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What are the types of starting heaters
Before answering the main question of the article, it is necessary to analyze what a preheater is, how it works and what it is for. So, this is a device with which you can warm up the car engine without starting it or independently heat the interior.
Warming up is carried out either by heating the air or by heating the liquid in the cooling or lubrication system. Such heaters are of several types, differ in fuel consumption or require power supply. There are the following types:
- gasoline;
- diesel;
- electrical (autonomous or battery-powered and mains-powered);
Thus, it turns out that heaters are liquid (combine the first two categories) and electric. Depending on the type, they differ in their device.
Electric preheater
The electrical type device consists of the following parts:
- Electronic control unit (equipped with a timer);
- Battery recharging unit;
- Heating element for 500 - 5000 W;
- Built-in pump (on some models) so that the engine warms up faster and more evenly.
The whole essence of the operation of such a device lies in the fact that the heating element is placed in a sealed heat exchanger. That, in turn, is connected to the engine cooling system. The circulation pump drives the coolant through the exchanger and it heats up. In cheap versions, the pump is missing. The liquid circulates according to the laws of physics (warm goes up, cold goes down), although more slowly.
The solution is powered either from a 220-volt household network or from an autonomous battery. True, the second option is not very popular due to the limited battery life. There are also electric heaters that screw into the crankcase drain hole and heat the oil, not the coolant.
Liquid heaters
Liquid heaters, since they use gasoline or diesel fuel as an energy source, have their own combustion chamber (sometimes called a boiler), a fuel pump, and a pump for pumping coolant. In addition, some models may have a remote start system, as well as a heater fan control unit.
Power can be supplied either from an automobile fuel tank (the heater fuel pump pumps fuel into a special combustion chamber) or from a separate tank. Most often, this is installed in cases where the engine itself is gasoline, and the heater runs on diesel fuel. So, after turning on the device, the fuel burns in the boiler, through which the heat exchanger passes. The engine coolant circulates through it with the help of a water pump, which heats up, transferring heat to the motor.
As for fuel consumption, no matter which engine preheater is chosen, gasoline or diesel, an average of about 600-700 ml of fuel per hour will be spent. But at the same time, savings are still obtained, since the total consumption of gasoline or diesel fuel by a car will be significantly less than when the engine without heating starts cold all the time and then warms up at idle.
Advantages of preheaters and their disadvantages
The list of main advantages includes:
- Reducing the overall fuel consumption of the car by reducing the cost of warming up the engine;
- Reducing the amount and level of toxicity of emissions into the atmosphere due to the same reduction in the amount of fuel burned for heating. This is especially true for electric heaters;
- Extending the life of the engine, it's no secret that during a cold start and engine operation before warming up, the degree of wear of the internal combustion engine increases;
- The ability to generally start the engine in severe frosts;
If we talk about the shortcomings of this device, then there are practically none of them, except for the cost and complexity of installation, in relation to branded quality products. At the same time, it is not recommended to install a heater unnecessarily when the car is in regions with a mild and temperate climate, that is, in winter there is no significant decrease in the outside temperature.
For this reason, it should be noted that there is not always a general need to purchase and install this device. For example, when a car is put in a warmed garage at night, and also when the air temperature rarely drops below 5-10 degrees, a hood insulation, engine compartment or a regular car blanket will be enough. These features should also be taken into account when buying a vehicle, especially when the heater may be included in the list of standard vehicle equipment and is already included in its final cost.