Heaters

[DonkeyApple]

Probably going to be a bit of an odd question but I figured that kit car guys would be the best to ask.

What are the common heating systems used donor wise in builds?

What I am looking for is a system that is controlled electrically and not mechanically and is easy to remove from its host and get working in a project.

Doesn't need to be elaborate. Just fan speed, temp and able to point to screen etc. the basics really.

Thanks

Tim.

[AdiT]

The common ones are Mini (original not BMW) and older Polo's. Both are controlled by mechanical, cable controls though.

[DonkeyApple]

AdiT said:

The common ones are Mini (original not BMW) and older Polo's. Both are controlled by mechanical, cable controls though.

Thanks. That's the nub of the issue, finding a system that is controlled electronically. Is the mx5?

[Fastpedeller]

I've not sourced similar myself, so I may be way off target........
How about looking at very recent small cars in the breakers (if that's possible these days!) on the basis the newer the car the more likely it is to have electronic control?

[DonkeyApple]

Fastpedeller said:

I've not sourced similar myself, so I may be way off target........
How about looking at very recent small cars in the breakers (if that's possible these days!) on the basis the newer the car the more likely it is to have electronic control?

That is my last resort.

Start with the Bosch and Jap 90s cars. Too much modern stuff runs off an ECU.

I'm just hoping that there is a really obvious one that the kit guys know and use and pops straight out etc.

[migwell2]

I use a early polo heater but I have fitted headrest motors to both controls making it 12v control, easy!
Alot of modern cars use electronic contol but work on variable voltages from ECU's as mentioned

[rdodger]

DonkeyApple said:

Thanks. That's the nub of the issue, finding a system that is controlled electronically. Is the mx5?

MK1 & 2 MX5 are cable controlled.

[CorseChris]

I think the idea of using a basic 'mechanical' heater and adding motors/actuators for control is likely going to be the least-worst option.

I've used a Mini heater (old Mini!) with RC sail winch servos and a DIY control set to drive water valve and vent control before. With modern digital servos (amazingly powerful things), you could probably use this technique with only a simple control system, likely you could adapt a servo test box to fit the bill so wouldn't have to get too involved in electronics to achieve it, maybe just relocate a pot/fit an external one of more suitable design for the style of the car.

Thinking about some modern-ish cars I know, mostly if they have climate control, they have steppers to actuate any positon-critical vents/flaps, and simple open loop motor/gearbox units where they just need to be open or shut (typically the recirc flap). Stepper control isn't that hard to DIY, plenty of PIC type projects out there that will do that for you these days. last time I did a DIY analogue to stepper control system it was all old-school discrete semiconductors, coutners, registers, A/D converters. Now you can do it in one chip or so. Neither is control of the end-stop type jobs tricky either really, you just need to monitor the stall current and stop driving it when that reaches a preset value. Both would require a certain amount of electonics nouse and most likely, these days, a PIC style control system would be the best bet.

10 years ago I might have been sufficiently interested to get involved in designing such a thing just for the fun of it...but these days, sadly, I just can't be ar5ed!