Parkheating....

  • Thread starter Thread starter marco
  • Start date Start date
M

marco

Hi,

I have some questions about the parkheating system in general.
- in what temperature the parkheating is activated?
- is it only activated when outside temperature is low enough?
- if so what is this temperature and is it possible to change it?
- also it looks that even if the motor is already warm, and I stop shortly
it will start the parkheating again, can this be stoppped?

My car is S80 year model 7/2001, and it has the Volvo parkheating
system. It starts even if in outside there is maybe +8 - +10C,
I think the motor own heat would be enough in this temperature
anyway, no parkheating needed.

Also, it causes A LOT OF SMOKE!!!! I understand that there is
some smoke from parkheating, but when it starts to look that
cars engine is in fire, or other people on the road start to
blink lights on me, that there is something wrong with my car
(most propably they think that my engine is in fire), it is
not nice, and I do not think that it is normal?!?!?!

Any experiance or knowledge about the subject in here?

Best regards,

MK
 
What exactly is parkheating?

We use block-heaters here in Canada, they are electric, and cause no
smoke... Unless you don't use a GFCI plug, and there is a ground fault or
some sort, and your fuse doesn't blow, and the wires start to overheat....
but that shouldn't happen.

I have heard of little motors that run on diesel that can warm your engine,
but I was told those were for larger diesel trucks.

You shouldn't need supplementary engine heating above 0° C. IMO.
 
Rob said:
What exactly is parkheating?

We use block-heaters here in Canada, they are electric, and cause no
smoke... Unless you don't use a GFCI plug, and there is a ground fault or
some sort, and your fuse doesn't blow, and the wires start to overheat....
but that shouldn't happen.

I have heard of little motors that run on diesel that can warm your engine,
but I was told those were for larger diesel trucks.

You shouldn't need supplementary engine heating above 0° C. IMO.
Click to expand...

http://www.webasto.com/products/en/3115_3422.html

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
What a weird world we live in. Burning fossil fuel to keep an empty
car warm. There are places in Toronto where idling is an offence
punishable with a ticket. These things would net you loads of tickets
if they were keeping/getting your car warm....

Jordan S70 Loaded!
 
Parkheating is a Volvo addition which enables the car to be warmed up (both
engine and interior) prior to commencing the day's first journey. It is supplied
with fuel from the fuel tank.

Cheers, Peter.

: Rob Guenther wrote:
: >
: > What exactly is parkheating?
: >
: > We use block-heaters here in Canada, they are electric, and cause no
: > smoke... Unless you don't use a GFCI plug, and there is a ground fault or
: > some sort, and your fuse doesn't blow, and the wires start to overheat....
: > but that shouldn't happen.
: >
: > I have heard of little motors that run on diesel that can warm your engine,
: > but I was told those were for larger diesel trucks.
: >
: > You shouldn't need supplementary engine heating above 0° C. IMO.
:
: http://www.webasto.com/products/en/3115_3422.html
:
: --
: Mike F.
: Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.
:
: NOTE: new address!!
: Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
: (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Hmm seems like a pretty good idea. Do they tap into your fuel tank?
 
Rob said:
Hmm seems like a pretty good idea. Do they tap into your fuel tank?
Click to expand...

Yes. In fact, that's the brand of heater that Volvo has had optional in
some markets for more than 20 years.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Jordan said:
What a weird world we live in. Burning fossil fuel to keep an empty
car warm. There are places in Toronto where idling is an offence
punishable with a ticket. These things would net you loads of tickets
if they were keeping/getting your car warm....

Jordan S70 Loaded!
Click to expand...

But at least these use way less fuel, as this device is designed to only
heat coolant. An idling engine doesn't use fuel very efficiently for
this purpose. From what I hear, this company is just starting to sell
this product in Canada, and they have a booth at the auto show.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Mike F said:
Yes. In fact, that's the brand of heater that Volvo has had optional in
some markets for more than 20 years.

--
Click to expand...


Wow what a neat idea, I've never heard of it, sure beats idling the car to
warm it up though, much better for the car and the environment. Not quite
cold enough where I am to be worthwhile though.
 
Would be worthwhile here, especially with a diesel engine (my TDI volkswagen
can't warm itself up with idling only.... its too efficient, the Volvo warms
itself up nicely and is garaged, so no cold problems with it).
 
Not to be contrarian but, is this really necessary? If we haven't had
products like this in the past do we really need them now? Block heaters
work well (and yes, I understand that the electricity used to power them has
to be produced somewhere, somehow.) Even before block heaters cars were
started in the winter (even in Canada!) and all was good. How many days this
winter has it been cold enough to warrant the use of a device like this? 5
or 10? Most people who can afford a Volvo have one, two or even three
garages. A semi-warm garage is a way better solution than either a block
heater or any other coolant warmer in my humble opinion.

Don't get me wrong. I would love to hop into a nice warm car on a frosty
winter morning. I just think it is unnecessary and wasteful.

Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded
 
Jordan B. said:
Not to be contrarian but, is this really necessary? If we haven't had
products like this in the past do we really need them now? Block heaters
work well (and yes, I understand that the electricity used to power them has
to be produced somewhere, somehow.) Even before block heaters cars were
started in the winter (even in Canada!) and all was good. How many days this
winter has it been cold enough to warrant the use of a device like this? 5
or 10? Most people who can afford a Volvo have one, two or even three
garages. A semi-warm garage is a way better solution than either a block
heater or any other coolant warmer in my humble opinion.

Don't get me wrong. I would love to hop into a nice warm car on a frosty
winter morning. I just think it is unnecessary and wasteful.

Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded
Click to expand...

It all really depends, I have 3 Volvos and no garage space to park any of
them in, I still think that device is a pretty cool idea, if I lived
somewhere where the climate was below freezing more than a couple weeks out
of the year I'd seriously consider one, I hate climbing into a frozen car
and having to run it for a few minutes before things are thawed out enough
that I can see well enough to safely drive.
 
I guess I am wondering what has changed in our thinking such that we (as a
collective) now think we need these devices when we haven't either wanted or
needed them in the past. Cars have started in the past and now that ignition
systems have been modernized they will start even better in the same
conditions. I really think it all comes down to convenience. As both you and
I mentioned, we hate getting into cold cars on cold mornings.


Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded!
 
Please be nice now, and politically correct (mostly).

My family owns 3 Volvos ('83, '85, '89), and has only one garage, too
small to hold anything larger than Mini Cooper, and it's loaded with
stuff anyway. I've been mostly out of work too long to admit to, so
please don't think that we could "afford" to get additional garage space.

Volvo a luxury car?? For us, it's an extremely economical car due to
the reliability. Buy it cheap, and keep it forever.

They've started very well in this very cold New England winter. We do
idle them in the driveway on very cold days, and don't expect to buy any
kind of block heaters soon.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To send email, remove all < > and [ ] and the junk ~ between:
[brucepick1]
< a~t >
[comcast.net]
 
Bruce Pick said:
... Most people who can afford a Volvo have one, two or even three
garages. A semi-warm garage is a way better solution than either a block
heater or any other coolant warmer in my humble opinion.
Click to expand...

In Fairbanks, Alaska, the parking meters have electric plugs on them for
block heaters. Unless you have to start your car in -40F/-40C weather
in a city that doesn't provide warm garages on city streets, I think
that you should remain open-minded about block heaters.
 
Jordan Britnell said:
I guess I am wondering what has changed in our thinking such that we (as a
collective) now think we need these devices when we haven't either wanted or
needed them in the past. Cars have started in the past and now that ignition
systems have been modernized they will start even better in the same
conditions. I really think it all comes down to convenience. As both you and
I mentioned, we hate getting into cold cars on cold mornings.
Click to expand...


It's not that we didn't want or need them, it's that we (or I) didn't know
they existed!
 
Starting a diesel engine at -35°C with the fuel being de-gelled for the
first 5 or so minutes, so the car is operating at something like 25% power
is why I plug my car in. VW designed my Golf to start really really cold,
but by the nature of the fuel it runs better warm..... Our Volvo tho, hell
that thing can start and run fine in any weather, it LOVES the cold!
 
I think you missed my point. I remain completely open minded about block
heaters. However, I do not have one in my car and it started at the cottage
in January when the temp read
-32. It didn't like it but it did start. This was not my point though. My
point was people are looking for solutions to problems that either don't
exist or are not consistenet enough to warrant the effort. They are finding
solutions to inconveniences but not problems. And as I mentioned, at least
in Toronto, I would imagine you would garner a ticket for having a parking
heater idling away.
FWIW, if I lived in Alaska I would definitely have a block heater because
the climate dictates that I need one if I would like to use my car.

PS: Was Northern Exposure really shot in Fairbanks? I loved that show....


Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded (but no block heater)
 
Bruce,
Sorry to hear about the employment situation. I should clarify that I
was talking about modern Volvos not trusty 240s/740s/940s. Most recent model
Volvos cost North of $30K Canadian which puts them in the near luxury class.
Some of the higher end Volvos cost upwards of $60K Canadian which is luxury
car territory.
FWIW, I have a 2 car garage and it' still crammed with crap. I manage to
find room for one car. Usually my wife's Caravan...

Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded!

--
___________________________________________________________
"That's 10 times I've explained binary to you. I won't tell you a 3rd time!"
Bruce Pick said:
Please be nice now, and politically correct (mostly).

My family owns 3 Volvos ('83, '85, '89), and has only one garage, too
small to hold anything larger than Mini Cooper, and it's loaded with
stuff anyway. I've been mostly out of work too long to admit to, so
please don't think that we could "afford" to get additional garage space.

Volvo a luxury car?? For us, it's an extremely economical car due to
the reliability. Buy it cheap, and keep it forever.

They've started very well in this very cold New England winter. We do
idle them in the driveway on very cold days, and don't expect to buy any
kind of block heaters soon.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To send email, remove all < > and [ ] and the junk ~ between:
[brucepick1]
< a~t >
[comcast.net]


... Most people who can afford a Volvo have one, two or even three
garages. A semi-warm garage is a way better solution than either a block
heater or any other coolant warmer in my humble opinion.

Don't get me wrong. I would love to hop into a nice warm car on a frosty
winter morning. I just think it is unnecessary and wasteful.

Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Jordan B. said:
I think you missed my point. I remain completely open minded about block
heaters. However, I do not have one in my car and it started at the cottage
in January when the temp read
-32. It didn't like it but it did start. This was not my point though. My
point was people are looking for solutions to problems that either don't
exist or are not consistenet enough to warrant the effort. They are finding
solutions to inconveniences but not problems. And as I mentioned, at least
in Toronto, I would imagine you would garner a ticket for having a parking
heater idling away.
FWIW, if I lived in Alaska I would definitely have a block heater because
the climate dictates that I need one if I would like to use my car.

PS: Was Northern Exposure really shot in Fairbanks? I loved that show....
Click to expand...

How would anyone know the park heater is running to give a ticket? It's not
an engine, it's more like a gas fired water heater, I would guess it's
virtually silent, and quite efficient since all the energy is going into
producing heat, rather than rotating the engine and other parts when it's
cold.

Since when is it bad to look for solutions to inconveniences? I'm not a
monk, I rather like modern conveniences.
 
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