Auxiliary heater automatically activates in frost?

[Noeleen]

Am concerned about what appears to me to be automatic start up of a motor under bonnet these frosty days. I can hear it above the usual engine sound, and it turns off automatically a few seconds after I switch off engine after a short journey ( eg. 2 miles). The fan also blows inside the van. It doesn't happen when outside temperature is above 5 deg C.

Is it the auxillary heater?

Is there some setting that I may have inadvertently turned on?

Is it damaging the auxillary as it only runs for about 5 minutes?

How can I stop it?

Advice would be appreciated.

While I am at it, I need some help with the "Search" function on the forum. I can't find anything on it! It just answers "No items found". I have tried with various dates and various names and no names and feel such a fool getting a blank! Am learning IT by trial & error and intuition rather than proper study.

I can hear HotelCalifornia say . . . "check the search button first" for my motor query above. I did!

 

[Hotel California]

It could be the engine coolant pre- heater.....
But the fact it blows inside the van seems wierd to me , guess that is just the normal ventilation in the cab ....did you had that on ?
Mine only did switch on once and did not notice the inside blower...

....so ...i got a reputation....nice to hear

 

[calicasas]

This seems odd. I have had the engine coolant heater start up automatically but not the internal heater/blower.
Sometimes a problem for me if I take the Cali out in the cold and bring it back into my internal garage which is a sealed, dry, warm space. Because the heater can suddenly start up once inside the garage - think this is the delayed effect for being outside.
Either the internal heater has triggered accidentally or the external temp. Sensor is wired to the internal heater! The latter being most unlikely.

 

[WelshGas]

Webasto coolant heater - automatically triggered when engine started if ambient temperature is 5c or less. Speeds up the engine warming up to aid efficiency as Diesels are " Cold " engines producing less heat than Petrol engines. This is a completely automatic function only heating the engine coolant. It will run on after switch off if the engine is not unto temperature when switching off. So more obvious on short journeys.
I think, but I could be wrong, the internal heater controls might go to re-circulation mode drawing in air from inside the cabin, rather than outside, to: 1. Decrease warming up time 2. Avoid drawing in exhaust fumes from the coolant heater exhaust.
This is all completely automatic.

 

[Noeleen]

Many thanks to 3 Members above for the info. It's great to be on-board and draw on your vast knowledge. Perhaps I have it wrong about the heater and air blowing, it is so loud that I thought it was the auxillary. These days I have to use the AC with fan on 4 to clear condensation from windscreen. Last night I left a window open about half an inch and had no problem this am. Has anybody found that this is a good way to clear condensation?

Yes hotelcalifornia, you could say that! But you must get tired of people asking same old, same old . . . . And you are hilarious along with informative!

I take it I should ask the "search" question in another thread AFTER I search the search again.

Thanks again

 

[WelshGas]

Condensation. Has been very wet past few weeks. No doubt you have been getting in the vehicle with wet coats etc: so ventilation very important to dry out interior. Try running aircon on recirculating mode or have window open a bit to exchange the damp air inside the vehicle.

 

[WelshGas]

The Forum search is a bit limited if you don't know exactly what to search for. Google can be more helpful as it will also search the Forum and is a little more forgiving.

 

[Noeleen]

Condensation. Has been very wet past few weeks. No doubt you have been getting in the vehicle with wet coats etc: so ventilation very important to dry out interior. Try running aircon on recirculating mode or have window open a bit to exchange the damp air inside the vehicle.

Was more asking about condensation when you go to Cali for first time that day. Luckily we haven't been getting in with wet coats, despite the weather. My brother suggested I leave a window open a little overnight. Cali is relatively safe here at home so I can do that last night and it worked. Saves wiping and sitting with fan on windscreen for 5 mins before take-off.

 

[Noeleen]

The Forum search is a bit limited if you don't know exactly what to search for. Google can be more helpful as it will also search the Forum and is a little more forgiving.

Hadn't thought of that, Google searching this forum, good stuff! Thanks again WelshGas

 

[WelshGas]

Was more asking about condensation when you go to Cali for first time that day. Luckily we haven't been getting in with wet coats, despite the weather. My brother suggested I leave a window open a little overnight. Cali is relatively safe here at home so I can do that last night and it worked. Saves wiping and sitting with fan on windscreen for 5 mins before take-off.

Basically the Cali will be warmer when you stop and warm air retains more moisture. As it gets colder, as in over night, that water vapour condenses out on any cold surface e.g.: the windows/windscreen. You either have to dry the air inside or provide ventilation so that warm air with excess moisture can exchange with the outside cooler/dryer air.
If you put one of those small disposable de-humidifiers inside the Cali you will be surprised how much water vapour it can collect.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141477294316?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[bigmac77]

T

Hadn't thought of that, Google searching this forum, good stuff! Thanks again WelshGas

Type into the search bar the forum web address then a space then the subject you want to search for. For example if you want to search for condensation in vehicle type in the following

vwcaliforniaclub.com condensation in vehicle

then hit return. Good luck.

On the subject of condensation I have a twin cab pickup I use for work and I have to work in all weather. Imagine 4 people getting in with wet clothing the seats get soaked, to counter this I put a small dehumidifier in the vehicle for 24 hours and it soon dries it out.

 

[Tactical]

Type into the search bar the forum web address then a space then the subject you want to search for. For example if you want to search for condensation in vehicle type in the following

vwcaliforniaclub.com condensation in vehicle

Yes, that will search this site but will also return results for other sites where the text 'vwcaliforniaclub.com' is mentioned.

To restrict the search to this site only, use the 'site:' operator as follows:

site:vwcaliforniaclub.com condensation in vehicle

All of the Google search operators are described here.

Once you have the search results you can restrict the date range if, for example, you are looking for a recent post. To do this click on 'Search tools' and then change the time period like this:



Alternatively, if you can't remember the search operators, you can always use Google Advanced Search: https://www.google.com/advanced_search

 

[Noeleen]

Many thanks to WG, hotel, calicasas, bigmac 77, Tactical for above.

Is the Auxillary heater different from the Parking heater? Reading back on posts in Jan 2104 and today's new info above it seems there is

Auxillary heater
Webasto coolant heater
Parking heater

Is this correct?

I had wrongly suspected that the Parking heater was starting up but know now it wasn't. And yes, I did have the internal vent (with AC) on.

 

[WelshGas]

Many thanks to WG, hotel, calicasas, bigmac 77, Tactical for above.

Is the Auxillary heater different from the Parking heater? Reading back on posts in Jan 2104 and today's new info above it seems there is

Auxillary heater
Webasto coolant heater
Parking heater

Is this correct?

I had wrongly suspected that the Parking heater was starting up but know now it wasn't. And yes, I did have the internal vent (with AC) on.

There are 2 heaters - check the Drivers door B pillar, low down. There should be 2 stickers.
Webasto - which is the Coolant heater, automatic below 5c to heat engine coolant. Eberspach- which is the passenger cabin, Diesel powered air heater which is controlled from the Control Panel or Heater Remote. This is the Auxillary Heater.
Parking Heater, as far as I am concerned is the button on my Climatronic control panel which gives about 30 mins heating, front and rear with the engine off using the residual heat in the engines coolant system.

 

[Noeleen]

No stickers on my drivers B pillar. My SE seems to have a few differences to UK Calis I think. It was built in 9 weeks from order last Jan and has adjustable steering column. The heaters are probably the same.

Wait for it . . . my new SE has a rust problem . . . . not on the external roof, it is on rails that driver seat is attached to. I first found this while in France, very hot and dry but there were drops (big drops) of liquid sitting on rails, and a few had been thrown forward onto beautiful light grey carpet.

After initial denial of warranty by service garage and contact with head office in Dublin, I have been granted approval to replace rusty rails under warranty, and carpet cleaning, to be done on Friday. I almost don't expect the job to be done correctly, the usual story of inexperienced technicians perhaps?

 

[Alan]

To speed up drying saturated Windows inside van I use a clean rung out cellulose sponge,simple,effective and energy efficient

Alan

 

[snowy55]

The 2 heater stickers on our Cali are on the opening end of the drivers door below the latch mechanism.

 

[CaliforniaDAN]

Nolan please have look on the nearside door from the stickers maybe there

No stickers on my drivers B pillar. My SE seems to have a few differences to UK Calis I think. It was built in 9 weeks from order last Jan and has adjustable steering column. The heaters are probably the same.

Wait for it . . . my new SE has a rust problem . . . . not on the external roof, it is on rails that driver seat is attached to. I first found this while in France, very hot and dry but there were drops (big drops) of liquid sitting on rails, and a few had been thrown forward onto beautiful light grey carpet.

After initial denial of warranty by service garage and contact with head office in Dublin, I have been granted approval to replace rusty rails under warranty, and carpet cleaning, to be done on Friday. I almost don't expect the job to be done correctly, the usual story of inexperienced technicians perhaps?

hi Noleen, Have a look on the passenger side door pillars for the stickers, the factory may have put them there in error, unless yours is a left hand drive vehicle? The should also be near to the sticker which will display the tyre pressures for your van.

 

[estresao]

Like those (they are getting famous in this forum LOL)