AUX engine water heater

These things any good? You supposingally plumb them inline with you're vehicles water system and they'll heat the cars water system up to operating temperature so you don't have to start you're car cold, thus no wearing. Also get called hot-start systems and coolant heaters.

Thoughts??

Worth getting for the terrano?

I have had two types of these, 1 was a Kenlow which was an external box and pump, another I bought in Norway replaced a core plug so no pump was needed.
The core plug type was better and quicker.
Ten minutes after turning electric on engine hot enough to defrost windows after starting engine:clap

my old boss had one in his stretched merk and plugged into mains when left,always hot to start.so thumbs up.
they are about 70 from eb.

On my merc vito im doing up is a eberspacher heater that runs a burner with fuel from the main tank found it when i was crawling under it only problem is i cant find any way to turn it on need to investigate further

Most of the Scandinavian and Northern Canadian cars have them as standard, as the temp can be so low in the winter, even antifreeze can freeze. If you look at a fully winterised Volvo, it has heaters all over it, the usual rear window, plus front window, washer jets, washer bottle, mirrors and seats. On Petrol models, Carb heaters, to stop the cold air freezing as it passes through the venturi, and on Diesel models, Tank heaters, the pipes are wrapped with a heated tape, and the filter is also heated. They normally use the heater and pump idea in the very cold climates, as that still warms the radiator, where as the block heaters can allow the radiator to freeze down.

Kenlow have been making after market ones for years, and have a long proven track record.

I have often thought of fitting one, but down this end of the country, we only really need it for about 10 nights of the year, so I just stick a low wattage tube heater in the car instead, just to keep the windows clear.

Our fire trucks have oil heaters in the sump, less damage on a warm engine when you floor it out of the doors.

I might look towards getting one sometime

Warmer engine = thinner oil= easier to turn engine over = less starter wear= less battery current.

My father had a mains powered one with small pump on his Disco, it was easier to start and instant warm heater.


The problem is...
When you are always starting it from warm, using less battery power, then the first time you park it overnight outside without the heater, then the battery will need to supply MORE current, so if the battery is close to the end of it's life, then you could find yourself stuck, so watch out for that.

The reason I say this, is my Mav is always garaged, but if stopping out overnight you can get caught out.:doh


Best regards,

Rustic

rustic said:

Warmer engine = thinner oil= easier to turn engine over = less starter wear= less battery current.

My father had a mains powered one with small pump on his Disco, it was easier to start and instant warm heater.


The problem is...
When you are always starting it from warm, using less battery power, then the first time you park it overnight outside without the heater, then the battery will need to supply MORE current, so if the battery is close to the end of it's life, then you could find yourself stuck, so watch out for that.

The reason I say this, is my Mav is always garaged, but if stopping out overnight you can get caught out.:doh


Best regards,

Rustic

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Hmmm, would they be any use on a petrol:augie or just mainly for derv

96terrano said:

Hmmm, would they be any use on a petrol:augie or just mainly for derv

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Yes I would have thought so, as the wear is between metal to metal parts, which are virtually identical in both the petrol and diesel engines.:thumb2:thumb2

best regards,
Rustic

96terrano said:

These things any good? You supposingally plumb them inline with you're vehicles water system and they'll heat the cars water system up to operating temperature so you don't have to start you're car cold, thus no wearing. Also get called hot-start systems and coolant heaters.

Thoughts??

Worth getting for the terrano?

Click to expand...

Yea great, so who pays the electric bill? heating an out doors motor will push it up a fair bit, Rick

rustic said:

Yes I would have thought so, as the wear is between metal to metal parts, which are virtually identical in both the petrol and diesel engines.:thumb2:thumb2

best regards,
Rustic

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Hmm, might be worth getting forboth my vehicle then :thumbs

solarman216 said:

Yea great, so who pays the electric bill? heating an out doors motor will push it up a fair bit, Rick

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Parents:lol

my neighbour had a works vw estate, pissrat tdi, he had a fob remote to turn the heating on before he left the house! the bugger showed me every morning!
my terrano fob has a button on it to remote start the engine and heating, tho i cant use it as i have a manual!! sods law!

My Transit van (Ex BT van) had a Eberspacher pre heater, it worked from a timer in the cab. It used to blow through the heater system and warm the cab (as well as the coolant) for the operative, so they weren't cold in the mornings, wusses! :lol
Also had a water tank/cylinder under the bonnet, that had a copper coil inside it, plumbed into the cooling system. That used to make hot water as you drove the van,for the handwash at the back doors.:thumb2

Took it all out and Ebay'ed it, it was a leak about to happen!:augie




Mick

trophymick said:

My Transit van (Ex BT van) had a Eberspacher pre heater, it worked from a timer in the cab. It used to blow through the heater system and warm the cab (as well as the coolant) for the operative, so they weren't cold in the mornings, wusses! :lol
Also had a water tank/cylinder under the bonnet, that had a copper coil inside it, plumbed into the cooling system. That used to make hot water as you drove the van,for the handwash at the back doors.:thumb2

Took it all out and Ebay'ed it, it was a leak about to happen!:augie




Mick

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Sounds pretty cool!:thumb2