Preheating: three ways. All variety of engine preheaters Heated cooling system

The problem of engine wear is one of the biggest headaches for every car owner. Starting in the winter season, when, due to frost, the engine requires much more strength to start work is especially strongly influencing the service life of the power unit. In order to prevent a sad outcome, it is enough to use a 220V engine preheater with a pump. However, not everyone knows which model is better and why. In order to help you deal with this, we have created our rating, which presents the best models available on the market.

No.7 - Simate (Simat) (PRC)

Our list opens with a product created by Asian engineers - Simate. It is quite easy to install, like most other electric car heaters. Inexpensive in price terms (from 1,500 rubles), the model is equipped with an effective pump, which ensures efficient pumping and, as a result, heating of the coolant. It does not matter in which car you use the heater - a passenger car or a truck. The device is equipped with a special thermostat and overheating protection, thus its service life is much longer than that of competitors. The same can be said about operational safety.

Engine preheater Simate

# 6 - Hot Start (USA)

The American company Hot Start is one of the market leaders and has been known for over 75 years that it produces only the best 220V engine preheaters with a pump. The company's products are able to reduce the costs of a motorist for fuel, fuels and lubricants and various repair services, since it significantly increases the service life of the engine. Each, without exception, model is made in accordance with international standards and certified according to ISO 9001, which guarantees the quality of performance and a high level of safety. You can buy the device at a price of 2,000 rubles, and for your money, this is an excellent choice.

Engine preheater Hot Start

No. 5 - Start-Turbo (Russia)

A Russian-made product cannot boast of ease of installation, and for a high-quality installation, an inexperienced car owner will have to contact a special center for help. However, this drawback is fully compensated by the excellent technical parameters of the heater and its reliability. For example, antifreeze is heated up to 49 degrees, after which an emergency shutdown occurs until the temperature drops. The time required for the car to start is significantly reduced, and after it there are no various noises and problems that are familiar to every driver. Even in winter, for the first time after starting, the car will drive at a decent level of traction. The price starts from 1800 rubles.

Start-Turbo engine preheater

# 4 - Longfei

Despite many negative reviews, Longfei's products are one of the most popular on the market. The opinions of users differed - some praise the performance indicators and a democratic price, while others, on the contrary, complain about frequent defects and various malfunctions. Thus, when buying a device, you do not know whether you will be lucky or not. However, it is worth noting that if luck is still on your side, you will have one of the best heaters on the market at your disposal.

The power of the model is 3 kW, the coolant is heated by a heating element, and the antifreeze is driven by a centrifugal pump. Power is supplied by connecting to a regular 220V power supply, while there is a small flaw - the model's cord is short, so you will have to fork out for an additional extension cord. The question of dimensions disappears - Longfei can be equally successfully used for both passenger cars and trucks. In stores, the price of this heater is usually 4,300 rubles.

Longfei engine preheater

No. 3 - Atlant (Russia)

The bronze medalist of our rating was another product of domestic engineers - the Atlant electric engine preheater. It is assembled, I must say, quite reliably and firmly. If you disassemble the device, you will find that there are gaskets between the contacts to prevent the risk of short circuits. All body materials are of high quality and not flimsy. The wires are made of copper and the motor frame is made of metal plates. The heating element is a monolithic plate with longitudinal ribs.

In operation, Atlant shows itself worthily - heating occurs quickly, due to which the time required for the car to start is reduced by 2-3 times. After the start, the car drives confidently and quietly. This is precisely the reason that the domestic product has collected so many laudatory reviews. If you are looking for a decent heater, then Atlant is the best choice. You can buy it at a price of 3150 rubles.

Prestarting heater of the Atlant engine

No. 2 - Severs + - (Russia)

The Severs preheater is the pride of Russian engineers who have managed to create a truly successful product that represents an ideal combination of price and quality. The device is built into the cooling system of the car and when connected to the network, the heating element, which is located in the case, begins to warm up the circulating antifreeze. At the same time, the circulation pump is started, pumping the heated liquid through the cooling system. When the required temperature is reached, the thermostat is automatically triggered, turning off the heating element and the pump. As soon as the indicator drops below the set mark, a restart occurs. This leads to the fact that the coolant temperature is always within the specified range. According to measurements, after half an hour of operation of the heater, the coolant temperature is 70 degrees - and this is a lot in comparison with competitors. Device power: 2 kW. As for the price, everything is pretty democratic here - 2,100 rubles.

Prestarting heater of the engine Severs +

# 1 - OWL

The result of the work of German engineers, the OWL heater, topped our rating. It is assembled extremely reliably, all components are of the highest quality and equipped with the necessary security equipment. Due to its compact dimensions, namely the small body width between the fittings of 3.5 cm, it can be installed directly on the hoses without resorting to adapters. brackets and tees. OWL is suitable for all vehicles and engines.

Installation of the device will not be difficult even for a novice car owner. This is a huge advantage of the model over domestic devices. OWL is equipped with a built-in thermostat that turns off the heating system when the temperature reaches 60 0 C. When it drops to 40 0 C, the system turns on again. The performance of the device of 1.1 kW was called optimal by many experts, since at such values the heat from the fluid spreads in the cylinder block slowly enough so as not to provoke sudden temperature drops and local boiling of antifreeze in those places where it comes into contact with the heating element. This model cannot be called affordable, after all, its price is about 7,000 rubles, but this is due to a decent level of reliability and good performance in work.

OWL engine preheater

An engine preheater is installed on various types of cars, heavy trucks, and special vehicles. Equipping this device makes it easier to start the internal combustion engine, increases the service life of the power unit, and also increases the comfort when using the car in winter.

On car models that are not equipped with a standard engine heating system, it is possible to install this device. However, during installation, you need to choose the right heater for the motor correctly, and install it correctly.

Why do you need a pre-heater?

Cold start of the power unit reduces its resource by 400-500 kilometers. In addition, not every attempt to start a car in winter ends successfully. It is most difficult to start the engine in the northern latitudes of Russia, where, the drivers of heavy vehicles, do not turn off the engine for the night, thereby preventing it from cooling down. This affects fuel consumption and the resource of the power unit.

Previously, blowtorches were used to warm up the motor. The disadvantage of this method was that the flame could damage the car, in addition, certain knowledge and skills were required to work with this device.

To solve the problems of winter starting the engine, you need to purchase a pre-heater - a device that heats the engine and interior before starting the car. It significantly increases the service life of the power unit, increases the comfort of travel in a heated cabin and reduces fuel consumption.

Types of car preheaters

Prestarting car heaters, depending on the type of their power supply, and the field of application, are divided into:

Electrical.
Autonomous.

In turn, autonomous heaters are divided into:

Air.
Liquid.

Engine preheating systems are also divided according to the type of fuel used by the car. Different types of heaters are used for gasoline and diesel engines.

When installing, take into account the type of vehicle and the type of heater. If the device is selected incorrectly, heating the engine before starting will be ineffective or cause the brake fluid to boil.

Electric pre-heaters for 220 volts

The electric heater has a simple design. The coolant is heated - later it flows through the tubes of the cooling system and heats up the engine of the machine. Most often, an electric heater has a cord connected to a 220 volt outlet and a heating element.

The device, depending on the configuration, is equipped with a device for recharging the car battery, a timer with a thermostat, a fan, and a remote control.

Installation of such a device is quite simple and does not require a visit to a specialized service center. To complete it, you will need to carry out the following procedure:

Drain at least 2 liters of antifreeze.
Disconnect the pipe from the stove.
Install the heater. To do this, use the complete heater bracket.
Connect the car heater to the stove using hoses.
Connect the pipes to the stove, assemble the entire system.
Pour antifreeze or antifreeze.

As for the nuances of use, in most cases, it takes no more than 30 minutes to fully warm up the motor. However, at extremely low temperatures, the time will increase to 1–2 hours. The heating device, which is connected to the car heater, heats up the engine, the systems connected to it, and the interior of the vehicle. The heater should be used only if the air temperature does not exceed -5 degrees. In other cases, there is no need to use the vehicle heating system.

Do not exceed the engine warm-up time, this can lead to boiling of the coolant. In addition, overheating may result in a fire.

The average cost of an electric heater varies from 1,000 to 5,000 rubles, depending on the brand, country of origin and functionality.

In the Scandinavian countries, parking posts are equipped with 220V sockets, which allows you to put the car on warming up at any time.

Autonomous engine preheating system

Autonomous heaters are much more convenient than electric ones, as they can function without being connected to a 220 volt network. However, such devices are more expensive and difficult to install. The device is a small chamber, inside of which a drip pin and a fuel-air mixture are placed. The chamber walls have a constantly circulating coolant, which, when warmed up, warms up the engine, interior and helps to defrost the glass.

A self-contained heater is mounted either in the vehicle's cooling system or in the power supply system. Equally applicable to both gasoline and diesel engines.

Autonomous heaters are divided into:

Liquid.
Air.

Liquid autonomous heating devices intended for SUVs, minivans and compact cars. The preheating device, designed for small cars, is installed on cars whose engine volume does not exceed 2.0 liters. Differs in high efficiency. The heaters intended for use on SUVs and minivans are large and efficient. However, they consume much more fuel. You can also find universal heating systems on sale; they can be used with equal success both on large cars and small cars.

Air ones are much larger than liquid ones, but they also generate more heat. They are used on ships, airplanes, special vehicles and large trucks.

Heat accumulators

Heat accumulators belong to the liquid type of car heater. The essence of the work lies in the fact that the tubes of the car's cooling system pass through such a battery. During engine operation, excess heat accumulates in the battery and remains there for up to 48 hours. When a cooled engine is started, the pump turns on and when antifreeze or antifreeze is pumped, heat is transferred to the cooling system.

The main advantage of such a device is high heating efficiency and long heat retention. The disadvantages include the complexity of the installation, and the need to replace the component parts of the device. Over time, valves, tubes and control levers wear out. Also, the disadvantage of operation is its cost. On average, a heat accumulator will cost a car enthusiast 7-8 thousand rubles.

When purchasing a heat accumulator, you should not purchase models made in China or Russia. It is best to pay attention to devices made in Scandinavian countries. These heaters boast high quality, good heat retention and efficiency.

Diesel fuel heaters

Under the influence of low temperatures, diesel fuel loses its fluidity. Diesel oil becomes cloudy, crystallizes and paraffinization occurs. As a result, the fuel becomes thick, which makes it difficult to pump through the filters, or completely makes it impossible.

One of the devices that makes it possible to protect diesel fuel from freezing is a preheater. Thanks to its use, the fuel in the tank and in the filter-separator is warmed up. For these purposes, the following types of heaters are used:

Heated fuel intakes and heaters in the tank.

One of the most common options. After the end of warming up, diesel fuel enters the fuel line. Heat is retained due to the flow of heated diesel fuel from the "return".

Bandage heaters (in the form of a flexible tape).

The fine filter is warmed up, the device control button is located in the car interior. After reaching the operating temperature, the heater switches off automatically.

Popular models of preheaters

Among the models of preheaters, the following devices are especially popular:

Device made in Germany. Refers to compact heaters, economical in energy consumption. Powered by a car battery. In the cold season, the engine warms up quickly and efficiently. In summer, it can ventilate the interior of the vehicle.

Teplostar 04TS.

Domestic heater produced in Samara. Powered by a 220V socket, it is simple and efficient to operate and maintain. Many motorists will appreciate the relatively low cost of this device. A special feature is the remote control of the device. Also, in the event of a malfunction, the operation of the preheater stops.

Norwegian heater of non-autonomous type. In addition to the main function of warming up the engine, it can recharge the battery (this option is useful, since the battery loses its power significantly in the cold). The buyer has the opportunity to purchase the basic and advanced kits, and combine them at their own discretion.

When buying a pre-heater, you should not save. Diesel heaters or heat accumulators, with poor-quality assembly, can quickly fail, and technical fluids can get into the engine compartment of the car. This will result in smoke or fire.

Summing up, it should be said that the use of a heater significantly speeds up the process of starting a car, saves fuel, and also makes traveling in a car more comfortable by warming up the air in the vehicle's interior.

Below is a video about car pre-heaters

In winter, many car owners experience problems with starting the power unit, as well as warming up the engine to the desired temperature. This is due to the mass of options for malfunctions, with the design features of the engine, as well as with the ambient temperature. If you are wondering whether preheating the engine in winter makes sense, first think about your climate zone, the type of power unit and its normal operating temperature. The higher the normal operating temperature of the engine, the more sensitive the unit is to frost. For diesel power units, it is simply necessary to install a pre-heater for normal winter car operation. However, on many modern cars, this element is already installed at the factory. Almost all medium and high-end cars are equipped with pre-heaters.

Before installing the heater and disrupting the operation of the standard electrical network, read the instructions for your car. Perhaps the heater is present in the base, and you don't need a buyer for anything. But a standard heater can only warm up the fuel in the system during the trip, preventing it from freezing, and also increase the engine operating temperature. If you want a pre-heater to warm up the unit before starting, you will have to buy and install additional equipment. Consider the features of the operation of a non-standard heater and a modern car system.

Diesel car heaters - a necessity or a luxury?

As mentioned above, pre-heaters are often already installed on modern diesel vehicles. However, their functionality is very limited, which forces owners to think over options for additional equipment of the car. In particular, it is possible to install an additional device to warm up the engine cooling system before starting, or completely replace the pre-installed version of the heater with a more functional device. For a modern diesel car, the following functions of such an irreplaceable device as a preheater will be extremely desirable:

heating the coolant in the engine to the normal starting temperature and safe commissioning;
maintaining the temperature of the antifreeze at a certain level due to the low heat transfer of the diesel engine;
heating the air in the cabin - sometimes with a diesel engine it is extremely difficult to arrange the desired climate in the car;
warming up the fuel lines, which will help to avoid freezing of low-quality diesel fuel;
heating the tank before starting and during operation, which will keep the fuel in the right state.

When exposed to severe frost, diesel fuel turns into a jelly-like mass. The engine simply will not be able to pass such jelly through the injectors, despite the enormous pressure in the system. Fuel freezing inevitably leads to significant powertrain problems. At the very least, the engine will stall and no longer want to start. Without a pre-heater, it will be extremely difficult to drive a diesel engine in winter. This is fraught with stopping in some deserted place and the car's refusal to perform its main functions. If you do not want such an outcome, it is better to buy an electric heater and install it correctly in the system.

Gasoline engine - do I need a preheater?

In the case of a gasoline unit, everything is somewhat more complicated. There is an opinion that a preheater is not needed for a car with a gasoline engine. In fact, in extreme frosts and this type of unit is extremely difficult to start, therefore such a convenient and functional device clearly does not hurt. However, high-quality heating can be convenient for those drivers who dream of automatically starting their car. By remotely starting the preheater or setting a timer, you can achieve the same effects as with a self-triggered alarm:

the engine will warm up before you arrive, you can sit down, start and immediately start moving;
a certain comfortable temperature for you will be pumped in the cabin, subject to the presence of a climate module;
the heater can be started remotely much easier than the car is started, especially in frost;
with the help of the heater, the operating conditions of the engine will be noticeably changed, the operation will be improved;
the heating device can also easily help the standard climate system in heating the passenger compartment;
you can set a timer or control the functions of the heater remotely from the remote control.

Today there are many types of heaters for gasoline engines. It is enough to choose the option that suits you in terms of functionality. This will help to completely get rid of the problems associated with starting the engine in cold weather, with a cold interior and other troubles. If you have to regularly face such problems in winter, it is better to protect yourself from them by installing a heating device before starting. It is better to choose a functional and time-tested heater, giving preference to the most well-deserved manufacturers in this context.

Heater complete set - choosing optimal functions

First, it is worth deciding on the global type of heater. This can be an option with a small gasoline engine and intensive heating of the coolant due to heating of the power unit, as well as an electric type of heater with a powerful heating element powered by your car's battery. Each option has its own pros and cons. For a diesel unit, it makes no sense to install a gasoline heater. But when installing an electrical module, you may need to get a larger battery. The important functions of the preheater are as follows:

heating the coolant with the possibility of passing it in a circle for uniform heating;
an increase in the air temperature in the passenger compartment due to heating the liquid and turning on the fan or a separate climate module;
work on the fuel system, warming up the tubes for supplying fuel fluid to the engine, as well as the tank;
automatic switching on at a certain temperature after the car has cooled down in the parking lot;
remote control of the pre-heater to obtain the desired functions;
timer for a certain time of turning on the heater in order to ensure comfort in operation.

You can buy a heater from a variety of manufacturers. Today, diesel fuel preheaters have become widespread. But experts do not recommend installing them, because the quality of diesel fuel is relative, at -30 degrees most diesel fuel options turn into gel. As a result, even with the pre-heater installed, you will not be able to obtain the necessary operating conditions for the power unit. All that remains is to wait for the diesel fuel to melt and take on the desired shape. Not only that, many diesel vehicles will require cleaning after the fuel in the system has solidified. See an overview of autonomous heaters and some features of operation:

Summing up

A quality pre-heater will always be an interesting addition to your car. But if you live in a climatic zone in which there is never a frost of -40 degrees, then this purchase is not so important. Many people install affordable pre-heaters in order to replace autonomous engine start modules with them, because in this case, car owners get the same functions at lower costs, as well as certain additional functionality for their car.

If you want to choose a pre-heater, use the forums and special sites with technical reviews. Most often, on such resources you can find truthful information, which is confirmed by the operating experience of a particular heater model. This will help you to more easily decide on one or another device option, as well as choose the fully suitable functionality. How do you feel about the idea of installing an additional pre-heater on the car?

The most inexpensive type of engine preheater is electric, built into the cylinder block, or located next to it. In fact, this is a modified electric boiler. Only its main task is not to bring the liquid to a boil, but to heat it up to such a state that the engine can start quickly in the cold season.

With the first view, everything is clear: the power of the devices is only 400-750 W. Their purpose is to maintain a certain temperature regime directly in the cylinder block. In addition to a heating element and a wire leading to a 220 Volt outlet, there are no additional sensors, nozzles and other devices here.

Video - self-installation of a 220-volt electric engine preheater:

A "boiler" with a wire is not enough for you? Then it will not be superfluous to buy an ordinary timer, if accuracy up to every second is so fundamentally important to you.

The most famous Russian heaters of this type are "Homeless" (from 1,200 rubles), "Start-mini" (from 950 rubles). The mentioned devices are mainly intended for, but are there any obstacles for domestic craftsmen?

For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that our motorists still consider the car primarily a luxury, on which too much money has been spent. People are somehow not ready to "pamper" their iron horses with expensive heaters, and therefore the popularity of models, the cost of which does not exceed 2,000 rubles, is growing. The same cohort includes models with the names "Lestar", "Start M1", "Start M2", "Siberia-M", "Alliance".

Recently, units of this type have begun to improve, they are supplied not only with timers, but also with an emergency switch, which, in case of overheating, stops the supply of electricity. The disadvantage of such structures is that it has become more difficult to install them in the space near the engine.

Another point that makes the use of such devices not too pleasant is the need to open the hood lid each time in order to stretch the wire from the device to the outlet. True, now the connector has already begun to be displayed under the bumper, which greatly facilitated operation.

Video - 12 volt engine preheater (24V, 220V) in the form of flexible heating plates:

More "advanced" pre-heaters are autonomous, adapted to power supply from the car's mains and designed for a voltage of 12 volts. Along with a lot of advantages, such devices also have very significant disadvantages:

the presence of internal fixtures that are subject to wear and tear and require replacement;
the formation of deposits in the pipes and combustion chambers due to insufficient cleaning of the fuel;
installation requiring certain skills;
great value.

This is just the last point - the main reason why the purchase of pre-starting autonomous heaters is constantly postponed until later. After all, not everyone can easily shell out an average of 30,000 to 90,000 rubles per device, even if its usefulness is beyond doubt.