Webasco Thermo Top C

[BrianJ]

I have a 2006 kombi beach and crawling underneath I see that it has a device underneath the passengers side which according to a label on the passengers door frame is a Webasco Thermo Top C, 12V/26W 5kw, diesel PME

There is no controls for this on the dash and nothing in the manuals, so I have never used it.

I am kind of hoping it is a campervan night heater, but preliminary investigation reveals that it might be a radiator water heater, not much use in QLD.

Does anyone know what it is, what it is does, and how can it be used.

Thanks
Brian

[VW Convert]

I have a 2006 kombi beach and crawling underneath I see that it has a device underneath the passengers side which according to a label on the passengers door frame is a Webasco Thermo Top C, 12V/26W 5kw, diesel PME

There is no controls for this on the dash and nothing in the manuals, so I have never used it.

I am kind of hoping it is a campervan night heater, but preliminary investigation reveals that it might be a radiator water heater, not much use in QLD.

Does anyone know what it is, what it is does, and how can it be used.

Thanks
Brian

Looks like it's an interior heater, integrates with the vehicle heater, the name is Webasto rather than Webasco. The link below should help.

Webasto:Â*RV heating solutions: Thermo Top C

Cheers

George

[BrianJ]

Looks like it's an interior heater, integrates with the vehicle heater, the name is Webasto rather than Webasco. The link below should help.

Webasto:Â*RV heating solutions: Thermo Top C

Cheers

George

That seems to be the model, but I have no controls on the dash or anywhere that I have ever seen. Maybe the device is there but the control circuitry was never installed. Why would VW do that though!

Brian

[Sunny43.5]

If you ring Webasto products Australia in Sydney 02 85364800 I am sure they will be able to give you some dealer names in Qld for these products I sell and distribute the Webasto Sunroofs but do not get involved with the Thermo products .

[BrianJ]

Thanks for the info, I might do that.

Brian

[MultiplexMan]

Brian,

Look at the centre console, left of the gear selector. There are two rotary dials that control the temp and fan for the Webasto.
It is a diesel powered heater with outlets on the right hand side of the rear quarter panel. You can see the vents in the factory trim if you look closely.

[BrianJ]

I have never used those, as I thought they were only working from the normal engine heat, so you learn something everyday, I will now have to try this out. In my camping configuration the rear panel vents are somewhat blocked, but I can move the stuff I store there if the heater is used.

Imagine having the van for seven years and only finding this out now !!!

Brian

[Transporter]

That seems to be the model, but I have no controls on the dash or anywhere that I have ever seen. Maybe the device is there but the control circuitry was never installed. Why would VW do that though!

Brian

By a mistake, perhaps.

A customer of mine received the flappy paddles under the steering wheel in his very base model Tiguan TDI with the DSG. There were never available even as an option in that Tiguan, they were not activated, they're just fitted.

[BrianJ]

To multiplexman;

I have turned on the switches and heat control which only work when the ignition is on and the fans start up in the heat exchanger in the rear but if the engine is cold then only cold air comes out. I left it running for about 10min then got under the car and felt the exhaust of the webasto and it was cold so nothing is happening there.

I then rang the expert at webasto in Sydney and he said that it may be only configured to heat the engine water for Europe, but he can't tell without the coolant plumbing diagram and wiring control circuits which i don't have. I have now read the manuals and found this device in the book and it says that it can heat the van cabin, but it may be only talking about how it is configured in multivans with full climate control, its hard to tell with such a poor manual.

My next course of action I think will be to ring VW themselves to try to talk to someone who may know how this was configured in the beach model, its a long shot but its all I can think of. It seems strange to me that there is probably near to no owners in Australia who have used this heater or even know about it, considering it is quite a useful and expensive device.

I will keep you posted, and if anyone has any ideas about this please post.

Brian

[MultiplexMan]

Hi Brian,

Mine definitely worked with the engine off. That is the whole point of the Webasto unit. It preheats the engine coolant. This is more efficient than idling the engine. Once at temperature, the fans can circulate warm/hot air.

I remember using it at Rutherglen one winter when it dropped below zero during the night. One of the very rare occassions...

[BrianJ]

Hi Brian,

Mine definitely worked with the engine off. That is the whole point of the Webasto unit. It preheats the engine coolant. This is more efficient than idling the engine. Once at temperature, the fans can circulate warm/hot air.

I remember using it at Rutherglen one winter when it dropped below zero during the night. One of the very rare occassions...

To use it, did you just turn the fan to between 1-4 setting, I am assuming if the fan is moved from the OFF position that it effectively turns on the webasto, maybe I need to check my fuses. Then I am also assuming that you just set the temperature with the rotating temperature dial.

Is this all you did to use it, maybe mine isn't working because the temperature where I am testing it is close to 30deg C, so maybe its thermostat says its already hot.

I don't have much to go by here, so any info is helpful.

Thanks again
Brian

[MultiplexMan]

I am going from dim, distant memory...

I remember once mistakenly turning the Webasto controls instead of the aircon controls. I could not work out where the fan noise was coming from after I had parked.

I'd agree that turning the fan from OFF should switch the unit on.

If ambient is 30 deg C, I reckon the Webasto may not switch on. I cannot remember if the Webasto can be configured for a high temp limit.

You can test with the van stone cold in the evening. Step inside, turn the key to Acc (not sure if this was required), and wait...

There was a Webasto technical insert with my Kombi Beach manual. It has gone with the van.

[MultiplexMan]

Found the Webasto manual!

Brian - you have PM