Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (November 2006, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sat, 25 Nov 2006 12:33:46 -0800
Reply-To:     Mike Rouby <mikerouby@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Rouby <mikerouby@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Aircooled? - building my own interior heating system!
Comments: To: Wil Haslup <whaslup@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <4568A07F.20807@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Actually, electric vehicles heat the interior using 'waste' heat transfer usually. The heat off the electric process/motors is recycled to heat the interior.

However, I am quite convinced that this may work - enough to dump $200 (total cost) into the project. If successful, I will fit it into the Vanagon as a permanent device. Initially, I will bench test the entire assembly on a table.

Thinking out loud, I may use vegetable oil instead of water/antifreeze (similar concept to an oil-filled radiator) as a conductor. Only issue with that, is that it may take some time to warm up.

Wil Haslup <whaslup@GMAIL.COM> wrote: Greg Potts wrote: > Hi Mike,

> It's not going to work. You can't extract enough energy from a 12V > battery to heat 180 cubic feet of Vanagon interior. Your alternator > could not keep up with the draw, either. It's basic physics, and the > question has come up on the aircooled list every fall since the lists > started. If it was practical, automotive engineers would have > adopted electrical heating a long time ago.

> There are tiny little 12V hairdryers that are popular for defrosting > bus windshields, but they don't supply enough heat to warm the > interior of a bug.

> The best approach for electric heat in a vehicle is to wear heated > clothing. That might not be as convenient, but it will work. > http://cozywinters.com/heated-clothing/? > source=go&gclid=CMSk6eXm4ogCFSLrPgodnGpapQ

While my original post mentioned my questions of the amount of amps being drawn being too much, I'm not certain that would make this scheme unworkable.

---

How did the heating systems work in all electric vehicles like the GM EV1 or the other prototypes tried by Toyota and others in the '90s?

I've also recently noted a new all electric arrival that isn't shipping yet...range of more than double the GM EV1 so it's more than practical between charges for local uses:

http://www.teslamotors.com/

There must be some electric heat production method here and it couldn't be eating amps at the expense of serious range.

---

In the Vanagon's case, and you were running it off an aux. batt. maybe there should be an external charging connection and some circuitry to run an 'empty - full' gauge along with an auto shutoff so it doesn't kill the battery dead. That way, you'd have an idea of when you should use it, how long it would last and be able to plug in your charger when you got home. It might not be perfect but it would be something.

--

Wil

--------------------------------- Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.