Engine Preheaters !!!!!!!

[junkuser]

The output from a solar trickle charger would be less than 4amps (48 Watts) under ideal conditions, probably half or less, so the heating element would use that without getting very warm.
I don't get the impression you have a lot of sun in your winters either.

[uksnatcher]

The solar trickle charger is rated at 4watt and is suposed to work in Europes dull, low light conditions, its basically to 'top off' the battery drain from the clock and radio not run the heated element, thats being powered by a mains 240v 6amp 24v converter, thus leaving as much cranking power as possible in the battery after a layup in cold weather. I assume the 24v truck mirror element will be rated around 50-75watt as its hot to touch but not as hot as a 100w bulb.

I experimented......wire brushed all rust/paint off bottom of the sump, wiped with some alcholol, thin smear of bonding sealant (rated at - 40 to 120deg) to bond the heated mirror element to the sump, covered the top of the element in thick layer of bonding sealant and wired it in to a fused socket at the front of the car to plug in the 240v transformer located inside the house.

Still all a bit tacky at the mo but warms the engine oil to a tepid body temp after 2 hrs or so not fantastic but better than stone cold, i will add a metalic reflective base to the sump IE foil or thin alloy plate as alot of heat is being radiated downwards or even a winter belly plate with some insulation to try and keep the heat in the sump...all in all quite impressed for little money but the real test will be the harsh winter conditions.

Could always get a house with a garage, thats too easy tho  ;)  

[tiggrr1]

uksnatcher wrote:

Could always get a house with a garage, thats too easy tho  ;)  

;D ;D ;DTake your Dining room window out an put a garage door in ;D ;D ;D

Go on you know you want to  :o ;)

[Chasj]

A quick warning, suggest you do NOT put a 100w bulb under the car and leave on.
Some 14 years ago working on Austin 7 in garage, due to ill health petrol fumes got to me, had been checking pump and dropped float chamber to clean it out. Went up to the house looked back,garage bottom of garden,and thick smoke pouring out.999. After putting fire out asked what had caused the fire, after investigating only suggestion was that the petrol fumes were ignited by the 100 w naked bulb in the inspection light. Austin 7 a write off and garage in a mess.
Charles.

[firebobby]

Hi Chris, when i bought my car, it came with details of an engine heater from a company called Bray who were based in Leeds. This is from the 70's so i don't think they are still around.
The leaflets show 2 different forms of engine pre heater, one is a cylinder immersion heater and the other is a bottom hose connection,both are then wired into a 240v system, if your interested i can copy these and send them to you.

John

[CHRIS211083]

Cheers, firebobby would be good if you can take pictures and post it here just out of interest.

Chris.

[CHRIS211083]

The two units have arrived and are very compact.


I'll be taking the feed from the metal pipe coming along the length of the engine going to the manifold T piece.

The return will be plumbed into the pipe going from the manifold to the thermostat housing. I'm planning on mounting the Unit on the rear of the right hand bottom rad mount. I plan on Wiring the power cable to a waterproof out door socket mounted on a spike. This is the current plan but things will probably change.

Chris.

[firebobby]

Chris, it looks very similar to what you have there, i will try to load the details on here but i'm not to clever in that dept :-/

[smithy]

He's a genius elsewhere though. Really he is.  :)

[firebobby]

smithy wrote:

He's a genius elsewhere though. Really he is.  :)

Oh thankyou master :)

[CHRIS211083]

Ok guy's I have plumbed in the preheater but not in the spitfire as it's currently in bits while I'm building the T6 car. See Special cars section of this forum for the progress. Anyway I bought one of these preheaters for my wifes mini. Here is the install:



Ok power comes from the house via these two out door water proof sockets. It then goes into an extention lead from the twin sockets. The water proof extention lead then goes into the car and is plugged into the preheater as shown:



The cable goes on top of the door and once the door is closed it sits between the seal and the door frame. This is the only point where it wont pinch the cable and yet will seal. I don't want to drill holes in the mini so this is the next best option. The pre heater was a but of a bugger as I need to by two 1/2" hose T pieces and two 5/8-1/2" reducers as the hose from/to the heater is 5/8 and the rest of the mini system is 1/2". The heater also needs to be kept dry so it is an interior install. I went and plumbed it into the hoses going in and out of the heater matrix.

I will be going for a drive in 30 mins so I'm about to turn it on will let you know how warm it is after 10, 20, 30,mins. The heater cuts out at 70deg C. Will report back in a bit.

Chris.

[roddymacp]

Saw no starting problems or fancy heaters in Moscow winters. Cars parked outside all night too.

[CHRIS211083]

Hope you read the full post ;) It's not because it's cold. It saves fuel(which means £££), less engine wear, also give heat for demisting.

Anyway, i Have started the preheater and immediately it became hot and you can hear the pump whizzing quietly.

At 10 mins, the unit has stopped because the water for the water in the heater matrix is 70deg C but the engine temp gauge is only just off cold and once started the hot air soon goes warm as the coolant circulates. Maybe this is why it needs 20 mins as the water needs to circulate.

Chris.

[James]

Be sure to leave the cars heater valve on too :)

[roddymacp]

Beg your pardon. :B

[CHRIS211083]

Ok Guy's in total it takes 5mins to go from stone cold to piping hot and the pump cuts out at 70Deg C. However after 20 mins it's not switched on again as the coolant is still red hot. However the engine is only warm. The problem is ME!!! I need to plumb the hoses the opposite way round. I currently have the feed coming from the head take off and pumping hot coolant into the water pump/bottom rad hose. The thinking was hot water will rise to the head from the lower take off therefore making the whole engine hot. However instead the heater is piping hot as is the rad but the engine is just warm which means as soon as you start and the coolant circulates the hot coolant becomes warm instead as it mixes. I now think it would be better pumping the water straight into the head(hot)and as it cools through the engine it will drop then coming back to the feed at the bottom completing the circuit. I just plumbed it in backwards. HA HA

Anyway after 20 and 30 mins it was just as hot as after 5 mins when the pump first stopped. Have to say great product, works really well, very fast and there was no need to use choke to start even when plumbed in the wrong way round. Winner.