Cut an aluminum/FRP base plate to sit on case ribs. Mark heater footprint, fuel pump location, and thru-hulls (exhaust & intake). Add isolation grommets under heater feet.
- Exhaust & intake penetrations. Drill holes on the case side for stainless thru-hulls (exhaust and intake). Install high-temp gasket and backing washers. Add a stainless heat shield panel on the interior wall near the exhaust run.
- Mount the heater. Bolt through the base plate with rivnuts/M5 hardware. Seal the combustion ports per your heater’s base gasket/plate so interior air cannot leak into combustion/exhaust paths.
- Route exhaust. From heater outlet → stainless flex → muffler → stainless thru-hull → pointing down/out. Keep low points drained; avoid sharp bends. Keep away from any plastic and fuel lines; add stand-offs or shields.
- Route combustion intake. From heater intake → hose → intake silencer → separate thru-hull facing away from exhaust. Fit a small screen to keep debris out.
- Warm-air side. Attach 75 mm warm-air duct to the heater outlet; mount a short collar on the case so you can quick-couple a duct run into your tent/shed. Provide a return-air opening (grille) on the case opposite the outlet.
- Fuel system. Mount metering pump at a shallow angle (per manual), elastically isolated. Use ISO 7840/SAE J1527 A1 hose from jerry can → filter → CPC quick-disconnect → pump → heater inlet. Keep hose away from exhaust; secure every ~50 cm.
- 12 V DC input. Install SB50/XT60 panel connector. Inside: 30 A DC breaker to the heater positive, negative to bus/chassis. At the battery/DC bus end, add a 25–30 A fuse within ~20 cm of the source. Use 12 AWG for main run (short as practical).
- Controls & CO alarm. Mount the heater controller on the case lid or side. Place a UL 2034 CO alarm in the tent/shed, eye level or per manufacturer, with test button accessible.
- Pre-flight checks. Leak-check fuel lines; verify polarity; check exhaust path is clear; ensure intake and outlet are not obstructed. Prime the fuel line using the controller.
- First fire. Power on (fans), then glow/start — watch current draw. Expect a few minutes to prime and light. Verify warm-air temperature and no fumes at the duct outlet.
- Field deployment. Heater case sits outside, sheltered. Duct warm air in through a port; leave a small gap for return air. Sandbag or stake the case in wind. Keep fuel can upright and downstream from exhaust direction.
Wiring & Plumbing Map
DC POWER (from 12 V bus) → [25–30 A FUSE @ source] → Cable → [30 A DC BREAKER @ case] → Heater +
DC negative → Heater − (post-shunt if you use a battery monitor)
FUEL: Jerry can → Filter → CPC Quick-Disconnect → Metering Pump → Heater Fuel In
COMBUSTION: Outside Air → Intake Silencer → Intake Thru-Hull → Heater
EXHAUST: Heater → Stainless Flex → Muffler → Exhaust Thru-Hull → Outside (down/away)
WARM AIR: Heater Outlet → 75 mm Duct → Tent/Shed
RETURN AIR: Tent/Shed → Case Return Grille → Heater Inlet (room air path)
Power & Fuel — Runtime Estimator
| Electrical runtime | — h |
|---|---|
| Fuel runtime | — h |
| Startup current guide | 6–10 A (size wiring to avoid sag) |
Heater throttles fuel/air at low power; fuel runtime usually limits you before battery.
Printable Diagram
Print this page: the diagram is vector and will scale cleanly.
Quick-Start (Field Card)
- Place heater case outside, exhaust away from people/tent. Sandbag it.
- Connect warm-air duct to tent port; leave a small return-air gap.
- Connect fuel (CPC QD), open jerry can vent. Check for leaks.
- Connect 12 V DC (polarity correct), breaker ON. CO alarm inside tent.
- Prime fuel (controller), start heater. First start may take time.
- Shut down: turn heater OFF and allow cool-down; then disconnect fuel/DC.
Sources & References
- Webasto Air Top 2000 STC install manuals (exhaust/intake outside; sealing base/plate; electrical specs). Manual (RV) · Manual (specs) · Spec page
- Eberspächer/Espar Airtronic D2 tech/install (exhaust/fuel routing, clearances; startup current behavior). Tech manual · Install manual · Service data
- CO safety & alarms: CDC CO basics · CPSC UL 2034 conformance · UL 2034 listing
- Fuel hose & QD hardware: ISO 7840 A1 fuel hose · Continental Type A1 · CPC NS4 non-spill · NS4 datasheet · All-metal CPC
- Exhaust hardware examples: Stainless flex exhaust