Electric heater question

[Regulo]

Hi, brain-boxes,

Can you tell me exactly how the electric heater works? Not the fiddly bits at the operating end, but how it actually heats the air. I thought it would be a bigger version of a domestic electric fan heater, but I read on another thread talk of "fluid". So, is this fluid heated by an electric element - much like a domestic immersion heater, and then the air into the cabin heated by a matrix? And if so, is it the engine coolant, or a completely self contained system? Thanks for the excellent answers you're about to give.

[avensys]

Hi,
My understanding is that an electric heater element, similar to that in a kettle, heats water which is then pumped into the normal heater that extracts the heat from the water and converts into air. When the engine is running and the water gets to about 65C then a valve opens which lets the hot water from the engine into the heater.
I believe the electric heater is 4.8KW when operating at maximum.
Hope that helps a little.
Kind regards,
Mark

[Regulo]

When the engine is running and the water gets to about 65C then a valve opens which lets the hot water from the engine into the heater.

Thanks, Mark. So the engine coolant is used initially just in the electric heater? Or are there two separate circuits, one for heater fluid, and another for engine coolant? I'm just trying to get it clear in my own nosy mind how it works.

[avensys]

When the engine is running and the water gets to about 65C then a valve opens which lets the hot water from the engine into the heater.

Thanks, Mark. So the engine coolant is used initially just in the electric heater? Or are there two separate circuits, one for heater fluid, and another for engine coolant? I'm just trying to get it clear in my own nosy mind how it works.

Hi,
I don't think there are two circuits as such. Rather, the engine circuit is isolated from the heater by a thermostatic valve until the engine has warmed up. The point is so that if the electric heater is operating the heated water does NOT circulate to the engine thus losing the heat to a cold engine. Once the engine has warmed up and the valve is open I am guessing it is just one circuit.
Kind regards,
Mark

[duetto]

at least you have a heater I can not understand why the base PHEV has no decent heater included, cannot even get it added as an optional extra.

[anko]

When the engine is running and the water gets to about 65C then a valve opens which lets the hot water from the engine into the heater.

Thanks, Mark. So the engine coolant is used initially just in the electric heater? Or are there two separate circuits, one for heater fluid, and another for engine coolant? I'm just trying to get it clear in my own nosy mind how it works.

Hi,
I don't think there are two circuits as such. Rather, the engine circuit is isolated from the heater by a thermostatic valve until the engine has warmed up. The point is so that if the electric heater is operating the heated water does NOT circulate to the engine thus losing the heat to a cold engine. Once the engine has warmed up and the valve is open I am guessing it is just one circuit.
Kind regards,
Mark

One circuit that can be divided in two by a valve, or two circuits that can be connected to one by a valve ....

Either way, according to the tech guy from the distributor in the Netherlands (European head office), the valve opens when the coolant reaches 60 deg C. Changes are that the heater fluid is hotter than that, when it happens.

[maby]

at least you have a heater I can not understand why the base PHEV has no decent heater included, cannot even get it added as an optional extra.

You can - it's called a GX4

[avensys]

Hi,
I actually think that the base model should have had electrically heated seats as standard. That would mitigate the lack of an electric heater on short trips.
Kind regards,
Mark

[anko]

at least you have a heater I can not understand why the base PHEV has no decent heater included, cannot even get it added as an optional extra.

You can - it's called a GX4

Indeed. It can go two ways: either the base model is underspec'd or it is to expensive. But it is never right.

[greendwarf]

at least you have a heater I can not understand why the base PHEV has no decent heater included, cannot even get it added as an optional extra.

But it does and it works fine just like most other cars - except on very short journeys I don't have to waste petrol warming the bonnet up unnecessarily. If you wanted an electric heater you shouldn't have bought the GX3h.