daveturnbull Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 After weighing up all of the different auxiliary heating options, I've decided that I'd quite like a Webasto Thermotop. They seem plentiful 2nd hand as they were fitted to many different cars, which are now of the age where they are being sold as parts on eBay. There seem to be a few different model designations C, Z, E, V etc... I'd be keen to hear what the differences are as I've not found a good explanation of this yet. With regards to fitting whatever model I choose, the plumbing side seems pretty simple, but I'm not sure about the control side, so I'm also keen to hear about how this is best achieved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 I’m interested in this too, as with a selector valve, you could use the unit to run a secondary heater matrix (for preheating the car or as an additional heater tho the main unit)or as a camping heater, run a line to preheat the engine in extreme cold, and run a third to preheat a water tank for ablutions. Bulkier but more flexible than the Airtop... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 I bought a thermotop C/Z from a Rover 75, bought a fuel pump interdependently (these are expensive new) so handy if you get one with the unit. There was a tukish supplier on ebay they sold standard fit webasto looms so I got one of them and pretty much plugged it all in and off it went, I've got mine wired to a webasto telestart unit too, I use it everyday to warm up the truck during the cold months, all plug and play, the controller for these is integral to the heater itself. Near the bottom of the page... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveturnbull Posted December 3, 2019 Author Share Posted December 3, 2019 What's the part number on yours Chris? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 I'd google for the installation & usage manuals in PDF form so you can see what you're getting into - and if you can't find a manual life is going to be harder. I'm pretty sure they're all out there for free if you look hard enough. Also, whatever you buy make sure you get the fuel pump with it as they're top money to buy separately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonb Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 You want a Thermotop C or D which aren't CAN bus controlled. Confusingly they can be marked Z-C-D see image. Plenty available 2nd hand on Eblag. You can get all the other parts like fuel pumps, exhaust silencers and timers on line, as are fitting instructions and wiring diagrams. A generic 12V timer might do - someone posted a link in the Eberspacher post recently- they only need a permanent live, switched live and 12v to make the heater go. Plenty of stuff on Google. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveturnbull Posted December 3, 2019 Author Share Posted December 3, 2019 Is there a trick to telling if they are can bus controlled or not? A simple on / off would do me fine, no real need for a timer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluv Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 I have a winterised wolf with the thermotop pro fitted. I usually warm the engine through prior to starting in the winter months . The radiators in the back really kick some heat out. Mine just starts from a simple switch on the dash 🙂 Gluv 🇬🇧 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 I live in a place that has seven months of winter with temperatures into the -40s... I've had a Thermotop C for 15 years on my Defender. I half many friends with them. Greatest addition ever. Always works. Warm vehicle anytime, anywhere in half an hour. I use a wireless remote to turn it on. The critical things are to make sure it is mounted low enough and in a way to not trap air in the coolant an air lock in the pump will stop it. The second one is the fuel line setup. Follow the instructions carefully. Any air in the fuel will have it flame out quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveturnbull Posted December 3, 2019 Author Share Posted December 3, 2019 Anyone know if the discovery 3 ones are canbus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supaimpy Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 Find an Eberspacher d4 or d5w and they are all s+ or LIN controlled uptil 2017 also available with built in water pump or remote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 I think they're all canbus or actually is "w-bus" on these heaters, but you have two options for control an analog and a digital - cross compatible, two different plugs, the digital controller is plugged into the "diagnostic" port/plug where the analogue controller had its own plug, two of the same plug just wired differently. You can download the manuals, I've got one saved somewhere for mine. There quite clever bits of kit with a lot of stuff built into them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 My thermotop came out of an Audi A8 that ended up in a nearby field ;)... (if you stumble on one of these, the pesky fuel pump is inside the righthand rear wheel arch liner). As everybody says, there's all you need to know to get them running on t'internet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger110 Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 On 12/3/2019 at 9:27 PM, daveturnbull said: Anyone know if the discovery 3 ones are canbus? They are unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 All you really need to know about the E Z/C... https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.butlertechnik.com/downloads/Webasto_Heater_Thermo_Top_C_Workshop_Manual_(2).pdf&ved=2ahUKEwja2ISy8p3mAhUwQUEAHcsHCDgQFjAAegQIBxAC&usg=AOvVaw2eYxwdLZmHZ2ERPFx9fPqC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 On 12/3/2019 at 9:27 PM, daveturnbull said: Anyone know if the discovery 3 ones are canbus? I saw this on ebay as I'm sure you have. I thought it seemed cheap. Why is this so cheap and what is missing for it to be fitted into a 110? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveturnbull Posted December 5, 2019 Author Share Posted December 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Maverik said: All you really need to know about the E Z/C... Thanks Chris. I guess my real question is, which cheap one that I can buy on eBay will work without a computermabob to talk to it? From what I have read elsewhere, some have the 12v 'on' pin disabled in the software, so can only be controlled by the bus interface. But nowhere does there seem to be a list of which ones these are, or how to identify them. The holy grail would be a nice list of the model numbers / cars they were fitted to / control method / any quirks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 Or a way to get them to work with a bypass or simple diagnostic computer recoding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 3 hours ago, monkie said: I saw this on ebay as I'm sure you have. I thought it seemed cheap. Why is this so cheap and what is missing for it to be fitted into a 110? By the looks of it, the fuel pump's missing and if comments here are right it's canbus only. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 I've got a lot of learning to do before I dabble in this webasto wizardry. I'm following this thread with great interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveturnbull Posted December 5, 2019 Author Share Posted December 5, 2019 I think the Disco 3 ones are the same as Jaguar S type, which given other shared components would make sense. Info on S type one here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 Surely a cheap chinesium copy heater circuit board would be all that's needed to resolve can bus access ? To my mind anyway Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcock Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 I am in the process of fitting a thermotop V to my Defender. The installation manuals are easy to find on line. I have bought a 1533 timer to run mine which has a W bus output which hopefully will make it work. The unit I have is out of VW which is Audi badged and has a different plug to the Land Rover units. I was talking to a company at the Land Rover show at Stoneleigh the other weekend who make leads up for these units. They also make a unit which triggers a w bus output with a 12v input signal which sounded good value for money. The company is called futuranet and appear to be quite active with the Disco 3 forum. I have no connection with them but they seem to know what they are talking about. On a seperate note the fuel pumps also act as a metering pump so you need the correct pump for the heater type. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malce Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 On 12/5/2019 at 9:23 PM, ballcock said: I am in the process of fitting a thermotop V to my Defender. The installation manuals are easy to find on line. I have bought a 1533 timer to run mine which has a W bus output which hopefully will make it work. The unit I have is out of VW which is Audi badged and has a different plug to the Land Rover units. I was talking to a company at the Land Rover show at Stoneleigh the other weekend who make leads up for these units. They also make a unit which triggers a w bus output with a 12v input signal which sounded good value for money. The company is called futuranet and appear to be quite active with the Disco 3 forum. I have no connection with them but they seem to know what they are talking about. On a seperate note the fuel pumps also act as a metering pump so you need the correct pump for the heater type. Hi just bought a thermotop V and just want to turn it on/off via a remote control, any idea how easy it is, I have the fuel pump so hopefully just a few more bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcock Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Mines on hold for a while. The timer I bought doesn't appear to be sending out a signal niether 12v or W bus so looking for an alternative. You an use a remote as long as it operates a W bus signal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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