Whale Heat Air is an innovative, compact propane heating solution tailored for the RV market. Whether you’re towing a trailer, driving a motorhome, or exploring in a campervan, Whale Heat Air provides customizable options to suit your needs. With its slim, rotatable design, it fits neatly under your RV’s floor, maximizing your living and storage space. Its advanced burner system delivers consistent and reliable heat, ensuring you stay comfortable while enjoying the outdoors, day or night. Continue reading to find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Heat Air.
General Information About Whale Heat Air
Who is Whale?
Whale is a UK based manufacturer of water and heating products for the leisure and health care sectors. Whale has been in business for over 200 years and active in the leisure industry since the 1960s.
How are Whale products supported in the US and Canada?
Whale is part of Brunswick Corporation and Navico Group. The renowned service available for other brands is also available for the Whale products.
What is Heat Air?
Heat Air is Whale’s latest innovation of space heating products for the recreational vehicle sector. Heat Air is suitable for blown air systems using Propane as heat source.
Where can I get more information about Heat Air?
More detailed information can be found on Whale’s webpage at www.whalepumps.com. Additional information can be found on www.whalevanlife.com applying Heat Air and other Whale products in the European market with a lot of the information provided also being applicable to the US and Canada.
What differentiates Heat Air from other RV space heaters?
In comparison to other RV space heaters, Heat Air is lighter and smaller, can be installed onboard or underneath the vehicle, modulates between different heat output setting to offer maximum comfort, has minimum sound emissions, operates at high altitude, and has a highly efficient burner system minimizing gas usage and emissions.
Product Information
What is the approximate weight of a Heat Air unit?
15lbs 7oz.
What is the gas consumption?
Dependent on the model and the operation status the heaters consume between 2.9 and 10.4 oz/hr.
What approvals does Heat Air have?
NFPA 1192:2015 / UL 307B / ANSI Z21.47 2012
What is the life expectancy of Heat Air?
The life expectancy varies with the type and duration of usage. The product is designed in such a way that individual components can be repaired and replaced should this become necessary. This will keep any life cycle costs to a minimum.
What is the maximum 12 V DC current draw of Heat Air?
The 12 V DC power supply to the heater must be fitted with a 10 A fuse. The maximum current draw for the heater is 6.5 A. The standby power consumption is 0.016 A.
Can the Heat Air be submerged temporarily in water?
Should submersion be a possibility, the heater has to be installed inside the vehicle.
What is the maintenance/service interval?
It is possible to conduct maintenance on the Heat Air product. Whale recommends to inspect the heater at least every 2 years on physical damage, gas soundness and combustion product safety.
Heat Air Installation
What vehicle types is Heat Air suitable for?
Heat Air can be used on all typical RV types. Not all sizes of vehicles will be suitable due to their heat demand. The seasonal usage of the vehicle will also impact on what type and size of vehicle the heater can be used in.
Who can install Heat Air?
The Heat Air product can be installed by any competent person; however, the gas supply system, connection to the product and the products of combustion must be tested and approved by a qualified gas engineer.
What is the recommended gas and regulator for use with Heat Air?
Second stage low pressure regulator with Propane provides a pressure of 11″ of W.C.
Can the Heat Air be installed inside the vehicle?
Yes, Heat Air can be installed onboard or underfloor. The relevant fixing kits are available.
What accessories are available?
The Whale Heat Air offering comprises all the components needed to install a complete space heating system. Besides a choice of heater models, various control panels, fixing brackets, flue kits and a range of ducting and vent accessories are available in various colors to match the furniture of the vehicle.
Can I integrate Heat Air in a central control system?
Yes, using the correct control panel, the Heat Air system can be integrated to operate with a central control panel. Control panels are available to support LIN or CAN integration.
Can I modify the exhaust flue to make it shorter than the specified length?
The flue system is part of the product approval process and therefore the minimum specified flue length must be used on the heating product. The flue must not be modified and installed in accordance with the installation instructions.
Can the combustion exhaust flue be modified with the addition of a drilled hole or opening along a low section of flue to allow for condensate drainage under the vehicle floor?
No – the flue pipe must not be modified in any way. The air intake and exhaust flues are part of the approved and certified product and must therefore not be altered. When installing the heater, it is imperative that all exhaust gases are being ducted to the edge of the vehicle to avoid a buildup of gases underneath the vehicle. Please follow the detail provided in the installation instructions to avoid condensate build up in the flue.
When installing the Heat Air unit, do the isolation mounts have to be used?
Yes, the isolation mounts must be used in the correct manner as detailed in the installation manual.
Whale Heat Air Operation
How do you operate the heater?
Switch on the 12 V DC master switch of the vehicle and then simply activate the control panel, select the desired temperature and press the gas icon.
Is there a gas lit indicator?
The gas icon which is illuminated blue in standby mode will illuminate orange to say your gas is lit.
What is the range the unit can adjust the temperature between?
41 – 88 °F.
What does the blue gas light indicate?
That the heater is in standby mode and will ignite should the set point temperature be above the actual vehicle temperature.
Can Heat Air be operated permanently?
Heat Air has been designed for the use in recreational vehicles which implies the use to be intermittent and limited in operational duration during the year. The firmware of the heater tracks operation and burn hours of the appliance.
Can I heat my RV by Heat Air while driving or only when parked?
Heat Air is approved for vehicle in motion. However, other aspects of the gas system must be designed and approved accordingly to make the system compliant and not just the heater.
Can the heater operate off a mains electric supply?
No, the heater must be connected to a gas fuel source to work and a 12 V DC power source.
Does the heater need a mains electric connection to function?
No, the system control and heater operation run off the leisure battery.
Will the heater operate at high altitudes?
The heater has been tested successfully up to 9000ft; conditions may vary based on combustion output.
Heat Air Troubleshooting
Can the heater be serviced, are spares available?
All relevant parts of the Whale system can be replaced or repaired. A full list is available to service engineers.
Panel is unresponsive, what might be the fault?
Ensure heater’s 10-amp fuse is sound, 12 V DC supply connected and communications cable connections (RJ 12 connectors) at heater and panel are secure.
The panel is active, but I cannot alter the heat setting. What could be the cause of this?
A communication issue most likely exists; the network RJ12 cable and connections will need to be checked. Service Engineers can use a network cable tester in instances like this.
A lockout has appeared on the panel, how do I determine the reason for this?
Place your finger on the exclamation mark, a designated number of bars will light up from the right side of the temperature scale. The number of bars denotes the related cause. Refer to the troubleshooting guide in your operations manual for an explanation of the code indicated.
How do I clear a lockout?
Remedy the fault and then press and hold the reset button at the foot of the panel for 2s.
I cannot clear the lockout on my control panel. Why is this?
A communication issue most likely exists; the network RJ12 cable and connections will need to be checked. A network cable tester can be used in instances like this.
Why might I be getting a 2-bar lockout after the heater has run for about 20 mins?
A restriction on the hot air outlets can cause this overheat lockout; ensure no outlets are blocked (luggage/cushions) or restricted. Also check the hot air ducting for damage/restrictions.
My control panel is showing a 1 bar lockout. I can clear the lockout, however, when I try to run the heater, after about 2 minutes, the same error code is displayed. What can this mean?
This is an ignition lockout. Check all gas systems are on/open and your gas supply is full. Are any other gas appliances operating?