chrsgrain
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 07:07 PM |
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Heater options
OK.... I guess this might open a can of worms... but what do people do about heaters??
Can (obviously) get one from Dax, but at a hefty £250 +VAT (or near enough), which will I'm sure work very well, but at that price it should...
also I've heard of mini and polo heaters, but how easy/hard/effective they are I've no idea?? Also there's the option of a heated
screen or x2 hairdryers! I want to be able to use the car as a fast tourer in pretty much all weathers, so a heater would be helpful....
Has anyone got any wise words or advice??
Thanks
Chris
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jay taylor
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 08:12 PM |
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i have read that a few people have used mini heaters because they are compact i will most probably go for a mini heater also they will be cheaper
just pop to your local scrapy
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DIY Si
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 08:44 PM |
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Mini heaters seem quite wide spread. Haven't got that far myself yet, need a chassis to put one in first
They're really simple to wire and the later ones have two fans speeds. May be a better bet. The earlier are basically on/off, and can be changed
between screen/interior stteings should you use the mini surround/front thing with it.
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SeaBass
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 08:54 PM |
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Heater...
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iank
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 08:56 PM |
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There is an article on refurbing mini heaters in this months MiniWorld, so a quick browse in WHSmiths is probably worthwhile.
Beware, the controls won't pass SVA as standard (nasty sharp lever).
Another fleece is a cheaper option 
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froggy
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 08:59 PM |
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perhaps a three speed heater would be a better idea for those days when you dont want to get too warm
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MkIndy7
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 09:01 PM |
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There have been many threads on heaters and as the wonderful ROFL Copter shows, it would appear mainly without much sucess.
Has anybody Tried just ducting the engine bay heat in to the passenger area? as it gets pretty hot in there on a run and the hot air appears to get
forced up the transmission tunnel normally.
That and heated seat eliments out of a luxury car modded to fit your seats might suffice.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 09:18 PM |
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Ducting hot air from the engine not a good idea -- the bulkhead between the engine bay and cockpit should be sealed as much s poosible --- apart
from anything else its is a big no-no with the MSA scrutes.
The plug in electric heaters do actually work I have been testing one to defrost the norm-mobile on frosty mornings but I think you would need four
-- which would drain amost the whole alternator output.
However no reason why a Ford heater matrix couldn't be fitted on top of the tunnel and ducted uppwards.
I see Caterham now have a fresh air intake in front of the screen suspect this might be because a heated screen didn't meet the exact wording of
the SVA requirements
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MkIndy7
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 09:34 PM |
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Didn't know about the MSA rules, although not everybodys intending to race them.
There are devices used in Ducting called "Fire Dampers" which are held open by a soldered link which melts at a specified temperature and
then they spring closed.
This maybe a way of getting around the problem, although you've already got problems should this be required!
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RazMan
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 11:07 PM |
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This one is half the price of the Dax one and smaller than a Mini one.
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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chrsgrain
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 11:15 PM |
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Ah... like the look of that... is it car builder solutions??
Chris
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RazMan
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 11:22 PM |
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Yep, and it can fit in a really small space too. It has a choice of fascias depending on the duct requirements. Nice bit of kit 
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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bob
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 11:27 PM |
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That does look a nice piece of kit.
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eddymcclements
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| posted on 17/2/06 at 11:36 PM |
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How about a Polo heater? Fan and heater matrix are combined in a single housing, and the plumbing is all on the engine side of the bulkhead, so if you
do have a leak you won't boil your toes.
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C10CoryM
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| posted on 18/2/06 at 03:47 AM |
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You can also buy a heater core from almost any vehicle and a small fan and build your own any size and shape you want. 
Personally I intend a large heater core and small fan as my locost would be driven year round and I dont like to be cold. Drove my camaro with no
heater (to save weight) on a cold night and could barely walk after I got home. Took me hours to warm up. Tin box with no heater and no insulation
makes a really good cooler when driving at 70mph in cold air.
Besides, you guys who turn your noses at heaters probably dont drive your cars as much as people who have them Who is the winner there?
Cheers.
"Our watchword evermore shall be: The Maple Leaf Forever!"
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Baldrick
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| posted on 18/2/06 at 05:48 AM |
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I decided to go through SVA with a screen, demisters, wipers etc. (not too sure why). Anyway, I used a mini heater which, judging by eddy's
picture is about the same size as the Polo. However, again looking at eddys picture, it looks like the Polo one is much easier to install. If
i'd seen that before I would have gone for the Polo one. Also a lot of the heaters in scrapyard mini's are past their best while the
polo's should be newer and therefore probably better. My heater control is way up under the dash so no issue for SVA. I was going to extend the
control to the dash but, in reality, you don't need to adjust it that often.
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chrsgrain
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| posted on 18/2/06 at 09:50 AM |
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The CBS one looks good so far, we don't have the space in the engine compartment for mouting one on the bulkhead, though looks good and would
make behind the dashboard less of a squeeze!
Do fancy having a go at making one though, if only to have tried - does anyone have any tips or photos of theirs? Presumably you put an ali box round
the heater element, then put a fan and some openings in it and run some pipes where you want the air to go??
Chris
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chrisg
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| posted on 18/2/06 at 11:54 AM |
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I have a mini heater, it makes driving in cold weather much more fun, feet toasty, wind in your (lack of) hair, you can't beat it.
Cheers
Chris
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