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. 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.

H2/H4

Aitronic D2/D4

Retail price

Purchased overseas:

< NZ$500

Purchased in NZ market:

+- NZ$400-900

HEATPORT pricing:

From NZ$1,111 (H2)

From NZ$1,333 (H4)

HEATPORT pricing:

From NZ$1,555 (Airtronic D2)

From NZ$2,222 (Airtronic D4)

Prices of these products from another retailers may be higher.

* prices exc. GST

Overview

"Chinese Diesel Heater" is the very popular slang name used worldwide for the low cost clone of the original model developed in Germany by Eberspächer. The purchase price usually determines the quality of the individual components and therefore the overall quality, life-time and safety of the product.

Non-brand OR branded models purchased online from overseas including the locally rebranded diesel heaters sold by local resellers and e-shops.

The purpose of the comparison below is not to discredit the quality of products from other brands. Rather, it is meant to be an indication that showcases the quality that the parts can be, but also the overall life-time, total cost of the ownership and the support you may expect.

All of the compared values below may not be applicable to all of the "low-cost brands" available on market, but represent the typical most common lowest-cost installation diesel air heater kit drop-shipped to NZ or imported by local resellers.

HEATPORT is the brand name of the New Zealand based family company, LF Bros NZ Pty Limited, with its own design, development, testing, assembly, quality check, installation and service facility located in Cheviot / North Canterbury.

Our mission is to bring the ultimate premium quality diesel heating system that everyone can afford.

We think about every single detail of the product. These details are generally not visible to people, but we know that the continual improvement of all of these components, with no compromise on the selection of the parts and quality, is the only way to offer the best customer experience, with a long lasting easy to use product.

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

Made in

China

New Zealand

Germany

Poland

Origin of core product design

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 gabs between turbine and aluminium housing

EXTRA HIGH QUALITY

• precisely balanced fan

• precisely adjusted gabs 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

• pads glued to the casing

Waterproof ECU unit

N/A

COMING SOON

• models Mid 2022

YES

• the heater unit can be sited under the vehicle and be exposed to water

Waterproof ECU connectors

N/A

YES

• the heater unit is allowed to be sitting 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 in 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

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

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

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

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.

Water-proofing of all parcels

N/A

YES

• every small parcel is shipped in water-resistant shipping bags

• every large parcel that leaves our facility is triple wrapped in black film making the package water resistant against inclement and also hides the content for security reasons

N/A

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

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

NZ Phone line

N/A

YES

N/A

Spare parts & Accessories

Selection of spare parts

GOOD or LOW

• is depending 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

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 provide the best customers service and will not let you down in case of any troubles

Local stock helps us to process any warranty cases fastest possible.

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

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 rapidly 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

< $400 (purchased overseas)

+-$400-900 (purchased locally) *

$1,111-1,333*

$1,555-2,666 *

* Basic installation kit includes usually all the necessary parts for fully working installation. Most of the customers are able to make fully working setup and do not require additional accessories unless they decide for it to increase the comfort of using the product/to make the installation easier/because the installation conditions require the additional accessories.

Additional accessories for advanced installation

$0-600 *

$0-1,800 *

* 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.

Deduction of GST

N/A

• unless purchased from local resellers

YES

Installation

Cost of installation DIY

$30-100

• repurchase of small installation material + standard parts missing in original kit or due to extra low quality

Cost of installation by professional installer

$500-1,000 *

$500-1300 *

* Price depends on the complexity of application / duct system and total time spent. This can be highly dependent on positioning of the heater unit, accessibility, quality of the components, special requirements and assessing the most suitable position for the particular components based on physical limitations and rules VS physical blockage of the space by another components of the vehicle/building etc.

After-warranty service and repairs

Cost of spare parts

VARIABLE

• if the components are available, the cost may be low

• some spare components are not widely 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 high for the very short period if the life-time is rapidly shorter.

• If the installation by professional installer is not performed by the reseller of the unit, this can be a serious gamble.

REASONABLE

HIGH

• due to the very high initial expense

Summary

Advantages

• Extra low initial purchase price

• Assembled and QC in New Zealand

• Best value for money

• Express delivery Nationwide

• Easy to install

• High quality of components

• High quality check of components

• 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

• Extra high price of genuine additional accessories

• Total cost of ownership