These heaters look very similar, so what is the real difference?
Lets check below.
This comparison of all heaters has been done to clearly showcase the real differences of these products purchased in New Zealand market. It has been carried out to our best knowledge and is done honestly and impartially to answer the most commonly asked question , "What is the difference?". Please make your own decision and judgement.
Brand
Compared model
2kW / 5kW*
* Sometimes carry misleading specifications of the maximum power 8kW.
H2S/H4S
Aitronic D2/D4
Overview
The term "Chinese Diesel Heater" has become a widely recognized colloquialism for cost-effective replicas of the original model, a creation from Germany by Eberspächer. Generally, the selling price is indicative of the quality of its components, which in turn reflects the product's durability, safety, and overall performance.
This encompasses both non-branded and branded models sourced internationally, as well as those rebranded and sold by local distributors and online retailers.
The following comparison is not aimed at undermining other brands' product quality. Instead, it serves to highlight potential variations in component quality, longevity, total ownership costs, and the level of support one might anticipate.
While the values compared below might not resonate with every "budget-friendly brand" in the market, they typically represent the most common, low-priced diesel air heater kits either directly shipped to NZ or brought in by local sellers.
HEATPORT, an emblem of quality from the family-owned New Zealand enterprise, LF Bros NZ Pty Limited, boasts its exclusive facility in Cheviot, North Canterbury. This facility encompasses everything from design and development to assembly, quality assurance, and service.
We're driven by a singular vision: to deliver a top-tier diesel heating system accessible to all.
Every nuance of our product is thoughtfully considered. While these intricacies might go unnoticed by many, we recognize their importance. Our unwavering commitment to refining each element, coupled with an uncompromising stance on component selection and quality, ensures our customers enjoy a durable, user-friendly product that truly stands the test of time.
The Eberspächer Group of Companies, with headquarters in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany, is a privately owned family business that is an international automotive supplier.
It is one of the leading system developers and suppliers of diesel heaters in the world.
Origin
Origin of core product design
Germany
Germany
Germany
Current product designed
China
New Zealand
Germany
Assembly and QC of main heating unit
China
New Zealand
Germany
Poland
Origin of parts & sub-components
China
... list of other countries of origin dependant on particular model and suppliers of the manufacturer
Australia
Canada
China
Japan
Korea
New Zealand
Taiwan
United Kingdom
United States
Worldwide
Components
Main heatING unit
Plastic casing
LOW QUALITY
• cheap plastic material
• may release toxic gases after overheating
• low scratch/crack resistance
• very low quality of mould
• very low quality of edge finish
HIGH QUALITY
• PA66-GF30
• high temperature / scratch /crack resistant plastic
HIGH QUALITY
• PA66-GF30
• high temperature / scratch /crack resistant plastic
Heat exchanger
LOW QUALITY
• low quality moulds
• low surface finish
• wrongly cleaned aluminium extrusion in inlets
HIGH QUALITY
• high quality moulds
• sand blasting of the surface
• face milling of the hot side
HIGH QUALITY
Motor fan
LOW QUALITY
• wrongly balanced fan
HIGH-QUALITY
• precisely balanced fan
• precisely adjusted gaps between turbine and aluminium housing
EXTRA HIGH QUALITY
• precisely balanced fan
• precisely adjusted gaps between turbine and aluminium housing
• very high accuracy
Glow Plug
LOW QUALITY
• cheap glow plug
• lower life time & performance
HIGH QUALITY
• Japanese Kyocera glow plug
HIGH QUALITY
• Japanese Kyocera glow plug
Thermal pads
LOW QUALITY
• pads embedded to the casing
HIGH QUALITY
• pads glued to the casing
HIGH QUALITY
• pads imbedded to the casing
OR
• pads glued to the casing
Waterproof ECU unit
N/A
YES
YES
• the heater unit can be sited under the vehicle and be exposed to water
Waterproof ECU connectors
N/A
YES
YES
• the heater unit can be sited under the vehicle and be exposed to water
Socket Screws (Motor/Exchanger/Burner)
BLACK OXIDE
• no protection against corrosion in a marine environment
STAINLESS STEEL 316
• highest protection against corrosion in marine environment
ZINC PLATED
• medium protection against corrosion in marine environment
Control system
Auto-stop function
N/A
The heating unit continues heating at the lowest heating power once the preset temperature is reached. This may result in room temperature going above the preset temperature and overheating the space.
YES
• Voice Multi Control FS
• EnControl
YES
• MiniController
• Easy Start Timer
Wired controller
LOW QUALITY
• difficult to operate
• no documentation
HIGH-QUALITY
• Voice Multi Control
HIGH-QUALITY
UI of controller
DIFFICULT
• very unintuitive UI
EXTRA EASY
• Voice Multi Control
EASY
Keychain wireless controller
N/A or YES
YES
• Voice Multi Control (optional)
YES
(optional)
3M double sided sticker for wired switch
N/A
YES
N/A
Wiring harness
LOW QUALITY
• single insulation
• small diameter of wires
EXTRA HIGH-QUALITY
• double insulation
• waterproof connectors
• extra strong outer insulation
HIGH QUALITY
• double insulation
• waterproof connectors
Prewired controller connector
YES
YES
NO
• requires assembly of each core to terminals for both wiring loom and controller
Protection of wires between cable conduit and controller connector
NO
• single insulation only, vulnerable to damage (cut or short circuit)
YES
• double insulation
• transition of conduit and connector protected with heat shrink
NO
• single insulation only, vulnerable to damage (cut or short circuit)
Protection of wires between cable conduit and pump connector
NO
• single insulation only, vulnerable to damage (cut or short circuit)
YES
• double insulation
• transition of conduit and connector protected with heat shrink
NO
• single insulation only, vulnerable to damage (cut or short)
Installation material
Air intake
Air Intake Hose
HIGH-QUALITY OR LOW QUALITY
• may be a very thin material
HIGH-QUALITY
EXTRA HIGH QUALITY
• extra high durability
Air intake silencer
N/A OR YES
YES
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Exhaust system
Exhaust silencer
N/A OR LOW QUALITY
• spot welded unsealed inlets
• thin walls
HIGH QUALITY
• tig-welded fully sealed inlets
HIGH QUALITY
• spot-welded unsealed inlets
Exhaust pipe
LOW QUALITY
• very thin material
• cannot be cut in-line
• wrong diameter of the connection (up to 3mm difference in ID)
HIGH QUALITY
• corrugated stainless steel 304
HIGH QUALITY
• corrugated stainless steel 304
Exhaust pipe - per linear metre
N/A
YES
(optional)
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Fiberglass exhaust insulation sleeve - per linear metre
N/A
YES
(optional)
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Marine exhaust skin fitting
N/A
YES
(optional)
• stainless steel 316
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Fuel system
Fuel pump holder
YES
YES
YES
Fuel pump
LOW QUALITY
• type C pumps
• higher noise level
• lower life-time
HIGH-QUALITY
• type E pumps
HIGH QUALITY
• type E pumps
Waterproof fuel pump connector
N/A or YES
YES
YES
Fuel pump extension cord
N/A
YES
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Fuel filter
LOW QUALITY
• Vertical filter
HIGH-QUALITY
• heavy duty horizontal fuel filter
• horizontal fuel filter with water separator
• vertical filter
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Nylon fuel hoses with rubber sleeves
N/A
• silicon based flexible hose with much larger internal diameter
• vulnerable to creating airlock
• absorbs the shocks of the fuel pump
• lowers the life-time of the atomising net due reduced pressure of incoming fuel
• lower self-cleaning effect
YES
YES
Selection of suction pipes
N/A or YES
• 1 model available
YES
• 2 models available
YES
Selection of fuel tanks
N/A
• standard kit comes mostly with one tank size
• no fuel tank options available
YES
• 21 different models available
N/A
• standard kit comes with no fuel tank
Duct system
Air Outlet Hood
N/A
• size of the air outlet hood is fixed in the installation kit
YES
• 60mm / 75mm / 90mm / 2x43mm / 4x43mm hood available to be attached to the kit
N/A
• size of the air outlet hood is fixed in the particular installation kit
Duct per linear metre
N/A
YES
(optional)
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Air vents
N/A or YES
• 1 included
• additional may not be available
YES
• 2 included
• additional vents can be supplied
N/A or YES
• 1 included
• additional may not be available from local resellers
T-Junctions
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available
YES
• 1 included
• additional T junctions can be supplied
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Reducers
N/A
YES
(optional)
N/A or YES
(optional)
• may not be available from local resellers
Installation material
Bottom plate with gasket
N/A
• only metal bottom plate
• requires additional sealant to be applied under the bottom plate
YES
N/A
• only metal bottom plate
• requires additional sealant to be applied under the bottom plate
Base gasket
LOW QUALITY
• often a different size not matching the size of the casing
• lower temperature resistance
HIGH-QUALITY
HIGH-QUALITY
Duct/air Intake hose clamps
LOW QUALITY
• easily broken with very light torque
• cannot withstand higher torque
• small width of the clamp
HIGH-QUALITY
• standard quality worm drive hose clamps
EXTRA HIGH QUALITY
• extra high torque worm drive hose clamps
Exhaust hose clamps
LOW QUALITY
• easily broken with very light torque
• cannot sustain high torque
• small width of the clamp
HIGH-QUALITY
• standard quality hose clamps
EXTRA HIGH QUALITY
• extra wide, high torque hose clamps
Other installation material
POOR SELECTION
• poor selection of smaller parts: screws/bolts/zip ties and other items
LARGE SELECTION
• very good selection of all smaller parts such as brackets/screws/bolts/zip ties that should be included in every installation
• as every installation is unique, even this part list may not meet the requirements of every single installation and the installer may expect to use additional screws/bolts/cable ties etc.
LARGE SELECTION
• a good selection of all important small parts such as brackets/screws/bolts/zip ties required in every installation
• as every installation is unique, even this part list may not meet the requirements of every single installation and the installer may expect to use additional screws/bolts/cable ties etc.
Packaging
Protection of the heater unit
POOR
• if packed only in cardboard, the wrong packaging may cause cracking of the heater before delivery
• if packed in a polystyrene enclosure, particles of polystyrene may fall inside the combustion chamber, air intake propeller or fan turbine and cause permanent damage later
EXCELLENT
• high quality polystyrene enclosure inserted inside the same size cardboard box
• heater unit inserted in protective plastic film to prevent any particles of polystyrene entering the heater unit
POOR
• packed in better quality cardboard box, but the wrong handling may cause fracturing of the heater case before delivery
• as the heater unit is not protected by plastic bag the cardboard may cause small scratches on the body (especially due to long international air cargo transportation) and small pieces of the cardboard to fall inside the combustion chamber, air intake propeller or fan turbine resulting in later permanent damage
Protection of the components
POOR
poor protection of sensitive components
EXCELLENT
• Any sharp items are bubble wrapped to prevent damage to another components
• The most vulnerable components are packed in separate bags or in polystyrene enclosure
GOOD
• Lower quality shipping boxes that easily get damaged before delivery due to thin cardboard
• Good protection of standard accessories components
• Excellent protection of most vulnerable components as wired switches etc.
Customisation
Fully customisable kits
N/A
YES
• we can create kits with fully customised part lists that will exactly match your requirements
• all kits are assembled as per order
• our customers do not have to pay for parts they do not need
N/A
Custom made parts or setup
N/A
YES
• we can also modify or remanufacture some parts based on your requirements
N/A
Manuals
Installation manual
EXTRA LOW QUALITY OR N/A
HIGH QUALITY
HIGH QUALITY
Operation manual
EXTRA LOW QUALITY OR N/A
HIGH QUALITY
EXTRA HIGH QUALITY
Error codes / troubleshooting table
LOW QUALITY OR N/A
• error code table with very basic list of possible reasons of fault or no error code table
EXTRA HIGH QUALITY
• advanced error code table with a comprehensive list of possible reasons for faults
HIGH QUALITY
• good quality error code table with average list of possible reasons of fault
Support
NZ based physical branch
N/A
• only multiple local resellers offering these products or parts as part of their product range
YES
• located in Cheviot, Canterbury
• you are more than welcome to visit our showroom and talk with us about any technical aspects of the product or installation.
N/A
• only multiple local resellers offering these products or parts as part of their product range
E-mail support
N/A
YES
YES
NZ Phone line
N/A
YES
N/A
Spare parts & Accessories
Selection of spare parts
GOOD or LOW
• dependant on the particular model
• may require another 3rd party suppliers
VERY HIGH
• unlike any other resellers we deal directly with factories and store components in bulk
• as the products are assembled directly in our facility, we are able to supply the largest selection of spare/replacement components
HIGH or LOW
• large selection of spare parts available in Europe and USA
• limited selection in NZ
Selection of accessories
GOOD or LOW
• dependant on the particular model
• may require another 3rd party supplier
HIGH
• unlike any other resellers we deal directly with factories and store the components in bulk
• we are able to offer the largest selection of accessories for diesel heaters locally
EXTRA HIGH or LOW
• very large selection of accessories available in Europe and USA
• very limited selection in NZ
Shipping from
Overseas OR New Zealand
Canterbury, New Zealand
• all in stock parts are usually shipped within 24 hours
Overseas OR New Zealand
• long shipping for international shipment + high shipping fees due to limited selection of components available locally
Installation
Difficulty for DIY assembly
MORE DIFFICULT
• low quality parts that are hard to work with
• missing components
• low quality documentation
EASIER
• all components ready
• full technical documentation
MORE DIFFICULT
• Wiring harness is not prewired to the connectors and must be assembled by installer
• any mistake in wrong wiring of connectors can cause permanent damage of the electronic modules
• documentation takes time to understand
Difficulty to assemble by PRO
MORE DIFFICULT
• low quality parts that are hard to work with
• missing components
• low quality documentation
EASIER
• all components ready
• full technical documentation
EASIER
• all components ready
• full technical documentation
Delivery time of the additional components (if installation requires)
> 1 month or N/A
• may require another 3rd party suppliers
Days
• All in stock parts are shipped within 24 hours from Canterbury
• For any current models we usually stock every component on the shelf
Days or 1-4 weeks
• Days for locally stocked parts
• Weeks for non-stock parts
Warranty
Purchased locally
Customers Guarantee Act
Full CGA protection
Full CGA protection
Full CGA protection
12 Months Warranty
YES
12 MONTH / 24 MONTH
• Every standard order comes with full 12 Months warranty coverage
• 24 Months warranty is available as "Extended Warranty" package (optional)
12 MONTH / 24 MONTH
(optional)
24 Months Warranty
NOT AVAILABLE
12 MONTH/ 24 MONTH • Every standard order comes with full 12 Months warranty coverage
• 24 Months warranty is available as "Extended Warranty" package (optional)
12 MONTH / 24 MONTH
(optional)
Reality of level of support
GOOD OR LIMITED OR N/A
• level of warranty support may depend on the particular reseller
HIGH
• we are committed to providing the best customer service and will not let you down in case of any troubles
Local stock helps us to process any warranty cases quickly.
HIGH OR GOOD OR LIMITED
• level of warranty support may depend on the particular reseller
• processing time of warranty case may be delayed by shipping to authorised service centres OR by delay in supply of spare parts
Purchased from overseas
Customers Guarantee Act
No CGA protection
N/A
No CGA protection
Warranty period
N/A
N/A
N/A
Reality of level of warranty support in NZ
LIMITED OR N/A
-N/A
LIMITED SUPPORT
• level of warranty support may depend on the particular reseller
• processing time of warranty case may be delayed by shipping to authorised service centres OR by delay in supply of spare parts
Service and repairs
Warranty service
N/A or LIMITED
FAST
• we have our own service and diagnostic facility with necessary spare components available on hand.
• the processing time of warranty repairs is usually very short
FAST OR SLOW or EXTRA SLOW
• very limited local supply of spare parts may rapidly increase the processing time of repairs
After-warranty service
N/A
FAST
• we have our own service and diagnostic facility with necessary spare components available on hand.
• the processing time of warranty repairs is usually very short
VARIABLE
• very limited local supply of spare parts may increase the processing time of repairs
Self-service / repairs
LIMITED or N/A
• may be very difficult due very limited or no local supply of spare parts and may involve international shipping
• may require special tools not widely available
EASIER
• If you decide to service the unit on your own, we can guide you with selection of the right components needed
• we can supply the special tools needed
LIMITED or N/A
• may be very difficult due to limited or no local supply of spare parts and may involve international shipping
• may require special tools not widely available
Total cost of ownership
Retail Price
Basic kit
< $300 (purchased overseas)
+-$300-900 (purchased locally) *
From $1,055-1,388*
$1,555-2,666 *
Additional accessories for advanced installation
$0 - 1,000 *
$0-1,000 *
$0-1,500 *
* Extended lengths of the duct, additional air vents or another accessories can increase the cost accordingly. Marine installation usually requires additional components that are not included in the standard kit.
Installation
Cost of installation DIY
$30-300
• repurchase of small installation material + replacement of parts due to low quality
$0
$0
Cost of installation by professional installer
$500-1,000 *
$500-1,000 *
$500-1300 *
* Price depends on the complexity of application / duct system and total time spent. This can be dependent on the positioning of the heater unit and other components and accessibility.
After-warranty service and repairs
Cost of spare parts
VARIABLE
• if the components are available, the cost may be low
• some components are not available to be sold individually
• often the most economic repair is purchase of a new kit
LOW
HIGH
Total
Total cost of ownership
HIGH
• As the life-time of the product is very unpredictable, the total cost including DIY/PRO installation may be excessive
REASONABLE
HIGH
• due to the very high initial expense and cost of replacement parts (if required)
Advantages
• Extra low initial purchase price
• Assembled and Quality Controlled in New Zealand
• Best value for money
• Express delivery Nationwide
• Easy to install
• High quality of components
• All components quality checked.
• Quality documentation
• Good life-time
• Total cost of ownership
• NZ Support
• HEATPORT installation service in Canterbury
• Largest selection of spare parts and accessories stocked in Canterbury for reasonable price
• High quality of components
• Extra high quality check of components
• Quality documentation
• Good life-time
Disadvantages
• Total cost of ownership
• Low quality of components
• Low standards for quality check
• Missing parts
• Low quality of documentation or no documentation
• Long delivery time unless purchased from local reseller
• Safety risk
• Higher initial purchase price
• Highest initial purchase price
• Extra high price of genuine additional accessories
• Total cost of ownership