[Vwdiesel] Block Heater Watts?

[Sandy Cameron]

At 12:26 AM 1/14/04 -0500, you wrote:
>I was just thinking of setting up 2 6V deep-cycle...with a 400W inverter.
>The problem would be charging.
>
>1) Could I safely wire them up from say the 12V outlet to charge....
>What would that entail.....taking a 12V cable and adding alligator clips?
>Would it be enough charge? Would this affect the alternator?


An on-board battery would probably only be usefull if you had 2 or 3 hours
of driving per use, to recharge them. The alternator in the car can
certainly do it, but at a much slower rate than you took it out. (law of
entropy). Also, the battery left in the car overnight to cold soak will
provide less than half the capacity it would at room temperature.
Now we are back to the trolling battery and perhaps a luggage cart to strap
it to for handling.

The battery/inverter/block heater idea is for occasional use, where the
battery can be kept indoors, and charged by a hydro operated charger. If one
had a long commute every day, there might be some motivation to create an
on-board system, otherwise it probably won't work.

If we lived in europe, small propane fired point of use water heaters would
be readily available, and would be the perfect solution for the diesel.
Turn it on for 15 minutes and the engine would be toasty warm as if it had
just been running. The heaters are thermostaticallly protected too, to
prevent overheating. If you ever see one. let me know.

Now, Block heaters 101
>
>2) I know what and where the block heater are, but what kind of a heater is
>it....
>I assume it is just a resistor..and if so couldnt I just cut the end off of
>the cable and hook it up to a battery. It would still heat the resistor.

Yes on most counts, It is a resistor, which is why it works efficiently on
an inverter. Power factor of 1, no reactance. The resistance wire is encased
in a copper jacket bent intu a U shape that will fit through the 1.5" frost
plug hole on the block. Next time you are in CTC, look in the auto
accessories section, you will find them hanging in blister packs near the
wiper blades and antifreeze, an yes, they have a size that fits jettas.
The are a pig to replace as they are on the back of the block near the
firewall, and obscured by the exhaust down pipe and the right rear engine
mount. On a non-turbo, they can be replaced from above on the right hand
side, by removing the plastic air filter box from the manifold, and diving
over the top of the engine down between it and the firewall.(UGH!) I do mine
(and others) any time I have the engine out for other reasons.
Pulling an engine/tranny only takes a couple of hours, and then you can get
at everything easily.

The block heater resistance value in OHMs is chosen to disipate 300 watts
with 115 volts applied. At 12 volts applied, it would not produce any
perceptable heat. You would have to have a 115 volt battery.

Finally, there remain these: The battery/inverter trick, the Honda lunchbox
generator, which will work anywhere, ski camp, etc, and provide a bit of
camping power for your tv withdrawl problems and when HQ fails you at home.
And last and the one I would like to try, the propane water heater spliced
into the heater circuit of the cooling system.
Check the propane distributors for SMALL point of use water heaters, most I
have seen in this country so far are the whole-house tankless type, humungus
gas users and far too big for this application.

The kind I am talking about, I saw in Holland over the kitchen sink that
only burns while you are running the sink tap. They were often the only hot
water in the house. You filled a bucket and went off to the tub to wash up.
(Poor folks after the war).

Come to think of it, the Honda lunch box, or equivalent (cheaper) 500 watt
generator, will cost only maybe twice what the battery/inverter/charger
trick would, and has no upkeep hassel. Might be the best way to go.

Sandy