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Portable Vevor Diesel Heater (All-In-One) Review & Setup

Disclaimer: Vevor sent this product to us for free for a review. That does not affect our opinion about the product. In this article, we list both what we like and dislike. Read more about this here.

What is a Portable (All-in-One) Diesel Heater?

Portable diesel heaters, or all-in-one diesel heaters, are becoming popular for van and RV camping.

They’re quieter and more energy-efficient compared to traditional propane heaters.

Unlike permanent diesel heaters, which need complex installations and fuel line access, these portable units come pre-assembled in a compact box. The only setup needed is connecting to a 12V power source.

The beauty of portable heaters is their flexibility—you can heat your RV, a garage, a shop, or even a tent or ice fishing hut. Just remember to safely vent the exhaust outside.

Related Product: Vevor also makes portable inverters, you can find our review of the 2500W model here

This is a review of the VEVOR 8KW Portable Diesel Heater, focusing on its features, performance, and practicality for RV camping and other outdoor uses.

If you’re considering a portable heating solution for your van, RV, or workspace, this review will help you decide if the VEVOR heater is the right choice.

Vevor Diesel Heater (All-in-One 8KW Version)

Check price on Vevor.com

I was really looking forward to testing out the VEVOR portable diesel heater, especially after hearing how perfect these heaters are for boondocking.

They’re the best option when you don’t have enough battery power to keep a propane furnace running all night.

It seemed like the ideal solution for my RV, so I was thrilled when mine arrived.

My experience with the shipping process was smooth. Everything arrived intact and all parts were accounted for.

Good shipping practices isn’t something that’s always guaranteed with these types of products, but VEVOR always seems to do a decent job.

See Also: 6 Best Diesel Heaters For Campers, RVs & Vans 2024

8KW Vevor diesel heater all in one portable with included parts
8KW Vevor Diesel Heater with all the included parts.

I opted for the short, wide version of this diesel heater, with the fuel tank beside the heater rather than the tall, skinny version with the tank on top.

Since I planned to install it in my motorhome’s storage unit and under a travel trailer, the short, stable design made more sense for my needs.

Plus the tank on the sidee feels safer to me. Even though I haven’t heard of issues with the top-tank versions, having the fuel next to the heater just gives me extra peace of mind.

fuel tank inside a portable diesel heater by Vevor
5 liter or 1.3 gallon diesel tank inside the Vevor diesel heater.

Before installation, I recommend opening up any portable diesel heater to ensure everything, like fuel lines and wiring, is in the right place.

In my case, I initially thought the unit didn’t come with a fuse, so I bought an inline fuse to install. But upon closer inspection, I discovered a built-in 20-amp inline fuse, which was a relief.

It’s important to know where parts like this are in case you ever need to troubleshoot, like if the heater doesn’t power on.

See Also: Best Heated RV Sewer Hose Review For Winter RV Camping

inline 20 amp fuse inside the vevor diesel heater all in one
20 amp inline fuse inside the Vevor portable diesel heater.

The VEVOR heater I got is the 8KW version, which offers the highest heat output.

There’s also a 5KW option, but both models are similar in size since they share the same fuel tank dimensions.

lcd screen on a vevor diesel heater
The up button is on the left, power in the center, and the down button on the right.

The LCD screen on my unit is fairly basic, with just three buttons. I did find it a bit confusing at first, especially since the “up” button was on the left, which I wasn’t expecting.

However, most of the settings are simple. The screen displays the temperature in Celsius, and you control the heat output using the arrow buttons. The heat level adjust from H-1 to H-6.

You can also switch between battery voltage, the temperature of the air output, and the heat level by pressing the power button.

Setting it up as a portable unit outside a tent or garage was easy, but installing it in the storage compartment of my motorhome was more challenging.

I had to figure out how to route the exhaust safely outside the RV, which took some extra time. Now that it’s installed, I’ve been impressed with its performance.

It’s kept me warm through freezing temperatures, and I’m writing this review while comfortably heated in my RV.

Overall, the VEVOR 8KW diesel heater has proven to be a reliable and efficient heating solution for off-grid camping.

It’s a versatile unit that works in multiple settings, whether you’re using it in an RV, garage, or even a tent.

Just make sure to check the unit thoroughly before installation and be prepared for a bit of a learning curve with the controls.

I cover the RV storage compartement installation more fully in this post here.

Vevor Diesel Heater 8KW Features

  • 8KW Heating Power
  • 0.1-0.48 Diesel Consumption
  • 3 Button LCD Screen
  • Remote Control
  • 20 lbs Dry Weight
  • 15″ x 11″ x 12.6″ (LxWxH)
  • 5L (1.3 Gallon) Fuel Tank
  • 6 Heat Level Settings
  • Quiet
  • Low Power Usage (up to 40 watts when running/quick 150 surge watts for startup)
  • 12 volt
  • Inline 20 Amp Fuse

Included Parts

  • All-In-One Diesel Heater
  • User Manual
  • Muffler
  • 1″ Exhaust Pipe (24 inches long)
  • 1″ Air Intake Pipe
  • 3″ Air Duct
  • 12 Gauge Wire (around 2 feet)
  • Pipe Clamps
  • Remote Control

Initial Setup

No portable all-in-one diesel heater is ready to go right out of the box. You need to be prepared to put some parts together.

One thing I’ve seen with every single one of these is they need to have a base added to them so the exhaust pipe can fit underneath the unit.

There are holes in the unit’s feet so you can easily screw or bolt on some extra feet for height. I used a wood 2×4 cut into the width of the diesel heater (11 inches).

See Also: What Will The RV Battery Run?

portable diesel heater vevor exhaust and air intake location
On most diesel heaters, the air intake is the one with the fuel line next to it.

The exhaust pipe goes on the bottom hole that’s on the side that blows out the air. It’s also where the LCD screen is located.

vevor diesel heater air intake and exhaust pipe installed
Bottom of the portable Vevor diesel heater with the airline and exhaust pipe installed.

The air intake gets fed through the hole in the metal base, so it sticks out and away from the exhaust.

The exhaust pipe is a 1 inch stainless steel pipe that has some flexibility to it. If you’re careful, you can bend it close to a 90-degree angle.

exhaust pipe on the vevor portable diesel heater with feet attached
The exhaust pipe that comes with the Vevor diesel heater already has a bend in the middle you need to straighten out.

I could bend it far enough to clear the ground with the Vevor diesel heater up on a base made of 2×4 pieces.

Once the air intake and exhaust pipes are installed, all you have to do is connect a 12 volt battery.

The included wires had eyelets on one side. I installed eyelets on the other end so I could easily connect them to battery terminals.

See Also: How Long Will An RV Battery Run The Furnace? + Calculations

electrical wires connected to the vevor all in one diesel heater
The wire connection terminals are on the back of the Vevor all-in-one diesel heater.

The way you install the wires on the back of the diesel heater is easy because it has terminals with bolts. Just like a battery.

Make sure you run the fuel pump program before starting it up so the pump can fill the fuel lines.

Do this by pressing the power button and the right arrow button (down button) at the same time.

Press them again to turn off the manual fill mode once the lines have been filled with diesel.

Hold the power button to start the diesel heater. You should get some heat pretty quickly.

Note that the exhaust will blow out some white smoke for about a minute and then become clear once the fuel combusts.

Always use a diesel heater outside or in a well-ventilated area with the exhaust going outside.

Optional Additions

Now, since this is a budget Chinese diesel heater, it’s missing a few parts you might want to add.

Fuel Filter

First, there’s no fuel filter, which isn’t great. A fuel filter will keep your diesel heater running better for longer.

It’s not a hard part to get or install, so it’s not a must have when you’re searching for a good diesel heater.

I used a metal fuel filter that’s made for diesel heaters.

I initially bought the smallest one I could find at my local auto parts store, but even that one wasn’t small enough for the fuel tubes.

A fuel filter needs to be installed before the fuel pump.

You can read more about installing the fuel filter into the Vevor diesel heater in this article here

Exhaust Wrap

The exhaust pipe gets extremely hot. It can be a little dangerous and even start fires if placed near dry grass.

vevor diesel heater with exhaust wrapped in fiberglass exhaust wrap
The exhaust wrap is optional, but it’s a good way to help stop fires and burns.

Using fiberglass exhaust wrap, you can insulate the pipe.

Make sure you use gloves when wrapping the pipe because it is made with fiberglass.

Mesh Air Intake Filter

Some Chinese diesel heaters come with a mesh air intake filter, and some don’t. My 8KW Vevor did not come with a mesh filter.

Instead, it came with a plastic tube with holes in it. Sometimes that plastic housing can have a mesh filter inside, but the Vevor didn’t.

vevor diesel heater with the mesh air intake filter instead of the plastic one
Some diesel heaters come with this mesh filter option, but the Vevor I got didn’t have it.

The air intake filter I bought fits perfectly on the included air intake pipe. I use it without the plastic housing so it can get plenty of air flow.

The mesh filter is important because it stops bugs from crawling inside the heater. Which can cause issues later on.

Flexible Heat Duct

The 3 inch heat duct that comes with the Vevor diesel heater isn’t very long, and it’s also not insulated.

I went to the local hardware store and picked up an 8 foot 4 inch dryer hose to make the duct long enough to go into my RV.

I later found a 3-inch 16.5-foot insulated flexible ducting that worked a lot better.

Flexible Exhaust Pipe

I needed a much longer exhaust pipe for when I put the heater in the storage compartment in my RV.

1 inch exhaust pipe can be hard to find, especially locally. I found some thicker steel flex pipe, but it was hard to clamp onto the diesel heater securely.

A 4 foot stainless steel exhaust pipe is a good option if you need a longer pipe.

You can read more about where to get these parts and how to install them in my RV storage compartment installation article.

Vevor Diesel Heater Testing

Heating Abilities

One thing about diesel heaters is they can put out some serious heat, and the ones sold by Vevor are no different.

There are 6 heat settings. Even when I had it put in the middle on setting 3, the air coming out was seriously hot.

I tested heating my RV on both setting 3 and 6. The temperature outside and inside my 24 foot motorhome was 32° when I started the heater.

In one hour, the setting 6 raised the inside temperature by 14°F, from 32°F to 46°F.
On heat setting 3, the diesel heater raised the inside temperature by 8°F, from 32°F to 40°F in one hour.
It was windy during the 3 heat setting test. I think if it wasn’t windy it could have increased the temperature by 10°F easily.

The highest setting could heat the RV a little faster, but I’m still impressed by how well the 3 setting does.

You could easily maintain the temperature in your RV with the lower settings, even in freezing temperatures.

And this is all with just one 3 inch heat duct and vent. If there were multiple spread out it could heat even faster.

If you have a large travel trailer or 5th-wheel, connect multiple ducts to spread the heat around.

Fuel Consumption

I was a little confused by some of the information about the estimated fuel consumption of each diesel heater on Vevor’s website.

Some of the information seemed to be for the wrong size of heater. I read through it all and tried to sort the information.

As far as I could tell, Vevor estimates that its biggest diesel heater, the 8KW version, will burn anywhere from 0.1-0.48 liters of diesel an hour.

I was surprised to see that from my testing and estimating the fuel left in the tank, my values were almost exactly the same as Vevors.

When I had the heat set to 3 about 1/4 of a liter was burned in an hour. When I had the heat set to 6 about 1/2 a liter was burned in an hour.

So I think Vevor’s estimates are correct, but they are just put on the wrong sizes of heaters in some of the product information.

For those of us who use gallons instead of liters. There’s 3.8 liters in a gallon.

Using my estimates, with the Vevor diesel heater set to 6 (the highest setting), you could run the heater for at least 7 1/2 hours on one gallon of diesel.

Most of us won’t be using the highest setting once our RV is heated.

I think you could easily keep your RV warm for 24 hours with a gallon of diesel fuel.

Energy Usage

Diesel heaters have a very low electricity consumption when they’re running.

But there is an initial draw to heat the glow plugs that can pull a little more power than you might expect.

I was hoping to power my diesel heater with a portable power station using a 12 volt plug.

But unfortunately, the initial amp draw is about 11 amps.

Most power stations only have 10 amp rated 12 volt sockets. It’s so close to working, but the power station shuts itself off before the heater can start.

I think you can power smaller diesel heaters with power stations, but the large 8KW versions require at least a 15 amp 12 volt outlet if you want to use a 12 volt accessory plug.

To get by the initial power surge problem, I connected the wires directly to a 12 volt battery.

11 amps is low enough for most 12 volt batteries to handle. So you shouldn’t have any issues with a direct connection.

I tested my 12 volt AGM battery and my 12 volt Lithium-ion battery, both worked perfectly.

See Also: Best Deep Cycle RV Battery (AGM, SLA, 12V, 6V)

During the start cycle, the electricity draw will slowly increase as the glow plug heats.

The startup process takes around 2 minutes. It slowly increases the power draw until it gets to about 130 watts and then stays there for about 30 seconds.

So it has a higher initial power surge, but it’s only for 2 minutes.

When turned to the highest setting (H-6) it was using around 31 watts to run.

It bounced around a little, but that was the average.

After starting and running for an hour on high, the 8KW diesel heater used 32 watt hours.

For the next test, I had it on the middle setting (H-3). The start cycle used the same amount of power, but the standard running only used an average of 20 watts.

When turned down to the absolute lowest setting, the diesel heater drew only 10 watts.

There’s a shutdown cycle you should always let the heater go through before disconnecting it from power.

It will jump up to about 100 watts for 30 seconds, then go back down to 10 watts for the rest of the cycle.

The off cycle takes about 4 minutes. This cycle is cleaning the inside of the diesel heater.

It’s an important step that will keep your heater working for longer.

Make sure you leave enough power for this cycle to happen, otherwise soot will build up inside the heater and it might not start the next time.

You cannot turn the heater back on until the off cycle is complete.

When connected to power with the heater off, it draws around 0.2 watts for the LCD screen.

One interesting thing I noticed while using it on a much colder day when it was only 23°F outside instead of 32°F is that it used a little more electricity when running.

On the highest setting, it was drawing around 36 watts instead of just 31.

The start cycle was about the same, but for some reason, the fuel pump was using more power.

I was happy it could start in colder temperatures and the elevation here is about 5,000 feet.

After my testing, I’ve found that the Vevor 8KW portable diesel heater doesn’t use very much electricity and is perfect for boondockers or those with solar panel setups and battery banks.

Energy Usage Summary Chart

Start CycleHigh (H-6)Medium (H-3)Low (H-1)Shutdown
wattsup to 130312010up to 100 watts
amps112.51.70.88.3
vevor portable diesel heater in an rv storage compartment
All-in-one Vevor diesel heater in the storage compartment of my RV.

Vevor Diesel Heater Review

I’d read a lot about Chinese diesel heaters before I got the Vevor 8kw heater.

So I knew a little of what to expect, but just to say it up front, overall I’ve been very happy with this diesel heater.

It works as it should, was easy to set up as a portable unit, and compared to an RV furnace it’s very quiet.

The sound of the fuel pump clicking is what most people complain about. The higher end diesel heaters use a fuel pump that’s a little quieter.

I honestly don’t think it’s that bad, especially when compared to an RV furnace. And the pump doesn’t run all the time.

Sometimes it turns off and the only sound is the air coming out of the heater.

You can replace the factory installed fuel pump with one that is quieter. Just make sure you get the right size for your specific diesel heater.

What I Like

I love the budget friendly aspect and the diesel heater coming as a single unit.

The versions that need to be installed with all the parts in the correct positions and tapping into a vehicle’s fuel tank are too complicated for me and my limited knowledge about fuel lines and pumps.

I like the remote control a lot. I’ve read some reviews where people have said that the remote doesn’t work, but so far it’s worked great for me.

I’ve even used it to control the Vevor diesel heater from inside my motorhome. So it works through RV walls.

The low electrical usage is fantastic and the biggest reason I wanted to get a diesel heater.

What I Don’t Like

I don’t like having to mess around with the exhaust pipe so much.

It’s a pain and I wish there was an easier solution. But it’s an issue that’s not specific to just Vevor diesel heaters.

All diesel heaters need to have the exhaust pipe installed in the bottom to get the exhaust away from the heater’s air intake.

I like that they thought to add a fuse, but I don’t like that it’s inside the unit.

If it ever blows, I’m going to have to take off the cover and remove the fuel tank to access and replace it.

I wish they had placed it on the positive wire outside the unit instead.

I don’t like that it doesn’t come with a fuel filter either. It’s easy to install one, but it’s an extra addition you have to do yourself.

It’s impossible to find a fuel filter small enough in stores too. So it has to be ordered online.

Pros & Cons

PROS

    • Budget Friendly
    • Low Power Usage
    • Low Fuel Usage
    • Portable
    • Powerful Heating Ability
    • Remote Works Through RV Walls
    • Way Quieter than RV Furnace
    • Inline Fuse

CONS

    • Requires Some Setting Up
    • Only Shows Temp in Celsius
    • No Fuel Filter
    • Needs Feet Added to Fit Exhaust Pipe
    • Bad Instructions
    • Hard to Adjust Settings
    • Can Hear Fuel Pump Clicking

Overall Impression

I have likes and dislikes with pretty much everything I use.

The cons and dislikes I’ve found with the Vevor all-in-one diesel heater aren’t deal breakers.

In fact, I actually really like the unit and think it’s very much worth what you pay for.

I would recommend this diesel heater to anyone.

With a few simple additions, it’s a fantastic diesel heater and a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a good low-power heating option.

See Also: Best 12 Volt RV Lithium Battery Reviews + How To Charge

Vevor Diesel Heater Update

Since reviewing the 8kw Vevor diesel heater, they’ve released an updated version (click to see on Vevor.com) with a few changes.

You can still get the original version I tested and reviewed, but the updated version has some new features you might want.

First, the buttons on the LCD screen have been updated. There are now 4 instead of 3, and the display shows information differently.

The remote has been changed a little as well. It looks more modern, but the buttons are the same.

Vevor has now released an app you can use to control the new 8kw diesel heater.

It connects via Bluetooth and it’s a great way to change the settings on the heater and monitor it.

It’s way easier to understand than the small LCD screen on the unit, and you can use it to turn the heater on/off.

I really like the new updates.

If it were me, I would get the new Vevor 8kw all-in-one diesel heater (click to see on Vevor.com) instead of the old version.

Have questions about Vevor Diesel Heaters? Leave a comment below. 

by Jenni
Jenni grew up in a small town in Idaho. With a family that loves camping, she has been towing trailers from a very young age.

10 thoughts on “Portable Vevor Diesel Heater (All-In-One) Review & Setup”

  1. There is no 8Kw only 2 and 5. They use false advertising to acquire more $$$. This has been PROVEN on video. The 22mm pump will produce the 5Kw. When tested with a large 65mm pump, the units managed approx 6.5Kw output, however its near the overheat shutoff protection temp.

    Reply
  2. I ordered one of the 8kw box/cube style Vevor units. When it arrived, the clear green fuel line tube wasn’t connected at either end. The end that connects on the bottom next to the air intake I could see wasn’t on the nipple. That made me concerned so I took the unit apart and sure enough, the other end wasn’t connected to the nipple coming from the pump. If I had powered this thing up it would have sprayed diesel fuel all over the place, maybe started a fire. I returned it to Amazon the next day.

    Reply
    • Hi Jon,

      That is one of the major downsides to Chinese diesel heaters. They aren’t always put together as well as they should be.

      That’s why I opened up mine and inspected it before starting it like you did. It’s definitionally a major downside to these cheaper diesel heater options.

      Reply
  3. thank you for the review! I always try to research as much as possible before purchase of items that people consider ” cheap Chinese knockoffs” .
    your mention of checking the internals is a great tip !

    Reply
  4. So how much “battery” would it go through to say run it for 8 hours? use a regular car battery or maybe one of those deep cell marine battery or whatever they are called? I am thinking of the 2kw unit for my 1995 GMC high top van…am thinking that should keep that smaller place nice and warm.. also… am thinking of installing it on the cargo carrier back of van in waterproof box…running the exhaust won’t be a problem… just wondering about how in the heck I would run the heater vent into the van? suppose I could keep it totally portable and when using it just set it and the battery outside by a window and use a window vent to the heating tube? Lot of questions I know…thanks for asking them if you have the time… (after reading all your information in this article I will be using the all-in-one heater and try to figure out install on rack and also heat vent?? )

    Reply
    • Hi Victor,

      It shouldn’t use more than 300 watts in 8 hours, even if you have it on high the entire time.

      A regular car battery doesn’t have nearly as much storage capacity as a deep cycle battery that’s made for storing power.

      So you won’t be able to run the heater for as long. But a good car battery should be able to power this diesel for at least 8 hours and still be around 50% charged.

      I also struggled finding a way to get a heat vent into my RV. I ended up drilling a hole and installing a vent through the storage compartment. It could be similar to what you want to do.

      Here’s a link to that article.

      Reply
    • I have a camper van with the 2 Kilowatt version. It was easy to fit, becsue the locker in which I mounted it has a metal floor and nothing v below it to hinder the installation or the pipes. The inley pipe I diverted to go inside one of m,y capers’ lockers back up through the floor, and I used the same plastic inlet pipe but split a PVC pipe and slipprd it over it as a stobe ne shield, and fastened it to the camper floor using Nutserts and stainless steel 316 bolts.

      The exhaust I put through the supplied muffler, which is surprisingly effective. It is bolted to a spring-loaded bracket that snaps up into the chassis frame clear of scrub and shrubs, grass etc when travelling, and one has to reach under the cam[per to pull it down when setting up, as well as to affix the rest of the exhaust system and I have an extended stainless steel pipe which was a curtain rod, which plugs OVER this muffler outlet and is of slightly larger diameter and that extends from under the camper to fasten on a suspension spring which connects to the boat carrier on the camper, which is then vertical once parked, and nothing is going to knock it off n THAT support, I also have on the remote end of it, a copper pipe fitting which just fits neatly and tirnms the exhaust gas towards the ground, to stop any water getting in if there is a heavy downpour–and to ensure no fires get started, I place a large floor tile directly beneath it, but it does not even get so warm I can not put my hand on it, since it is at least fourteen inches above it and the hot gas rises.

      The only remark I would make is that if you try to use the lowest setting, the heater will switch itself off, so I use in t on setting number TWO.. The pump, unless you put it into a padded beer can laced over it will keep you away je–but the beer can trick shushes it pretty well. The only other comment to make is that the fuel tank is in a fireproof locker along with my LPG cylinders, and I run it through a heavy duty PVC orange code conduit suitable for burial, it is thicker and more dense–to protect it from stone damage. I use heavy duty zip-ties at frequent intervals to secure the conduits, not wishing to drill into galvanized chassis members. AS for the heater–mine works like a charm, always starts up easily, and has very little if any smell, but it is important you let it finish the shut-down cycle when you turn it off before you disconnect the power, and if one is in a hurry to get going one can forget this so turn it off before doing anything else by way of packing up and removing the exhaust pipe and turning the muffle up under the chassis–and you should be good to go with no worries.

      Reply
      • Thanks so much for the info Mike, love hearing about how you set up your diesel heater. This will be helpful to others including us!

        Reply

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