Anyone running a diesel heater in their RV through an Oregon winter?

[elfredaseward]

We use our motorhome pretty much year-round here in the Portland area, and the propane furnace eats through tanks fast once the nights drop into the 30s. I've been reading about diesel air heaters as an alternative and came across this comparison page: Best Diesel Heater of 2026. It lists a few models with specs and prices, but I don't know how much weight to give the rankings since I have no experience with any of these brands.

What worries me most is the install. Tapping the fuel tank and routing the exhaust safely seems like the part where a cheap unit could become a real hazard, and I'd rather not cut into the coach without understanding what I'm doing. Noise is the other thing — some campers say the cheaper heaters tick or roar all night.

For those of you who heat with diesel in wet, cool climates like ours, how did you handle the fuel source and exhaust, and would you go this route again? Any brands or mistakes worth knowing about before I commit?

 

[elfredaseward]

In a wet Portland winter, exhaust routing worries me more than the heater brand. I'd avoid a cheap kit with unclear exhaust parts, and I wouldn't tap the coach tank first. A separate small diesel tank is easier to reverse. Noise also matters, because ticking at night would be a dealbreaker for us. I looked at Best Diesel Heater of 2026 but can't judge the rankings without real feedback. Has anyone run a separate tank through a damp winter, and did the exhaust soot or rust hold up?