Parking Heater when driving?

[cleve]

This might be a silly question, but can you use the parking heater whilst driving or is the answer in the name?!!

This will be our first winter with the Cali so looking forward to preheating the van using the remote from the house before venturing outside to do the school run! I figured the van will get lovely and warm but as soon as I start driving there will only be cold air blowing until the engine warms up. So, could you leave the parking heater on whilst driving until the engine warms up enough to use the blown air heating?

Also, anyone tried the parking heater with awning attached? I'm worried about the fumes blowing into the awning so won't be using the sleeper part of our khyam motor dome sleeper until we've tested it out.

 

[Freeley]

No idea if you can but why would you want to? Surely you can wait a couple of minutes until the standard heater warms up? It has an engine heater so soon pumps out warm air (mine does anyway).
I would think that fumes could be an issue if using the parking heater with an awning as others have commented to that effect.

 

[ChrisandPenney52]

We have *accidentally* used the parking heater all the way back from Dover to Oxfordshire. It was the height of summer and we were wondering why we were feeling so hot. Seems to have survived without damage, but don't think this is an endorsement for regular use.

Given how effective the parking heater is, I think your van will be warm enough by the time you get in to be cosy until the regular heater kicks in

 

[Andresz]

I do sometimes use it in cold days, when driwing, before the engine warms up. The engine of mine requires about 10 km to get fully hot...
Never had any issue with the heater whilst driving.
And I do not see any reason not to do that, except of cost.
Cheers
Andrzej

 

[AlanC]

Yes, you can run the parking heater while driving. It draws fuel from the same fuel tank as the van, but is independent from the engine heater. Your MPG will drop while you do this of course.

If you need to fill up, the label on the fuel flap states you must turn the heater off while filling the tank.

Alan

 

[Californiaman]

The manual says it can be used when driving. We have used it to pre-warm the van on very cold days and left it running for a few miles until the engine us warm.

 

[cleve]

Thanks for your help, useful to know we could keep it running on very cold days. I'm thinking that if it's snowing and I'm sliding my way to school on the country lanes it would be nice to be warm and not have to listen to children complaining they're cold whilst concentrating on the roads!

 

[AlanC]

The heater does take a few minutes to get up to temperature, so turning it on before you drive off is ideal.

I don't know how far the remote will work outside the van, but if it is effective from your house, then you can have a warm van before you get in it.

Alan

 

[cleve]

The heater does take a few minutes to get up to temperature, so turning it on before you drive off is ideal.

I don't know how far the remote will work outside the van, but if it is effective from your house, then you can have a warm van before you get in it.

Alan

We've only tested the remote up to 40m distance so far but that was from inside the house with a barn in between us and the cali beach so that was great. Means I can press the button whilst we're having breakfast and it will be all toasty by the time I've rounded everyone up to leave the house

 

[GrannyJen]

The remote is the most hedonistic part of an otherwise, at times spartan, cali package.

to wake up, stretch an arm out of a warm sleeping bag or from underneath a cozy duvet, feel the chill cold air, fumble for the remote, click, return to the warm snug confines again, wait two minutes and creep out from under the snug covers into a warm cozy van.....

It's worth taking the cali out when theres a bleak, cold winters night ahead just for the sheer pleasure of waking up, feeling the cold, pressing the magic button, and being all snug and warm...

 

[timber]

Yep
I often switch in on before leaving the comfort of the pub or house, sometimes the signal is blocked, however just moving a few feet gets it through. On Saturday a friend asked " what is that for, pointing to the module in the roof " I showed her and must have left the heater on------- from 2pm until 9am Sunday level 4 aah! well the older I get the worse it gets :?
Always leave it on whilst driving until it's warm, the Cali is for enjoyment.

 

[WelshGas]

If you hold the remote edge against your forehead when you press the button you can extend it's range significantly.
Honestly, I'm not joking, it does work. Likewise with the vehicle remote.

 

[Freeley]

If you hold the remote edge against your forehead when you press the button you can extend it's range significantly.
Honestly, I'm not joking, it does work. Likewise with the vehicle remote.

Haha I was shown that trick a few years it really does work!