[Vwdiesel] Block Heater Watts?

[Kevin Jack]

Awesome....Thats exactly what I was thinking of doing... Thanks

What about one of those booster packs...I assume all they are is a battery
with and AC charger integrated. Some of them even have ac/dc converters on
them....

At crappy tire they have them ranging from 69 to 149$....
http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/browse_product.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374303043753&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395348027&bmUID=1074052924237

The Motomaster Eliminator 400 Watt Power Box would seem to be the ideal
solution if you say the 400W inverter is sufficient. I would be very
interested in the amp-hr ratings of these batteries though...

Before I spend, I want to make sure it works. I have a great contact for
deals on batteries...and the ideal thing would be 2 - 6 volt deep cycles in
series but impractical to transport for charging. I guess a marine deep
cycle would be second best for amp-hrs.

I could easily rig up a system of my own for about the same price as the
Motomaster solution, but it would lack the compactness. I also worry about
the 320W continuous rating on the box....

Well I guess Im just ranting about my own ideas of solutions to my own
problems....but who knows maybe someone else is in the same predicament.

Anyone else have any thoughts...





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sandy Cameron" <scameron at compmore.net>
To: "Kevin Jack" <kevin.jack at primus.ca>; <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 10:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Block Heater Watts?


> At 07:15 PM 1/13/04 -0500, you wrote:
> >Hey Guys
> >
> >Just wondering how much the average block heater uses on a 92 Jetta TD in
> >Watts??
>
> I have measured all mine, and they draw a little less than 3 amps, which
> equals around 300 watts.
>
> >
> >Reason I ask is that I live in an apart block with no parking in montreal
> >and have the "luxury" of parking in the streets with no plugs therefore
no
> >block heaters. If, in the worst case scenario I had to start the car when
it
> >was really cold, I could run the block heater off an AC/DC convertor from
> >another car. Boosting at -30C doesnt help much.
>
> You are right. there is no substitute for a little heat. Really Long
> extension cord?
>
> About 20 minutes of block heater is enough to get it warm enough to start,
> half an hour would be better.
>
> Canadian tire sells a 400 watt inverter that will do it, I have
experimented
> with a 300 watt wal-mart inverter, and it just makes it, but complains
about it.
>
> 300 watts at 12 volts is about 25 amps, well within the range of most if
not
> all car alternators. If heating from a running car, a fast idle will
provide
> the power without running down the donor's battery. There would even be
> enough in his battery to provide a bit of cranking boost as well. Do not
try
> to run the inverter/block heater from a battery barefoot, the inverter
will
> quit too soon on low voltage, especially if the battery is tired,
> undercharged, and/or cold.
>
> A friend who drives a 90 jetta and has to park it out in the cold desolate
> wastes, uses a deep cycle trolling motor battery he keeps warm and charged
> at his island home, then he drags it across the ice to the car park, runs
> the inverter into the block heater for half an hour, starts the car, and
> then sets out on his jurny to the city (more than an hour) with the
trolling
> battery connected to the jetta's charging system, comming and going, which
> nearly recharges it.
> Back home, he drags it back to the island and puts it on high trickle for
> the night. Seems to work for him.
>
> My next experiment, a 500 watt generator in the trunk, or, set up the
> wintermiser (a diesel fired hot water boiler device made for transport
> trucks) I scaffed a while ago, or a simple propane fired boiler plumbed
into
> the heater circuit.
>
> This so I can go to the camp in winter and not have to drag the camp
> generator out to the car park when I want to leave.
>
> Sandy
>
>