How is it plumbed into the diesel tank? Would that not be classed as a vehicle modification that your insurance will need to be told about ?
My first system was the 9kw purefreedom one with a hose tapped into the vans diesel tank. When I changed my van 2 years ago I contacted purefreedom to get a quote for removing the system and installing it into my new van. I was told they are no longer allowed to tap into the vehicles diesel tank and the webasto would have to run off a seperate diesel tank. I take it they have changed the regulations again to allow you to draw diesel from the main vehicle tank?
There is no law against drawing from the diesel tank , it’s just not a good idea to tap into the fuel line as modern vans are so fussy .
GrippaTank will fit a separate pick in the tank itself , that will mean drilling a hole, the pick up pipe will be a few inches above bottom of tank so the heater can’t drain the tank completely .
When Grippatank fitted mine they teed into the fuel return line to the tank
When I fitted my Eberspacher Airtronic diesel heater I plumbed into the return pipe to the tank. I've never had an issue. The return pipe doesn't go all the way down to the bottom of the tank just as Webasto (Eberspacher and Webasto are the same company) recommend. So in winter I never let my tank drop below 1/4 incase the pump starts to suck air. Its been faultless for the past 8 years. In winter I try to fill up when I get to half a tank.
I think its generally accepted that they don't plumb into the supply line from the tank to the engine. I heard someone once say that Sprinter vans are a definite no no as the electronics assume a leak.
Lets explore this 'its against the law to tap into the fuel tank' a little further. If it was against the law then virtually every yacht, motor cruiser and canal boat with diesel heaters fitted are all breaking the law. The craft only have 1 fuel tank. But if you fit a diesel heater to a marine craft then its against the law not to use copper piping for the fuel supply. So the way a fitter gets to do the easiest thing is to say it against the law....... Remember when working at height legislation become operational in 2005. How many windies told their customers that they were going wfp because it was against the law to use ladders.
If they fit an extra fuel tank their job is made easier. And they can sell a bit more equipment and make some extra money. With some vans the diesel tank has to be emptied and dropped to fit a standoff pipe into the top. My question is when they drill the hole how do they catch all the drilling swaff from going into the tank? Greasing the end of the hole saw may catch some but not all. Will it get sucked up into the intake further down the line and cause you issues? Would they spend an extra 20 minutes and remove the inspection cover to catch that drilling swaff?
My Citroen Relay has an inspection cover in the cabin floor to gain access to the fuel pump which is in the tank. If I wanted to fit a standoff I could remove the pump assembly completely from the tank and drill a hole for it into that assembly. This way no drillings get into the tank.
IMHO its much better to plumb into the return line to the tank and keep the van's tank above 1/4 at least.
