simonr Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Niick Watts (RogueVogue) really has credit for this idea! This morning the temperature was -5C when I woke up. I had placed a regular mains fan heater in the cab with a wireless remote controlled switch. I remotely switched it on. By the time I was out the door, the Land Rover was warm inside and completely de-iced. I left the vehicle heater blower switched off. Just as the cab was starting to cool - the engine temperature was coming up. Switch blower on and the rest of the journey was fairly warm. I just sat the heater on the passanger seat facing the windscreen - but it was so warm that the rear windows had de-iced too so I doubt it makes much difference where you put it or point it. Both Nick & I have had a variety of Kenlowe and other engine water heaters - but they never seem to last long and they are dead expensive. This is such a cheap, simple solution that I had to share it with you all! The heater is 2kw and literally cost £10. I think I'll fit the heater permanently somewhere - maybe under the rear seat or on the back of the cubby box and wire it to a waterproof plug on the front of the vehicle like the Kenlowe. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Good plan Si/Nick You could fit a 2KW inverter and run it off the second battery -it wouldn't have to be on for long nor be an expensive inverter, as I doubt a coil of wire needs a perfect sine wave to operate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 This is what I normally do with the Pug, putting it in the car the night before then switching it on when I wake up. By the time my lunch is together I have a nice warm car. As you say by the time the added heat is wearing off, the car is up to temperature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I used to do this when I lived somewhere I could park on the drive. Not so handy when you park 2 doors down Si - how about inventing a cordless extension lead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicks90 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 i have often thought of putting a simple small 240v immersion heater into a coolant pipe or fan heater into teh cab and wiring it up to a waterproof 3 pin external socket on the front grill, then just wire a simple extension lead from the garage to another water proof 3pin plug and plug it in. On the garage end of the extension cable have a socket timer (left over from christmas lights) so it turns on at 7.30 and off at 8.00! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozsug Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 ia socket timer (left over from christmas lights) so it turns on at 7.30 and off at 8.00! Alright for some that get a lay in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_s Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 my only worry with that would be the heater possibly catching fire i'm now thinking it would be possible to remove the heater element from the fan housing, mount it in the cars heater ducts somewhere, and power the cars own heater fan off the mains. it would be pretty simple to do in my series3, not so sure about the discovery though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 What I've had floating around in my head for a while is mounting an 11" immersion element into a bit of steel pipe. Coupled with a mains pump (central heating pump?), you should have a cheap and reliable engine coolant heater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I used to use one of those greenhouse tube heaters on the dash and a timer (about 60w) then chuck it in the garage when done. I never got round to making something more permenant and laziness stops me doing it now, which is a shame as the lump that is the 3.0 isuzu diesel won't warm up when idling, infact if you get stuck in traffic it goes cold :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 my only worry with that would be the heater possibly catching fire How many fan heaters have you owned that whilst in use caught fire? Don't see any reason why it would be any different inside a vehicle as long as the vent isn't blocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinn76 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I was toying with the idea of installing a 12v ceramic heater in the ducting system after the fan to give instant heat in my disco as it takes a good 1/2hr to even get a slight temperature difference at the screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 How many fan heaters have you owned that whilst in use caught fire? Don't see any reason why it would be any different inside a vehicle as long as the vent isn't blocked. There is however more chance they will be too close to something that will get too hot...... Just playing devils advocate here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I had one of those cheap halogen electric heaters you can pick up from discount stores for a tenner in the back of the Rangie ambulance while we were travelling through Europe in early spring - felt a bit safer than using a fan heater, and the heat was very directional. Don't think I'd put anything electric in the Defender though, it's normally wetter inside than out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 There is however more chance they will be too close to something that will get too hot...... Just playing devils advocate here Yep, and I qualified it with the vent not being blocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Just remember to unplug it from the extension lead before you drive off....... ask me how I know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 What would work well would be a blown air diesel heater plumbed into the heater inlet duct. Instant proper hot air via the heater distribution system without relying on the coolant being hot (which doesn't really produce hot, hot air anyway ) Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 What would work well would be a blown air diesel heater plumbed into the heater inlet duct. Instant proper hot air via the heater distribution system without relying on the coolant being hot (which doesn't really produce hot, hot air anyway ) Mo ..... for a tenner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wettstuff Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Si nice idea, where did you get the heater from i've been looking for a while tonight but can't find anything remote controlled for anywhere near a tenner Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calle-fas Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Most cars have that here.(Sweden) Coolan heater connected to mains and a socket inside the car for a ~1200W blower. We use regular timers for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 I think that if you dismantle a heater, stick it in an air vent and rely on the vehicle blower to keep the element cool - you are multiplying the chances of a fire massively! Most electrical appliences have a thermal fuse that disconnects the supply if they over heat. My fan heater certainly does. If you want to be certain - buy two and block the fan on one to see what happens. Chances are it will just switch off (permanently). My heater cost £10 (from Tesco I think). The remote control was one of these http://www.ebay.co.u...=item2c60c9eb1e OK, that breaks the bank at £15 all in - but if that's too much you could always glue a stick to the switch on the mains socket and remote control it by pulling on a long bit of string? Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I have been doing this for years, initially switching the heater on at the mains from inside the house and latterly starting it with a timer switch. 30 minutes is ample I find. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 ....... but if that's too much you could always glue a stick to the switch on the mains socket and remote control it by pulling on a long bit of string? Si Lol .... or a longer extension lead that reaches to a plug by the bed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSD Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I was toying with the idea of installing a 12v ceramic heater in the ducting system after the fan to give instant heat in my disco as it takes a good 1/2hr to even get a slight temperature difference at the screen. For the last few weeks I've had a 12V 40W ptc cabinet heater on the dashboard, which I acquired intending to fit in the duct to the drivers side of the defender dash. It's sufficient to demist about a 4-6" area in the middle of the screen in about 30 seconds - so nearly as useless as the standard setup, but not quite. If I had no better options I would fit it as (a bit) better than nothing. Because of the way PTC heaters work, it would operate at more than 40W with a Defender fan forcing air though it instead of the tiny thing it's made with. I've got a high power PTC from a Peugeot that I think will just about fit in the Defender heater box, in place of the outlet 'on/off' flap. Draws around 100A at startup but at full temperature and zero airflow around 25-30A. Even with only one of the three elements switched on, it puts out a substantial amount of warm air. No use for heating the truck up, but I'm not aiming for instant heating, just instant demist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I also have been using a 2kW fan heater in the car for a few years now. I have it plugged into an external mains socket outside my house and it is on a timer inside. 15-20 mins and the whole car is ice and snow free and toasty warm inside. Mine sits on the top of the rear seats blowing forwards and downwards towards the dash. I am using a Dimplex bathroom fan heater as I had one to hand. I think I probably have a few recon units left over from my electrician days in London. An early version of this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutz Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Another slant on this would be a small helical element in the header tank (like a small kettle element); but that would also need a small circulating pump and some sort of thermostat, again it would need a 230volt supply and needless to say a 30ma rcd protection to protect everything. But on the plus side it would heat the water so engine temp would be warm and hence speed up the heater matrix temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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