Planar Portable Diesel Heater 2D Review
One Year Review
After spending a year with the planar heater and testing it across a variety of conditions, including a PNW winter, I'm prepared to share my thoughts on it.
First, A Story
Two years ago, when I was planning my camper build, I was reading a lot of books about mountain men, fur trappers, and frontiersmen who lived adventurous lives out of simple cabins. I started to think of my truck camper as my own little cabin. I thought that by learning about these individuals and their dwellings, I could live in that same adventurous way.After all, I had a sturdy shelter, water, a chuck box for cooking, and access to wild places. What more did I need? Then, I realized that all these cabins had one thing my truck camper didn't: a warm wood-burning stove. And so began my deep dive into researching camper heaters.
And since you're watching this, I assume you find yourself in that same deep, dark rabbit hole. Let's get out together.
Specs
The 2kW Portable Diesel Heater from Planar:
It comes all the way from Canada.
It's 7000 BTU
The whole kit fits in or on this rugged, water-resistant case
On the outside, we have:
The exhaust
Water resistant hookups (one for power and one for the controller)
The fuel tank, which is roughly one-and-a-half gallon
The air intake with a muffler
The fuel line Shut Off
The heat port
Two vents
Inside, we have:
The 2kW heater unit itself.
Fuel pump. (Ps. Planar has a reputation for using very high-quality fuel pumps.)
Also worth noting is the level of quality and care in the way everything is routed and installed. It's really nicely done.
It also comes with:
A length of heater ducting
A power cable (which I have modified, and we'll talk about that later)
A remote cable
A remote (It comes with an analog remote, but I upgraded to the digital because it has a thermostat, and I like knowing the temperature in the rig. The readout is in Celsius because it's from Canada, so I have to memorize the conversion. If you're curious, that's Celsius x 1.8 + 32 = Fahrenheit.)
Worth The Price?!
Now, let's address the elephant in the room: these are quite pricey! This was probably one of the biggest investments I made for the rig. You might be wondering why I chose to buy this instead of getting a cheaper Chinese one on Amazon.
I found that purchasing a heater falls into the "buy once, cry once" category. There are Reddit threads and Facebook pages dedicated to troubleshooting Chinese diesel heaters. I knew that Planar made the best portable option, and I wanted something that would simply work when I needed it to.
Other Options
I also want to address some of the other options like buddy heaters, propane fireplaces, electric blankets, etc.
I prefer diesel heaters over other options because of the quality of the heat and the safety they provide. Diesel heat is dry heat, which means that I can hang up my wet towel or rain jacket in the heated camper and they'll be dry within 20 or 30 minutes. Propane heat, on the other hand, can create moisture and poses a higher carbon monoxide poisoning threat.
If you're using either of these options, you should have a carbon monoxide sensor installed in your rig. They're inexpensive and could save your life.
Powering
Please keep the following information in mind:
This heater is highly efficient once it's running, pulling only 1-2 amps per hour. However, during start-up and shut down, it can draw over 10 amps, and in some cases, as much as 14 amps.
If you plan to use this heater with a portable power station, make sure to check the brochure or instruction manual to ensure that the power station's outlet can support this level of draw. For example, most cigarette-style outlets may not be able to handle it.
Just a friendly reminder: It's not a good idea to cut the power to this heater while it's running as it can cause damage. It's best to ensure that the outlet can support 15 to 20 amps and has a secure connection.
Set-Up
I'm going to explain how I wired mine up:
I want to make it clear that I'm not an electrician, so please make sure to do your own research. From the fuse box, I used a 20 amp fuse connected to a 12-gauge wire with a male deutsch connector.
For the power cable, I removed the supplied terminal rings and replaced them with a female deutsch connector.
I attached the power cable and routed it to the heater through holes cut in the Tacoma bed cubby. I routed the remote cable in the same way.
Outside, I attached the provided heat ducting hose and routed the other end up into the bed through the cubby. I secured the ducting to the cubby faceplate.
Then, I connected the power and remote cables, opened the fuel line, and we were ready to heat!
Maybe you think, "Wow, that's arduous." Truthfully, sometimes I think that too, but then I'm reminded of those cabins and how I didn't have to chop any wood or spend time building a fire. And that makes me feel a lot better about it.
Would I Buy It Again?
Okay, let's land this bird. Would I buy it again? 100% yes. This heater levels up the truck camper from feeling like a glorified tent to being more like a cozy truck cabin.
If this conversation has sparked a new interest in power systems, make sure to go check out my power systems video.
Feel free to comment with any questions.
Heater Link
https://mainlineoverland.com/products/planar-portable-diesel-air-heater-planar-2d-12v?srsltid=AfmBOopVDAmnvlML6-Q8rdyjf8aOp6CLhNcHFkT2dD9QooOEruvHSGsN
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