Possible options of a coolant pre-heater?

[maxfax]

The coolant flows out of the head and returns though the metal line down to the water pump..  

I guess where you put it would depend on your goal..

Putting it between the head and the heater core, there it would put more heat to the cabin, but remember that the heat lost in the cabin is heat not going to the engine..

My goal was to get the engine warm faster so I could burn WVO (which is illegal  )... I'd probably mount the cooler nice and low (like under the radiator or something), cut the steel line after the tee for the expansion tank, run rubber line to the heater, and rubber line from the heater to the water pump..  

With the proper power inverter and some sort of temp control the thing could double as a plug in tank style block heater..

Either way would accomplish something though..  I guess the biggest question would be if it would transfer heat fast enough to mane a difference...

[maxfax]

Is that a soda can under your IP??   

70 or so amps ought to do ya, but wouldn't leave a lot of breathing room..  Cold, dark, snowy = wipers, lights, blower.. A real amp or volt gauge wouldn't hurt..  You'd at least be able to monitor what is happening and kill the heater if need be..

[8v-of-fury]

well their site assumes you will be using this for a larger system.. such as a water tank (5-15 gallons) so I think a 1-2 gallon system should be no sweat for it.. I would mount it for cabin heating more than engine heating. TDI's keep more heat in the combustion chamber than our old IDI's do.. plus the coolant entering the head after the core will still be plenty warm.. if not still hot. Was mainly looking at this as an option get damn near instant cabin heat to defrost the windows in the winter.

Yup thats a coke can under there, to catch my fuel leak and keep it off my coolant hoses lol

[8v-of-fury]

like their smallest 300w (25A) heater is still rated for 25-50 gallons.. should heat the entire engine very thoroughly and quickly.. lol

[maxfax]

Yeah now that I think about it, that's probably more than enough overkill for what you are doing..  Realistically you're not going to even be heating the coolant in the radiator..   I was attempting to get about 4 gallons of coolant warm enough to also get 8 gallons of wvo warm.. Not to mention the windows cleared..


I wonder in your case if it would be more efficient to find some sort of 12v heating element and mount in the heater box..  Of course heating the coolant has some additional benefits..  Either way, in your case you'd probably not need as much of a heating element, which would result in less power needed..

[8v-of-fury]

I will contact them, and see if they maybe offer or can make a smaller heating element..

as I realistically only need a 10 gallon one at most.. This 300w one sounds perfect for your application Brett.

it could effectively bring all the coolant in my system up to temp very quickly, which would in turn help with warming the engine too i would think.. needs further researching TY for your help lol

[blackdogvan]

Install one of these & quityer***in!
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a3b4/coolant-block-heater-tdi-frostheater.htm

[8v-of-fury]

I don't want an AC unit, but that's a sweet setup. I want a unit that helps with heating the coolant entering the cabin, after the engine has started and is pumping coolant. 

[Vincent Waldon]

Just for some data... here's a thread from TDIclub where the actual performance of the three coolant heater plugs on an ALH TDI engine was measured:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=269731

Bottom line...  the three plugs warm -5C coolant to 40C 30% faster than straight idling.  They draw 40-60 amps, depending on ambient, and are *not* the same part number as the engine glow plugs... although I suspect the biggest differences have to do with corrosion protection.

I'm playing a bit with mine this winter as well as I dial in my new engine...my initial impression is that they do help some... but nothing beats the heat of combustion.    There is only so much heat available electrically in a 12V system, which is one reason why most planes run 48V electrics.

As another aside,  both my TDIs have the 750W version of the Frostheater as well... highly recommended if you've got a turbo diesel and 110V available.  They install in the oil/coolant heat exchanger loop and heat the head and block uncomfortably hot to touch via convection after only a couple of hours...instant cabin heat and defogging.   

[Vincent Waldon]

One more random fact... evidently Citroen Picasso's come with a wonderful in-line 4-plug electric coolant heater in the heater core loop... here's one installed on a Suzuki:



I have no idea where one finds this part of a Citroen Picasso in North America, but it sure would make for a clean install.

[R.O.R-2.0]

also mind you their 600w system will run about 50A on the alternator.. but with the TDI and its 120A alt.. Running this and the cabin fan (another what.. 20A?) I don't think it really poses a problem eh? 70A should put it right in its sweet spot..

not at idle.. its not making anywhere near 70 amps..

[mtrans]

Too mach amps for me,I try 1 GP not mach,for 4? flow is problem.Than I get air "Eberspaher" good one only 0.25 L/h ,better job is WATER Wbasto-Eberspaher i think.70 amps haw much is that in fuel

[8v-of-fury]

Economy is the least of my worries with this concept. As noted, for a similar amperage draw, the water tank heating element has a much larger heating surface.. thus being way more useful for the application intended.

Actually kEvo Let us assume a low idle of ~750rpms, at this rpm the 120a alternator will actually in fact be putting out ~70-75a lol. I will be installing an overdrive pulley if I do this, which will raise the idle amperage to around ~100a or so. The overdrive pulley should be ok for the alternator on this setup, as my engine will never break 5000rpm's.. so the alt will never over-spin.

Just a little graph some guy put together of his findings on a 120a Bosch alternator at various engine speeds, assuming heavy heavy loads (much like I will need). The Alternator will pull 5hp from the engine at full load, I am perfectly OK with this. Also it will not be run to much with the car sitting.. more so after I have begun slowly making my way down the road. (I never fully clear my windows before i start driving lol)

[maxfax]

Drop a second battery in there for good measure..  After all, real diesels (such as an Oldsmobile) have real batteries.. 

[R.O.R-2.0]

does the Oldy have dual batts?