by featherliteCT1 » Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:23 pm
A 5kw Chinese Diesel Heater like mine has an initial start up cycle that lasts about 3 minutes, during which time the glow plug is energized drawing about 12 amp hours.
After the glow plug deenergizes, the thermostat will control the temperature by simultaneously regulating the fuel pump Hz rate and the fan rpm rate. During normal running times, the unit draws about 1 to 2 amp hours, depending on how high the heat is set.
When the unit is turned off, the unit goes through a mandatory shut down cycle, where the glow plug energizes again for about 1 minute to burn off any soot in the combustion chamber and the fan runs on high for about 5 minutes to cool down the unit.
Consequently, to control the temperature, I and most people of whom I am aware, do not program the unit to cycle on and off; rather, after the interior space reaches the desired temperature, the unit is programmed to merely idle on low. If that low setting is too hot, windows are opened to control the temperature.
Otherwise, too many amps are wasted by repeated startup and shutdown cycling.
Respecting fuel usage, in a 10 hour period, the unit on low and high will use about 1 quart and 1 gallon of fuel, respectively. However, if I were to run my unit on high, it would fry me out of the trailer. In 30 degree weather, with a cold trailer, my unit will run on high for less than 30 minutes to heat the trailer up to about 70 degrees F, then it throttles back to low for the rest of the night.
Of course, fuel and amp usage will vary depending on outside temperatures, size of trailer and amount of insulation.