hanging heater to warm car?

[beakie]

I would like to hang an electric heater above my wifes car in the garage.

I want it to be controlled via remote or in-line plug in timer.

I have a MrHeater propane 50k btu unit, and a wood stove... but with a 24x36 garage I don't want to run those (nor am I always around to do so) just to warm up the wifes car before she loads the boys and her self in for the day.

I figured an infrared/radiant heater aimed towards the hood/windshield would get it warmed up plenty that she could walk in, start up an leave. as opposed to having to walk out, start it, leave run for 5mins, then come back in with the boys to load in and then drive away.

she's a smart cookie (other than poor taste in men I admit) but I don't want to risk her "forgetting" something in the house while the car is running in the garage for an extended period.

any recommendations

 

[mires]

Have you put a thermometer out there to see how cold the garage actually gets? Not sure about yours but I would never have a reason to preheat my car in the garage.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

blistered paint on the car? That is what probably would happen.

 

[gregtwojeeps]

Just about a negative to anything one could try to preheat a car sitting in the garage. As Charles stated, if the car gets parked too close, paint damage. If a "in car" 12 volt heater is used like Amaon sells and she forgets to unplug it, dead battery.

Short of heating the garage to 50 deg. F. all the time, the only thing I have had good luck with is the,
" in line block heater" that goes in the vehicle's heater hose...

Set the car heater to "hot" and the heater circulates the coolant all night long heated. Start the car and the heater air is instantly hot. Same problem though, has to be on a timer and unplugged before take off. Don't even know if they still make them. Good luck. jmo

 

[beakie]

Have you put a thermometer out there to see how cold the garage actually gets? Not sure about yours but I would never have a reason to preheat my car in the garage.

this morning it was -9*C when I went out to grab a few things
that's with -25*C outside temps and approx -38*C with windchill

we prefer the cars to be warm because both boys are in car seats, which fit better/snugger/safer without jackets on. easy enough for us to tough it out with a jacket on, but we'd rather not force them too.

blistered paint on the car? That is what probably would happen.

9' ceiling, heater hanging down max 2'... so 4-5' to the hood of the car... would have to be a rather hot heater to do that.




it has a block heater, not quite the same as the coolant heater, but handy all the same.
I have 110v hanging from a reel right above where she is parked so she "shouldn't" forget that before driving off.



Just curious if anyone else had every thought or tried something along these lines.

thanks for the input

 

[mires]

this morning it was -9*C when I went out to grab a few things
that's with -25*C outside temps and approx -38*C with windchill

we prefer the cars to be warm because both boys are in car seats, which fit better/snugger/safer without jackets on. easy enough for us to tough it out with a jacket on, but we'd rather not force them too.

Couldn't agree more. I just never imagined it would be that cold in your garage. Then I looked at your location. Keep those munchkins warm.

 

[CNGsaves]

You've got hanging heater in garage already . . . . use it !!

Turn that baby up to 45 or 50 degrees fahrenheit . . . nothing like a comfortable garage and also keeps anything from freezing. Also keep the block heater plugged in for car.

If you want REAL toasty internal temp of car, overnight just hang a trouble light from rear view mirror with a 100w edison light bulb !!

 

[Shop Specialties]

Programmable thermostat for the heater you already have.

 

[fastjohnny]

it has a block heater, not quite the same as the coolant heater, but handy all the same.


thanks for the input

Actually block heaters are coolant heaters...

 

[finn]

We used snowsuits for this when I was a kid.

 

[T-Mac]

Actually block heaters are coolant heaters...

A block heater heats the block mostly-some go in an expansion plug hole-some don't-a coolant heater percolates the coolant and circulates it throughout the cooling system.

 

[jkwilson]

It would take a lot of heat to overcome the big chunk of cold steel you have in the garage.

A recirculating coolant heater on the car would probably be more efficient. The car heater would be ready to go quickly.

Something like http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BO8X9K/?tag=atomicindus08-20 with a pump and a heater.

 

[buddyboy]

since you have a cord right there and so close to the car you could put an electric blanket inside the car over the car seats.

have her plug it in when she gets out to keep car warm, unplug when she gets in the car.

cover the kids with the blanket.

might work, cheap and easy enough to try out

 

[Professur]

Newer cars may have over come it .. but I recall when cars first started getting computers, there was all manner of trouble with block heaters (and simply parking in the garage) throwing off the fuel mixtures.

If it's just to pre-heat the interior, there are in car electric heaters. I still have the one from my mother's old car (87 shadow). Basically a low wattage 110V heater that has a timer. Didn't put out much more heat than a hair dryer, but it left the windshield clear and you could drive without gloves on. Plug went through the firewall and looked from the outside just like a block heater.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/autom...e&utm_source=AskAndAnswer&utm_content=Default

 

[c4cruiser]

Some years ago, a co-worker placed a small (1500w) electric heater in his car that he kept outside. The power cord was routed out the passenger door so that just a couple inches of cord showed. He connected an extension cord to the heater and in the morning, he would plug the extension cord into an outlet. When he left for work, he would simply unplug the extension cord from the heater cord.

He said it took about 15 minutes for the heater to warm the interior of the car to about 75 and the heat would be retained once he drove away. By the time the engine coolant was hot enough to blow hot air from the heater, the car interior was just starting to cool below 65 degrees.

 

[beakie]

just to answer a few points

1. I ran the heater for 1 month early this winter... it's just too costly for the limited use I get from it. besides work and playing dad, I don't get as much shop time as we would all like too, both boys under 4 I will wait a few years before training on the table saw, router n other toys.

2. as mentioned, this "block heater" replaces a freeze plug, and while there is some heat transferred to the coolant, it's nothing like a "coolant heater" which heats & circulates warm coolant through out engine & heater core.

3. I could install a coolant heater, but this is an 9yr old Sentra (DD/work runner car) worth $2000 maybe, wife bought it new and we'll drive it into the ground. tough to spend any extra $$ on it.

4. I actually really like that trouble light hanging on rear view idea. sh1t simple, and certainly wouldn't drive off without noticing it. with that AND the block heater they should be toasty warm.

thanks

 

[75gmck25]

I grew up in North Dakota and we always used block heaters that replaced a freeze plug. I've never seen a recirculating coolant heater like you describe (sounds like it has a pump?).

One big advantage of a block heater is that you can leave it plugged in as long as you want and never worry about too much heat. It is a 1500 watt immersion heater that is heating up the coolant in the block, so it will never generate enough heat to get the engine too warm. However, once the car starts it will circulate that warm coolant through the block and heater core, so the heater provides immediate warmth.

Bruce

 

[dsimatt]

A block heater heats the block mostly-some go in an expansion plug hole-some don't-a coolant heater percolates the coolant and circulates it throughout the cooling system.

It heats the block by heating the coolant and heat rises so it will very slowly circulate coolant.

There's a lot of ideas but all bring another step for her to remember so my vote is just keep starting it up or get remote start so she doesn't have to go out there.

 

[rodster_67]

Hang it under the hood.

 

[jvitez]

Sorry, won't work as you desire.

You have three options:

1. Struggle with snow-suited kids. Yup it's a pain, but: they grow up very fast; besides, you live in Canada ; kids in parkas are safer if the car stalls/heat goes out.

2. Use the propane hanging heater. Yup, it costs money, but so do kids, and so does comfort. See my sig.

3. Use a timer and plug in the block heater. The interior won't be warm, see option 1, but at least the car will be blowing warm air as fast as possible.

If I were you, I'd absolutely use the hanging heater. A warm car and a warm garage? Heaven in -30C.

 

[58Yeoman]

We have two cats that were relegated to living in our attached garage after they kept forgetting where the litter box is. In the winter, I have a small electric heater near their sleeping box that runs on low, and keeps the whole 2 car garage at about 50*. The garage is insulated and drywalled. The electric bill hasn't suffered any.

 

[404]

For many years during the winter I put an electric heater containing a fan in the back of our cars. Flat cord shut gently in the door or the hatch. Controlled by a switch in the house. Works great even to melt ice and snow so the car can be cleaned easily.

Heating from the inside will give quicker results.

 

[sublime68charger]

if the car already has a block heater have you been using that already?

and with the block heater already plugged in how long before you get heat out of the car once it has been started?

 

[akfj40]

Unless you want to completely heat your garage, you will waste alot of heat trying to warm the car from the outside.

Here's what I do. I don't park in the garage, and the car is warm everyday.

A block heater combined with transmission and oil pan heater will keep the car ready to go even in the coldest temperatures. My truck starts easy down to the coldest temperatures (-54F last month).

For getting the interior warm for the wife and kids, I would use a little buddy heater ("zero start" is their new name). I've used mine for years. I have a plug through the firewall so when I plug in my block heater, the interior heater also goes on. I've used the little buddy for 20+ years in Alaska with great results. It will get the interior of the car warm and comfortable. You can put the heater on a timer. At -40F the electric heater is less warm.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NM73ZA/?tag=atomicindus08-20


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[beakie]

up until the weekend (when the temps had been @ -25*C for a week)
the wife was content to park outside, I'd clear snow before I left for the day and she was fine leaving it running for 10minutes before she left.

this thread was looking for a simple solution to "make her day" as a surprise for her.

I offered the garage space as she was fine parking outside... but liked the idea.

figured if I could give her a warmer/clean spot to park AND a warm car to drive away in she'd be happier still.

few days later and she is content with the block heater and indoor parking.

I will keep the ideas mentioned here in mind tho if she ever complains about it not being "hot enough"

thanks all, maybe some others will find use from this topic too.