Car heater suggestions ?
08 October 2009, 04:54 PM
#1
Car heater suggestions ?
As winter closes in I want a heater I can leave in the car over night, ideally battery powered that will give a tiny amount of heat but stop the windows freezing or misting.
I have to back out of my drive, cant leave the car running and dont have time in the morning to clean all the windows ..
I cant find anything anywhere .. any suggestions ?
I have to back out of my drive, cant leave the car running and dont have time in the morning to clean all the windows ..
I cant find anything anywhere .. any suggestions ?
Trending Topics
08 October 2009, 05:16 PM
#8
Scooby Senior
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: 52 Festive Road
Posts: 28,311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#1 Buy a bigger house with a garage
#2 Buy a car that is air/water right (no rust?)
#3 Employ a tramp to sleep in the car over night (pissy smell included though)
#2 Buy a car that is air/water right (no rust?)
#3 Employ a tramp to sleep in the car over night (pissy smell included though)
08 October 2009, 05:27 PM
#9
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: S.E London
Posts: 13,654
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, see below.
Ultimatly, anything creating enough heat to keep the inside of a car above freezing while its below zero outside is gonna take a lot of energy, and would kill even a car battery over night.
Ultimatly, anything creating enough heat to keep the inside of a car above freezing while its below zero outside is gonna take a lot of energy, and would kill even a car battery over night.
Last edited by Snazy; 08 October 2009 at 05:29 PM.
08 October 2009, 05:35 PM
#10
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Swindon, Wilts
Posts: 912
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can get a heater for a car that plugs into the *** lighter - have a look on eBay as there are loads.... your problem is that running these sort of heaters for any period will drain the battery pretty quickly.
You simply won't be able to leave it running in the car, even on low power, over night. You may have an ice free car but you'll never start it.
So - you need to find one with some sort of timer, so that you could set it to start heating about 30 mins before you left. Even that may be a bit too much of a battery drain as typically they're 200W... so imagine leaving your headlights on full beam and you're half-way there (both headlights are 55w x 2 = 110w). I can't find one with a delayed start feature that would do this (I can find a 3 hour timer version, but you don't want to get up at 4am so that you have an ice free car at 7:30am do you?)
Powering it will be a problem. Timing it to start/stop will be a problem. Both of these I've got no real solution to.
Now - if you had a diesel car you can get "fuel burning heaters" (Webasto make them) that operate much like an oil fired heater, burning diesel to create heat and warm the normal engine coolant like your household boiler would (you plumb them in to the coolant system). These then allow the normal heater to be used and for the engine to be up to a reasonable temperature all whilst you're still in the shower. They typically have timers so that you can, for example, set them to come on at 7am for 30mins - and remote controls - so that you can turn them on/off from in the house. However, you haven't got a diesel so you're also snookered there.
Only easy solutions are:
- Blanket over the rear screen the night before.
- Get up 10 mins earlier.
Personally I'd go for the second option and struggle to see why you cant...
DN
You simply won't be able to leave it running in the car, even on low power, over night. You may have an ice free car but you'll never start it.
So - you need to find one with some sort of timer, so that you could set it to start heating about 30 mins before you left. Even that may be a bit too much of a battery drain as typically they're 200W... so imagine leaving your headlights on full beam and you're half-way there (both headlights are 55w x 2 = 110w). I can't find one with a delayed start feature that would do this (I can find a 3 hour timer version, but you don't want to get up at 4am so that you have an ice free car at 7:30am do you?)
Powering it will be a problem. Timing it to start/stop will be a problem. Both of these I've got no real solution to.
Now - if you had a diesel car you can get "fuel burning heaters" (Webasto make them) that operate much like an oil fired heater, burning diesel to create heat and warm the normal engine coolant like your household boiler would (you plumb them in to the coolant system). These then allow the normal heater to be used and for the engine to be up to a reasonable temperature all whilst you're still in the shower. They typically have timers so that you can, for example, set them to come on at 7am for 30mins - and remote controls - so that you can turn them on/off from in the house. However, you haven't got a diesel so you're also snookered there.
Only easy solutions are:
- Blanket over the rear screen the night before.
- Get up 10 mins earlier.
Personally I'd go for the second option and struggle to see why you cant...
DN
08 October 2009, 05:40 PM
#11
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: S.E London
Posts: 13,654
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Keep the windows covered just to make that little difference, and get up a bit sooner with something to wipe the windows.
If the car is parked on a drive, the other option is an extension lead, a low powered blower, heater, and a timer, or switch flicked 10 mins before you are ready to leave.
Getting up 10 mins sooner beats the hell out of causing an accident.
Last edited by Snazy; 08 October 2009 at 05:42 PM.
08 October 2009, 06:37 PM
#13
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: The Great White North
Posts: 25,080
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree with the other suggestions, cover it or get up earlier to clear the screen. One other possible thought would be remote start, providing of course it would turn on the car heater and screen heater. I think you may even be able to get a programmable remote start so you can define the time it'll come on, but I may be mistaken.
I don't wish to be rude, but the cheapest option is to just get up/out earlier and get the car warmed up, and I can't see why you cannot simply do this. Over the winter, on nearly a daily basis I am up about 30 mins early to clear the drive of snow, if there's been a fall, and whilst doing this I start the car, turn up the heater and put on the front, rear and side mirror heaters. By the time I've finished clearing the drive the ice below the snow on the car has/is melting/melted and all I do is clear the snow off.
If the drive does not need clearing then I'll turn the car on whilst I clear the snow/ice off, which also aids with the removal.
All it took was some warm clothes and a bit of time, even at the worst when it was -25 plus windchill.
I don't wish to be rude, but the cheapest option is to just get up/out earlier and get the car warmed up, and I can't see why you cannot simply do this. Over the winter, on nearly a daily basis I am up about 30 mins early to clear the drive of snow, if there's been a fall, and whilst doing this I start the car, turn up the heater and put on the front, rear and side mirror heaters. By the time I've finished clearing the drive the ice below the snow on the car has/is melting/melted and all I do is clear the snow off.
If the drive does not need clearing then I'll turn the car on whilst I clear the snow/ice off, which also aids with the removal.
All it took was some warm clothes and a bit of time, even at the worst when it was -25 plus windchill.
08 October 2009, 06:55 PM
#14
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Cardiff. Wales
Posts: 11,758
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
08 October 2009, 07:02 PM
#15
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Swindon, Wilts
Posts: 912
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The 12V ighter socket ones that you'll find on eBay are about as warm as my farts - ie they're nothing compared with your normal car heater - and would be OK to keep your car ice free BUT they'll flatten your battery (even a huge deep cycle, heavy duty, etc. etc.) one in a few hours at most.
I'll say it yet again: Get up earlier....
08 October 2009, 08:07 PM
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
You mean the warm water? Can never understand why people scrape at the windows for hours getting frozen or spend a fortune on de-icer spray when all they have to do is throw warm water over the windows. If REALLY cold it may need two but that's it. Oh, and turn the wipers on when the front screen has been done to clear the water off so it doesn't freeze again ... simples!
As for the OP, get out of bed earlier .....
Dave
08 October 2009, 08:17 PM
#19
You're not getting this are you.... let me make it simple: BATTERY powered (even car battery) and HEATER just don't go together.
The 12V ighter socket ones that you'll find on eBay are about as warm as my farts - ie they're nothing compared with your normal car heater - and would be OK to keep your car ice free BUT they'll flatten your battery (even a huge deep cycle, heavy duty, etc. etc.) one in a few hours at most.
I'll say it yet again: Get up earlier....
The 12V ighter socket ones that you'll find on eBay are about as warm as my farts - ie they're nothing compared with your normal car heater - and would be OK to keep your car ice free BUT they'll flatten your battery (even a huge deep cycle, heavy duty, etc. etc.) one in a few hours at most.
I'll say it yet again: Get up earlier....
You mean the warm water? Can never understand why people scrape at the windows for hours getting frozen or spend a fortune on de-icer spray when all they have to do is throw warm water over the windows. If REALLY cold it may need two but that's it. Oh, and turn the wipers on when the front screen has been done to clear the water off so it doesn't freeze again ... simples!
As for the OP, get out of bed earlier .....
Dave
As for the OP, get out of bed earlier .....
Dave
NO .. I dont want to get out of bed earlier ... I could of worked that bit out for myself .. but I'm cold, I'm tired and I can't be arsed ...
there must be a small battery powered heater on the market... one with a rechargeable battery maybe?
08 October 2009, 08:38 PM
#20
BANNED
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: LIVERPOOL THE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
Posts: 8,511
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When I first moved out of my Mums I didnt have a garage, at the time I drove a Guttman 309GTI it was E reg so about 1988.
I bought a device from JB Rads in The Five Ways, Liverpool.
What it did was heat up your rad water using a small kettle like elliment that was wired and fixed inside the bottom of your radiator. You would plug it in via a small cylinder type plug in the lower lip, and on the other end was a mains plug on a timer.
The cable past under the front door and into a socket in the hall.
You would set the timer for an hour before you set off for work, this would heat up the rad water, and when you started the car the heater was hot straight away.
Defrosting was a 2 min affair with the blowers on full and engine on tickover and then you were away.
Ive never seen these setups since I sold the car in 1991.
Similar the the Hot Frog PRE-HEATER below, but I can only find German text.
http://www.schwalm-kg.de/hot%20frog.htm
In the winter I now start my truck for work and leave it ticking over on the drive locked behind my gates, I press every button with the heater sign on it, I lock the doors with the spare key then go back in and have a coffee.
Job done, its make a bit of a racket though, but is far enough away from my nearest neighbour not to be a problem.
I bought a device from JB Rads in The Five Ways, Liverpool.
What it did was heat up your rad water using a small kettle like elliment that was wired and fixed inside the bottom of your radiator. You would plug it in via a small cylinder type plug in the lower lip, and on the other end was a mains plug on a timer.
The cable past under the front door and into a socket in the hall.
You would set the timer for an hour before you set off for work, this would heat up the rad water, and when you started the car the heater was hot straight away.
Defrosting was a 2 min affair with the blowers on full and engine on tickover and then you were away.
Ive never seen these setups since I sold the car in 1991.
Similar the the Hot Frog PRE-HEATER below, but I can only find German text.
http://www.schwalm-kg.de/hot%20frog.htm
In the winter I now start my truck for work and leave it ticking over on the drive locked behind my gates, I press every button with the heater sign on it, I lock the doors with the spare key then go back in and have a coffee.
Job done, its make a bit of a racket though, but is far enough away from my nearest neighbour not to be a problem.
Last edited by yoza; 08 October 2009 at 08:49 PM.
08 October 2009, 09:02 PM
#21
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Swindon, Wilts
Posts: 912
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why do you need to repeat yourself ? I read your opinion .. and I moved on .. I don't want to power it from my car battery ... but as posted trucks have night heaters .. I'm looking for something a lot smaller than that .. like hand held size .. the smallest heater would stop the ice ..
Impreza, cant start it, its too loud
NO .. I dont want to get out of bed earlier ... I could of worked that bit out for myself .. but I'm cold, I'm tired and I can't be arsed ...
there must be a small battery powered heater on the market... one with a rechargeable battery maybe?
Impreza, cant start it, its too loud
NO .. I dont want to get out of bed earlier ... I could of worked that bit out for myself .. but I'm cold, I'm tired and I can't be arsed ...
there must be a small battery powered heater on the market... one with a rechargeable battery maybe?
Trucks have heaters that work all night, yes. See my earlier description of the Webasto type "fuel burning heater" that you can get in DIESEL powered cars and trucks etc. someone else mentioned a 530d and a Disco with them as well. Useful options to have in a diesel powered car. You can retro-fit them reasonably easiler (extra fuel pump and fuel lines and plumb the heater in under the bonnet, connect up electrs / timer / remote). If your car is a diesel then this may be an option - BUT they're fecking expensive bits of kit - and you'd probably be looking at >£500 to buy and install. It doesn't work with a petrol car unless you want a VERY warm car and nothing to drive to work in but a charred shell.
You could try a "Greenhouse" parafin heater - but I wouldnt want parafin fuel and naked flames in my car overnight thanks... and the smell in the morning would be really bad: £25 gets you one of these though, and another viable solution if you don't have a diesel: Eltex Double Chimney Parafin Greenhouse Heater on eBay (end time 16-Oct-09 11:07:01 BST)
Now then - here's an eBay link to a small (handheld sized some may say), (comparatively) low powered (200W - almost nothing for a "heater"), heater than plugs into the 12V lighter socket: 12v 2 in 1 Portable Car Fan & Heater Cooling Demister on eBay (end time 22-Oct-09 12:55:06 BST)
...it's £8.99. Go and buy one and try it out, but park your car on a hill.
DN
08 October 2009, 09:03 PM
#22
When I first moved out of my Mums I didnt have a garage, at the time I drove a Guttman 309GTI it was E reg so about 1988.
I bought a device from JB Rads in The Five Ways, Liverpool.
What it did was heat up your rad water using a small kettle like elliment that was wired and fixed inside the bottom of your radiator. You would plug it in via a small cylinder type plug in the lower lip, and on the other end was a mains plug on a timer.
The cable past under the front door and into a socket in the hall.
You would set the timer for an hour before you set off for work, this would heat up the rad water, and when you started the car the heater was hot straight away.
Defrosting was a 2 min affair with the blowers on full and engine on tickover and then you were away.
Ive never seen these setups since I sold the car in 1991.
Similar the the Hot Frog PRE-HEATER below, but I can only find German text.
Neue Seite 1
In the winter I now start my truck for work and leave it ticking over on the drive locked behind my gates, I press every button with the heater sign on it, I lock the doors with the spare key then go back in and have a coffee.
Job done, its make a bit of a racket though, but is far enough away from my nearest neighbour not to be a problem.
I bought a device from JB Rads in The Five Ways, Liverpool.
What it did was heat up your rad water using a small kettle like elliment that was wired and fixed inside the bottom of your radiator. You would plug it in via a small cylinder type plug in the lower lip, and on the other end was a mains plug on a timer.
The cable past under the front door and into a socket in the hall.
You would set the timer for an hour before you set off for work, this would heat up the rad water, and when you started the car the heater was hot straight away.
Defrosting was a 2 min affair with the blowers on full and engine on tickover and then you were away.
Ive never seen these setups since I sold the car in 1991.
Similar the the Hot Frog PRE-HEATER below, but I can only find German text.
Neue Seite 1
In the winter I now start my truck for work and leave it ticking over on the drive locked behind my gates, I press every button with the heater sign on it, I lock the doors with the spare key then go back in and have a coffee.
Job done, its make a bit of a racket though, but is far enough away from my nearest neighbour not to be a problem.
Thats the sort of idea I'm after .. make sense !!
I dont like to leave the car to idle cold, but cant even if I wanted to .. I live in a row of houses and at 730am ... my decat wouldn't be welcomed.
08 October 2009, 09:38 PM
#23
BANNED
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: LIVERPOOL THE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
Posts: 8,511
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not nice on a frozen February morning breaking the door off your truck at 0540hrs and scraping the glass, then finding this....
BRRRRRrrr.
Not been up that early for ages though, as we are not on shifts, infact we are on a four day week, Ive kind of got used to four days, and quite liking it.
The Diesel freelanders and X types going to Russia are all "fuel fired heater" models, they blow hot straight away.
BRRRRRrrr.
Not been up that early for ages though, as we are not on shifts, infact we are on a four day week, Ive kind of got used to four days, and quite liking it.
The Diesel freelanders and X types going to Russia are all "fuel fired heater" models, they blow hot straight away.
Last edited by yoza; 08 October 2009 at 09:42 PM.
08 October 2009, 10:27 PM
#24
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: liverpool
Posts: 2,440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
.........
.......sorry in advance but .....de-icer?
...yes, i know some people think it is the work of the devil, but spray the window and not the rubber surround seal and you really will be ok. deicer £1.50 from asda, cost of small electrical fire inside the scoob????
. imo you cant go wrong with a supply of de-icer
08 October 2009, 10:30 PM
#25
BANNED
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: LIVERPOOL THE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
Posts: 8,511
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
................sorry in advance but .....de-icer?...yes, i know some people think it is the work of the devil, but spray the window and not the rubber surround seal and you really will be ok. deicer £1.50 from asda, cost of small electrical fire inside the scoob????. imo you cant go wrong with a supply of de-icer
nice 1
08 October 2009, 11:17 PM
#27
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: S.E London
Posts: 13,654
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was thinking about this while walking the dogs.....
If you left your headlights on over night, they would be unlikely to freeze up. The small amount of heat generated by the lights keeps the glass and localised area warm enough to stay dry and unfrozen.
However, buy the morning the battery will be dead.
Scale it up from the size of a headlight, to the inside of a car, and it kind of gets to the point Dr No is making. Battery powered heater, to keep that volume of air warm enough to warm the glass to above freezing when its -5 outside at night........ LOTS of batteries needed.
As for the pre heating the water in the rad solution, can I just clarify something. The element has to be removed before driving, or just unplugged?
And also how much water can it actually heat without being in contact with? There is a lot of water in the rest of the cooling system, and without the thermo being open or the water pump turning, its not going to heat more than about what 30% of the contents, which would then be cooled by the other 70% on starting the car?
Hope you find the right solution, but personally, a chamois or microfibre for a couple of mins in the morning is the answer.
As for the not being able to run the car. I hope you get lots of pleasure from the car when driving, to make not being able to warm the car up at home worth it. lol
If you left your headlights on over night, they would be unlikely to freeze up. The small amount of heat generated by the lights keeps the glass and localised area warm enough to stay dry and unfrozen.
However, buy the morning the battery will be dead.
Scale it up from the size of a headlight, to the inside of a car, and it kind of gets to the point Dr No is making. Battery powered heater, to keep that volume of air warm enough to warm the glass to above freezing when its -5 outside at night........ LOTS of batteries needed.
As for the pre heating the water in the rad solution, can I just clarify something. The element has to be removed before driving, or just unplugged?
And also how much water can it actually heat without being in contact with? There is a lot of water in the rest of the cooling system, and without the thermo being open or the water pump turning, its not going to heat more than about what 30% of the contents, which would then be cooled by the other 70% on starting the car?
Hope you find the right solution, but personally, a chamois or microfibre for a couple of mins in the morning is the answer.
As for the not being able to run the car. I hope you get lots of pleasure from the car when driving, to make not being able to warm the car up at home worth it. lol
Last edited by Snazy; 08 October 2009 at 11:21 PM.
09 October 2009, 12:50 AM
#28
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: You only live ONCE But if you do it right >>>>> ONCE is enough
Posts: 7,327
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The only powerful heating stuff is mains not battery.
2000-2009 Subaru Impreza Engine Block Heater 400 Watt, 115 Volt Heater
Amazon.com: Kim Hotstart TPS151GT10-000 Engine Coolant Block Heater: Everything Else
The water heaters heat by convection so are placed as low down the cooling system as possible. Even though the thermostat is shut there is still a flow through the block. A high flow rate isn't needed as these heaters are usually left on all night anyway.
In days of old you had a "Sump heater" which was a paraffin heater placed , would you believe, under the sump. Nearest thing today is this :-
https://www.parasene.com/vshop/details.asp?prodID=206
As it can run for 14 days on a 2.25 litre fill just stick it in the passenger footwell & leave it running.
2000-2009 Subaru Impreza Engine Block Heater 400 Watt, 115 Volt Heater
Amazon.com: Kim Hotstart TPS151GT10-000 Engine Coolant Block Heater: Everything Else
The water heaters heat by convection so are placed as low down the cooling system as possible. Even though the thermostat is shut there is still a flow through the block. A high flow rate isn't needed as these heaters are usually left on all night anyway.
In days of old you had a "Sump heater" which was a paraffin heater placed , would you believe, under the sump. Nearest thing today is this :-
https://www.parasene.com/vshop/details.asp?prodID=206
As it can run for 14 days on a 2.25 litre fill just stick it in the passenger footwell & leave it running.
09 October 2009, 12:52 AM
#29
Buy a Focus RS (quick-clear windscreen)
Have to admit the Golf was a chore last winter; Its garaged, but thats doesn't help me when I need to drive back from work (heated seats work well though).
But the screen demister vent is utter pants, and like alot of modern cars with climate control it takes ages to heat up - despite a 3.2litre petrol engine. I think it purposely limits the heater output to enable quicker engine warming for better cold start emissions - post MY2000 BMWs do the same, where the earlier versions with the same engine blew warm air within 5mins of starting, yet later models refuses.
So I think I'll have to invest in some auxillary heating. Dash mounted instant heat jobby to clear the screen is at the top of the list.
Secondary idea is like what I've seen on Renault Traffics/Vauxhall Vivaros with the 1.9non-turbo engine. They use 4 glow-plugs mounted in the thermostat housing; which is there to aid quicker coolant warm-up (as diesels can take forever to heat up). Now if I could get this heater unit off a scrapper and some how plumb it into my golf, then maybe it could give me quicker warm-up. It has a 120amp alternator and a battery big enough to start a tank engine, so I think it should cope with the extra electrical load.
...Or just buy another 1986 Nissan Sunny...that was blowing warm within 3mins of starting the engine and giving it some beans.
Have to admit the Golf was a chore last winter; Its garaged, but thats doesn't help me when I need to drive back from work (heated seats work well though).
But the screen demister vent is utter pants, and like alot of modern cars with climate control it takes ages to heat up - despite a 3.2litre petrol engine. I think it purposely limits the heater output to enable quicker engine warming for better cold start emissions - post MY2000 BMWs do the same, where the earlier versions with the same engine blew warm air within 5mins of starting, yet later models refuses.
So I think I'll have to invest in some auxillary heating. Dash mounted instant heat jobby to clear the screen is at the top of the list.
Secondary idea is like what I've seen on Renault Traffics/Vauxhall Vivaros with the 1.9non-turbo engine. They use 4 glow-plugs mounted in the thermostat housing; which is there to aid quicker coolant warm-up (as diesels can take forever to heat up). Now if I could get this heater unit off a scrapper and some how plumb it into my golf, then maybe it could give me quicker warm-up. It has a 120amp alternator and a battery big enough to start a tank engine, so I think it should cope with the extra electrical load.
...Or just buy another 1986 Nissan Sunny...that was blowing warm within 3mins of starting the engine and giving it some beans.
Last edited by ALi-B; 09 October 2009 at 12:55 AM.
