Anyone ever use a 12 volt ceramic heater in their 914???

Lots have tried. Lots have failed. Some almost work, but any serious heat or defrost or defog power takes more electricity than you can pull from a cigarette lighter outlet.

Other options with some real power are fueled by gasoline ("echelspargher" is a very feeble attempt at such a brand - LOL, can't remember the real name or spelling) or by propane (such as some golf-cart heaters that are infrared and safe indoors).

Lots of threads on this subject already. Let us know how your search efforts go.

I had one that I wired with 10ga wire straight from the battery. It was under the front edge of the driver's seat, and it kept me from freezing, but it never got the whole car warm. It also had the disadvantage that when combined with the headlights it would pull more amperage than the alternator could make, so it was necessary to put the battery on a charger every night so I could get to work the next day.


(Memories of being young and determined to not sell my ratty 914......)

I had a couple of the small ceramic electric heaters from Harbor Freight that plug into the cigarette lighter. Worthless unless you are planning on starting your car on fire with the overheated power cord.

I installed one of these:

http://www.autobarn.net/3000c.html

It's not great but it's a lot better than nothing. My car is track car with a stipped interior and lots of extra holes. Last Saturday morning I drove sixty miles to the track with the temperature in the low 40's with high humidity. Without the electric heater, I'm sure I would have been miserable. As it was, I'm glad I had my nomex gloves handy in my helmet bag and a mid-weight polar fleece jacket on. I'm sure if I plugged some of the bigger holes it would stay a lot warmer, but I need some of the holes for the water to run out.?!?

It's wired directly to the battery. I'm running a 3.2 six with an alternator with an internal voltage regulator. I have no idea of the alternator output but the heater has never drawn the battery down to the point the car didn't start..

If your teener still has some of the interior insulation and carpeting, and living in Texas, I'm sure it would help quite a bit.

Regards,

Eddie

Easy.
How many watts output does the heater you want require?
Divide watts by 12 volts to get amp draw.
Add that amp draw to 50.
Look for an alternator with the combined amp draw as a rating.
Install that alternator, some booster cable wiring and the heater you selected.

I have a fabulous Coleman "Cart Cat" LP heater (no flame), but there's still the old problem of no cup holder!!!!

Look into Webasto or Eberspacher gasoline fired heaters. These were used on early 911s, VWs, sailboats, etc. Not cheap, but they heat like there's no tomarrow.

sauna like conditions in sub-zero weather ...
Andy

http://silenceisdefeat.org/~lgtngstk/Sites...ter/Heater.html

Check out the link above. If it does not work at least you can make your morning toast on the way into work. By the way if it does work let evryone know (looks kind of dangerous).

How about seat heaters? See Camp 914

http://www.camp914.com/products.html