Ceramic Heaters

Have you made or bought a converted vehicle if so this is for you
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geekygrilli
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Ceramic Heaters

Postby geekygrilli » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:41 pm

Hi there

Sorry to post so many threads. Hopefully, though, they will be useful to others in the future...

Does anyone know of anywhere I can get hold of a 110v ceramic heater (in the UK)? One that I can just drop it into where the heater matrix used to be?

My car is running at 96v, so will one of these be OK?

Many thanks

Christopher

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qdos
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Postby qdos » Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:56 pm

Don't worry all the threads are useful to other folk too now and in the future.

I think Europa Spares may do some or know where you could get them. I know you can find them at Kit car shows I've picked them up on numerous occasions at them.

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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:03 am

..Failing that find a friendly Canadian or American who will buy one for you.

You could buy an American mains Ceramic heater off ebay or from America. With the dollar so cheap at the moment you'd be laughing!

Nikki.
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

EVangelist and Media Relations Coordinator, www.ZeroCarbonWorld.org
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geekygrilli
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Postby geekygrilli » Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:25 pm

Hmmm, I know no Americans/Canadians I can ask, and can't find any on e-bay that'll send to the UK.

I've trawled through the ev-austin website, which is quite informative, and found a lot of people have been using 12v heaters.

So I have ordered 2 x 200W 12v heaters for £10 each. I'll just take the elements and wire these in place of the original matrix, and have a huge 400watts of heating power!
Think I'll put the heater on a 'auto timer off' circuit too, so max run time is 2 or 3 minutes, before you have to press the button again to make it work. It will make heater use a bit more difficult and discourage it!

I don't really want to wire it up to the sliders etc...and if its on a timer I don't think i have to worry about it being on when the fan isn't on.

Opinions gladly listened to!

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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:31 pm

400 Watts eh?

My City El has two 400W heater elements and they're just about adequate in really cold weather at keeping the screen clear. I'd consider planning a third heater for when it's really cold! :)

Nikki.
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

EVangelist and Media Relations Coordinator, www.ZeroCarbonWorld.org
Host, www.transportevolved.com

http://about.me/aminorjourney/bio

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EVguru
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Postby EVguru » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:25 pm

If you have a look on my Scirocco website, you'll see the setup I used.

You need a BIG blast of heat to clear a screen, but you can make do with a trickle thereafter.

96v is rather low, even for American heater elements.

Canadian EV do specials;

http://www.canev.com/KitsComp/Components/Heater.html
Paul

http://www.compton.vispa.com/scirocco/
http://www.morini-mania.co.uk
http://www.compton.vispa.com/the_named

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geekygrilli
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Postby geekygrilli » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:46 pm

Ah, well i like the cold, but I also like to see out the windscreen!

Maybe it'll take more than 800W to clear the screen then..

I'm not clever enough at electronics to build the set up that you made, Paul.

I'll get it set up with 4 x 200W heaters, switched on with timers in pairs, and see how it goes in the winter. I just want to get through the DVLA inspection, and that'll require a de-mist. If they can feel warm air coming through the vents, i assume that'll be enough. Its not as if they're gonna stick the car in a climatic chamber or anything - are they? :shock:

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geekygrilli
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Postby geekygrilli » Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:00 am

Hi guys

For those of you who have done their own conversions...Do I need to have a hot air heater for the DVLA investigation?

I am pretty certain that I don't need it for the MOT.


I have asked my brother and his Westfield passed its SVA OK without a heater, but thats because he didn't have a windscreen!

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EVguru
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Postby EVguru » Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:54 am

geekygrilli wrote:For those of you who have done their own conversions...Do I need to have a hot air heater for the DVLA investigation?

I am pretty certain that I don't need it for the MOT.

I have asked my brother and his Westfield passed its SVA OK without a heater, but thats because he didn't have a windscreen!


Is the vehicle currently registered?

If so, you have no need to go anywhere near SVA (Single Vehicle Approval). Just have the fuel type and tax class amended on the V5C (registration doccument).

Take along MOT, Insurance, V5C, etc. to your local VRO (vehicle Registration Office) If you have photographs of the conversion, preferably with the VIN showing, you may then just be able to walk out of the VRO with a tax disc, but they might still want a vehicle inspection. This would be done at an inspection site, either by a DVLA vehicle inspector or by the Police.

The ONLY thing they wiil be looking for is that the VIN and registration match. Make sure they note that the fuel type has been changed, just to be safe.
Paul

http://www.compton.vispa.com/scirocco/
http://www.morini-mania.co.uk
http://www.compton.vispa.com/the_named

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geekygrilli
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Postby geekygrilli » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:13 pm

Thanks - I took the SVA as a sort of worst case scenario really...

Car is registered, and will have an MOT. I tried to send off teh V% to change teh fuel type but they said I haver to go to my local VRO. Its at that point I am worried about the heater.

I am waiting for a 110v element to appear from somewhere. In teh mean time I have 2 x 12v 300W heaters i can (but really don't want to) retro fit to the dash.


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