Follow along as we continue our detailed summary of the process of installing a diesel powered Espar D2 / Airtronic D2 heating unit in a Sprinter Van.

Vent placement is a personal preference thing. I chose to install our Espar D2 close to where I would vent it, in the passenger seat venting towards the second row of seats. The closer the vent trim plate is to the heater itself, the less heat you’ll lose along the way.

Grab your larger hole saws and pick the best size for your vent hose. I used a 2.5″ hole saw and found it to be an excellent choice with tight tolerances but no big gaps to be concerned with filling later. I drilled a hole in both the steel seat base, and in the speaker box where my vent trim plate would be installed.

Now with your holes drilled, center your trim plate in the hole, and dry fit the vent hose to the trim plate, then mount the trim plate to the surface. I used 3 wood screws since I was drilling into a wood speaker box. Then install the vent trim plate cover.

Grab your hose clamps, and dry fit the vent hose onto the trim plate on one end, and the heater exhaust on the other. In my case I had a lot of the vent hose to cut as Espar provided a long section of hose, and I only needed a 6-8″ section. Remember to err on the side of caution and cut it a little long if you’re uncertain as it can be easily shortened if need be. The vent hose can be easily cut using a utility knife, but if need be wire clippers could be used to cut thru the wire reinforcement. Once cut to the right length, slide the hose clamps over the hose loosely, then dry fit the hose before tightening the hose clamps. Don’t over tighten these as Espar warns that the fan could be damaged or the plastic cracked if you over-tighten. The D2 enclosure is plastic after all.