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Building: Nothing, except a drive full of shonky motors...
posted on 27/12/13 at 09:09 PM
advice needed :-)
Hallo, seasons greetings :-)
Need some advice if possible.
New arrival in the house (child no 4), missus is complaining that the Landy Disco 2 takes ages to warm in the cold mornings. It does to be honest,
only gets to 'proper' cabin temperature if at motorway speeds - the 7 mile commute to work leaves it barely registering on the temp gauge
- slightly better since I had it chipped up, but still poor. Been through the cooling system, all fine - it's just the way it is....
So, had a look at cooling system preheating retrofit systems, Kenlowe/webasto/similar. Far too expensive in my opinion, hundreds of quids....
Also looked at 'new' water pre-heaters on the market - not inspired, look a bit wimpy....1000W heaters.....my kettle is 1800W....
Checked out the prices on bespoke LR diesel powered systems fitted to 'cold climate market' cars, very expensive, and only assist quicker
heating when the car is running. didn't realise that Ford, Peugeot, BMW have similar systems on some models - all webasto based. looked at
retrofitting one of these but want a pre heater really.
So, in true Locost style, I'm making my own!
Spent the day on ebay, for a couple of quid I have now got a 2000W 240V dishwasher inline water heater, a 12V VW auxiliary water pump , and a
weatherproof 3 pin 240V plug and receiver similar to those found on caravans. Going to mount the female plug in the front bumper somewhere to allow
quick connect/disconnect. Male plug running to the mains feed in the house/garage...
The plan is to break in and plumb the pump and heater into the cooling system, run the heater from the house mains (similar to the Kenlowe system) on
a timer and extension lead with an RCD. A bit of coolant hose and some pipe connectors and I should be there. Plenty of room to fit it all in the
engine bay. A light on the dashboard when the system is running and a buzzer if the ignition is switched on should prevent the missus driving off with
the car still wired to the house :-)
All very simple so far, but I need advice on how to automatically switch the DC pump on when the AC heater comes online? and vice versa....
Looked at solid state AC switching DC relays, not really my area of expertise although I understand the principle. The wiring circuit I can sort, but
need some advice on a good supplier of AC switched DC relays? All those on Ebay are from China I think, and I don't want to muck about seeing as
I am connecting the car heater to the mains....
Photo Archive
Building: Nothing, except a drive full of shonky motors...
posted on 27/12/13 at 10:03 PM
quote:Originally posted by big-vee-twin
I would advise very strongly that you do not use the male plug for the mains supply. That is highly dangerous in the wrong hands.
Photo Archive
Building: Nothing, except a drive full of shonky motors...
posted on 27/12/13 at 10:04 PM
quote:Originally posted by gremlin1234
or you could run the pump from an on board 12v psu, (computer psu or battery charger) (or source a mains one from the dishwasher )
you can also get power connectors that eject the supply/ plug when starting the engine
I like the sound of an ejecting plug - got any pointers? :-)
It will work without a pump. Just plumb in the heater at the bottom of the circuit and convection will do its magic. ( like the indirect cylinder
water heater on older style central heating systems )
"if assholes could fly this place would be an airport"
Photo Archive
Building: Nothing, except a drive full of shonky motors...
posted on 27/12/13 at 10:10 PM
quote:Originally posted by fazerruss
It will work without a pump. Just plumb in the heater at the bottom of the circuit and convection will do its magic. ( like the indirect cylinder
water heater on older style central heating systems )
I did think of that, but I have a pump now - love a challenge :-) want to get some water pumping round so if I can get the in car heater fan to run at
the same time it will warm the interior up too? That's another recent system evolvement - just thought of it.....
Before getting into expensive systems what about trying the old black cab favourite of putting a bit of cardboard over half the radiator.
Total cost around £0
Try to find 'Heater blows hotter'?
Its an aditive product that i remember reading about donkeys years ago in 'Revs' magazine (Forgive me, I was 17) review was positive but
googling now only seems to bring up US based products.
Photo Archive
Building: Nothing, except a drive full of shonky motors...
posted on 28/12/13 at 10:32 AM
quote:Originally posted by UncleFista
I've bought 2 full webasto setups from local scrappers for £50 each including pumps etc. from early diesel Rover 75s.
A quick clean and test and they're both running perfectly 2 years and 18 months on.
Well worth checking locally.
[Edited on 28/12/13 by UncleFista]
Nice one.
I'll certainly have a look at that price. The only reason I was put off was the prices on ebay. Looks like they can be rigged to preheat whilst
the car isn't running.
Quick question, do those units have an internal fuel pump or will they run with diesel that it gravity fed? I understand that the Disco has a working
fuel pressure that is very high, however thinking that there is no reason why the fuel return line shouldn't be able to feed a small collector
tank which could feed the unit. Don't suppose you know how much fuel they burn over, say, 30 minutes?
Photo Archive
Building: Nothing, except a drive full of shonky motors...
posted on 28/12/13 at 10:38 AM
quote:Originally posted by iank
Before getting into expensive systems what about trying the old black cab favourite of putting a bit of cardboard over half the radiator.
Total cost around £0
I would do, but I really want it to preheat prior to running. Plus the coolant systems on these were designed to be able to run in extreme hot
countries without overheating - it is possible to remove the cooling fan entirely and run perfectly safe in this country given our average ambient
temperatures, which gives a flavour of the efficiency of the system.
Just a thought but it's the cab you want to heat initially not the engine so why not use the mains hookup to power a mains fan heater under one
of the seats. It will come with a termal cutout for protection and as it's the only mains thing in the vehicle doesn't involve relays or
any other malarky. Easy enough to wire in a mains powered buzzer (of suitably annoying volume) to ensure that car is not driven off with lead
connected...
If you pay peanuts...
Mentale, yar? Yar, mentale!
Drive it like you stole it!
quote:Originally posted by big-vee-twin
I would advise very strongly that you do not use the male plug for the mains supply. That is highly dangerous in the wrong hands.
NO, NO, NO !
You must NEVER, EVER have male pins live, NEVER ! And if you need telling, should you really be messing about with something that contains 240voltA/C
and water, in a metal container ?
Photo Archive
Building: Nothing, except a drive full of shonky motors...
posted on 28/12/13 at 01:08 PM
quote:Originally posted by slingshot2000
quote:Originally posted by richard thomas
quote:Originally posted by big-vee-twin
I would advise very strongly that you do not use the male plug for the mains supply. That is highly dangerous in the wrong hands.
NO, NO, NO !
You must NEVER, EVER have male pins live, NEVER ! And if you need telling, should you really be messing about with something that contains 240voltA/C
and water, in a metal container ?
Thanks - I get the point, hence my later post with the link to the plug with male pins which would be fitted to the car. The female being the power
supply...
I do thank you for your concern though, especially over my evident incompetence. Rest assured I shall desist maintaining aircraft with immediate
effect, or at the very least stop running ideas on here after a bottle or 2 of vino
quote:Originally posted by big-vee-twin
I would advise very strongly that you do not use the male plug for the mains supply. That is highly dangerous in the wrong hands.
NO, NO, NO !
You must NEVER, EVER have male pins live, NEVER ! And if you need telling, should you really be messing about with something that contains 240voltA/C
and water, in a metal container ?
Thanks - I get the point, hence my later post with the link to the plug with male pins which would be fitted to the car. The female being the power
supply...
I do thank you for your concern though, especially over my evident incompetence. Rest assured I shall desist maintaining aircraft with immediate
effect, or at the very least stop running ideas on here after a bottle or 2 of vino
I apologise for posting without reading past big-vee-twin's post, above. I am glad that it seems you have taken the advice in the good spirit
it was sent and not gone on a rant as so many others would. Seasons greeting !
I put an engine block heater on my Cherokee last winter and did the same thing with a timer. The kit had a small heating element that took the place
of one of the engine block freeze plugs. I know it wasn't nearly as powerful as what you are running but the coolant would be warm even in the
middle of winter. After driving for a minute or two, the temperature was able to come up enough to where I had heat.
