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

woodsman117

New member
Mostly the mounting bracket for the heater. It works well and has good airflow. But it turned out to be overly complex. I thought I needed it but after I built a the battery bracket I think there is enough room to just mount the heater on the floor.

Basically it’s over engineered. In the end though I did only drill 3 holes, and their positions were a little less sensitive to errors. So there were fewer opportunities to really screw up.
Hey! I'm getting into a 2020 144 soon and it's more than likely going to come with the auxiliary battery under the seat so this has been super helpful! Do you happen to have any more pictures/measurements for that wood/metal tray you made? Hoping to do the same thing with the heater and battery under the seat.

cheers
Nick in VT
 

erik.wahlstrom

Well-known member
Hey! I'm getting into a 2020 144 soon and it's more than likely going to come with the auxiliary battery under the seat so this has been super helpful! Do you happen to have any more pictures/measurements for that wood/metal tray you made? Hoping to do the same thing with the heater and battery under the seat.

cheers
Nick in VT
Sorry I don’t. I used 3/4” ply and 1” Al angle. Don’t worry about measurements. Just make a cardboard template make it as big as you can leaving a 1/2-3/4” boarder open to run wires in. It was quite easy and I’m happy with how it came out.
 

woodsman117

New member
Hey guys. Hoping for some help here. Just got my espar d2 s2 sprinter kit from espar of Michigan and I have some questions regarding the harnesses if anyone has ordered the same kit. My question is in regards to connecting the supplied easystart pro extension harness pictured
20201223_211217.jpg
To the other harness provided:
20201223_211252.jpg
I've identified the heater connector (big one left top), fuel pump (green wires), and diagnostics port, (black connector on bottom). My question is if the loose wires in the 1st harness get terminated in this female supplied Deutsche connector:
16087764347237201727508855153700.jpg
Then attached to the grey Deutsche connector in the 2nd picture that is capped with another connecting wire, then this cap with connecting wire is used on the extended easy pro harness male grey Deutsche to complete what I'm assuming is another diagnostics circuit.

Sorry if this is confusing. I am a bit as well haha

Cheers,

Nick on VT
 

woodsman117

New member
Also, just confirming....I believe this loose set of 6 wires included in the harness is for wiring included in case one wants to use the wireless features associated with the app and is not used for just the basic install correct? 20201223_213121.jpg
 

Glenn233

Member
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.
Where did you move your oem underseat aux battery? Im have one too and would like to put an espar under the passenger seat. Am I better off just putting the espar somewher else?
 

Glenn233

Member
Finally got it done. I ended up building a bracket to relocate the stock battery.
View attachment 155766
worked like a charm. It’s reinforced on the bottom by aluminum flat bar.

The battery is rock solid with plenty of air flow. View attachment 155769

The wiring of the easy start pro is trivial. Just plug in the 4 wire connector. I located the unit just behind the slide for easy access.
View attachment 155767
Heating vent came out pretty easy too.
View attachment 155768

I’m a little surprised by how loud it is outside. Not bad inside.

I did smell some melting plastic. I’m not sure if It’s just a new heater breaking in? Or maybe some wire too close to the exhaust. I’ll wrap the exhaust in ceramic insulation and aluminum tape and all will be good.
Did you use stock holes to mount your wooden battety plate?
 

erik.wahlstrom

Well-known member
Did you use stock holes to mount your wooden battety plate?
Yes. If I’d wanted to drill new holes I think I could have just bolted a plastic battery bracket to the metal floor. I didn’t like the idea of extra holes so I used the stock ones. What you can’t see on my plywood bracket are aluminum flat bar reinforcement. I think
It may not be needed but I had the stock laying around.
 

DDAVANS

New member
Hey guys. Hoping for some help here. Just got my espar d2 s2 sprinter kit from espar of Michigan and I have some questions regarding the harnesses if anyone has ordered the same kit. My question is in regards to connecting the supplied easystart pro extension harness pictured
View attachment 164801
To the other harness provided:
View attachment 164802
I've identified the heater connector (big one left top), fuel pump (green wires), and diagnostics port, (black connector on bottom). My question is if the loose wires in the 1st harness get terminated in this female supplied Deutsche connector:
View attachment 164804
Then attached to the grey Deutsche connector in the 2nd picture that is capped with another connecting wire, then this cap with connecting wire is used on the extended easy pro harness male grey Deutsche to complete what I'm assuming is another diagnostics circuit.

Sorry if this is confusing. I am a bit as well haha

Cheers,

Nick on VT
The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words, still remains true.
Ray at Espar Parts sent this picture to hep on our install.
Hope it helps :)
IMG_1813.jpg
 

woodsman117

New member
The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words, still remains true.
Ray at Espar Parts sent this picture to hep on our install.
Hope it helps :)
View attachment 166755
Does the fuse in the middle of the picture that isn't labeled require a 3 or 5amp fuse? I believe mine came with a 3 amp already installed but wasn't sure as I recall another install video showing a 5 amp fuse there. Cheers
 

Glenn233

Member
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.
Did you relocate your stock Aux battery, or just remove it? I have battery under passenger seat and would like to install an espar D2
 

woodsman117

New member
Did you relocate your stock Aux battery, or just remove it? I have battery under passenger seat and would like to install an espar D2
On page 2 of this thread a member detailed putting the espar d2 sl2 under the passenger seat with a stock auxiliary battery. I plan on doing the same
 

Revik

Member
I just finished the install based on this thread and it turned out great. Remounted the Aux battery to the floor with a strap and used some retaining screws to hold it in place. I ran the power to the house battery system in the back and tucked the wiring harness away inside the seat base. If your wondering why the heater isn’t further away from the battery it is because the stamping in the floor doesnt allow for a flat install in any other orientation (thats why most people mount it at an angle to match the stamping).

I also used the mesh hole cover described above for the intake side of the base since mounting the heater straight instead of at an angle doesn't allow for much airflow.

Overall it took a few days to install taking my time to make it clean but pretty straight forward now that I have done it once. When I build my next van I estimate one full day for install.

Also, if anyone is looking for the Sprinter mounting plate, I didn’t use mine...



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1658D395-E792-4FCB-895F-8BAF0641D314.jpeg
66F2D8E1-C1D3-41E7-8689-10DDADBD8E61.jpeg
7FBD075D-AECB-4031-8237-8C8BEB1BBA7C.jpeg
 

lndscpe

Active member
looks good, I made a mounting plate for the D2 based on the drawings supplied from the manual of the heater. My employee drew it up in CAD and then cut out the plate on my CNC plasma table to fit in the space allotted with out any relocation of the AUX battery. it fits fine and wasn't too bad. The heater sits level in its area and has enough breathing room. The exhaust is mounted 1 inch up into the seat area, because of the mounting plates height, then is attached to the heater. i used a section of the intake aluminum piping to surround the exhaust to give it a flue like "wood stove pipe" setting, so basically the warm pipe resides inside another larger pipe ... if that makes sense. But here's the plate I used and the arrangement now.
 

Attachments

Glenn233

Member
looks good, I made a mounting plate for the D2 based on the drawings supplied from the manual of the heater. My employee drew it up in CAD and then cut out the plate on my CNC plasma table to fit in the space allotted with out any relocation of the AUX battery. it fits fine and wasn't too bad. The heater sits level in its area and has enough breathing room. The exhaust is mounted 1 inch up into the seat area, because of the mounting plates height, then is attached to the heater. i used a section of the intake aluminum piping to surround the exhaust to give it a flue like "wood stove pipe" setting, so basically the warm pipe resides inside another larger pipe ... if that makes sense. But here's the plate I used and the arrangement now.
would you consider selling those plates?
 

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