Has anyone ever installed a gas fired Webasto coolant heater in a Prius instead of a EBH! A Webasto coolant heater is plumbed into the coolant, usually the heater core hoses. It burns a small amount of gasoline heating the coolant. A control unit senses the temp, and starts a circ pump. They come with programmable t-stat, so you can set it up to start a bit before you want to leave, rather than idling a conventional car. It has the same net effect as a EBH, but with the benefit of not having to plug it in and remember to unplug it. The amount of fuel burned is very small, compared to running the engine to keep the coolant warm. I have not done any comparison of net energy used with a Webasto compared to a EBH, but my hunch is the Webasto would be more efficient. I don't know if there is enough room in the engine compartment for one, but it might be interesting to do some research. Icarus PS Try this link http://www.webastoshowroom.com/blueheat/
We use a diesel fired Webasto on our boat. They are very nice units. They are normally used to provide heat in trucks and buses when their engines are off, thus avoiding the need to idle all night, and are sometimes used on a timer to preheat diesel engines. Using one as a replacement for an engine block heater is not a very good idea.The Webasto units are much more expensive and thousands of times more complex than a simple electric block heater, plus it will use more energy. They are also larger and more complex to install. You have to find room for the device, wire it and its control panel, and run an additional fuel line. The engine on the Prius is easy to start, even in cold weather, so that's not really the issue. I assume you aren't living in your Prius, so you don't need cabin heat all night, so that's not it either. I would stick with the electric block heater. Tom
Hi Icarus, How is this going to work, when there is no coolant in the engine? That is, the thermos system in the Prius will have pumped the coolant into the thermos while the car is off. So, the Webasto is going to buring gas with no coolant flowing through it. Which will cause it to overheat most probably.
Unless I'm forgetting something, the coolant in the Prius engine is exchanged with the coolant in the thermos. At no time is the engine without coolant. I recall that the control system compares the temperature of the coolant in the engine and thermos and makes a decisions based on temperature. Sometimes the hot coolant from the thermos is used, but not if the engine is already hot. Likewise with storing hot coolant in the thermos. That said, your underlying comment is still valid: installing a Webasto coolant heater in a Prius is going to be a lot more complicated than putting one in a truck. Tom
"The Webasto units are much more expensive and thousands of times more complex than a simple electric block heater, plus it will use more energy." Just to give an apples to apples comparison A typical Webasto unit will burn ~.5 gal/hour (This is for a truck system, small car system burns less) Assume that it runs for 10 minutes to warm the car, fuel burned~ 0.083 gallon of gas @ $3.25= .0.27 per heat cycle I'm assuming that the EBH burns ~ 500 watts, suggested use time 3 hours=1.5 kilowatt hours @ $.015=0.225 per heat cycle. The difference is that the Webasto will heat all the coolant, as well as the cabin of the car. I'm don't really have an opinion on either approach, as I use neither. While I like the idea of an EBH we live in a temperate climate, live in the country so we drive long distances to start so it is very little advantage. (Aside from the hassle of forgetting to unplug it!) If I did use the car in a very cold climate I sure would consider the idea of a coolant heater. (No argument that it would be an expensive option relative to an EBH). Icarus
Yes Icarus, you have been thinking along the same lines as I. In the UK we have something called the Kenlow Hotstart (they supply most of the F1 racing teams) It doesn't have the advantage of being independent of electrical mains, but costs only about £260.00. Also I think the UK Prius does not have the Thermos tank. I have not had time to look into the feasibility of fitting this, but if I can’t find a 230v EBH I might go this way. Jon the Chief.
Our Webasto runs at 43,000 Btu/hr at the full setting, which is approximately equal to 12.6 kilowatts. If it takes about 10 minutes to heat the engine, that's about 2.1 kilowatt hours. Mostly, though, we are just quibbling. The Webasto can dump a lot more heat into the engine in a short period of time, so less is lost into space. On the other hand, the Webasto isn't as efficient as the electrical heater, so some of the heat goes out the heater exhaust, and the heat from the Webasto come from gasoline. Regardless, it's an apples to oranges comparison. The Webasto is great for some applications, but it's a whole different beast than a simple block heater, as you know. Tom
Tom, Do you have one installed in a Prius? I know the rub with the Webasto is that is is expensive, but it is a more complete way of pre-heating the engine. By circulating the coolant, the whole block and heater core get warm. I wouldn't put one in in Central CA, but in N.Mich, or the Dakotas, or most places in Canada you would have to consider the idea. Icarus PS I had one on my VW westfalia. Worked great, except that to use it as a camping heater it burned too much amperage from the batteries.
No, our Webasto is on our sailboat. It serves multiple purposes: cabin heater, pre-heat, and domestic hot water. I wouldn't bother with one for a car unless I lived in it, like truckers do, or for a big diesel that is very hard to start. The Prius starts so well and heats so quickly I don't even bother with a block heater. If I drove every day, it might be worth putting in a block heater, but not for the once a week trip to the city. Tom
I decided to go with a hot frog at just under £100 pump, thermostat and heater all in one. original hot frog universal Motorvorheizer pre heater
I had a 6kw unit in my Electric Van for heat. They also put cool really compact ones in Sprinter vans made by Eberspacher. If you were going to seriously consider this route, I'd get one out of a wrecked Sprinter, as all US spec models from 2001-2006 have them AFAIK.
