Engine preheater

[sludgeguts]

http://www.preheater.net/html/PRODUCTS/14.html

Available from china for £60 inc shipping.
I reckon this could be worth a punt.
(I've asked if there might be a discount for 10 or more units - if you don't ask...)

 

[sludgeguts]

I take on board what you are both saying except the circulation pump IS directly subject to the inflow of water at mains pressure, and every manufacture (ive found so far) requires that the mains water pressure be a minimum of 20psi max 120psi Inorder to provide sufficient water pressure through the circulation pump to clean the dishes properly, if you think how a dishwasher works, using water pressure to spin the washing rotors (at great speed) then a fair amount of pressure from the circulation pump is also required.

There is a separate drain pump in most dishwashers which operates at a much lower pressure, the more I look into this the more I see this type of pumps is more than up to the job the down side is the pump motor is in the region of half a horse power which is serious overkill for this application, and would probably be far more powerful than the engine water pump.

My old Bosch had just the one pump. It was a very simple device. Cold water inlet valve, pump to circulate and drain, heater (and fuse) and pressure switch (to shut the inlet valve when the tank was filled to the correct level. The pump is now used to empty my water butt into the pond.

 

[dave]

http://www.preheater.net/html/PRODUCTS/14.html

Available from china for £60 inc shipping.
I reckon this could be worth a punt.
(I've asked if there might be a discount for 10 or more units - if you don't ask...)

remember all them phone chargers or gameboy adapters from china that caught fire.

anyone rang their insurance yet to see if it will go up if fitting one of these?

 

[fingers99]

You old cynic, Dave!

Remember that the evil Apple Empire manufacture everything in gulags in China (with the happy workforce recently threatening mass suicide, and real suicides an almost daily occurrence).

Despite this, their reliability record is reasonable.

There's great stuff and absolute tat manufactured in China -- much like everywhere else.

 

[dave]

stuff that offically imported by companies has to meet eu regs, stuff we buy our selves via ebay an the like dont always meet the same standard.

 

[sludgeguts]

Bottom of the link, they say they have CE.

Good point about the insurance, might give them a ring tomorrow (if I remember).

 

[fingers99]

stuff that offically imported by companies has to meet eu regs, stuff we buy our selves via ebay an the like dont always meet the same standard.

The fridges that were burning peoples houses down (in at least one case, with them inside) were CE approved.

 

[dave]

The fridges that were burning peoples houses down (in at least one case, with them inside) were CE approved.

then you could probably claim off insurance ok. if something is a dodgy import or home made you might not get a payout

 

[fingers99]

If you died, I'm not sure how you'd claim.............

 

[sludgeguts]

If you died, I'm not sure how you'd claim.............

Posthumously ?

 

[Shadeyman]

I take on board what you are both saying except the circulation pump IS directly subject to the inflow of water at mains pressure

Mains water enters a washing machine or dish washer via a solenoid valve, this is rated at mains pressure, has to be because it IS connected directly to the mains.

The circulation/drain pump you linked to IS NOT connected direct to the mains, all it does is circulate and drain water sitting in drum which is not at mains pressure.

As I said previously, the only pressure the pump you linked to experiences is the pressure it creates when its running. This may well be above or below mains pressure but it will not be rated for mains water use.

To confirm, feel free to call my mate at:
West Midlands Washing Machines Ltd.
01902 604703

 

[sludgeguts]

anyone rang their insurance yet to see if it will go up if fitting one of these?

Phoned my insurers - who hadn't got a clue. Gave them the web addy of the preheater for sale - with the techy specs etc.
They phoned me back after a short while & said the underwriters were happy to add this to my policy for no extra cost - so it's going on from next week - in theory I should have one delivered sometime around then - just got to get my rrrse into gear & fit it.
Trouble is, I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for playing under bonnets in the freezing cold - done it so many times in the past..
So it might get installed soon or in the summer

I guess that insurers who google the electric preheater will see that they are common in many parts of the world & pose no problem AND that much more powerful ones are used in motor racing etc without incident. So OEM or retro fit are already being covered by other insurers around the globe.

 

[sludgeguts]

Mains water enters a washing machine or dish washer via a solenoid valve, this is rated at mains pressure, has to be because it IS connected directly to the mains.

The circulation/drain pump you linked to IS NOT connected direct to the mains, all it does is circulate and drain water sitting in drum which is not at mains pressure.

That describes exactly the scenario I found when I stripped my old machine.
That was just under 3 y/old last November.

 

[Shadeyman]

Keep us updated once its installed.

 

[andy50027]

Hi guys,

I found this forum through a google search for coolant pre heaters so I've registered to ask some questions.
I've not got a Fiat, I'm a Renault 19 16v owner and the cold start / short journeys are killing my fuel economy.

There is some decent info here, was the heater successful?

Cheers.

 

[sludgeguts]

Hi guys,

I found this forum through a google search for coolant pre heaters so I've registered to ask some questions.
I've not got a Fiat, I'm a Renault 19 16v owner and the cold start / short journeys are killing my fuel economy.

There is some decent info here, was the heater successful?

Cheers.

Oh don't you start as well!
I've got swmbo nagging me to 'do something' with the box of bits
I really want a bit of notice for nice weather over a weekend & I'll get the boy to bring some pipe clamps home so I can chop the hose without losing coolant.

On the plus side, the thing works a treat in my fish pond had it doing its thing when the temps plummeted - just wanted to make sure it worked really. In fact, I'm seriously considering buying another just to come on when the temps really drop so as to stop the filters freezing up (even though there was a good flow from the pump, a couple of pipes split and the UV lamp & quartz tube shattered

 

[andy50027]

Oh don't you start as well!

I'm not nagging, just questioning!
A big difference from my other halfs "I thought you were going to....."

So it turned up ok?
Which one did you buy and how much did it convert to if you don't mind me asking?

If it does the job in a fish pond then i'd say a car should be no probs.
The pics in the link you supplied looked to be heater hose size so I guess it cuts into the water system anywhere?

Cheers.

 

[sludgeguts]

I bought http://www.preheater.net/html/PRODUCTS/14.html
And it was £60 inc shipping.
I bought a hose and some connector pieces off ebay, a 3pin plug & socket which is nicely fixed to a mount for a towbar electrics AND I also went for a connector which can be used underwater so I can just chop the plug off & connect the wire to a small extension lead to run to the rear of the car.

As it happens, SWMBO decided she didn't like my box of bits laying around the place so she's tidied them up & put them "somewhere safe" but can't remember where she's put them :bang:
We have a house full of 'somewhere safe'

it does indeed simply chop into the hose running out from the heater matrix but I bought an extra piece of hose as it needs to be about 12" below the expansion tank.

 

[andy50027]

Wicked.

Thank you. I reckon that might be the way forward.

£60 is less that a tank full of fuel so it's gotta be worth the risk.