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| As the VAL6 distributor for the Midwest (MN, IA, MO, KS, OK) I want to throw in that BigMac is mostly right in terms of information. As for the most recent versions of the Pinnacle/Mi-T-M/Northern Tool heaters, they have shifted production from Korea to China. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing in terms of quality remains to be seen.
The ITM V40 and the VAL6 are definitely the forerunners in terms of quality in the portable, diesel-fired, radiant heater business. ITM used to purchase heaters from the manufacturer of the VAL6 to sell in Europe, before deciding to go their own way with their own model.
The point I want to make about the V40, which is the point we consistently try to make time and time again, is that BTU is NOT an accurate indication of heat output. What it IS an accurate indication of is fuel consumption. Now, if every heater worked the same, in that it had the same fuel efficiency, same fuel-to-heat recovery, etc., then yes, you could compare the VAL6 and the V40 with their listed BTU ratings, because even thought BTU is a fuel-consumption rating, if everything about them is the same in terms of heat output, it would be logical to assume that the higher the BTU (fuel consumption) the higher the heat output.
Now, the VAL6 is the highest efficiency diesel-fired, portable, radiant heater on the market. That's really not something that is disputed. The V40 is decent, the Pinnacle is out in left field somewhere, and the old, torpedo/salamander style heaters aren't even in the ballpark. Given that the efficiency, meaning the fuel-to-heat recovery is the highest with the VAL6, the way you should look at the BTU rating then, is that the V40, with a higher BTU rating, simply means it burns more fuel than the VAL6 - not that it produces more heat.
To round all of this up, I'd like to close by saying that the V40, when compared to the VAL6 by V40 dealers, is generally compared to the KBE1JA, a model that is no longer in production. We've since moved on to the space-aged EPX. When you compare those two, it's not really fair on the V40. It's then better to compare it to our mid-size model, the KBE5L. Check out www.VAL6.com or www.MidwestBestEquipment.com for more info.
Thanks for listening guys. I know, being the rep and all, I'm a touch biased. But, if I wanted to be selling the Pinnacle or the V40, I would be. I know the VAL6 is the best heater for the consumer, so I sell it.
Happy hunting!
Danny Zoucha
Chief Operations Officer
Midwest Best Equipment | |
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Mi-T-M infrared portable diesel fired heaters like the Val 6
