Frequently asked questions: Heating - General

What are the main advantages of heating with diesel?

Fuel autonomy: Diesel fuel is uniform worldwide and available 24/7, all year long. A very precise monitoring of fuel supplies is possible via the fuel-gauge.

Heating autonomy: Heating while driving is allowed worldwide. By supplying the heater with diesel out of the vehicle fuel tank, there is no need to search for fitting bottle connectors or hassle of exchanging gas bottles in foreign countries.

More space: Gas bottles in motorhome can be reduced as they do last longer anyway and all Webasto heaters can be mounted outside the vehicle. This leads to significantly more space inside the motorhome.

Less weight: In winter, more than 80% of LPG gas is needed only for interior heating. By using diesel operated heaters, the LPG gas bottles can be downsized to one single 5 kg bottle and up to 35 kg of additional load can be gained.

Can we sleep in peace with diesel heaters?

The technology of diesel heaters made big steps forward since the first heaters were introduced. Together with specially configured motorhome heaters, Webasto provides silent application kits whose various accessories eliminate all possible disturbances (i.e. exhaust silencer, ultra-silent pump, etc…), for your comfort and the comfort of your campground neighbor.

Is it necessary to equip Webasto heaters with a catalyzer?

No! Webasto heaters do not need a catalyzer thanks to the very effective burning process. The exhaust values of our heaters are already on a very low level within the legal requirements.

Can Webasto heaters be operated while driving?

Yes! Heating while driving is allowed worldwide for all our heaters! This way you can have a cozy and warm interior already when arriving at your holiday destination.

Do Webasto heaters work in high altitudes?

Yes! All Webasto heaters are tested and approved to work reliably up to 1,500m which is sufficient for most European mountains. The Air Top Evo and Dual Top Evo range even work up to 2.200m thanks to the integrated automatic altitude sensor. The Air Top 2000 ST is optionally equipped with an integrated switch for altitude operation of up to 2,200m.

For altitudes above 2,200m it is possible to adjust our heaters. Please contact your local Webasto dealer for further details.

Passing over the mountains while the heater is in operation, is not a problem for any of the Webasto heaters.

How can I make sure that the heater works in very cold regions?

All Webasto heaters are tested and approved to work in a temperature range from -30° to +40°C or more. The fuel used in very cold regions where temperatures can fall considerably under 0°C (arctic diesel or winter diesel) is automatically mixed with additives to prevent freezing of the fuel. Besides using this fuel, no special preparation of the heater is needed. Basically, if your vehicle can drive, your heater will run as well.

Can Webasto heaters be operated with biodiesel?

All Webasto heaters are tested and approved to work with the legally permitted biodiesel content. The usage of a higher content of biodiesel however will reduce the lifetime of the heater.

Do Webasto heaters need to be serviced? Is a regular technical inspection needed?

Generally no! Webasto heaters are maintenance-free and do not have to be inspected every two years. We only recommend operating the heater every two months for 10-15min. 

Can Webasto heaters be retrofitted?

Yes! Webasto offers retrofit kits for all heaters. The kits contain everything that is needed to get the heater running, only vehicle specific air ducting, mounting and fuel parts need to be added. Get in touch with our trained dealer network and ask for a bespoke quotation to retrofit a Webasto heater to your motorhome. Even if you are equipped with a LPG gas heating system it may be wise to have some redundant diesel heating system in order to heat quicker and with more power.

What is the use of an additional heater?

There are different possibilities when it comes to additional heaters:
Large (e.g. integrated) motorhomes usually loose the majority of heating energy through the windscreen. The big windscreens are not well isolated and condensation water concentrates in this area. Also if you turn drivers and passenger seat to the dinette you may feel cool air from the back.

In order to avoid both, the Thermo Top C Motorcaravan heats specifically the driving cab and reduces the condensation accumulations. It is mounted into the engine compartment and the air is distributed through the vehicles own fan system.

Also an additional air heater makes sense when your existing heating system is not sufficient enough or if you’d like to feel secure on holiday by not having to rely on your LPG gas supplies.  You can use the larger Webasto heaters to either heat the entire motorhome or you can use the Air Top 2000 ST when a bit more power in the front area is needed or to warm other parts which are not well reached by the existing main heater.

Can I install a Webasto heater myself?

The Webasto heaters need to be installed by an authorized dealer. Otherwise any warranty or liability for damages or repairs may be refused.

Where can Webasto heaters be mounted?

Webasto heaters are designed and validated to be mounted outside the vehicle, for more valuable space inside.

Air Top & Dual Top heaters can be mounted underfloor, into the doublefloor of the motorhome or inside the cabin. The Air Tops can even be tilted up to 90° if necessary.

Thermo Top C heaters are usually mounted into the engine compartment or under the motorhome.

Is a technical inspection of the motorhome necessary after the installation of a Webasto heater?

No! Thanks to the E1-approval, which is granted to all Webasto heaters, it is not necessary to make any technical inspection or registry in the motorhome registration documents.

How do Webasto heaters get supplied with fuel?

Each heater has an own fuel system with a dosing pump which takes the fuel directly and independently out of the vehicle fuel tank.

How much fuel does a Webasto heater need per hour?

Of course, the fuel consumption is strongly depending on the needed heating power and type of heater. As very rough and noncommittal proportion a heater needs 100ml diesel per hour and kW. For further details, please see the heater’s technical specifications.

Evidently, the heater is only using fuel when combustion is in process.

Does a Webasto heater empty the fuel tank when running?

No! The fuel connection of Webasto heaters uses the return pipe or a separate fuel tank extractor. The suction hose will not reach the fuel tank ground so that a reserve in the fuel tank is always secured.

How much electricity does a Webasto heater need per hour?

The electrical consumption is depending on the heating power needed and the type of heater. For further details, please see the heater’s technical specifications. The Air Top 2000 ST, for example, needs only 14 to 29W. To maintain the temperature once set point is reached, the electrical consumption is at the lower level. With these low electrical consumptions, you can sleep quietly and do not have to worry about your heating autonomy.

Does a Webasto heater empty the motorhome battery when running?

No! Webasto heaters are equipped with an under voltage protection and shut down before critical battery conditions, so that an engine start is still secured. Motorhome heaters are anyhow usually connected to a secondary battery and do not have any impact on the engine start.