Problem with Planar forced air heater. Shuts off and on during continuous heat mode.

[rkarakai21]

Hey guys, we have a Planar Diesel heater aboard our Roughwater 33, it's probably less than 2 years old, installed by the previous owner. For the most part it has seemed to work great, pump out decent heat and when dialled right down it draws very little on the house bank. Recently however in the last few weeks it occasionally will shut down without warning whilst on the continous heat mode, the mode we like to use. I have read into the manual about the error codes etc.. but the control unit doesnt throw any error code, the operation light remains solid. Sometimes it will restart itself after a few minutes but sometimes not. We usually run it on high for a few minutes to get things heated up and then dial it way down to maintain the heat and low amp draw for the night. I did notice the last time I filled the tank that the Diesel at the station near us contains up to 10 percent bio-diesel.. Could the heater be picky about its fuel?

As for voltage we have a house bank of two deep cycle 105 amp hour 12 volts wired in parallel and I moniter them with a Victron Smartshunt, so the heater unit always has plenty of power on startup and through the night. With it on low it doesnt even get near 50 percent battery depletion so I don't think it can be a voltage problem.

Cheers

Ryan

[Lepke]

The dosing pump creates tiny bubbles from cavitation inside the pump. If your fuel line has sags or loops where the bubbles get caught, it can stop the fuel long enough to shut down the heater. The fuel line from the dosing pump to the heater needs to be at a continuous up angle so the bubbles are pushed thru. Another issue could be the stainless screen that atomizes the fuel. Small debris and carbon can partially plug the screen and cause shutdown. The screen could need to be changed or cleaned.
The heater should burn anything from diesel to kerosene. But it needs clean fuel.

[chris mac]

Ours did that for a bit after we installed. It ended up being air in the fuel line. After purging, it has run great.

[rkarakai21]

Thanks for the advice guys! Keeping a close eye on it. Ill figure it out.