Parkheating....

What exactly is parkheating?

We use block-heaters here in Canada, they are electric, and cause no smoke... Unless you don't use a GFCI plug, and there is a ground fault or some sort, and your fuse doesn't blow, and the wires start to overheat.... but that shouldn't happen.

I have heard of little motors that run on diesel that can warm your engine, but I was told those were for larger diesel trucks.

What a weird world we live in. Burning fossil fuel to keep an empty car warm. There are places in Toronto where idling is an offence punishable with a ticket. These things would net you loads of tickets if they were keeping/getting your car warm....

Jordan S70 Loaded!

Parkheating is a Volvo addition which enables the car to be warmed up (both engine and interior) prior to commencing the day's first journey. It is supplied with fuel from the fuel tank.

Cheers, Peter.

: > What exactly is parkheating? : >

: > We use block-heaters here in Canada, they are electric, and cause no : > smoke... Unless you don't use a GFCI plug, and there is a ground fault or : > some sort, and your fuse doesn't blow, and the wires start to overheat.... : > but that shouldn't happen. : >

: > I have heard of little motors that run on diesel that can warm your engine, : > but I was told those were for larger diesel trucks. : >

: > You shouldn't need supplementary engine heating above 0° C. IMO. : :

: -- : Mike F. : Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont. : : NOTE: new address!! : Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly. : (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

overheat....

Yes. In fact, that's the brand of heater that Volvo has had optional in some markets for more than 20 years.

But at least these use way less fuel, as this device is designed to only heat coolant. An idling engine doesn't use fuel very efficiently for this purpose. From what I hear, this company is just starting to sell this product in Canada, and they have a booth at the auto show.

Wow what a neat idea, I've never heard of it, sure beats idling the car to warm it up though, much better for the car and the environment. Not quite cold enough where I am to be worthwhile though.

Not to be contrarian but, is this really necessary? If we haven't had products like this in the past do we really need them now? Block heaters work well (and yes, I understand that the electricity used to power them has to be produced somewhere, somehow.) Even before block heaters cars were started in the winter (even in Canada!) and all was good. How many days this winter has it been cold enough to warrant the use of a device like this? 5 or 10? Most people who can afford a Volvo have one, two or even three garages. A semi-warm garage is a way better solution than either a block heater or any other coolant warmer in my humble opinion.

Don't get me wrong. I would love to hop into a nice warm car on a frosty winter morning. I just think it is unnecessary and wasteful.

Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded

It all really depends, I have 3 Volvos and no garage space to park any of them in, I still think that device is a pretty cool idea, if I lived somewhere where the climate was below freezing more than a couple weeks out of the year I'd seriously consider one, I hate climbing into a frozen car and having to run it for a few minutes before things are thawed out enough that I can see well enough to safely drive.

I guess I am wondering what has changed in our thinking such that we (as a collective) now think we need these devices when we haven't either wanted or needed them in the past. Cars have started in the past and now that ignition systems have been modernized they will start even better in the same conditions. I really think it all comes down to convenience. As both you and I mentioned, we hate getting into cold cars on cold mornings.

Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded!

Please be nice now, and politically correct (mostly).

My family owns 3 Volvos ('83, '85, '89), and has only one garage, too small to hold anything larger than Mini Cooper, and it's loaded with stuff anyway. I've been mostly out of work too long to admit to, so please don't think that we could "afford" to get additional garage space.

Volvo a luxury car?? For us, it's an extremely economical car due to the reliability. Buy it cheap, and keep it forever.

They've started very well in this very cold New England winter. We do idle them in the driveway on very cold days, and don't expect to buy any kind of block heaters soon.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ To send email, remove all < > and [ ] and the junk ~ between: [brucepick1] < a~t > [comcast.net]

Jordan B. wrote:

In Fairbanks, Alaska, the parking meters have electric plugs on them for block heaters. Unless you have to start your car in -40F/-40C weather in a city that doesn't provide warm garages on city streets, I think that you should remain open-minded about block heaters.

It's not that we didn't want or need them, it's that we (or I) didn't know they existed!

I think you missed my point. I remain completely open minded about block heaters. However, I do not have one in my car and it started at the cottage in January when the temp read

-32. It didn't like it but it did start. This was not my point though. My point was people are looking for solutions to problems that either don't exist or are not consistenet enough to warrant the effort. They are finding solutions to inconveniences but not problems. And as I mentioned, at least in Toronto, I would imagine you would garner a ticket for having a parking heater idling away. FWIW, if I lived in Alaska I would definitely have a block heater because the climate dictates that I need one if I would like to use my car.

PS: Was Northern Exposure really shot in Fairbanks? I loved that show....

Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded (but no block heater)

Bruce, Sorry to hear about the employment situation. I should clarify that I was talking about modern Volvos not trusty 240s/740s/940s. Most recent model Volvos cost North of $30K Canadian which puts them in the near luxury class. Some of the higher end Volvos cost upwards of $60K Canadian which is luxury car territory. FWIW, I have a 2 car garage and it' still crammed with crap. I manage to find room for one car. Usually my wife's Caravan...

Jordan 1999 S70 Loaded!

How would anyone know the park heater is running to give a ticket? It's not an engine, it's more like a gas fired water heater, I would guess it's virtually silent, and quite efficient since all the energy is going into producing heat, rather than rotating the engine and other parts when it's cold.

Since when is it bad to look for solutions to inconveniences? I'm not a monk, I rather like modern conveniences.