Installing an Espar D2L with an AUX battery under the passenger seat

[erik.wahlstrom]

Here goes. I've seen this done though not with a stock underseat battery. Hopefully it'll fit.


A couple questions.
1) I know I can't just drill through the floor because I need to mount it parallel to the van, not at an angle like most folks do. This is because I have a Group 31 battery in there too and there won't be room for the heater to be angled. The kit came with one of these:


Can I just mount this (from the kit) on the uneven floor and shim it with wood and/or washers to ensure its flat? Is there a netter way to mount this to the uneven floor to make it flat?

2) I got two remotes


Is there any reason to have two? Or will I be selling one? Thanks.

 

[Jonnyfive]

I don't think it will fit along with the aux battery. My 2019 came with an aux battery under the passenger seat, and I had to remove it. The metal plate needs to be sealed near airtight. Along with the foam included in the kit, you could add some of your own if you install it an a very uneven area. It is bad practice to allow any exhaust fumes easy entry back into the van, in case you have leaks in the future.

 

[Weelittlenomads]

I do not think two are required for this setup @erik.wahlstrom

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

I don't think it will fit along with the aux battery. My 2019 came with an aux battery under the passenger seat, and I had to remove it. The metal plate needs to be sealed near airtight. Along with the foam included in the kit, you could add some of your own if you install it an a very uneven area. It is bad practice to allow any exhaust fumes easy entry back into the van, in case you have leaks in the future.

Thanks @Jonnyfive . I’ve seen a couple installed with a battery. I’m not sure if these were the stock battery nor 2019s. My kit didn’t come with any foam, just the plate which is what confuse me. I’m thinking about fabricating a wood frame to elevate the heater a couple inches above the floor and then cutting both the plate as small as possible. I think that will give me more room. It will be air tight. We’ll see how it goes.

 

[Jonnyfive]

Thanks @Jonnyfive . I’ve seen a couple installed with a battery. I’m not sure if these were the stock battery nor 2019s. My kit didn’t come with any foam, just the plate which is what confuse me. I’m thinking about fabricating a wood frame to elevate the heater a couple inches above the floor and then cutting both the plate as small as possible. I think that will give me more room. It will be air tight. We’ll see how it goes.

Definitely do not install the heater above the floor on a wooden frame. You've now routed both fuel and exhaust lines inside your cabin. It's very important to mount the heater thru the floor so all those connections are outside the vehicle in case of any failures - this is the whole reason you install the unit with a rubber gasket and foam to keep it near airtight around the hole you cut thru the floor.

A much lower risk too is that the exhaust line is extremely hot, and you don't really want that near combustible materials like wood. I would be very careful in deviating from the suggested installation procedure in any way at all.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

This is roughly what I was referring too.
I could probably further isolate the frame from the hot components

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

@Jonnyfive where did you live the battery? There is enough room seat base. As is I have 6” E/W and the heater is 4.5”. The way the battery comes from the factory is very space inefficient. I wonder if there is a way to reclaim some of the space?

 

[VanGoSki]

Do you actually need the aux battery? If you're installing a house battery, then I think it's superfluous.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Do you actually need the aux battery? If you're installing a house battery, then I think it's superfluous.

I’m not. Well I have a goal zero to run the cooler and recharge things. But right now my AW kit and my amp is tied into it so I don’t want to change things if I can avoid it.

 

[Jonnyfive]

@Jonnyfive where did you live the battery? There is enough room seat base. As is I have 6” E/W and the heater is 4.5”. The way the battery comes from the factory is very space inefficient. I wonder if there is a way to reclaim some of the space?

It's sitting on a shelf in my garage. I have no need for an aux battery since I'm building out my own power system. One battery is more than enough to run the vehicle systems.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Slow progress. I pulled the seat off today. Something I loath doing. Here's what the seat base looks like with the battery in it:


And out



There's a lot going on. There's plenty of room to replace the stock battery tray and clear up more space. I bought a plastic tray and will use the 4 existing weld nuts to hold it down. This would give me enough space for the unit however I'd have to relocate the battery vent, and the stock ground. Somehow that frightens me. How har is it to drill a new ground?

The alternative is to use the stock mounting plate and 2 L brackets. These will bolt to the 6 holes in the side of the seat:


Not sure which way to go?

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Well mounting on the floor was going to cause too many issues. I’m no metal worker, but this came out ok.

I’ll bolt the trimmed mounting plate on top. Should result in good air flow and I can use the stock battery location

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

The stock battery tray doesn’t quite fit with the heater. Unfortunately the weld nuts that are there are off set in a strange way. So it’s ugly, but it’ll do.
I am a tad worried the heater might get the batter too hot?

 

[RVBarry]

I'm guessing no hotter than it would've gotten in the engine compartment, which is where it would be if you had factory swivel seats.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

All bolted up.

Came out ok. Fuel and electrical next.

 

[Cheyenne]

Is the heaters air inlet too close to the front of the seat box or are you going to cut a hole for it? If the airflow is restricted it may cause the heater to overheat and cut out.

Keith.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

I was thinking that too. It think the air flow will be ok, but ventilation is good. I’m considering one of these.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Started the electrical. I have the Adventure Wagon kit. This mean I have a 10 gage wire already terminating in the seat base. This is good because the wire chase between the seats is stuffed. I did manage to pull the fuel pump through and out the driver side boot. However the power branch of the wiring harness includes a big fat plug.

As far as I can tell, the only thing this does is join the blue & blue-black wires. The power branch of the harness is WAY too long. I only need about 1'.

Question: Is it OK to cut this connector off, shorten the branch and just join the two wires together?

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

My Heatso Sprinter kit came from random extra parts. They seem to come from the fuel system. Currently I don’t think in need them but I’m curious what they are for:



The grommets seem like they may go through the floor under the seat into the frame rail to run the fuel line. But it’s unclear.

 

[natemags]

It's sitting on a shelf in my garage. I have no need for an aux battery since I'm building out my own power system. One battery is more than enough to run the vehicle systems.

When you removed your accessory battery, did it have anything hooked up to it? did you chase the hook up cables back to the fuse box and remove them?

thanks - Nate