Planar Night-Heaters.

[AussieMick]

To rolling stone
That's is the latest Planar controller, PU27. One thing that can cause soot buildup is not letting it do the full cooling cycle, and not letting the thermostat control temperature by turning it off and on all the time.
There are a few YouTubes about using a planar heater and cleaning one out if it gets too dirty inside the combustion chamber.

 

[Bish]

The vent at the drivers door should be your cold air intake, at the risk of sounding rude, are you sure its blowing out, cause the heater only has 2 large outlets, one cold intake and one hot output. Sounds weird. Unless output duct is torn near the inlet or something strange like that.

Thanks for your reply. The cool vent definitely feels like it's blowing, but I have just been out with some tissue paper and it is getting sucked onto the vent! So no you weren't being rude, I was being thick! Cheers though

 

[will-h]

I've a Planar 2D with 'silent' pump, but I can still hear it ticking inside the van. Is that expected?

I did read in the manual "Remember to properly bleed the “silent” TH11 fuel pump. If it’s not properly bled it will be as loud as a standard fuel pump."

 

[timrobbo]

Looking for ideas on where to locate the PU27 controller, the modem and the aerial for the modem please. I have fitted the controller cable coming up under my drivers seat base (T6) but there is not a great deal of cable length to play with.

 

[will-h]

Looking for ideas on where to locate the PU27 controller, the modem and the aerial for the modem please. I have fitted the controller cable coming up under my drivers seat base (T6) but there is not a great deal of cable length to play with.

It really depends how your van is laid out (does it have furniture etc).
I've seen it on the B pillar, but not sure there is space behind there for the modem and antenna!

An extension cable is available for the controller.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Modem and antenna will fit behind the B-pillar panel. Modem can sit at the bottom. I fitted my Webasto controller and temp sensor at the top with the antenna behind the panel.

 

[Smelf36]

Hi all. Just had my planar fitted yesterday, just wondering which is the best setting to use, temp at the panel or temp at the heater? Thoughts and experience welcome

 

[Big Al]

Temp Heater and tick ventilation. The ventilation keeps temperature more stable once up to set point. Dont forget to periodically run heater on full `Power` mode to help keep combustion chamber clean.

 

[Eclipse Custom Vans]

Temp at the heater will use sensor in the heater so monitors the return temp, this can mean the temp on the controller needs to be less than you expect. On the panel it senses closer to your actual position (depending on where controller is) so probably better to use this one, that’s what we use. They never really work brilliantly as the van is so small, you'll either be too thot or too cold so you really need to set it from experience and adjust to suit your needs, don’t expect to set it to 16 degrees for example and think it will be exactly 16 degrees.

Have a play around.

All the best,
Ian

 

[Smelf36]

Fab thanks guys, I’ll have a play

 

[Smelf36]

Sorry one other point, the air inlet in the drivers step seems to create a bit of a roaring of noise, not majorly loud, but enough to be intrusive at night I would think, is this normal? Should it quiet down once up to temp?

 

[Deaky]

Sorry one other point, the air inlet in the drivers step seems to create a bit of a roaring of noise, not majorly loud, but enough to be intrusive at night I would think, is this normal? Should it quiet down once up to temp?

If it's anything like an eber, then once you're up to temperature it will be whisper quiet.

 

[Smelf36]

Well that’s what I was expecting, however even when the temp gauge on the control panel says it’s met the right temp, it seems to stay the same and keeps heating to the point it goes beyond the temp required?

 

[oldiebut goodie]

I am forever telling people that without an external temp sensor the temp that the heater sees is the temp of the air entering the heater not the temp that any controller sees and indicates at the mounting height. There can be 10 or more degrees difference between the two.

 

[Smelf36]

I am forever telling people that without an external temp sensor the temp that the heater sees is the temp of the air entering the heater not the temp that any controller sees and indicates at the mounting height. There can be 10 or more degrees difference between the two.

Ok, but there is a setting that measures the temp at the heater, and even on this setting it still caries on beyond the set temp? Is this the same issue

 

[oldiebut goodie]

If you use that setting you need to check the temperature at the inlet at floor level against the set temp not higher up. Whichever way it is measured you need to decide upon your comfort level of heat at the height you require it and then turn down the heat until the heater drops output and use that as your base point. Numbers on a controller are meaningless when you are sat in a steel box with glass sides and an icy wind playing on all surfaces, it is how you perceive the heat that matters more to most people.
Reach the temp that you want then turn it down and remember the indicated level that you liked.

 

[Smelf36]

Thanks, I’ll continue to play

 

[Smelf36]

Hmm, so it doesn’t seem to matter what number I set the temp at, I’ve had it set to 1 and the heater just keeps on churning, think there’s a problem here somehow. Guess I’ll have to get in touch with Autoterm

 

[AussieMick]

I have my temperature thermostat control set at the little controller which is about shoulder height not at the heater, once the temperature gets up to the temperature that I have set, the heater goes onto idle just ticking over , it doesn't shut down or this would involve the shutdown and then start up sequence again and the glow plug pulling 8 amps or so each cycle.
If you have the planar heater controller manual hopefully this will help to program it.
You can measure temperature at the heater or controller and I've found that at the controller is more accurate as that is in your van and higher up where warm air travels.

 

[Qnapper]

Went out tested mine this morning and as AussieMick I set control panel at a set temp when it reaches that the burner goes into standby. used a freezer spray to drop temp around the control panel and it kicks back in. Perhaps you have a problem? have you tried a reset of the control panel?
Not used ours fully yet, but feels warm enough.