Remote for AUX heater

[theonecraw]

Haven't used my remote for the AUX heater once. Does anybody use theirs and if so when/what for?

 

[Tactical]

Main use: I place the remote adjacent to the bed at night and it is the height of luxury to just stretch an arm out from under the duvet, press the button and then snuggle back under until van is toasty warm.

Occasional use: Switching the van's heater on while returning to the van having been out for a walk on a cold day. It can work over 1/4 mile away but does need line of sight to the van for long distance operation.

 

[Maud]

As above, for switching the heater on/off without getting out of my sleeping bag, or for switching on the heating from my parents tourer if we're staying on the same site.

As Ariadne is my only vehicle, I often use it throughout the winter to warm her up and defrost the screen before heading to work on icy mornings. I can stand in the porch, press the fob then go back indoors to continue getting ready, knowing that the ice will be ready to just slide aside by the time I go out to it.

 

[WelshGas]

+1 for using on return to van to get heater going. From house on cold mornings . Best was on Crystal Palace site. Tried it when passing site on London Bus , upstairs. By the time we walked back from the bus stop it was pumping out heat.

 

[Hotel California]

Never carry that remote....
Heavyer than my Iphone!

 

[comfortz]

Use mine most days this time of the year for defrosting the windscreen! - Kick myself when I forget

 

[Borris]

Haven't used my remote for the AUX heater once. Does anybody use theirs and if so when/what for?

I use it every time we go out in our Cali whether we need it or not. I like to give it a regular run of at least half an hour. If you don't used these things the chances are that when you eventually need to, it won't fire up. I love using the remote. There is something very special about pressing that button, seeing the green light flashing then waiting to hear that glorious heater starting up. Sheer luxury.

 

[snowy55]

When I use the remote the heater comes on at number 7 which is about flat out, is this what everyone elses comes on at?

 

[timber]

If at home I often press the remote half an hour before we go out. Yesterday went to see my Great-grand childs first birthday From inside the house where we were, was about 70 yards, I pressed the remote and the Cali was nice and warm when we got in it to come home On my previous Cali I left it on for about 50 miles, just forgot, didn't seem to harm it.
All in all great bit of kit
Timber

 

[Tactical]

When I use the remote the heater comes on at number 7 which is about flat out, is this what everyone elses comes on at?

That's not quite the whole story...

If the Control Panel is left powered up, i.e. you haven't pressed the off/on ('0/1') button to turn it off, then it remembers the Aux Heater temperature setting. When you use the remote (or press the heater button on the panel), the heater will start up with that temperature still set.

If the Control Panel is left powered down, i.e. you have pressed the off/on ('0/1') button to turn it off, then it forgets the Aux Heater temperature setting. When you use the remote (or just power up the panel), the temperature setting will default to 7.

 

[Spotlight Kid]

Very useful information.

Is there any downside to leaving the control panel powered up? Does it use any significant amount of power that could drain the battery (I guess it uses the leisure not engine battery)?

 

[Tactical]

Is there any downside to leaving the control panel powered up?

Depends on how long you leave the vehicle standing without driving it or plugging it in to electrical hook-up (both of which will charge the leisure batteries).

Does it use any significant amount of power that could drain the battery

It's somewhere around 0.2 Amps (i.e. 200mA). It's not a lot but if you leave the vehicle for several weeks on your drive it will progressively drain the batteries.

Personally, I turn the control panel off at the end of a trip because it may be a week or two before we are off again. Turning the panel off also ensures that the fridge is off, which might otherwise be forgotten.

Regardless of whether you turn the panel off or not, the advice from VW is to plug into mains hook-up at least once a month to keep the leisure batteries fully charged. They will last much longer if treated this way.

 

[WelshGas]

If at home I often press the remote half an hour before we go out. Yesterday went to see my Great-grand childs first birthday From inside the house where we were, was about 70 yards, I pressed the remote and the Cali was nice and warm when we got in it to come home On my previous Cali I left it on for about 50 miles, just forgot, didn't seem to harm it.
All in all great bit of kit
Timber

No harm will be done running the Parking Heater while driving.

 

[Spotlight Kid]

No harm will be done running the Parking Heater while driving.

Indeed, that's when the dealer demonstrated the heater to me during the test drive

 

[Spotlight Kid]

Thanks for the reply Tactical. I only have my Cali on order (and don't even have a build date yet! ) but I will be using it as my only vehicle so it will be used every day, though I don't go far in normal mode. I will remember to take the advice to charge from the mains every month as that does make sense.

 

[andrew bazeley]

My remote control has stopped working, for some reason, despite new battery. I hardly ever use the heater on site, as the Gore-tex liner makes a huge difference to retaining heat and keeping out drafts. I like the idea of warming up the van while it's on the drive in the winter though!

 

[DavidApp]

Defrost in the morning before driving to work, click it from the office. Toasty getting in and driving away, just remember not to turn the main heating on till the engine warms up, it's cold air :-D

 

[Mickm]

From the pub so it's toasty when I eventually get back!