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Auxiliary heating in the California ??

beardie

beardie

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SSP_329.pdf page 54 says the following

Auxiliary heating in the California

The are three possibilities for auxiliary heating in the California.

1. A fuel-operated preheater that preheats the coolant without the driver noticing
to improve the start phase of diesel engines.

2. Upgrading the preheater to auxiliary coolant heating. This heating system allows presetting
and remote control (for heating and ventilation) with a limit of 30 min running time.

3. Installing fuel-operated auxiliary air heating is another option for air conditioning.
This function can be operated from the operating and display unit for camping equipment.
The running time is not limited.

I understand what 1 and 3 are, but am confused by No 2
My T5 facelift has Climatronic, can this enable using the preheater for auxiliary coolant heating ?

Or is this for Vans that dont have No 3 ?

Thanks
 
My belief is that 1 & 2 were for vans in COLD climates. ie Scandinavia.

I guess 2 will allow you to heat the accommodation space of the van in the morning more efficiently, I think it has a heater matrix in the rear of the van as well as in the cab.
All from memory, having read posts about it on one of the european forums.
 
I find all of that very confusing. What I do know is that if you have climatronic you can heat the van for 30mins after you turn the engine off with residule heat from the engine removing the need to use the camping heater.
 
I find all of that very confusing. What I do know is that if you have climatronic you can heat the van for 30mins after you turn the engine off with residule heat from the engine removing the need to use the camping heater.

Or keep it cool !
 
The drivers door on my van (UK sourced Cali) indicates it has both a Webasto thermo top C (5kW) and a Eberspacher Airtronic M D3 Plus (3kW).

I assume the Webasto is the night heater that blows out behind the drivers seat. The Eberspacher must then be the coolant pre-heater. So how can that be used for option 2, 30 mins of heat?

Thanks
 
I am just about to buy a very nice Cali SE...or Comfortline here in Spain and I have no idea about the heating systems? All the info I have read is very confusing, and I'm not that thick... :lol: :lol: I have the 'califaccion adicional' or extra heating? But have no idea if that is the diesel one or the one that just gives 30 mins extra heating? It's not an 'extra' I have bought just comes as standard with the Cali which is mid 2012. Any ideas would be greatly received, thanks! :?:
 
The 30 minute thing works when you turn the engine off. Once you park up, you can use the residual heat from the engine to warm the passenger compartment for about 30 minutes.
 
...so after 30 mins I get cold? :D Any other stationary heating system that the van has as standard? :thanks
 
No seriously, what stationary heating comes as standard with the 2012 model. Is it just 30 mins or can you put some form of heater in? :thanks
 
Anybody can please explain the heating system so you can be warm when parked and NOT plugged in? :?: :?:
 
The Auxiliary heater uses diesel from the engine and a little bit of leisure battery. According to most on here the battery use is low, but you can monitor it from the central control panel.

Ian
 
As far as I know, the Aux heater is standard on the Cali SE

It is very efficient and while we wre away in November in the Uk, having it on the lowest setting was plenty warm enough - it is thermostatic, so maintains the set temperature.

Ian
 
That's great if that is what I have. As I say, the SE is called a Comfortline here, so if it has the auxiliary diesel heater that would be just what we need. I hope as you say it is standard now on the 2012 BlueMotion model, as I know every year more things that were expensive extras are becoming standard. Thanks for the great input, I love this site and hope to enjoy and learn all about our new Cali....the good and the bad! :lol: :lol: :thanks
 
beardie said:
SSP_329.pdf page 54 says the

The are three possibilities for auxiliary heating in the California.

1. A fuel-operated preheater that preheats the coolant without the driver noticing
to improve the start phase of diesel engines.

2. Upgrading the preheater to auxiliary coolant heating. This heating system allows presetting
and remote control (for heating and ventilation) with a limit of 30 min running time.

3. Installing fuel-operated auxiliary air heating is another option for air conditioning.
This function can be operated from the operating and display unit for camping equipment.
The running time is not limited.

I understand what 1 and 3 are, but am confused by No 2
My T5 facelift has Climatronic, can this enable using the preheater for auxiliary coolant heating ?
Or is this for Vans that dont have No 3 ?

@1: the Ebersbacher/Webasto Thermo Top C preheater is installed on all Cali types - at external temperatures below 10 degree Celsius it supports the engine to start up, this is something you should not notice

@2: the coolant heating is used to heat coolant and defrost the wind shield at a preset time - this is an option for the Multivan, but not for the California - however I understand that it is possible to adapt the Thermo Top for this task

@3: the Webasto Airtop/Airtronic is the regular heater operated from the control unit or with the remote control - standard on the Comfortline/SE, but an option on the old Trendline and the Beach

Additionally the Climatronic has a button RES to use residual engine heat to warm the cabin during 30 minutes after turning the engine off.
 
Leo K said:
beardie said:
SSP_329.pdf page 54 says the

The are three possibilities for auxiliary heating in the California.

1. A fuel-operated preheater that preheats the coolant without the driver noticing
to improve the start phase of diesel engines.

2. Upgrading the preheater to auxiliary coolant heating. This heating system allows presetting
and remote control (for heating and ventilation) with a limit of 30 min running time.

3. Installing fuel-operated auxiliary air heating is another option for air conditioning.
This function can be operated from the operating and display unit for camping equipment.
The running time is not limited.

I understand what 1 and 3 are, but am confused by No 2
My T5 facelift has Climatronic, can this enable using the preheater for auxiliary coolant heating ?
Or is this for Vans that dont have No 3 ?

@1: the Thermo Top C preheater is installed on all Cali types - at external temperatures below 10 degree Celsius it supports the engine to start up, this is something you should not notice

@2: the coolant heating is used to heat coolant and defrost the wind shield at a preset time - this is an option for the Multivan, but not for the California - however I understand that it is possible to adapt the Thermo Top for this task

@3: the Webasto Airtop is the regular heater operated from the control unit or with the remote control - standard on the Comfortline/SE, but an option on the old Trendline and the Beach

Additionally the Climatronic has a button RES to use residual engine heat to warm the cabin during 30 minutes after turning the engine off.

Great post - because I was confused as well.

All UK prefacelifts came as Comfortline - Trendline Trim option never came to the UK. So all prefacelift Cali's should have No 3.
 
yes, no 1 is the orange glow coil you see at startup.

no2 is an auxiliary heater that kicks in at startup if the temperature is below a certain level. Not sure if it's 5C or 8C.

no 3 is the one we all use when parked up and can be operated remotely using the blipper

Anyone know the definitive temp at which no 2 kicks in?
 
Thx. That makes sense. Mine was belching out smoke yesterday when it was quite cold, severe frost in the morning but, today when I got the AA to look at it, it was 11C and it didn't kick in.

Anyone have experience of smoke coming from the exhaust pipes under the middle ( front to back ) of the van?
 
I haven't seen smoke from mine but the exhaust from the Thermotop heater is about level with the B pillar (roughly) so if there was smoke coming from there it was probably that.

I guess if it was cold you could have water vapour in the normal exhaust gases condensing to look like smoke. Was it white or blue/black in colour?
 
Thx. It was bluey and white in colour and smelt of diesel fumes rather than steam, I think.

It was a clear cloud of smoke enveloping the van when I stopped.
 
How does preheating for engine works? Is it fully automatic?
 
How does preheating for engine works? Is it fully automatic?
On the California there is no " Preheating " of the engine. There is a Webasto Diesel Coolant Heater, that works automatically when the ambient temperature drops below 5c.
When the engine is started and ambient temperature is less than 5c then this Webasto is fired up automatically. It is power hungry, and it heats the engine coolant to warm the engine more quickly. This allows the cabin heater to supply heat sooner and also lowers emissions.

There is a company in Poland and I believe Webasto that supply an add on to this heater that allows timed or remot control of this heater but if fitted disables the automatic function. If this add on is fitted then use is limited to 30 mins as the engine battery can be depleted very quickly.
 
But that diesel heater california has for interior does nothing to engine, right?
Just a warm comfort and defrosted windows?
 
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