WALLAS XC DUO REVIEW! VanLife Cooker/Heater is it worth it?

[@MWOCQU]

3 things i didnt notice mentioned as a fellow owner. 1) a DODDLE to clean the cooker top if you spill stuff, Mr muscle glass cleaner, a scourer and a paper towel and its back to a factory finish. 2) because the burn process is enclosed, you dont get condensation from the fuel adding to the steam in the van like you would burning gas. 3) if you connect to the main tank, no issues with fuel additives like redex / rhino.

[@MWOCQU]

like all diesel engines, to get the thing started you have a glow plug to preheat the diesel. The current consumption when the glow plug is on is around 9 Amps and lasts for up to about 7 minutes depending on ambient temperature. Best used with a Lithium battery as if it drops below 12.0V. During startup it will failsafe and shutdown. This can be prevented on lead acid / agm systems by running the engine until the 3 flame symbol is lit.

[@immortalsofar5314]

Time for kettle: I've run propane and a wood-burning biolite (outside). Both take around 13 minutes so the diesel cooktop seems on a par with any other flame-based heating.

[@borkthebasher]

I think it's the chef in me but i like a gas flame. can control the heat far easier and its way faster to cook and boil water on. for 1500 quid i could think of so many things id rather have and whilst there is a safety factor to consider i think its hugely over priced considering what it does in the time it does it in. informative none the less and good to see alternative options.

[@HughTube]

Glad to help, as I said everyone has their preferences and if you prefer a gas hob go for it!

[@nagualdesign]

Wait.. what? _£1,500?!_ :-O I could refill my Campingaz 907 bottle _75 times_ for that price! That's at least 10 years worth of gas at the rate I use it.

[@HughTube]

That may be true if you had no cooker or heater in your van but if you do you still paid for both of them so it's more about the price difference between both setups.

[@nagualdesign]

You're right - I think most people, like myself, are primarily comparing this to other cookers, and most of us have limited experience of heaters. I had a friend who used to drive HGVs, and his main bit of advice when it comes to motorhomes was to get a diesel heater like this (other brands are available): www.eberspacher.com/products/fuel-operated-heaters/air-heating/airtronic-d2.html As you can see, the spec sheets are pretty well detailed. Unfortunately I have nothing to compare it to! If you can make sense of it compared to your own heater and provide a few comments here it would be greatly appreciated.

[@van-gabondramblinrose6398]

I'm getting the MV airo 2Kw, diesel heater. Supplied and fitted £800. Uses about 1/4 litre of diesel over 8 hours. You can either mount it inside the vehicle somewhere, or with a bracket, mount it to the chassis, underneath. Haven't decided yet whether I'm going to have a separate tank or fed direct from the vehicle's fuel tank, but it seems like a good alternative to the pricey Eberspacher. Parts and servicing are a lot cheaper than Eberspacher too.

[@Grahammilsome]

I have one of these on my boat and I must say that it keeps it dry and toasty with no fumes. If it was gas, it would be a whole different ball game and lots of condensation. Fab video and well done for telling us that the exhaust cover was on wrong.

[@Asator66]

Hey could you tell why gas creates more condensation? Never heard this before

[@Grahammilsome]

@@Asator66 Hi, As the gas burns it releases moisture into the air as a by-product of combustion, the same as petrol does. For each gallon of fuel you burn in your car, you produce a gallon of water which is why you see water coming out of car exhausts.

[@Frenchcrop]

Other advantage I suppose is that you don't have water vapour from burnt gas fumes steaming up your living area... Just a thought.

[@HughTube]

Yes it is a dry heat! Should have mentioned this!

[@Radio4ManLeics]

You could always boil up a kettle in the morning while getting organised, and keep the hot water in a thermos flask to dip in to as you want a cuppa.

[@HughTube]

Nice idea!

[@jobenmenachem2269]

I think the most important thing is the safety of the system and the idea that it reduces the condensation, which is a major problem in any van in winter, and especially after cooking or after a night. The system also takes humid air out of the van - please do correct me if I am wrong. Another advantage is that diesel is available in every petrol station - Gas/propaine is not. Yet, propaine may be cheaper in the UK if it comes via refillable tanks. Yes, 16 min is a long time, but it can be planned. I have read that the Wallas and the Webasto need a high voltage to start and this is why it is a good idea to start the system when arriving to a new place and then to switch off the engine of the campervan. The 16 min can be used to make all preparation such as changing clothes, opening chairs outside of the van, buttering a bread and so on. Another advantage of the system is that once transforming from a cooker into a heater it does not need to be warm up and this saves propaine/gas and a lot of 12V. It takes only 5-6 min to boil water once the system was on as a heater mode and this is not too much time in comparison to ordinary propaine hobs. Is this correct?

[@HughTube]

pretty spot on mate!

[@jobenmenachem2269]

an very important question: can you move the campervan 3 km from A to B when the vallas is switched on heating mode? If yes, it is a huge advantage.

[@tonychan647]

Thank you for the great post about advantage of the seal combustion zone! As a Canadian, this stove doubles as a clean, dry, enclosed winter heater‼️. One disadvantage is the residual heat during summer months.

[@syncrosimon]

Going gas less is a good thing. Like your honest review.👍👍

[@Ruxxnation]

Mate I really appreciate you making this video as it helped made my mind up I need to keep looking for my ideal cooker/heater option. Thanks man!

[@HughTube]

No problem, glad to help!

[@petermurray-reynolds9608]

Just came across this as I saw it on a Jerba van review as they give this as an option and include it in their rental van. What a great idea, once its connected to your main tank it really streamlines heating and cooking into one system and prevents any worries about getting gas refills, especially when travelling on the continent. Many thanks for the video.

[@nickbadi3599]

We have a Wallas hob and oven in our Daily camper its too slow to boil the kettle so we use a 1kw electric kettle of the inverter.The oven makes a very good heater as well as being a good oven and is not noisy or power hungry

[@MrDrew3125]

Thanks for sharing Hugh, I've just put the xc duo in my ford custom conversion, 16 minutes ish to boil a kettle for 2 people is fine by me, get out of bed switch it on first thing, no problems! The noise outside , what noise, super quiet! Inside it's similar to an electric fan, I think would be fine but I tend to sleep with ear plugs anyway as I find bird noise at first light to be far more of a problem 😁overall , it's an expensive bit of kit but gets rid of the need for gas,either from a safety aspect or running out/looking for it! We love it would recommend! Cheers again Andy

[@HughTube]

Glad your happy Andy! Yeah sam here I don't mind the longer boil times as being in the van isn't about rushing. Crack it on first thing then get prepped for breakfast or whatever

[@kr1886]

I have only recently found out about this system so this video was excellent for me! Maybe a demonstration of cooking a good breakfast would give a fuller idea of it's cooking performance and would be handy to see. I'd suggest using any spare hob space when cooking to boil up some water to store in a flask for later use thereby reducing the time to make a cuppa and being a little more economical with fuel although the figures for fuel economy you have shown seem very good. Thanks for showing this!

[@HughTube]

I will definitely look at doing this! Always enjoy a cooked breakfast. Boiling water on the side is a great idea

[@jonathan8157]

2 pros to the Wallis: 1)no gas/propane that can create condensation.2) after investing the battery power plus the diesel and the time the boil the water/cooking, the system is ready to turn into a heater without a need to turn on another heater that requires extra amps and diesel to heat up. This saves energy and battery power. If used as a heater for an hour and then used to boil water the process in much quicker since the system is already hot. Am I wrong?

[@enquire422]

You can run this unit on RED Diesel to save you some money @74p/ltr as you have a separate fuel tank.

[@HughTube]

Oh perfect! That is definitely an option, is it easy to get hold of?

[@enquire422]

HughTube Yes, you will have to register an account with one of your local fuel supplier just Google fuel oil , you will get them in 205 LTR drums delivered to your door. If you want to go a bit further you can get a 1000 LTR tank and put that in your garden then the rate goes lower. Can only be used for heating or machine use only ;)

[@HughTube]

Oh ok nice thanks for that!

[@randomone3093]

Mr Sunshines in the U.K. red diesel is untaxed diesel, the reason being that our farmers don’t then pay the heavily taxed white diesel prices to run there tractors, combined etc, here’s an excerpt from our government website to help explain “A chemical added to oil to indicate Excise duty at rebated rate has been paid, and consequently that oil is not to be used as fuel for road vehicles. A dye is usually used with the marker so that rebated oil can be easily identified. The current gas oil dye is a red colour.” So you can’t use it for vehicles on the road(other than farm machinery) as you haven’t paid duty, but you can use red diesel to power your heater/cooker in your van.

[@jobenmenachem2269]

Where is red diesel available in the UK?

[@simonkraushaar6955]

Thanks Hugh! confirms my choice for purchase

[@vraymond108]

Although we use the Wallas on both our boat and van we heat our hot water with an electric kettle. We have a rather large battery bank and plenty of solar so a few minutes at 1500W is worth it. Nevertheless we love the Wallas stove and want to buy a third one and another new boat.

[@HughTube]

Yeah thats a great way to do it!

[@stephenellis7278]

Nice demonstration and honest comments Hugh ,it’s good to give people an idea 👍 Stephen.

[@HughTube]

Thanks Stephen!

[@lindak8664]

Oh heck 16min! i think that would drive me crazy, thats beyond slow. I think i could heat it up faster with friction, by whipping it flat out with a whisk. LOL! Thankyou for doing this review though, its exactly what i was trying to find :)

[@stotas2]

Noise is probably similar to my webasto system heat and hot water. Very nice looking unit

[@HughTube]

Do you like the webasto system? Is it hot water on demand or do you have a storage tank?

[@stotas2]

HughTube webasto seems good yes hot water on demand and endless depending on water tank size can use it to pre heat engine as well if needed I went for on demand to save space but not needing a calorifier

[@scotttoner9231]

Well done - touched on all my points of interest. Thanks

[@gunner9010]

Super great information! Thank you.

[@funkydozer]

I'm still tempted, not too bothered about boiling time so that wouldn't be an issue, however the noise would be as I am a very light sleeper and my van is smaller than yours, so it would be right next to my bed. The pluses outweigh the drawbacks though in that the risk of carbon monoxide is low to zero, it gives off a dry heat so no extra condensation, and it's a neat self contained unit that serves two functions. I will ponder some more on this, particularly the price. My Plan B for heating is an Aladdin lamp that burns clean diesel and vents up a flue, there is already a video on KZbin made by a guy who uses this method on his boat, looks cozy, and I happen to have the same Model 12. Great review Hugh, many thanks, hope you feel 100% again soon.

[@HughTube]

Thanks buddy! Yeah have a good think about it, the noise could be annoying for you but if you can sleep with a fan next to you then I think you would be ok

[@rd8586]

could you post some more information about this diesel aladdin lamp? sounds interesting. link?

[@funkydozer]

Just search youtube for 'Boat heater using a Aladdin Lamp'. It's the first video.

[@leoinswlondon]

Diesel Lamp heater inside a van you need to have a lot of ventilation...right? Can you link me the video from KZbin, please.

[@funkydozer]

Leo Crow & R Ds - See my reply above. Also KZbin is full of videos showing how to burn Diesel in kerosene lamps, I can't link to all the vids I've watched as there are too many, also I don't want to hijack somebody elses channel by filling it with off-topic links. The Search function is your friend and will tell you all you need to know about mixing Diesel with rubbing alcohol to burn in oil lamps. Yes, that method will need LOTS of ventilation and ideally a sealed flue, as well as a lot of experimentation before use. I cannot recommend it as a SAFE method and will not be held responsible if you choose to try it. It just one option out of many. Have fun

[@jonathanbmBen-Menachem]

Thanks for the wonderful video. You have written that the system consumes very little electricity. This is the biggest advantage of the system. Does it take a lot of electricity to start the system? Thank you many times for the support and information.

[@HughTube]

Like with these diesel heaters there is a higher amp draw at start up as the glow plug warms up but after a few minutes it drops back down to a tiny amount

[@linz_in_NZ]

I like the way it looks, very neat and its dual purpose AND uses diesel, so only 1 tank to fill if you have it tapped in, But its very $$$$ and takes way too long to boil a kettle..... I can't wait that long for my Yorkshire tea!

[@HughTube]

good old yorkshire tea haha! That's fair if you can't wait, I personally love the safety aspect of no propane and the non reliance on gas

[@linz_in_NZ]

Agree with the safety aspect, and also with the amount of space the gas takes up - diesel is a great way to go. I was wondering if the best diesel combo would be a hot water & heater combined unit and a separate hob? I've got a portable butane cartridge single hob and a single induction hob for when I'm on a campsite - though that might change, as I'm just doing a basic setup for this Summer and see how it all works.

[@the_erebrus]

What I didn't get from this is how many "hobs" does this have. 2? Is it like the webasto that has 1 proper "hob" and one that is low power? My question is whether you can cook 2 things with it, e.g. a pot of rice and fry some meat.

[@HughTube]

It has two, one very hot and one warming hob. If you get the rice water up to boil on the hot hob then move it to the warm one, you can then cook the meat on the hot hob and it will all come together at the end.

[@pamelaclarke5062]

Have 1 in vw crafter lwb, very warm despite 0 degrees outside even on 1st setting. Must be 5 yrs old now and we haven't serviced it at all. Anyone know if there is a place to take it for a service or some information on that?

[@HughTube]

Hi Pamela, I was pretty impressed with their output too. The couple that own my old van with this is are still using it and I dont they have serviced it either. Im sure Wallas will have servicing details on their website

[@fergusmoloney]

I’ve just bought one of these. The noise of the pump is going to be my main worry. Just starting the refit of an old merc 609d camper van and when I stripped it back the amount of rust on it from condensation caused by a gas hob is scary. There was no way I’d go with an open flame again because of it. The van had more rust on the inside than the outside.

[@HughTube]

very fair point

[@philiplewis9825]

There is a diesel return pipe so you can fit a 646 t so you don't have to mess about with the Fuel tank making it easy and quicker.

[@dagobaphotography924]

I was looking at the wallas duo before I started my conversion and had my heart and head set on it as it made perfect sense. I knew that I didn’t want to go down the gas route as I didn’t want a cylinder, cage etc taking up valuable space. I loved it but couldn’t find one in the flesh anywhere to test it. I did start to hear reports of slow heating times which did make m a little concerned, as I I’ve got two young boys and my wife to feed. So I need something a tad more responsive however the fact that it’s a heater and a cooker that comes off the fuel tank is a massive massive plus for me. Having said all this in the end I’ve installed a eberspacher diesel heater and an induction hob. Both of which are great slimline and fast. This video would of certainly helped 7 months back. One question though does the noise come direct from the unit or underneath the unit? Couldn’t quite tell. My diesel heater’s noise comes from the exhaust even with a silencer on, fortunately I’ve acoustically sound proofed my whole van as well as thermally so I can’t hear a thing outside, so it’s no bother at all. So I wondered if you could dampen down the sound some how? Rant over x

[@HughTube]

Hey Dagoba, wow you have an induction hob!? Does that not destroy the battery power? On the noise front the unit is one piece and the fans are in the housing but there are vents that come out the top to allow the air flow for the heater so it is coming from beneath but the sound is also coming out the air vents

[@HughTube]

I feel you could dampen the noise of the pump but the fan will be trickier

[@dagobaphotography924]

HughTube Ha....yes I do an induction hob. Crazy I know! I looked and experimented with several options. The caveat the hob comes with is that it only works when on a hook up. Which at the moment we invariably are, wether in the UK or Europe. Though not all the time. I also have a normal domestic microwave with grilling in it too. So, here’s what I did. I have 2500 wtt inverter I guessed that I could run the induction hob off that when off grid because the hob is only 2000 wtt . Not so. Induction hobs have a massive surge spike on start up, so large it surpasses the 2 second 5 x 2500 wtt allowance that the investor can offer for component start ups. In fact even when I linked up 3 x 140 amp batteries in parallel it wouldn’t work. Yes I could of gone down the lithium battery route but I didn’t want a second mortgage or potentially used several telecom batteries but the size of them made impractical. Suffice to say I exhausted most practical options and wasn’t able to make it work off grid. However my microwave does off grid the start up surge spike is small enough that the inverter provides a nice handshake and carries on happily. So I can boil water or roast a chicken quite easily in the middle of no where. I hope that gives you a bit of inside info should anyone consider such a path. Oh yes, it’s important to say that hob is less than 1” thick so it takes up such little space. I designed so it pulls out like a tray then slides back undetected. Good to hear that you might be able to suppress some of that noise. Having said that there’s always going to be some residual noise in the van whatever heater device you’re going to use. I still really like the Wallace. You’re about the price point. If it were lower it would make for a strong contender. It’s also fair to say that if you’re cooking on it, it’s pretty much at temperature so it acts like any other unit. It’s just the start up time.

[@leoinswlondon]

You might not hear anything inside your rig, but still bothers people outside right? I have also soundproofed my rig with Dynamat extreme. Now it is the same as a underground bunker, can't hear anything outside. However, I use a silent heater for camping.

[@dagobaphotography924]

Leo Crow you’re right, it’s can be thoughtless to underestimate your impact on your environment whoever or whatever your neighbor. I love my music but I don’t assume that my neighbors share my taste or sleeping pattern whether I’m at a festival, campsite or in the mountains. We travel to see new places, people and wildlife. We won’t see anything if we are going to disturb it with our din! So I felt soundproofing as well as sound dampening was important. Which ever product you use. It really helps. However there limitations due to nature of design of products. That’s why Hugh’s review in the Wallas is so helpful. Appreciate it!

[@___Angelica]

good review. thanks for sharing!

[@brianboczko7169]

Thanks that's made my mind up it's a no from me nice job

[@HughTube]

Glad to help! May I ask what setup you will use?

[@LABTESTED]

great video thank you

[@BusedAsNZ]

Hey there man, just spotted this video, very helpful thanks. I'm pretty keen on getting one of these, sadly the price is still outrageous, especially over here in New Zealand. But it looks great. I wonder if you still like it a couple years on...

[@jonyboycar]

Hi can you use this whilst driving don’t see why not as no flame but wanted to check. I already have and very happy with it just not sure if I can use to heat rear whilst driving

[@annettesmith6241]

16 mins it's a no for me. Living in Australia a conduction stove seems like a better option. We have a lot of sun for solar and heat in a van is not good. But that's one of the interesting thing about diy van conversions. You can adapt them to suit you.

[@HughTube]

Hey Annette yeah guess it may not work for you but you guys do get some cold nights. But as you said solar is king for you aussies!!

[@annettesmith6241]

We do get some cold nights. Depends on where you are. But the heat is more consistent. I'm thinking diesel heater. Im not a big fan of gas either.

[@welshnutterz]

a bigger kettle and perhaps a heat exchanger one would help it boil allot quicker i feel

[@petepreston1103]

Ive just found your channel and subscribed...I have a SWB T5 with pop up roof...Thinking of selling and getting a boxer...Would like to stand up plus have end bed....Wish I could do it myself ... not practical....I am surprised people say your cooker is expensive..ive got a Planar heater in my van...that plus the hob plus fitting were over a thousand...Eberspacher would be more....I agree its pricey but like you I worry about gas....Thanks for your video's...really good...Spike

[@HughTube]

thanks buddy! yeah after researching through a bunch of sizes the boxer shape I got is one of the most space efficient vans on the market

[@aceryeo8409]

Thank you for the video. Such a great piece of kit which for me is a real space saver. I currently use gas for the hob and diesel for heating. The diesel heater uses 10 amps at times which can knock the lithium battery out when it is a bit low. Does the Wallas do the same? We use the gas hob to cook toast is the Wallas hob hot enough to do the same? How hot does top get when used as a heater?

[@user-ym6lc7pk1e]

Yeah, 16 minutes to boil water in a small kettle is a lot. My propane stove in RV boils similar kettle in only 11 minutes, consumes zero electricity and is dead silent. It may be alright to slow down and enjoy the moment in cool weather, but when it’s hot outside, you want to minimize running heater as much as you can. Is there a way to run it without fan?

[@HughTube]

When in cooking mode (lid open) the fan blows behind the lid away from the surface so I would say it would heat the van the same as a propane cooker would. To be honest 11 minutes compared to 16 isn't that different. Propane systems do have advantages but propane will be giving off moist air and has the potential for leaking or incomplete combustion leading to carbon monoxide is an issue.

[@vraymond108]

We have the Wallas stove on our sailboat which we absolutely love. Have been contemplating installing one in our Sprinter build out but still not 100% on board yet. Your video is helping us move in that direction. Thank you

[@HughTube]

No problem thanks for watching!!

[@user-mi9cv7lz2i]

alright! Great video, is there an issue wth rhe smell of diesel? i wonder if the vehicle is and you dont notice it? Would a visitor to the van notice it? let me know if tou would. thanks!

[@andrewcoote3388]

time wise hugh my small electric kettle takes around 6 minuets running off my 2000w inverter, it looks a lovely piece of kit but £1500 is way to strong for me, thanks tho.

[@labobafc]

Great video! Thanks!! Could you please tell me if both hobs of the cooktop offers the same heating power? Or if the left side is only for cooking and the right side is for keeping things warm? I’ve read the Wallas 85 and 88 have only one cooking hob and the other is for keeping things warm. Thanks. Cheers!!

[@HughTube]

Yeah exactly that, left for cooking right for warming

[@jochenvanlit4844]

Also buying one

[@ScinnerNo1]

Is "a kettle" a scientific messaurment of volume? If not how much water was in the kettle???? I hope you know that one litre of water will boil faster then two litres of water under the same heat output? My gas cooker will boil a kettle of water in 10 seconds. Oh it was only a tablespoon of water in the kettle. Do you get my drift? If you wont specify the amount of water this review is worthless. If you want to compare one thing to another you need specific messaurments. "A kettle" could be like 3minutes to 2hours depending of the volume of water in it.

[@ChrisHogg]

@hughtube - is there a thermostat on the heater? I.e. can I set the heart in the van at 20°c and relax?

[@HughTube]

No, this was one of my biggest issues with the wallas! I expected for the price that would be a feature but it’s a potentiometer setup where it will heat to a certain position set on the dial with no real temp idea

[@jonathanbmBen-Menachem]

Hos long does it to warm the Van in the evening in the winter to comfy temp aften leaving the Van unattended for several hours.

[@HughTube]

Very hard to predict depending on heat setting level, temp out side and inside and size of van. I would say anywhere from 30 mins to 60mins

[@jonathanbmBen-Menachem]

If you have to move your car for a small distance - let say 2-3km - can the system be left on opration without any danger in order to save energy and to a avoid any ignation that consumes a lot of energy? Thanks for the time and information.

[@nigelpert3608]

Hi, Thanks for this. I am thinking of installing one, but one of the questions I have that you didn't address is : in heating mode, does the air at the level of your feet end up getting warm or does it stay cold down there?

[@isabellanyhuus]

do you know the diameter of the fuel pipe? 5mm?

[@Offgrid531]

Would like to know how well it functions as a heater in winter conditions. Thanks for the video.

[@HughTube]

It works great, we leave it on over night and it keeps the van toasty even when it's snowing outside

[@Invisible-Man666]

Great video

[@livingthedreambuildingthedream]

I suppose if you want the relaxed way of life it’s obviously worth it… so I guess plan ahead if you buy one.

[@garlob3714]

I’m confused 🤷‍♂️ how is it a diesel stove but it uses electricity?

[@HughTube]

It uses electricity for the glow plug to ignite the diesel and power the fan but the heat comes from the diesel combustion. it uses very little electricity one it is running

[@darrenjones3681]

Now interestingly T5 travels also timed his xc duo at five minutes boiling a chunky kettle, three times quicker than yours, although he has music on the video it still seems much quieter than yours in hob mode, is there possibly something wrong with its setup? It may be something to dou with the fuel feed, as a conventional fuel tank is pressurised albeit at a low level, is because your not running on the main fuel tank type installation affecting its efficiency? I must add the other missed out safety feature is you have no naked flame!

[@HughTube]

Hey Darren, I would be VERY interested to see boil times drop to that quick as the only draw back would be price! I will do further tests and let you know!

[@intelinside4226]

Nice review ... realy helpfull

[@kylegoldston]

For all viewers in the USA there seems to be only one seller in the Pacific Northwest. $2,600 and change. Yikes... $1700 without the blower top, so stove only. Colman it is!

[@bdphourde]

How long does it take to boil water in the morning if the heater has been on all night and the surface is already hot?

[@HughTube]

in that case it's much less time I would say about 4 minutes but that depends on water temp when starting and also quantity

[@jobenmenachem2269]

@@HughTube Not much longer gas bobs!

[@totallyrocks]

Good video, I have a few questions: Does the heater function work every time you cook? If your in a hot country the last thing you want is hot air blowing out. Can you cook 2 things at once or is the right side for warming only?

[@HughTube]

They heater function is basically having the cooker on and when you lid is closed the fan directs air over the hob area and out the front to provide hot air. When cooking it doesn't add extra hot air it will only warm up the van based on the fact your cooking. The right side is for warming mainly but a 'hot warm' haha.

[@quilquin]

Looks interesting for my proposed build in a Boxer. But then I remembered I also want a shower with warm water so I'll need the gas for that anyway - unless there's a diesel solution for hot shower water as well?

[@HughTube]

Well I am looking at making a portable shower that could fit in a van and would pump warm water that you heat on your cooker. If it is a success then I guess I still wont need gas

[@gadois8674]

Hi Hugh, Did the Wallas hea the van successfully on its own OR is it only fit for supplementary heating? (Assuming a well insulated LWB van)

[@HughTube]

It was very sufficient on its own, we never took it above setting 1

[@gadois8674]

@@HughTube many thanks Hugh

[@RemusKingOfRome]

How long would a gas fired flame take to boil that water ? surely under 5 minutes ? but gas produces condensation ... hmmm ... Plus Diesel is politically incorrect considering the small particle emissions etc

[@HughTube]

a propane style cooker is definitely a lot quicker to cook/boil but yes the diesel is a dry heat. I understand the politically incorrect but they are all fossil fuels and until I'm able and it's affordable to get an electric van i feel like were stuck with diesel for a little bit longer. the cooker does use very little as well

[@charlieparkeris]

With the separate fuel tank you can fill it up with red diesel, why pay road tax on your cooking and heating bill.

[@uStepProductions]

What is this? By someone who has never heard of red diesel

[@AdventuresWithRosy]

The Propex heater in Rosy use to sound like a hair dryer lol.. that sounds quieter

[@HughTube]

Really? wow that must of been intense. Any news on a new Rosy?

[@AdventuresWithRosy]

Rosy II is in the works :) Should have more news in the next two weeks!!

[@deelawrence1135]

Just a thought and this may have already been asked but - is it possible and safe to put a pot of stew on and use it as a slow cooker / heater on low power during the night ? Must admit - this is the 1st I've come across this idea - it does seem pretty noisy and very expensive, Does it also heat the water too ? i.e for showers etc ?

[@HughTube]

I haven't tested the lower temp side for that length of cooking but if you ask the suppliers directly they may be able to help. It doesn't heat the water for showers but you could boil water in a pan and add to the shower tank?

[@stewiemac4017]

Gosh I have a gas Trangia in the van. I think it beats 3 minutes to boil the kettle!

[@jobenmenachem2269]

I think the Wallas despite the high price and long time of boiling water has few advantages: a. No flame inside the campervan = less condensation, more dry clean and safer environment. b. The system takes less space - the hobs can turn into a heater after cooking and this saves energy. No need for another heater. c. Once starting the system, it does not consume a lot of diesel or 12v. d. The system helps during the night to reduce condensation as well. e. Diesel is found in every petrol station. Yes, it takes 15 min to heat up, but this can be planned. It has its advantages and therefore is used a lot on boats.

[@britironjon7635]

Not for me but looks a nice unit good honest review doesn't the boxer have a access hatch to the fuel tank under passanger seat to access sender unit fit a syphon tube think they have a screw on cap ?

[@RobSymington]

I'd be interested to know if this is the case...

[@HughTube]

Oh wow if that is the case this could be a great option! Thanks so much for letting me know!!

[@Peerdie]

It is indeed very easy to take the fuel sender unit out. The only difficult thing is to unscrew the locking ring. (small hammer with a piece of wood did the trick on mine). You buy a Webasto pickup kit for the boxer under £40 with a fitting guide. It took me less than 30 minutes from start to finish to install it. And the good thing is the pick up pipe will not reach the bottom of the tank so you can never run out of diesel using the heater/hob. Before you unscrew the locking ring of the sender unit take you fuel filler cap of the tank. You only need to decide where you will let the fuel line get into the vehicle. But you can possible dril a small hole close to the fuel tank near the seats and with a rubber grommet and some sealant to seal it. Good luck.

[@pa_maj.MARTINI-van-MAN]

Expensive indeed. Good concept but I like my tea fast lol 👍👍👍

[@HughTube]

Totally understandable! Not every ones cup of tea lol

[@pa_maj.MARTINI-van-MAN]

@@HughTube 😂🤣😂

[@xsivnos5597]

Another in depth review - good job. How is the situation outside the van. Do you get a lot of smoke/fumes coming out? As in, is it noticeable that you are cooking in the van (anti-stealth)?

[@HughTube]

Hi Stephanos, upon startup there is a small amount of diesel smell but honestly I haven't seen any fumes or steam so far. I haven't been in anything under -2 though so maybe very very cold weather could be different.

[@xsivnos5597]

Nice, sounds like a really good option if you want to do with permanent gas in the van. Still trying to work out the cost of using 1hr of the cooker vs the portable butane cookers...

[@HughTube]

well the wallas uses 0.19l per hour on max chuff (0.09 at lowest) which at todays prices means 23.29p per hour. On google it says most portable cookers use 150g per hour so a 500g one would last just over 3 hours. you can pick up 6 for £20 so 3.33 hours per can x 6 = 19.98 hours for £20. That means it costs £1 per hour. if you have the Wallas at lowest setting (which is still very hot) it costs 11.03p per hour so almost 10th the price.

[@xsivnos5597]

Damn Hugh, you took that question and ripped it a new one. Great knowledge. I'm on the cusp of just starting the conversion so thats really helped. Hate to say it but there may be more questions coming your way as I get more confused about every aspect of the build ;) Thanks

[@squalobike]

+HughTube To be honest it doesn't seem fair to me to compare fuel prices from a garage pump to camping bottled lpg. try doing the math with a refillable lpg tank fitted on the van and then you'll see that an old carver heater (also called trumatic 3002) goes a long way and is way less complicated and expensive to repair, not to mention completely silent. If you go around sailing forums like ybw, you"ll notice liveaboards complainig about maintenance and unreliability of these tiny diesel heaters. many switch to things like refleks stoves after a while. It all depends on how many days of heating a year you expect from it. But to be honest, after my 4th winter in a motorhome, having experinced both an eberspacher, a trumatic and a new truma combi (heater/boiler combined) wouldn't trust a heater with any electronics in it.

[@GaryMcCaffrey]

I've been considering this, I would miss not cooking on an open flame but I think I could get over that, my main concern with this is heat output. Will it heat my van well enough if it's below freezing outside (van being well insulated)? Will any of that heat reach the floor inside the van or will my feet be freezing? This has many benefits in my mind over the Eberspacher/gas hob combo.

[@HughTube]

Hi Gary, on full whack it's 1900w of heat output so pretty good. I am sure this would keep you cosy with sub zero outside. If I am to be honest when we camped in it recently it was -2 outside and the floor was a bit cold but all the air was a great temp!

[@kacotr27]

This sounds like a great combo option for cooking and heating. Throw a couple a rugs on the floor to help keep the feet warm. It is my understanding Sprinters have a an auxiliary port for heating and assume this fits the bill. Thx for the video

[@chatteyj]

@@kacotr27 I think this wallas thing is hugely overpriced at £1600 you are basically paying £600 for a metal lid over the cooker whilst in heater mode. You could just buy a Webasto diesel hob for under £1000 and use that as a cooker/ heater. If you need the heat blown around you van then you could get a woodburner fan and just place that on the stove www.amazon.co.uk/VonHaus-Blade-Stove-Fan-Circulation/dp/B01LYNSPPA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542304023&sr=8-3&keywords=woodburner+fan

[@jobenmenachem2269]

I think you are correct and Wallas also produces hobs without the metal lid like Webasto. I was actually considering your idea before. To my honest view, it may be dangerous to use the hobs as a heater with a fans. It may of course save V12, but isn't is too dangerous if you touch the hobs by mistake, when it operates as a heater?

[@RobSymington]

Been waiting for this video.....good stuff but can you comment on ‘outside noise’ from exhaust/inlet please Hugh 🙏’ Need to know if Wallas is a ‘stealthy’ heating solution for urban wild-camping. I know the Eberspachers are noisy as hell outside the truck, hoping this unit is quieter.

[@HughTube]

Sure thing Rob, I will add a section to the re-release of the fitting guide tomorrow!!

[@leoinswlondon]

Mr Buddy heater for Stealth Camping!

[@leoinswlondon]

Another suggestion Dickinson Marine Propane heater for boats. No carbon monoxide and no noise.

[@ivorottleymusic]

Hi Hugh, I'm considering a Wallas but am worried about noise. I have bad tinnitus made worse by noise so it is a fairly big deal for me. How loud is it? Would you have to raise your voice to talk over it? Thanks, good channel!!

[@HughTube]

Hi Ivor, its most noisy upon start up and shutdown. Then it has 1 - 6 heat settings and 6 is noisier than 1 but overnight you can whack it on 1 for most scenarios and I would compare that noise to having one of those Dyson air fans on on a low to medium setting. Sorry if this hasn't helped but without a decibel meter I cant give you an exact figure only my own comparison

[@ivorottleymusic]

Thats great Hugh thanks. I actually saw one today.....you are right, on start up i thought it was a little loud, but once it calmed down, it was fine....really quite quiet.

[@russelldickinson5406]

Thanks for the update and very honest review, it has it’s pluses and minuses, would still consider it but undecided at the moment?

[@HughTube]

sorry you couldn't come to a conclusion but hopefully something will sway you in the right direction (whatever that is)

[@ShulaOudean]

I don't recall you installing that sink.

[@HughTube]

Haha yes I know, sorry I am planning on running through everything I missed before very soon.

[@chatteyj]

@@HughTube Where did you get it, I like it?

[@kurtzxcvb3481]

Have you thought about using a induction heater they draw just around a 1000 1200 watts water very very fast it be great to use that in the summertime why you have the Sun and solar with your inverter they work well in camper situations make sure your camper isn't heating up when you're trying to stay cool

[@HughTube]

Hi Kurt, the issue is the 1-1.2 Kilo watts of power needed. That will mean you will cycle through the battery much much quicker, I would probably look into this if I had lithium based batteries or if my van was electric and I could run off the van battery itself.

[@nickbadi3599]

Hi we have wallas hob and stove in camper also induction hob for use in summer as we have 750w solar we use a 1kw electric kettle of the inverter

[@simonking559]

Hi.great vids and conversion.you may have took a wrong turn with this puppy though.16 mins for some typhoo...come come now...thats awfull..no offence old bean...tidle ooo.

[@HughTube]

I would disagree, I do like the system my only niggle is price!

[@dagobaphotography924]

HughTube I disagree too. The product is double whammy win. Cooker and heater that’s so slimline it beats everything hands down for space and the fact it uses such little fuel it’s incredibly efficient. All you need to do is adapt to let the unit get upto heat before using is it. You started the clock from a cold start. Do it again when it’s upto temperature and it will much more reduced timings. I was away recently for four days with Eberspächer diesel heater on a lot those four days and the fuel dial hardly moved, shocked and pleasantly surprised. Start up time is slower but once upto temp it’s better than cooking on gas....sorry...excuse that piss poor pun. But the price point is a stinger. Another way of looking it is I bought another van down in the future and it had this installed, I’d be well chuffed and it would points to buying that van over another.

[@verynearlyaboutsailing8114]

Good review. Vandemonium suggested I check out your thoughts as I am planning to install one of these on my boat. - I hate the idea of gas on a boat, and if I sail off to the Mediterranean as planned I will also have compatibility issues with the different gas containers etc. Like you, time is not an issue for me. However, I know I am going to get some grief from my boating friends as you can't fit both a gimbal (thing that lets the cooker stay level as the boat leans) and the heater lid - not such an issue in a van.

[@HughTube]

Cheers for checking my content out! Why can't you have the heater lid and the gimbal? I just want to try to understand the issue

[@verynearlyaboutsailing8114]

To be honest, I am not really sure - except that it states this in the catalogue. I assume it is a physical constraint; either the lid affecting the centre of balance, or the lid hinge not being strong enough to stand the swinging about. I will ask the distributor when I go to the London boat show and ask them. Maybe there is a way round it - which would be nice.

[@HughTube]

Is the tricky part mounting it in a gimbal or just keeping the lid open?

[@verynearlyaboutsailing8114]

Not sure. I believe the gimballed version comes as a package in a stainless 'box' along with the gimbal mounts - no idea how they deal with the exhaust etc. If there is one at the boat show I will take a video and stick it on my channel and let you know - I intend to have a look at all the things I would like to buy if/when I win the lottery.

[@verynearlyaboutsailing8114]

Quick and definitive answer. I spoke with the guys at Kuranda at the boat show. It is all about the weight distribution. Having the lid open pushes the centre of gravity too high. It would be possible to make something that would work (different fitting, extra weight etc). However, non of the sailing boats they have fitted the non-gimballed version to have had a problem. To be honest, I kept my old gas stoke locked and never allowed it to 'swing'. Us yotties can get obsessed by things that we don't really need - like having a gimbal on a stove. It will be interesting to see what comments I get on my channel when I do finally fit one in a couple of months time.

[@chrissysand657]

1500 could go into more lithium batteries :(

[@HughTube]

True, but remember that you will still have to buy a cooking and heating system to truly compare price so whatever the difference between the two setups is what you have left over to spend.

[@chuzzbot]

Further ado , not further 'adieu', no one is saying goodbye at the start of a speech.

[@Juppleberry]

Good review on the product. But £1500 is an absolute joke tbh I can buy an entire camping set up for that. And 16 minutes to boil a small kettle. Sorry dude no sale.

[@robertbarbour7017]

Fist class review.

[@MrBakermanus]

16 minutes for the cattle to boil. I have a £10 halfords gas stove it takes about 3 minutes. Is this heater a good idea? well, I'm not sure. Chinese diesel heater costs £140 + £10 for gas stove comes out £150 vs Wallas £1500. Parts for the chinese heater cost pennies compared to wallas and maintenance is really easy. Let's be honest. When you are on camping, you don't want to cook in the van. You want to cook outside which you can't do with the wallas. Even if wallas was £200, I would still go for the Chinese heater and halfords stove setup

[@sz1917]

Too expensive!

[@Mrandy8895]

Forget that! You must have more money than sence to pay for that! And the noise is terrible! Your attempt at justification is well off the mark. A "Chinese diesel heater" fully self contained unit run it on red diesel. Costs around £100 to £200 maximum. Good dry heat. If you don't want gas to cook. Then a cheap but very efficient kerosene (but use diesel instead) greenhouse heater. Not only gives you an excellent heater. But a cooker as well. There are so many alternatives for a fraction of the cost of this gimmick.

[@matthewdinsdale4782]

No

[@HughTube]

ok