http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: heating a van/car in winter en Sun, 17 May 2026 13:53:34 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11379#post-128807 Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:47:17 +0000 algo 128807@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hi Robert,</p> <p>you are quite right. Some vehicles (including I think what you're talking about) here have them fitted as an engine pre-heater as direct injection diesels are so thermally efficient they don't get up to temperature on idle, and diesels are very fuel-inefficient with cold blocks and can have trouble starting even with long glow cycles. On mine I shortened the cooling circuit to just the heater matrix so I don't heat the engine up if I just want to warm us all up a bit when we get back.</p> <p>I have a simple sms chip in my van so I can send it a text message to switch it on before I get there.... and other embarassingly geeky things. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11379#post-128806 Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:41:36 +0000 Roibeard 128806@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think Volvo have something similar specifically available for their Scandinavian home market.</p> <p>Never seen one fitted to a UK model though!</p> <p>The Volvo official one also has a timer or remote control, such that the car is pre-heated for your arrival...</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11379#post-128792 Thu, 17 Oct 2013 13:55:31 +0000 algo 128792@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hello,</p> <p>this may be of no interest - I am aware this is a cycling forum - however according to the scaremongers this winter is going to be bad (I know it always is). I still go take the bikes out in the van sometimes to go for rides, and often in winter you can get stuck in jams etc so I thought I'd just put this here in case anyone wants to do the same as I have.</p> <p>Regular electric heating solutions are pretty useless off a 12v battery. I managed to acquire a cheap second hand eberspächer hydronic heater for £50 which works perfectly well - I plugged it into the coolant system and now the standard van heating vents etc give warm air with the engine off. This uses hardly any diesel (or petrol depending), and won't kill your battery instantly like any electric heater. </p> <p>In case anyone is worried about being freezing cold and stuck on the M8 (as I was a few years back) - and is at all interested in doing the same thing, give me a shout and I'll tell you what's involved... </p>