Frequently Asked Questions

We carry industry-leading names such as Espar/Eberspächer and Proheat fuel-fired units, as well as other brands and types that meet your requirements. We carry gas-fired duct units, oil-fired duct units, direct and indirect-fired heaters, radiant heaters, and gas-fired make-up air units.

Fuel-fired heaters are a solution for heavy-duty equipment to protect the engine from freezing and to maintain a comfortable temperature for operators in the cab and sleeper. They can operate when the engine is off, further protecting it from damage in extreme weather conditions and avoiding idling.

The 3 types of fuel-fired heaters are:

• Hydronic/liquid coolant – Fluid is circulated and heated for remote heating. Ideal for warming your engine before you get into the cab or when you’re carrying sensitive goods that need to be heated.
• Diesel fuel or gasoline for fuel source – This type of fuel-fired heater uses fuel from the equipment as the energy source. No need to keep your vehicle idling as these units draw power from the vehicle itself.
• Air heaters – This fuel-fired heater works like the Hydronic/Liquid Coolant type in that it circulates and heats fluid for remote heating but it uses air instead of liquid. Heated air must be void of combustion by-products like carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Fuel-fired heaters are made up of tubes, burners, refractory-lined boxes, and a stack. The burner arrangement is the installation location and orientation of the burners. Burners can be put in floors, walls or roofs of the radiant section (cylinder, cabin or box shape).

Fuel-fired heaters transfer heat through the combustion of fuel, effectively heating fluids contained inside coils.

With direct-fired heaters, the flame comes into contact with the air while indirect heaters do not. Direct fuel-fired heaters are less expensive and more efficient to run and are designed to heat open or well-ventilated spaces such as construction sites, open-air buildings, warehouses, and large venues.

Indirect fuel-fired heaters draw air through intake vents which pass over the burn chamber where it is heated and then delivered into a building through the ducts. Indirect fuel-fired heaters are ideal for warming indoors and tight spaces with an exhaust outlet, job sites that can benefit from less humidity, and environments that require no combustion by-products in the airstream.

An Espar heater draws cold air from the outside through a combustion pipe and fuel from the vehicle’s tank. The cold air and fuel are mixed and ignited in the combustion chamber.

Espar / Eberspächer is the top industry choice for all types of commercial vehicles and is some of the most efficient heaters for off-road vehicles. They are available in compact sizes to fit small spaces and can keep vehicles warm without the need to idle as they work independently of the engine. This not only helps protect the engine but also reduces expenses and operational costs.

Yes, our Espar / Eberspächer kits include all the necessary parts for installation, unless otherwise specified.

Each heater comes with a CD or a scannable QR code where you can find the heater installation instructions. If you can’t find the instructions, contact us and we can help.

You can find the Espar heater model and serial number on the data tag that is included on every heater.

Immersion heaters provide one of the most efficient methods for heating liquids. Using direct heat transfer, immersion heaters can be mounted on the side of a container or inserted into tanks, vats, containers, and any equipment that carries water, oil, or other material. Immersion heaters are also referred to as a hydraulic tank heater, hydraulic oil heater, hydraulic fluid heater, and bayonet heater.

Immersion heaters use a clean source of energy to heat material quickly, maintaining safe conditions without the use of flame. They provide efficient and rapid heat transfer, are cost-effective, and have a simple design that is easy to use.

Industries that rely on immersion heaters include nuclear power, oil and gas, wastewater management, transportation, food processing, agriculture, construction, and mining, to name a few. There are many different types of immersion heaters that work for various types of industries and applications – it’s just a matter of finding the right one that will suit the specific project or process.

There are many different types of immersion heaters and new innovations are emerging frequently to meet different requirements and demands. The most common types of immersion heaters are:

• Screw plug – A hairpin-shaped tubular electric element is placed directly into the tank wall or pipe for heating.
• Over-the-side – Can be mounted to a tank or vessel.
• Flange – Bolted or welded to the outer wall of the tank.
• Circulation – Uses an inline or side piping configuration with a built-in heating element.

There are two different formats of immersion heaters: direct immersion heaters and indirect immersion heaters. Direct immersion heaters are placed directly in the liquid and use electricity to heat the material. Indirect immersion heaters do not have direct contact with the liquid and use either radiation or convection to heat the material.

This depends on the size of the tank and how powerful the immersion heater is. It typically takes 1-2 hours for an immersion heater to heat a tank of water to the required temperature.

The difference between an AC (air conditioning) and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) unit is that an AC unit only cools your space while an HVAC unit heats, cools, and ventilates.

The most common types of HVAC systems are:

• Heating and cooling split systems – The most preferred system that uses refrigerant compressors and coils to cool the air and a fan to blow hot air out.
• Hybrid split system – Similar to a heating and cooling split system with the difference being that you can switch between gas and electric power.
• Duct free (mini split) – Mounted on indoor walls and typically attached to an outdoor compressor. With a duct free system, you can turn the heat or air conditioning off in vacant areas to conserve energy and save money.
• Packaged heating and air – Typically placed in an attic or top floor to cool and heat, a packaged heating and air system is a compact size that can be easily transported and used anywhere. This type of unit can be powered by gas or electricity.

A 12-24 VDC air conditioning system is an ultra-compact air conditioning unit that can be mounted vertically or horizontally, depending on the equipment’s cab layout. They are designed to be unobtrusive and easy to install.

They provide cooling for light to medium-duty mobile equipment, such as:

• Excavators
• Forklifts
• Skid steers
• Vans
• Trucks
• Service vehicles
• Agricultural equipment

Air conditioners are labeled with a voltage measurement which is referred to as the electrical potential between two points. Electrons are moved by voltage – the force of this movement is determined by how hard they are being pushed along the wire.

Essentially, a high-voltage system provides more efficient bulk power transfer across lengthy distances compared to a low-voltage air conditioning system.

At Polar Mobility, we offer systems that operate with high-voltage direct current (HVDC). Our high-voltage air conditioning systems can handle 50/60 hz voltages and work with 2 & 3-phase alternating current (AC).

High-voltage systems use less energy and, with the smaller current, less energy is lost. High-voltage air conditioning units help save businesses money and deliver efficient cooling. They are durable units that can handle higher capacities, able to transfer power across lengthy distances, and can help companies achieve better productivity.

Hydraulic air conditioning systems provide heating, air conditioning, and air filtration driven by a hydraulic motor rather than an engine.

A hydraulic air compressor is powered by a vehicle or machine’s hydraulics instead of gas, efficiently converting hydraulic power into air power.

A hydraulic air compressor converts hydraulic power into mechanical power by using a hydraulic pump that pushes hydraulic fluid into a motor. As the motor spins, it provides power to an air compressor and converts mechanical power into air power.

The 5 different types of hydraulic air conditioning compressors include:

• Reciprocating compressor
• Scroll compressor
• Screw compressor
• Rotary compressor
• Centrifugal AC compressor

Not all air conditioning systems use hydraulics. A hydraulic air conditioner is one of the formats available for certain applications and industries. The right type of air conditioning system depends on the worksite’s requirements.

Hydraulic air compressors are ideal for work environments that restrict the use of open flames and removal of a fuel source before a machine enters the area, such as mining and oil and gas. Some heavy-duty equipment that uses hydraulic air compressors include:

• Excavators
• Underground apparatuses
• Haul trucks
• Dozers
• Loaders
• Shovels
• Drills

There are many types of commercial A/C units available, the most popular being:

• 12-24 VDC Drive – A compact and lightweight unit ideal for light to medium-duty equipment.
• High Voltage – These systems provide bulk power transfer across large distances, making them ideal for heavy-duty construction sites and military operations.
• Hydraulic – Designed for environments that restrict the use of open flames, such as petrochemical plants and mining.
• Mobile A/C Units – Highly portable and easy to install, Polar Mobility’s mobile A/C units can work for a variety of on and off-highway vehicles. Some of the different mobile A/C units include ductable units, headliner units, powered condensers, rooftop units, and underdash units.

Commercial mobile A/C units can be used for on and off-highway vehicles, heavy-duty equipment, temporary work sites, warehouses, military sites, and other applications where workers need an AC unit to stay safe and comfortable.

Yes, all commercial mobile A/C units come with an installation kit.

Yes, mobile A/C units are easily manoeuvrable, allowing you to take them wherever your work leads you.

The parts that keep commercial mobile A/C units working properly include:

• Condenser coils
• Compressors and clutches
• Air and water controls
• Electric and refrigerant controls
• Evaporator coils
• Fans, blowers, DC motors
• Fittings such as switches, adaptors, thermostats, tubes and valves
• Receiver driers and accumulators

A/C units have many parts, but the four main types are:

• Evaporator
• Condenser
• Expansion Valve
• Compressor

The sides of a commercial mobile A/C unit are the heated air side and the cold air return side.

Polar Mobility offers mobile air quality equipment that filters and cleans the air cabin of unhealthy and dangerous dust, toxic chemicals, and particulates that can impact worker health.

Yes, air quality equipment can be installed on any mobile vehicle, including construction equipment, heavy-duty mining trucks, and beyond. If you can’t find what you need, we can help customize an air quality solution for your particular equipment.

Heavy-duty industries like construction, mining, oil and gas, agriculture, lumber, petrochemical, and military have a high risk of air pollution affecting their workers.

The most important benefit of Polar Mobility’s air quality solutions is better safety for workers and a reduced risk of health issues related to poor air quality, including asthma, cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and permanent lung damage. Another advantage is that cleaner air means less wear on engine components, extending the life of the equipment and reducing operational costs.

Some of the air solutions we provide include:

• Engine air pre-cleaners – Filters particulates before they enter the machine, resulting in air that is 90% purer.
• Carbon enclosure filter pressurizers – Effectively cleans the air by pulling external air into the air conditioner and using a pre-cleaner to remove large dirt particles.

Transport refrigeration units work by removing the heat from inside the fridge compartment to ensure that products remain at the temperatures required when they leave the supplier.

Transport refrigeration units have 3 main parts: the evaporator, the compressor, and the condenser. The refrigerant is circulated through the refrigeration system, which uses the evaporator to absorb heat from the inside, and the condenser to release heat to the outside. The three components must be properly sized to work well together.

Refrigerated trucks are equipped with transport refrigeration units that absorb the heat from the cargo area to keep the temperature at the desired level. It does this with liquid refrigerant that enters the evaporator from the compressor and converts it to a high-temperature liquid. The air that passes over the tubing and fins of the condenser coil cools the refrigerant.

A transport refrigeration system meets the demands of delivering fresh, perishable goods either to the end customer or through the supply chain line. Mobile transport refrigeration units are compact, easy to install, and can work for a wide range of goods that require temperature-controlled transportation, including electronics, art, medical items, flowers, and personal care products, to name a few.

They are most commonly used for long-haul trailers, trucks, vans, buses, and shuttles.