Still thinking about a diesel truck/RV heater?

[papaof2]

Got this offer in email today:

www.banggood.com/Hcalory-HC-A01-12V-5KW-Diesel-Parking-Air-Heater-Portable-Toolbox-bluetooth-Remote-Control-Power-Temperature-Adjustable-p-1969218.html?cur_warehouse=USA&utm_source=emarsys&utm_medium=mail_outdoorprefer82_email&utm_campaign=newsletteremarsys&utm_content=yoshiki&sc_src=email_6195828&sc_eh=d3524bdb6ede03211&sc_llid=80573&sc_lid=373808402&sc_uid=kBTueZKlHk&ID=6301877

It's $69.99 and free shipping. For $20 more, your phone can talk to it (Bluetooth).

5KW is about 17,000 BTU and, at full output, the heater runs about 19 hours on 2.6 gallons of diesel. If you're in a small area - especially if it is well insulated - this might not run full out all the time. If a 15,000BTU kerosene heater is adequate for the space you want to heat, this heater would be its replacement - but the thermostat means you do NOT have to manually adjust the heat during the day. It's forced air and it needs power for the glow plug when it fires up and shuts down so you need a backed-up 12 volt supply of "10 amps or more". I think I'd read the "or more" as saying "20 amps and a 100AH battery if your power isn't reliable". A sudden power loss when the heater is running at full output could cause major damage with the electronics getting overheated when the fan cooling that one cylinder diesel engine goes away. Forced air and thermostat control mean it uses some level of power continuously.

If you have diesel on hand, this might be a cold weather prep.

[feralferret]

Here is what comes up at that link:

Hcalory HC-A01 12V 5KW Diesel Parking Air Heater Portable Toolbox bluetooth Remote Control Power Temperature Adjustable - #A
Brand: Hcalory 4.7 75 Reviews 10 answered questions ID: 1969218
US$249.99    US$299.99    -17%

[papaof2]

Maybe it's an offer to registered or currently active customers only? I got the $69.99 price when I click the posted link just now.

They also appear to run "very short unannounced sales" because I posted that one within a minute of seeing it.

You're not the only one - I frequently find I've "just missed" the sale that was "The first 50 items" or whatever "special" that instant deal was...

If a seller posts a price, it should be good for 24 hours unless it has an "until 17:30GMT on 10 April" or similar limit on it.


I'm in the midst of trying to convince an ebay seller that he knows zip about the laptop I'm using and about Windows 10. I emailed him "Bad battery" and lot of supporting evidence and he keeps emailing me the same list of "Do this to set laptop for 100% battery charge". His first step is [Fn] + [F1] which on the Dell 3510 selects the volume control. He still hasn't understood simple English that "What you say does NOT work on this laptop." I'm guessing that I'll end up giving negative feedback, including "Vendor sells junk batteries, knows NOTHING about the operation of the Fn keys on the laptop the battery is for and is NOT interested in learning."
If you tell the truth about your product, you don't have people complaining that it has less than the WH rating stamped on the battery and that it runs down much sooner than it's advertised rating would allow.

This will be maybe the third negative review I've given in a couple of decades of ebay use. If the seller can NOT understand simple English "What you request does NOT work on this laptop" then there is no way he will be able to provide a satisfactory resolution and I will not waste any more time on this. If ebay wants to get involved, I'll make them a video of using Fn + F1 and see if they can determine what the seller is talking about.

Meanwhile, I'll sleep on it, then write the negative review tomorrow and save his name in my list of "Do not buy" vendors.