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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Ceramic Heater

Posted by: bd1308 Sep 12 2005, 09:52 PM

okay, my heating system is marginal at best...i still freeze when driving and full heat.

i have seen some examples of ceramic heaters offered online from various retailers, so question is how well do they work?

Posted by: tanner Sep 12 2005, 10:01 PM

I have one in my 911, and it works pretty good unless it's below 40 degrees. The one I have is called Back Seat Heat. I have seen them at NAPA for around $50.00 or so.

Posted by: bd1308 Sep 12 2005, 10:10 PM

do you have the cigarette lighter one....I was going to look at getting the high-amp version taht would be hard-wired to the power.

Posted by: scott thacher Sep 12 2005, 10:30 PM

britt, dont waste you money on an electric heater, you would need at least 700 watts ( on 30 degree days )to really make a difference. which works out between 50 and 60 amps ( 12 to 13 volts ) or about as much as your alt puts out. the best thing you can do is to get some in seat heaters, then you will be warmer with out trying to heat the whole car.

or get some new HE's

Posted by: bd1308 Sep 12 2005, 11:04 PM

the jag and the rover both have heated seats, but they never work....both keep blowing fuses.

crazy english types.

how hot can these things make the person sitting on them?

Posted by: Jeroen Sep 13 2005, 06:37 AM

seat heaters will make you feel all warm and fuzzy... like when you pee in your pants

check with Craig from Camp914, he has the seatheaters listed on the resources forum

Posted by: rhodyguy Sep 13 2005, 06:58 AM

fine tune your marginal heating system. it should blow HOT air.

k

Posted by: SGB Sep 13 2005, 07:56 AM

I've got one from Harbor Freight (oooh, how long will it last?) that plugs into the lighter. My heat works great, though. I've got it for emergency windshield defrosting in case I gotta get a clear WS some February morning before the engine heats up. I've actually never plugged it in....
I've never had insufficient heat, I made sure the various connections 'tween HEs and J-tubes and impeller housing were nice and tight by bending and reshapping the bent up little screwed on "compression plates" that hold the parts together. Recently I put SS on heat exchangers and now it doesn't even smell!

Posted by: bd1308 Sep 13 2005, 08:05 AM

well my 2.0 leaked so much oil I just ended up drinking oil after awhile....

I'll have to see what I can do with this motor....but right now it's running too hot and therefore leaking oil and such. I think I can end up with a leak free car.

The last "straw" was the breaking of my heater pull cables...can't get much heat without the pull cable....

and the first cable on the 3 way selector for air comfort needs to be looked at....I need to get into the fresh air box and clear out the garbage that is siezing the flap inside blah blah....

but I see the light at the end of the tunnel...I just didn't know what to expect with all of the heating options..

Posted by: iamchappy Sep 13 2005, 08:42 AM

This one does a pretty good job at temps in the 20's you wont cook but your cabin will be warm. It needs to be hardwired to the battery. I mounted it to a spare ashtray.

Attached image(s)

Posted by: rhodyguy Sep 13 2005, 08:53 AM

so, spend money on a fan/aux heater, etc, for tepid heat. or buy a new control wire from the bird and be done with it.

k

Posted by: Rand Sep 13 2005, 12:29 PM

Britt, I'd have to agree with Kevin. Man, my heater will roast me out in no time. I know your climate gets colder than mine, but still, it should put out plenty. The system is simple. Are you sure yours isn't just in need of some attention? Or do you think it's working perfectly and still doesn't put out enough heat?

You could always install one of those gasoline heaters... http://www.espar.com/htm/Specs/D3LCspec.htm put out more heat than a 12v electric.

Posted by: rhodyguy Sep 13 2005, 12:41 PM

wow. diesel or kerosene too. . to heat the car!! WOW!!.

k

Posted by: davep Sep 13 2005, 01:41 PM

The only heating solution for a 914 is stainless steel heater boxes and a properly functioning stock heater system. You are certifiably nuts to think about electric heat.

BTW, I know the SSI boxes work well from years of winter experience in Canada.

Posted by: bd1308 Sep 13 2005, 01:47 PM

i have the SSI exhangers....

flapper valves look fine.

spongy NASA hoses look fine...i forgot where i put them though.

Posted by: GeorgeRud Sep 13 2005, 01:51 PM

Don't know the prices for one of these, but a Espar B1LC heater is only 14x5x5.5 inches, I think that could fit somewhere in a 914 engine compartment, under the back trunk, or in the front trunk. Would 7500 BTU be enough to heat the 914 interior? With the prices of original Heat exchangers @$2200/side, and marginal heat/fit of aftermarket 914-6 units, a set of headers and one of these heaters may be the way to go on a conversion. Anyone done one yet?

Posted by: Rand Sep 13 2005, 04:21 PM

There's something wrong with your heating system, and it shouldn't be complicated or expensive to fix. Start breaking it down. Does your blower work? If you take a hose loose at the driver's side footwell - front/top of long, it should be blowing a pretty good amount of hot air there. If it does then the problem is at least narrowed down to the dash area, vents, controls... and you'll have temporary heat in the cabin. If not, then you know it's at the back... HE connections, ducts, flappers, blower... Does the airflow change there when you move the heater flap lever?

Posted by: bd1308 Sep 13 2005, 06:32 PM

well i took it all off when i did the engine swap, then plugged the ports when i leaked a ton of oil....

i'll have to put it back together...i'll do it during fall break sometime.

i think it would be really cool If I could make the fall foliage or something..

Posted by: Hammy Sep 13 2005, 06:49 PM

The stock heating in my car seems to work fine too... Although in winter it doesn't get THAT cold here in Cali.. Since the hot air just dribbles out, it does take the cab 5-10 minutes to actually feel warm, but once it's warm, you notice it.

Posted by: kwales Sep 13 2005, 06:56 PM

That's not a resistance heater in the middle of the dash,

That sucka's a mini-microwave.....

Always have hot coffee and donuts with one of those,

Extra heat if you leave the door open while it's running.....

Ken

Posted by: Rand Sep 14 2005, 12:05 AM

If hot air only dribbles out, you've got a leak or obstruction somewhere, or the blower isn't working.

Posted by: Hammy Sep 14 2005, 12:11 AM

QUOTE (Rand @ Sep 13 2005, 11:05 PM)
If hot air only dribbles out, you've got a leak or obstruction somewhere, or the blower isn't working.

I don't know how the whole heating/air system works, but my fresh air blower does not work, does that blower also drive the hot air?

Posted by: Travis Neff Sep 14 2005, 12:14 AM

No, your fresh air blower just blows outside air in the car. The fan in the engine compartment pushes the heat, also your engine cooling fan pushes air through your exchangers and will trickle warm air into the cabin when you have the lever pulled up part way.

I am with Kevin, you can make your car into a freakin oven on the coldest of days with properly working exchangers/plumbing.

Posted by: Hammy Sep 14 2005, 12:19 AM

So my heater must not even be working correctly then?