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Webasto SmarTemp 3.0 Controller Overview Video
In this short video we take a look at the SmarTemp 3.0 Digital Controller for Webasto air heaters. This controller replaces the older 2.0 version of the SmarTemp and was released in 2022. The 3.0 adds Bluetooth connectivity that can be paired with a free Android or iOS app. You may also be interested in our Webasto Air Top 2000 STC vs. EVO 40 comparison video. Or our Webasto heater installation tips & tricks video.
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Video: Tetravan Shower Overview and Unboxing
One of the biggest questions in camper van design is whether or not to install a shower inside your van. Some people simply can’t live without an inside shower, while others are perfectly happy showering outside, at the gym or at campgrounds. The biggest issue with installing a shower inside your camper van is the amount of space it takes up. Another issue is that having a shower inside your van can also limit your floor plan and make it feel cramped or claustrophobic. On the flip side, the problem with NOT having a shower inside the van is that it can be inconvenient to take outdoor showers when in the city or when it’s cold outside. It can also sometimes be a hassle to find a gym or campground nearby that you can take a shower at. The best “compromise” solution we have found is the Tetravan Shower System which is a collapsible shower that folds away when not in use. It provides all the benefits of having a shower inside your van without any of the space and floor plan limitations usually associated with an interior shower. In addition to the shower itself, a really well made folding shower curtain that works seamlessly with the shower is also available. Vanlife Outfitters has been selling the Tetravan shower for quite some time and our customers have been very happy with the product – so much so that we are installing this into one of our demo vans. In this video, we go over the product benefits and how it works. We also plan to do a video on how it’s installed at some point in the near future.
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Webasto Air Top 2000 vs. EVO 40 Comparison
In this short video we compare the two most popular Webasto gasoline heaters for camper vans and RVs: the Air Top 2000 STC and the Air Top EVO 40. We sell both of these in our store! You might also be interested in our Deep Dive on Altitude Adjustments and More with Senior Webasto video.
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Camper Van Insulation - Thinsulate vs. Wool
Odd as it sounds, what to use for insulating your van has become known for being one of the more controversial vanlife topics in the community. Perhaps second only to the great indoor shower (or no shower) debate. Insulation is a hot topic for good reason. It’s important to have good insulation because it helps to prevent heat from rising inside the camper van during hotter months and prevents heat from escaping during cooler months and quiets the ride. Choosing what type of insulation is also one of the first (of hundreds) of decisions to make when planning your van build. There are numerous vanlife insulation options for custom van builds and van conversions, as well as various methods for installing them. When choosing the right type of insulation for your van, it is important to understand the differences and compare van insulation options. The insulation you choose will become the core foundation for the climate and noise control of your van. There are several different types of insulation options to choose from. They range from fiberglass insulation, spray foam, polyiso board, Thinsulate, wool, mineral wool and even recycled denim! In this blog post, we will discuss two of the most popular types of insulation that most vanlifers and professional van builders use in their van builds. Thinsulate insulation is made from a type of insulating synthetic fiber, and it’s a thermal type of insulation. It is manufactured by 3M, a company who has been in business for over 100 years and has an excellent reputation. Thinsulate has undergone rigorous testing, studies and quality control. Thinsulate has an excellent name brand, is often used in thermal clothing and was once marketed as a more cost-effective option to down material. Most of the puffy jackets and sleeping bags that professional mountaineers use are made with Thinsulate or a similar synthetic material. The word Thinsulate describes the type of material, as it is thin and insulate. Thinsulate is considered superior to wool insulation for a few reasons. Thinsulate is hydrophobic which means it doesn’t absorb moisture and it repels it. It’s also non-toxic and easy to install. Most people install Thinsulate with 3M 90 spray adhesive, but, like many things these days it’s in short supply and hard to find (this post was written in mid-2021). We reached out to our 3M rep and asked what alternatives might work. He said that 3M 76, 77, or 78 spray adhesives might work but may be a little slower to dry. Also, double sided tape is often used and in automotive applications, hot melt glue is used. Another suggestion was to source 3M 90 adhesive in cans, buckets or tubs from places like Grainger. This could be easier to find and potentially less expensive as well if you’re insulating your entire van but you would need a sprayer. Then there is wool. Most wool insulation options are known to absorb some moisture, and if (when?) it does it looses some of it’s insulating capacity. Wool is often treated with boric acid, a type of insect repellent. Most manufacturers disclose that wool insulation must be treated with this additive to reduce flammability and repel insects. However, this additive is considered to be poisonous if it is to be ingested and it can also cause irritations to the body, more specifically the nose, throat, eyes and skin. If you decide to install this type of insulation, it is important to wear protective gear and follow recommended procedures from the manufacturer. Also, since wool comes from a sheep…it smells like a barnyard. That smell eventually goes away but not for several months up to a year. I personally can’t stand the smell. Thinsulate is odorless. And for those who are concerned, wool is not a vegan product and is not cruelty free. In some cases, during the production and processes of obtaining wool, sheep are not always treated well. In the wild, sheep know how to take care of their wool, such as growing enough for winter months and shedding unnecessary excess wool during the summer months. However, in captivity, sheep are being bred to constantly produce more and more wool. This is making them much more susceptible to overheating or heatstroke and is the reason why sheep are needing to be sheared more often. Some sheep are being sheared carelessly and this is leading to wounds, pain and avoidable injuries. All sheep are eventually killed when their production decreases or if they become too old or sick. Finally, wool insulation is a little more difficult to install and requires either holding the material up with tape/string or partially installing your walls and stuffing the material inside. Now that you understand what each product is and how it’s manufactured or harvested and installed, let’s discuss the insulative properties of each and the costs associated with both. R-Value Thinsulate SM600L comes in 1.6” thickness and has an R-value of 3.25 per inch. The total R-value of the 1.6” material is 5.2 (3.25 x 1.6”). If you wanted to double up the Thinsulate, you’re R-value would be 10.4, however we feel that one layer of Thinsulate combined with a radiant barrier (Low-E) and air gaps is more than enough insulation Most wool for vans comes in 2” thickness and has an R-value of 3.5 per inch. The major US supplier of Wool insulation sells it in 2” batts and therefore it has an overall R value of 7 (3.5 x 2”). Cost 300 feet of Thinsulate from Vanlife Outfitters is approximately $500 with shipping. 300 feet of wool from the major US wool supplier is approximately $500 with shipping. Final Verdict We recommend Thinsulate over wool for it’s superior moisture management, ease of installation, non-toxic properties and the fact that animals aren’t mistreated in its production.
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Webasto Heater Tech Talk Interview Video
Want to spend an hour nerding out about Webasto heaters with a Webasto tech – like the guy who actually trains certified installers and knows these things inside and out? Well, you’re at the right place! We talk maintenance, high altitude adjustments, altitude limits for the Air Top 2000 STC heaters and how it compares to the bigger EVO40, differences between gasoline and diesel version, how to make your heater last for 10,000+ hours instead of only 70 hours and tons more. While you’re here, you might be interested in our Webasto Air Top 2000 installation post or checking out all the Webasto products we sell in our store!
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Using a Marine Isotemp 20L Water Heater in Camper Van Conversion
This post details using an marine-style water heater in a camper van conversion. These are small, tank-based water heaters which are connected to the engine coolant lines so that water is heated “automagically” while you’re driving and have an electric heating element as a “backup” for when you’re not driving. Update! We now sell this water heater in our store – either stand alone or with a full installation kit for a Promaster van that includes all the parts and pieces you need plus a detailed installation guide and video. We also sell the Slim versions of the Isotemp water heaters which, as you might guess, are a little slimmer (but longer) and the Square version which is, um, square-ish. They all work the same and the installation is pretty much the same – just different shapes and tank capacities. But, First Some Background In my first Promaster build, I used this on-demand, propane fired water heater. It was installed underneath the refrigerator just behind the main galley area on the driver side of the van. It worked very well but had some drawbacks. On-demand water heaters are triggered to turn “on” when there is adequate flow. So, when you turn on a hot water tap the unit should “sense” this flow of water, fire up, and begin heating water up to the desired temperature (there were three temperature settings on that unit). The problem with this is that you need to turn the water “on” quite a bit – or have a lot of “flow” – in order for it to trigger. In many cases, you just want a little bit of hot water in order to be conservative and maximize the water you have in your tank. For instance, if you’re washing dishes, you don’t need “full flow” just to rinse the dishes. In this type of situation you’d have to use more flow/more water than necessary with an on-demand water heater just to “trigger” the unit to fire up and therefore you basically “waste” water. The other thing I didn’t like is that this “sensing” takes about two seconds. So, you turn on a tap at a high enough flow to trigger the unit and then it takes about two seconds of water flowing (strongly) before it turns on. While this seems minor, it does take a toll on water conservation efforts. Also, if you turn off the water – perhaps while showering to save water (between soaping and rinsing for example) – this startup delay results in cold water flowing in-between these on/off cycles which really isn’t ideal in that situation. I think these on-demand style water heaters are better suited for larger RVs where you have much larger water tanks and hot water demands. It would also be very nice if you spent a lot of time in campgrounds/RV parks where you were connected to a “city water” connection and sewer connection. In that context, the lag in getting the hot water and need for higher flow wouldn’t be an issue and the strength of the on-demand unit – which is continuous/virtually unlimited hot water supply – would be a real benefit with long showers and so forth. We do NOT recommend installing the Isotemp units outside of the vehicle and it would, unfortunately, void the warranty. They are designed to be inside a boat/RV and can be damaged under the van – even with the protection you’re proposing. For winterizing the Isotemp, you really only need a shut-off valve on the cold water supply going into the unit. If you close that and drain the tank with the built-in pressure release/empty valve, that would be enough for winterizing. You could also turn off the coolant line loop valves (shown in green above) for winter but that isn’t necessary since the coolant can still flow through this additional loop – even when the water tank is empty inside the Isotemp. The Upgrade: Isotemp SPA 20L Water Heater After much research, I decided to install an Isotemp SPA 20L in my latest build. This is a 5.3 gallon capacity unit. It’s connected to the Promaster engine coolant lines with one hose supplying the heated coolant and another returning the it back to the engine. In addition, there is a 750 watt (115 volt) electric heating element that can heat the water if you’re not running the engine from an inverter or shore power. When driving, the water heater will heat the water in the tank to 190 degrees or more (up to 160 degrees when using the electric element) which is much hotter than average shower temperatures (110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit). But, here’s the clever part! The water heater employs a “cold water mixing valve” that allows you to dial in the desired output temperature and works by mixing in unheated water from the cold water supply line. This system vastly increases the actual usable volume of hot water and reduces recovery time. Also, the combination of heating the water to such high temperatures and a very well insulated tank keeps the water in the tank plenty hot for hours after driving. In fact, in my initial testing, the water will stay hot enough to use for up to 12 hours in the warm Florida weather. All of this means that, as long as I’m driving reasonably often, I should only need the electric heating element to raise the “already somewhat warm or hot” water temp up to maximum temperature when stationary. Another benefit of the tank-based water heater (compared to an on-demand option) is that I effectively gain another 5.3 gallons of fresh water since, whenever the water pump is turned on, it keeps the water heater’s tank full as part of pressurizing the system. So, this extends my water capacity from the 33 gallons in the fresh water tank to over 38 gallons. What You’ll Need We sell the water heater with an optional complete installation kit with all the parts you need. Note: RAM sells a “rear heater connection kit” that has some of these parts. But I understand it is expensive and you can just purchase equivalent parts. These are the parts I used on a 2017 RAM Promaster, 159″ WB. If you’re installing into another type of vehicle/van, you’ll likely need other things! 50′ Gates 5/8″ Heater Hose (Safety Stripe 28411). This hose was used for the coolant lines from the engine to the water heater and back. 2x Brass Barb Reducing Tee – 3/4″ x 3/4″ x 5/8″. I used two of these right where I cut into the Promaster’s existing 3/4″ coolant line. So, the two 3/4″ sides reconnect the “cut” in the existing coolant line and add a 5/8″ connection point for the coolant to flow to the water heater and then return to the engine coolant flow. 2x 5/8″ Barb Ball Valves. I used two of these ball valves – one the coolant line that supplies the water heater and the other on the return line. This allows me to completely turn off the coolant flow to the water heater if necessary. 2x Brass 5/8″ Barb to 1/2″ Female NPT FNPT Fittings. I used two of these fittings to connect the 5/8″ coolant hoses to the inlet and outlet of the water heater itself which has 1/2″ threaded connections. Loctite 592, High Temperature Thread Sealant. I used this high-temperature thread sealant on the threaded coolant hose connections to the water heater. 5/8″ Brass Elbow. I ended up only needing one of these – you’ll see it in the illustrations/photos below. The rest of the hose bends were gentle enough curves that the elbows were not necessary. My feeling was the fewer connections the better. Mopar Coolant. You’ll need to add this specific RAM-approved coolant because of the additional length of coolant lines. Permatex 81160 High-Temp Red RTV Silicone. After drilling holes in the van floor for the coolant lines to come up through, I glued in 3/4″ PVC union fittings so that there was a durable, smooth surface for the hose to enter the van through and to protect the hose from any damage. I used this high-temp silicone to seal the gaps. Heat shrink hose clamps (Gates PowerGrip 32925). These are very effective alternatives to standard stainless steal clamps. These are for the 3/4″ and 5/8″ coolant lines that connect to barb fittings. These are often used on high-end race cars and auto restoration and, according to the Gates website they are “engineered with a heat shrinkable tube material that secures hoses more tightly and effectively than traditional metal clamps. The wide clamp construction eliminates damage caused by over-tightening, with a thermoplastic material that’s proven to perform in even the harshest of automotive and heavy duty cooling system applications.” 3x 1/2″ PEX Female Thread Swivel Adapter. I used two of these for connecting the fresh water supply and hot water outlet (using adapter fitting below) to my PEX plumbing. The third one was used for the overflow outlet, but see the notes under Water Lines below for more info about the overflow connection. 1/2″ PEX Tubing. I used white-colored PEX wherever I could for my fresh water plumbing and color-coded the hot water supply lines with red electrical tape. Extra coolant to add to the system – Mopar part number 68163848AB. You might be interested in my post about all the products I used for my build here. Installation To be honest, I was a bit daunted by the installation. I had never cut into coolant lines or done anything with the actual van/engine. But, like most times, the internet came through and I cobbled together the information I needed to tackle the job. I’m writing this post because I didn’t find anything comprehensive – mostly bits of information from various sources that I had to piece together. The first step was to cut into the van’s heater lines near where they go into the “firewall”. If you open up the hood, you’ll see these hoses just to the left of the coolant reservoir. I’ve circled the area in in the photo below. You need to cut both of these. One hose will branch off to supply the water heater with coolant and the other will be the return line. This is a messy process so be prepared for a fair amount of coolant to come out of these hoses. After cutting into the lines, I used the two Brass Barb Reducing Tees (3/4″ x 3/4″ x 5/8″). The two 3/4″ sides of this tee were used to repair the existing 3/4″ coolant line. Then I used a short piece of the 5/8″ heater hose to connect the 5/8″ ball valves onto the remaining 5/8″ side of this tee. These ball valves allow me to completely turn off the coolant flow to and from the water heater which effectively returns the coolant system to the standard, factory design. Next, I ran the 5/8″ heater hose from the output of these ball valves down to the bottom of the engine compartment and all along the driver side of the van to the water heater’s location and eventually up into the van itself. The hose is clamped to the van in many places during this run so that it’s secure. Where the hoses enter the van, I drilled holes through the van floor and glued in 3/4″ PVC “union” fittings. This provides a durable and smooth surface so that the hose is not damaged. Keep in mind that these hoses get VERY hot so be sure to keep them away from anything flammable or that might be damaged by this heat when routing them from the engine compartment to the water heater location. Once inside the van, I used the two Brass 5/8″ Barb to 1/2″ Female NPT FNPT Fittings and the 5/8″ Brass Elbow to connect the coolant lines to the inlet and outlet of the water heater and sealed the gaps with the Permatex 81160 High-Temp Red RTV Silicone. It’s recommended that you use Loctite 592, High Temperature Thread Sealant on the threaded connections. I used the Gates PowerGrip hose clamps on all the 3/4″ and 5/8″ heater hose that connect to barb fittings. In my van, the water heater is located behind a drawer underneath the refrigerator which is just behind the galley area and just front of the bed loft. It’s installed directly onto the subfloor and comes with brackets to mount it to the floor. I used most (about 35′ of the 50′) of heater hose. Coolant Connections Under the Hood of the Promaster Coolant Hose Runs from Engine to Water Heater System Illustration from Manual Testing and Adding Coolant After all the coolant lines were finished up I called the manufacturer to ask if I could run coolant through the unit before there was any water in the tank since, at this point, none of my water lines were in place. They told me that was fine so it was time to test! I made a note of how much coolant was in the reservoir and started up the engine knowing that, with the new 35′ of hose, I’d have to both add some coolant and somehow purge any air that got into the system. When the engine was running, but before the coolant had heated up significantly, I wrapped the area around what I’m calling the “air bleeding valve” with a rag (see this in the illustration above) and “opened” this valve by turning the cap on the top of this mechanism counter-clockwise. As expected, some air and coolant sort of gurgled out. I discovered that it took quite a while for the coolant to make it all the way through the newly added hoses and that it only did so when I started driving slowly. So, I would drive for about two minutes and then let the engine (and coolant) cool down and then check the coolant level in the reservoir and refill as necessary. I also used the “air bleeding valve” a few more times and, each time, less air came out until there was only coolant. I repeated this several times and eventually, I could “feel” the coolant running through the entire length of the newly installed hoses and at the fittings entering and existing the water heater. I ended up adding most of the gallon of coolant that I ordered. Water Lines It took several more weeks of the build process to get around to the actual water lines. I used white 1/2″ PEX for nearly all my fresh water plumbing and color-coded the hot water lines with red electrical tape. You can check out a detailed diagram of my plumbing system here. My goal was to limit the length of the hot water plumbing to the fixtures (sink and show) so that they were as short as possible thus minimizing the time (and water “waste”) it takes for hot water to arrive at the fixtures. The location of the water heater in my build is extremely close to the galley sink I can get hot water at the sink in about two seconds! The shower takes just a few more seconds. The water connections are very straightforward. I used a 1/2″ PEX Female Thread Swivel Adapter on both the fresh water supply and hot water outlet along with standard PEX tubing and connectors to route the hot water lines to the galley faucet and shower mixing valve. As I wrote above in the parts list, all the threaded connections are 1/2″ NPT male except the hot water outlet which is BSP (British Standard Pipe) thread. Note that Isotherm recommends that you use a “single handle” type faucet for effective mixing of hot and cold water. I used this faucet in the galley and this mixing valve in the shower. Update 12/2021 There was some confusion about the BSP threading on the hot water outlet. I wrote to our rep at Indel/Webasto and here’s what I heard back to clear this up. All of the fittings coming off of the water heater should be NPT thread which is used here in the U.S. The mixing valve (hot water outlet), is the one item that is not a standard NPT threaded part and for this reason at the manufacturing level we put on an adaptor. Some product manuals have dated information or some are almost flatly translated from Italian into English or other languages. For that reason we lose the important information that in the U.S. we use NPT and in Europe and elsewhere they use BST. This should be reflected in the corresponding manuals. Everything shipped to the U.S. should have all U.S./NPT fittings coming off of the tank. You’ll also need to connect the built-in pressure relief valve on the water heater to a drain on the exterior of the van. In my installation, I simply used another 1/2″ PEX Female Thread Swivel Adapter and a short length of PEX hose that goes through the van floor. This allows any release of water from the valve (to relive pressure) to run onto the ground. This valve can also be opened manually to drain the tank for winterizing or repairs. Update 4/2025 Some customers have trouble getting a 1/2″ NPT female fitting to seat well on the overflow aka pressure relief valve. According to IsoTemp, this valve is actually 1/2″ tapered BSP, and it is quite difficult to find a fitting that seats well on the shallow overflow valve threads. IsoTemp suggests a simple workaround by clamping braided tubing to the overflow valve instead. Once all the water lines are installed you can let the unit heat up water and adjust the “mixing valve” so that the output temperature is at your preferred temperature. Electrical Connections The electric heating element draws around 750 watts at 115 volts AC. So, you must have either an inverter or shore power to use the electric heating option. The Isotemp unit comes with a standard AC power plug. I wired this switch into the circuit that the water heater is plugged into so that I can leave it plugged in and control it with the switch which has a red LED indicator light when in the “on” position. I wanted this indicator light because I don’t want to leave the unit on unless it’s necessary since it draws a significant amount of power. I positioned this switch just behind the driver’s seat (near the galley) so I can turn it off when driving. I knew that I would forget to turn it off sometimes and want to do so when underway! How It Works I am super happy with this water heater! Since I tend to move a lot/drive a lot, it’s awesome to have essentially “free” hot water. I find that the water in the tank stays plenty warm for long periods of time including overnight most of the time. So, I rarely have to use the electric heating element which is great because it’s a pretty significant 750 watt draw on the inverter when turned on. One thing to be aware of is that, after you heat the water with the engine coolant, if you turn on the electric heating it can sometimes “trip” a built in “high limit thermostat” that is installed to protect the water heater when in electric mode. This can be “reset” with a tiny button near the mixing valve but, by default, it’s located under a plastic cover. So, I drilled a hole in the plastic cover so that if this happens, I can use a pencil or screw driver to reset the thermostat without having to take that cover off. Photo Gallery
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