Diesel heater on starting

[calicasas]

the coolant heater will not run on its own so no need to worry about that.

cheers

Sorry Alex you are wrong, it definitely comes on automatically at ambient temps below 5 c.

Ok I am confused.
I understand that the Cali. has these additional heaters for coolant and engine, but the SE also comes with a parking heater with remote control and timer as standard.
So, why would you want to warm up the cabin beforehand with the auxiliary coolant heater when it can be done (i'presume) with the parking heater?
Please note we do not yet have our Cali. so I have absolutely no experience of any of these.

from Calicasas: I would agree - my heater definitely came on after parking the vehicle after engine was off and after ignition off, so if this wasn't correct then I have a fault with this heater.... (2011, 180 Manual)

We are talking about the coolant heater being used to defrost the windscreen on cold mornings, heating the cab up is a by product. It uses the normal van heater to defrost screen. The parking heater will take much longer to defrost the screen & when switched off the van gets cold quickly till the coolant has warmed up sufficiently for the heater to work.

From the webasto web site

"The system heats up a water glycol mix and supplies warm air directly to the interior via the vehicle air outlets in the dashboard. This ensures that the driver’s cabin is automatically heated up and the entire vehicle interior can be used.

The system is integrated in the water (coolant) cycle of the vehicle's engine, ensuring that the engine is always started in an environmentally friendly way."

 

[markh]

Yes, the main reason to use the coolant heater is to clear a frosty windscreen. I have tried it with the normal van heater and even after half an hour of operation it hasn't cleared the windscreen, although it's been toasty warm in the van!

btw - does anyone know if there is some sort of valve that controls whether the engine gets preheated? I'm guessing that the heater matrix circuit gets heated up first and then once that is up to temperature, a valve opens and the coolant is pumped around the whole engine. I might be completely wrong on this but it just seems to throw out hot air too quickly to have heated up the whole engine block.

 

[briwy]

Yes, the main reason to use the coolant heater is to clear a frosty windscreen. I have tried it with the normal van heater and even after half an hour of operation it hasn't cleared the windscreen, although it's been toasty warm in the van!

btw - does anyone know if there is some sort of valve that controls whether the engine gets preheated? I'm guessing that the heater matrix circuit gets heated up first and then once that is up to temperature, a valve opens and the coolant is pumped around the whole engine. I might be completely wrong on this but it just seems to throw out hot air too quickly to have heated up the whole engine block.

I guess you are referring to using the pre heater with the remote kit you have?
Without having the engine running I cant see how it can heat the engine unless of course its fitted with a separate pump to circulate the coolant.

 

[markh]

It must have a pump to at least circulate the coolant around the cab heater matrix coolant circuit. This pump could also circulate the coolant around the whole engine. I just wondered if it did this straight away or whether there was some sort of valve that only opened up the whole engine circuit once the cab heater matrix was up to temperature?

 

[bournemouthbeach]

Evening All

Does anyone no if there is an engine pre heater on the Beach??

Thanks

Shaun

 

[markh]

I would assume so. Check on your door pillar. There should be a sticker on there saying "Webasto Thermotop C" if you have one.

 

[Custardtart]

Yes the Beach has the coolant heater which can be activated to defrost the windscreen using a webasto remote control or timer. It's usual function is to get the coolant up to temp more quickly when starting the engine in cold conditions.

There is no valve to isolate the engine but webasto can install one with a switch so you can switch between cabin only heat and cabin plus engine preheat depending on whether you are about to drive off.

 

[markh]

There is no valve to isolate the engine but webasto can install one with a switch so you can switch between cabin only heat and cabin plus engine preheat depending on whether you are about to drive off.

OK - thanks for the info.

It just seems to get the cabin heater pumping out hot air incredibly quickly to have heated the whole engine block.

 

[surfbus]

Hopefully this isn't a stupid question:

In the new brochure, there is only £20 difference between the Parking Heater with remote and the Parking Heater + Auxiliary Heater with Remote........no brainer or Typo?
Does this mean that if you have a Parking Heater it is relatively easy, or at least possible to adapt it to add the Auxiliary Heater option?

Bill

 

[soulstyledevon]

.

There is no valve to isolate the engine but webasto can install one with a switch so you can switch between cabin only heat and cabin plus engine preheat depending on whether you are about to drive off.

Thats good to know.
Any chance you have a part number...???

But im guessing this still wouldnt be a good idea to use for overnight camping, as it wont get the rear (sleeping area) of the vehicle hot enough plus drain the vehicle battery.
Might get really difficult to change this system to the leisure battery, because you then have to look into the blower also.

I think leave this as VW intended and install a secondary diesel heater

 

[bournemouthbeach]

Yes the Beach has the coolant heater which can be activated to defrost the windscreen using a webasto remote control or timer. It's usual function is to get the coolant up to temp more quickly when starting the engine in cold conditions.

Hi

If there is a pre heater then there could be the chance to upgrade that to a parking heater so you can then set timer etc....

Cheers

Shaun

 

[Ma77sc]

So I have a Beach with one of these (as standard) that sits outside and gets frosty and cold. I normally get in and having scraped and blasted the windows for a few minutes with the ignition on and then I drive off. What do I need to do to expedite this process by manually doing what the remote/timer does e.g. by going out earlier and unlocking/flicking a switch (but not starting the ignition and leaving the keys in).

 

[markh]

You can't really do it manually as far as I am aware. You need to send a signal to pin 1 on the Thermotop heater which is mounted under the van. You could do this with a simple switch rather than a remote but you would still have to get under the van to wire it up.

 

[Ma77sc]

So under what conditions does it start? It sounds like the engine has to be running and there's nothing 'pre' about that unless its sole purpose is to augment the natural heating process of the engine and bring things up to an efficient temperature more quickly.

 

[markh]

It starts when you send a signal to pin 1. The engine doesn't need to be running and the ignition doesn't need to be on.

 

[Ma77sc]

But for the avoidance of doubt the 12v pin 1 signal requires spend (or Geller style mind techniques) and in its default fitment the Thermo Top C is a completely automatic device that I can have no interaction with.

Sorry to labour the point but by our very nature Cali owners are gear freaks who need to know what they have at their disposal and how it works. And there was me (Beach owner) for a moment thinking I had the capacity to get the van ready to go without having to sit with the ignition running for a couple of minutes

Thanks all

Matt

P.S. Ive reviewed the thread that discusses fitting the companion remote/timer.

 

[markh]

Yes, without spending some money and also doing a lot of crawling under the van, the Thermo Top C is a completely automatic device that just kicks in when you start the engine and it's cold enough.

 

[Andy]

So I have a Beach with one of these (as standard) that sits outside and gets frosty and cold. I normally get in and having scraped and blasted the windows for a few minutes with the ignition on and then I drive off. What do I need to do to expedite this process by manually doing what the remote/timer does e.g. by going out earlier and unlocking/flicking a switch (but not starting the ignition and leaving the keys in).

If you read the whole thread, & the linked threads, then you could have answered your questions yourself.

To repeat the info that is already in the thread the thermotop C is fitted to the cali (& other vehicles) to heat the engine coolant in cold weather. It starts automatically at ambient temps of 5 c or below.
If a T91 kit is fitted then it can be switched on by remote to defrost the windscreen. This will also mean that when you drive away you will have hot air coming out of the heater strait away.
You can start the heater by any method that will apply 12V+ to pin 1 of the electric plug on top of the thermotop c.

 

[Custardtart]

You can start the heater by any method that will apply 12V+ to pin 1 of the electric plug on top of the thermotop c.

I agree with everything posted but I'm not sure about that bit. I have read it somewhere on a BMW forum but when I got my telestart remote control unit I rigged it up on the bench and measured the voltage on the cable that goes to pin 1. It was constant 12v but seemed to dip momentarily when I pressed the remote control. I think that ours is a digital signal rather than analogue. The other factor that makes me think this is that using the remote control you can switch between heating mode (diesel heater on, fans on) and ventilation mode (heater off, fans on) mode. I can't see how a constant on/off 12v signal could achieve that.

I have really run out of talent so could be wrong but certainly didn't find the remote control simply switched between 0v (off) and +12v (on) when I tested it on the bench.

 

[Ma77sc]

If you read the whole thread, & the linked threads, then you could have answered your questions yourself.

If you read the last three posts you'll realise there's no need to repeat it. But thanks anyway. For the avoidance of doubt squared. Apparently there's some info somewhere on here about bubbly paint jobs don't you know?

 

[Andy]

You can start the heater by any method that will apply 12V+ to pin 1 of the electric plug on top of the thermotop c.

I agree with everything posted but I'm not sure about that bit. I have read it somewhere on a BMW forum but when I got my telestart remote control unit I rigged it up on the bench and measured the voltage on the cable that goes to pin 1. It was constant 12v but seemed to dip momentarily when I pressed the remote control. I think that ours is a digital signal rather than analogue. The other factor that makes me think this is that using the remote control you can switch between heating mode (diesel heater on, fans on) and ventilation mode (heater off, fans on) mode. I can't see how a constant on/off 12v signal could achieve that.

I have really run out of talent so could be wrong but certainly didn't find the remote control simply switched between 0v (off) and +12v (on) when I tested it on the bench.

Yes could be a digital signal. I'm going by what I read ages ago on, I think, a landrover forum! I've still not got round to finish fitting mine yet !

 

[Custardtart]

If I remember right - from when you helped me get going - the sticking point was getting the wire into pin 1 of the TTC connector. From memory you take the connector off - slide the green locking tabs on the side, prise out the rubber grommet (from the top where the wire goes in) using a pick or needle and then just push the new connector in until it clicks. Then slide the green tabs back and plug back in. It took me a LONG time to figure out and then once I had, about 60 seconds to do it!

 

[James]

.

There is no valve to isolate the engine but webasto can install one with a switch so you can switch between cabin only heat and cabin plus engine preheat depending on whether you are about to drive off.

Thats good to know.
Any chance you have a part number...???

But im guessing this still wouldnt be a good idea to use for overnight camping, as it wont get the rear (sleeping area) of the vehicle hot enough plus drain the vehicle battery.
Might get really difficult to change this system to the leisure battery, because you then have to look into the blower also.

I think leave this as VW intended and install a secondary diesel heater

The question I have is VW in the UK now offer this with the remote - so what do VW wire it to when it is specced with the remote.

I keep opting this lol

 

[soulstyledevon]

I would say James that option is for peeps who want to defrost the screen and warm up the cab, as they still offering the Parking Heater option.
Expensive option though :?

Like you say, it must all be possible if they are offering this. We need a number for a man in Germany

 

[Ambler]

It's a shame hardly any manufacturers other than Ford offer the heated front screen. I know they had a patent on it but it's been around a long time and has presumably expired by now?
I had a Sierra in the early 90's with one and found it a useful safety feature.