Diesel option for tough Topaz

Track Trailer is now offering a diesel upgrade for its Topaz hybrid off-road caravan for adventurous couples seeking a totally dust-free environment and greater self-sufficiency well off the beaten track.

The all-in-one diesel system that covers cooking, hot water and central heating adds $2865 to the $79,900 of a new Topaz pop-top if optioned.

Because there are no internal gas appliances, no external venting is required and a solid door replaces the existing vented one, completely sealing the interior against dust intrusion.

One of the Topaz’s two 4kg gas bottles is deleted from its rear, externally accessed locker, replaced by the boiler and a 5.0-litre diesel fuel jerry can.
The combustion chamber of the naked flame-free Webasto Diesel Cooker X100 is integrated in the cooker and heats up the ceramic cooktop, on which there is space for two saucepans. One area of the cooktop is for cooking, while the other is for warming-up food.

It fits perfectly into the Topaz’s generous-sized kitchen in the place usually occupied by the gas cooktop and with its glass ceramic cooking surface has a high-tech look.

The cooker setup is completely airtight, ensuring that no unpleasant odors permeate the cabin. All exhaust fumes are conducted outside separately.
Track Trailer say the cooktop’s ‘Ceran’ cooking surface is easy to clean, quiet in operation, draws a low current and has a low fuel consumption.

The Webasto DualTop combined diesel hot water and cabin heater is said to be similarly economical to operate, consuming approximately 1.1 litres of diesel fuel every two or so hours, meaning that the five litre reservoir should last about three days in the bush.

However the unit also operates off 240 volts and switches over automatically when connected to mains power.

Normally, buyers specifying the diesel option would only get the cooktop and water/space heater, but the vegan couple who recently took delivery of the first Topaz with diesel fuel also specified a top-end and expensive diesel-powered oven (at a believed cost of around $10,000 for the unit!).

Track Trailer performed a custom installation of the unit below the cooktop in the space where a microwave oven might sit in a gas-powered Topaz kitchen.

Apart from the price and losing the instant heat of a gas flame for cooking, the only other downside of the diesel installation is the loss of the griller, so another solution for toast will need to be found!