12V Car Heater for defrosting

[Major Geek]

I do a lot of commuting, do not have a garage and am sick of the current Ice Age.

Has anybody used a 12 Car Heater that plugs into a cigarette lighter to aid defrosting in a morning? I have read some reviews which say they cannot produce much heat due to the rating (150w) and not wanting to melt the wires/dashboard. Given the low wattage are they still worth using?

I normally start the car and lock it with the spare key while it defrosts but this obviously wastes fuel and takes some time.

 

[gemarriott]

A relatively simple and very cheap alternative is a couple of hot water bottles. Make a brew , fill the bottles and stand them on your dashboard while you drink your tea. By the time you've had your cuppa the screen is clear.

 

[John Lloyd]

A relatively simple and very cheap alternative is a couple of hot water bottles. Make a brew , fill the bottles and stand them on your dashboard while you drink your tea. By the time you've had your cuppa the screen is clear.

You're turning soft in your old age

 

[Drill Bit]

Just get the missus out of bed to go and start and sit in the car whilst you have a shower, shave and breakfast.

 

[gemarriott]

You're turning soft in your old age

that would work tooDT_Xtremez_42:

 

[John Lloyd]

Leave one of these in it overnight, nice n toasty in the morning

 

[MrMasher]

I use water, fill up a few empty 2 or 3 litre bottles dropping a dash of hot in at the end. Just to take the edge off!

Then pour slowly from the top of your windscreen until the ice has gone.

Then stick your wipers on a few times to get the moisture off the window.

Easy!!

 

[spanners]

Your average modern car will use a small amount of fuel whilst at idle, roughly 0.2/0.3 of a gallon per hour, though this would increase with air con etc switched on.
It should only take 10 minutes to defrost, so leave it switched on and have a cup of tea, provided it's not parked on the road.

 

[185]

a long time ago in rafg vodka was cheaper than screen wash/anti icer so during the winter every car stank of booze,worked a treat never froze.if i remember it was called borzoy vodka,and if you did manage to get stuck,well any port in a storm.

 

[Scaley brat]

I use water, fill up a few empty 2 or 3 litre bottles dropping a dash of hot in at the end. Just to take the edge off!

Then pour slowly from the top of your windscreen until the ice has gone.

Then stick your wipers on a few times to get the moisture off the window.

Easy!!

When I'm in my pikey hovel DT_Xtremez_15: I put a sheet over the windscreen, clear the sides while the engine warms through a bit then whip the sheet off just before I drive off. The rear heater clears the back window before I reach the lane DT_Xtremez_14:


I do like John's idea though. How long do they run for John? DT_Xtremez_42:

However I did try the 150w heater thing in a fiesta I once owned..... a complete let down, blew air around in summer, about the best thing it did, the heater was crap and it stunk and my battery didn't like it.

 

[John Lloyd]

When I'm in my pikey hovel DT_Xtremez_15: I put a sheet over the windscreen, clear the sides while the engine warms through a bit then whip the sheet off just before I drive off. The rear heater clears the back window before I reach the lane DT_Xtremez_14:


I do like John's idea though. How long do they run for John? DT_Xtremez_42:

However I did try the 150w heater thing in a fiesta I once owned..... a complete let down, blew air around in summer, about the best thing it did, the heater was crap and it stunk and my battery didn't like it.

1.7 litres in the reservoir giving 10 days fuel,

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/pages/product/product.asp?prod=GHE-004&cookie_test=1

There are smaller ones, don't forget RTFI

 

[grumpyoldb]

Once upon a time, it was quite common place to change the heater thermostat in autumn and spring. The winter stat stay's closed for a longer period meaning the water in the cooling systems heats up much quicker. I have a winter stat in mine all year round which means the engine is up to running temp within about 4 mins.
When you park the car up at night, switch on the windscreen wipers, then try to swich the engine off with the wipers in the vertical position, then place a bin bag or newspaper under them and have a nice clear windscreen in the morning.

 

[grumpyoldb]

1.7 litres in the reservoir giving 10 days fuel,



There are smaller ones, don't forget RTFI

Doesn't it give off water vapour, John?

 

[pugilist]

A tropically heated car

A tropically heated car

This is pugilist's wife. Now pugilist is very security conscious and I get reprimanded for my lack of diligence with regard to house/car security.Pugilist is also a thoughtful hubby and de ices my car for me whilst I am in bed so it is relatively easy to re de-ice when I have to leave for work an hour or so later. So the other morning, imagine my delight and glee to find my car heated to tropical temperatures. Yes, pugilist had lovingly de-iced my car, run the engine - and then left for work - leaving the engine running for a whole hour. Bliss.

 

[pugilist]

We all make mistakes.

We all make mistakes.

Mrs Pugilist sneeked the above message on whilst I was on the phone to mummy pugilist and I think it was very unfair of her to embarras me on here.
If any of you have any useful tips as to how I can exact revenge please let me know.

 

[John Lloyd]

Doesn't it give off water vapour, John?

I believe that all forms of combustion give off water vapour to varying degrees, in particular compressed gasses such as propane/butane. Paraffin burning through a wick probably not so much. Any gardening greenhouse owners may know

I use my van for work and it is a very cold environment these winter mornings, so I will take it upon myself to trial the benefits of paraffin for defrosting the truck and report accordingly

 

[grumpyoldb]

I have a parafin htr in my greenhouse and it gets soaking wet in there.
When I was on early starts, I used to keep a small fan htr in the van and run an ext lead out to it.
I'd get up, switch the ext lead on from inside the house and let the fan htr run for a few mins while I got dressed then switch it off. By the time I went out all was good and I stowed the ext lead under a box in the garden. DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[gemarriott]

Mrs Pugilist sneeked the above message on whilst I was on the phone to mummy pugilist and I think it was very unfair of her to embarras me on here.
If any of you have any useful tips as to how I can exact revenge please let me know.

hit her with a spade behind the ear, you'll know you have hit her hard enough when straw coloured fluid seeps out

 

[Scaley brat]

Doesn't it give off water vapour, John?

So a copious amount of silica gel might be in order ::

I was more concerned about the amount of CO to be honest, I am guessing that it's probably not safe to leave on while I am sleeping in the van!

 

[grumpyoldb]

Mrs Pugilist sneeked the above message on whilst I was on the phone to mummy pugilist and I think it was very unfair of her to embarras me on here.
If any of you have any useful tips as to how I can exact revenge please let me know.

Just tell mummy Pugilist that big bad Mrs Pugilist is being horrible to you. I'm sure that your mummy can wipe it for you! DT_Xtremez_42: