Why do I have to wait for my car to heat up?

"JCAlan" (jcalan) 01/15/2014 at 20:23 • Filed to: None

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As I got in my freezing cold car this morning, I did what I do on every cold day.....shiver for 5-10 minutes while I stare at the temperature gauge wishing it would hurry up and get to operating temp so that the air coming out of my vents will turn warm.

This is the same thing we've done since forever, no advancements. Sure, we now have heated seats, heated steering wheels, and remote starters, but no way to have hot air come out those vents from the get-go.

Why not an electric heater? Electric cars have electric heaters. I guess they also have built in giant electric power sources too. But there must be a lower voltage alternative. If a full-time electric system isn't ideal, it could switch over to conventional heat after it warms up, so it's no longer a drag on the system. It could be a helper system. They could call it the "Polar Pack" or something catchy. Maybe Edenpure and Holmes Air could team up with a manufacturer the same way high-end stereo companies do. I'd pay extra for that.

 > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:24

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Here is a solution to your freezing problem.

Zoom > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:27

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Or if at home, this.....on a timer.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:30

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Might draw too much current on a cold battery? I got nothing.

JCAlan >  01/15/2014 at 20:31

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I've never actually used a block heater on anything but a tractor. Does it actually get hot enough to produce instant heat? Still wouldn't help throughout the day when you're not starting from home.

Zoom >  01/15/2014 at 20:32

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+1

Although, fuckin with factory freeze plugs always makes my sphincter pucker.

McMike > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:32

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12v heaters would need tremendous amps to do anything, and at that rate they would drain the battery faster than your alternator could charge it.

 > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:33

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On my V8 it's not instant but definitely quicker than starting cold.

Tom McParland > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:35

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Not quite the answer you want but...remote start. Best $250 i've spent and I have a manual trans.

d1ck > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:36

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Most passenger cars have an alternator which is rated for a maximum output of 90-120 amps at 14.4v. This is a maximum of 1728 watts to run the following:

Heated seats
Headlights/Other exterior lights
HVAC
Rear Window / Mirror Defogger
Ignition
ECU/Other Modules necessary for vehicle functions
ABS Pump
Fuel Pump
4 Power Window Motors
Power Locks
Interior Lights

All while the motor is spinning at ~1000RPM

To get any meaningful amount of heat from a coil would take at least 600watts (Likely more).

Sinanigans > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:36

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let it warm up for 2 minutes, and drive easily until its all heated up

JCAlan > McMike 01/15/2014 at 20:38

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I drove a very stubborn 72 Lincoln Mark one winter that had next to no heat for reasons I never did discover. I bought a small electric defroster that plugged into the cig lighter. It did an ok job of at least clearing a spot on the windshield large enough to see out of. It never would have heated the whole car, but if one of these small amp units were placed in each vent pushing out just enough hot air to feel...it would sure make the car more inviting on a cold day. And they only have to run for a few minutes.

davedave1111 > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:39

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An electric heater big enough to do anything useful would draw far too much power for a normal alternator - a typical fan heater like we have here in the UK uses 3kw, a typical alternator puts out around 700W. It's not worth having a much, much bigger alternator just so you can have electric heat on a cold morning.

d00mZ > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:41

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Not necessarily. Just wait until it hits rpm spec on idle then you're good to go. :)

davedave1111 > Tom McParland 01/15/2014 at 20:41

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I couldn't believe that was a real thing the first time I saw it. It's completely illegal here. It seems like a car thief's fantasy, and I don't quite understand why more cars don't get stolen as a result.

Tom McParland > davedave1111 01/15/2014 at 20:45

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Because in the US if you hit the gas, brake, or try to get it out of gear without the key in the ignition the whole system shuts down.

desertdog5051 > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 20:59

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Deal with it. :)

CalzoneGolem > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 21:01

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I have that exact heater in my garage now ... did you steal it from me?

UserNotFound > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 21:07

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I too have wondered this many times. Ford super duties have rapid heat assist which does exactly what you described. It would be great in cars with small motors like my Focus. Luckily the Focus has active grill shutters which means the motor can warm up kind of quickly.

MDP310 > Tom McParland 01/15/2014 at 21:19

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My car has remote start from the factory. It only works when the car is locked, and then you can't get it into gear unless the key is inside the car and you press the start button.

awe46m3zcp > JCAlan 01/15/2014 at 22:02

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I wish i could start the heated seats 10 mins before I leave from my key fob. My cars heated seats dont even work unless theres a body in the seat. If I start the car and leave it running it takes a good 20 mins at idle for the engine to reach operating temperature.

JCAlan > UserNotFound 01/15/2014 at 22:27

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I was not aware of the rapid heat system. That. Is. Awesome. Now, put it in every car.

Orange Exige > Tom McParland 01/15/2014 at 22:35

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haha I tried to "steal" a friend's car once with remote start and that's when I found out about this feature XD

Orange Exige > awe46m3zcp 01/15/2014 at 22:41

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Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > davedave1111 01/16/2014 at 00:16

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The high-end ones not only shut down, but disable the ignition and fuel pump until you hit the unlock button on the remote. So you can't even hot wire it to steal it.

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > desertdog5051 01/16/2014 at 00:24

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ASheep > JCAlan 01/16/2014 at 07:10

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VW fit 1000W ceramic heaters in some of their cars for exactly this reason. My MkV Golf TDI has one because the TDI takes forever to heat up. If the climate control demands maximum heating power before the engine is up to temp, it engages the aux heater, which can only run at full power above a certain RPM due to the huge load it puts on the alternator. Once the car reaches operating temp, it switches back to the conventional heat exchanger.