Fuel-powered engine heater - what is it and what are its benefits?

A fuel-powered engine heater is a heating system permanently installed in the car, which gets its power from the car's own fuel system and battery.

The engine heater is an excellent device for the cold Finnish winter. You can sit directly in a warm car and start driving. In addition , the Fuel-powered engine heater is an environmentally friendly choice.

In this article, we will tell you how the additional heater works and what kind of benefits it has.

What is a fuel-powered engine heater?

A fuel-powered auxiliary heater installed in the car helps your car warm up in cold weather. It enables the car's engine and interior to warm up faster and speeds up the start on winter mornings. It saves you from snow work and scratching your windshield, and it's also an environmentally friendly choice.

The auxiliary heater works with gasoline or diesel. With it, the car's own heating and ventilation system heats or ventilates the car quickly and efficiently. In addition, the system preheats the car's engine when the parking heater is in use. You start the heater (depending on the model) conveniently with the remote control or by setting the timer to the start time you want. Additional comfort comes from the fact that the heater can be started remotely, without having to drive through the snow to the car to start the heater.

Operation of a fuel-powered engine heater

When the heater is switched on, the heating is fully automatic throughout its operation. The heater switches on full power, partial power and off according to the heating need. The car's own heating and ventilation system starts when the temperature of the car's cooling water system rises to 30 °C. It remains activated for the entire time the heating device is in use, both when the car interior is heated in winter and when the car space is ventilated in summer.

The fuel consumption of the engine heaters in our selection is between 0.1-1.3 l/h, depending on the model.

Advantages of a fuel-powered engine heater

Getting into a preheated car is of course a more comfortable way to start the journey, but it also improves driving safety and has positive environmental effects.

When your car's windows are clear of snow, ice and ice, visibility is better and it's safer to hit the road. Not to mention the increased driving comfort provided by a warm car right from the start.

A preheated engine also consumes much less and produces less harmful exhaust gases. When you install a fuel-powered engine heater in your car, you save the engine, the environment, yourself and your surroundings!

Environmental benefits of a fuel-powered engine heater

Cold starting the engine significantly increases the car's emissions. The hydrocarbon and particle emissions of a preheated engine are reduced because the car's exhaust gas cleaning system starts working earlier. The emissions of a single cold start correspond to approximately 35 km of driving at a constant speed with a warm engine.

A 20-minute initial warm-up is enough

The German automotive association ADAC recently conducted a test for fuel-powered engine heaters. The test shows that the gasoline engine emits about 50 percent less hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides after just 20 minutes of initial warm-up. In addition, carbon monoxide emissions are halved.

All starts are cold starts

Starting the engine when warm significantly reduces engine wear. In fact, this is true even in the summer, as any start where the engine temperature is below normal operating temperature is considered a cold start.

Installing a fuel-powered engine heater

A fuel-powered engine heater must be installed in the car at a workshop. Depending on the model, the heaters can be used in all vehicles with a 12V or 24V operating voltage, e.g. cars, vans, motorhomes, boats, tractors and other work machines.

The devices in Autotavara-com's engine heater selection come with everything necessary for the installation of the engine heater. Depending on the model, the package includes a fuel-powered auxiliary heater, a fuel pump, and wiring and ḱignition accessories. There is also an operating panel, a wiring harness and a circulating water pump, as well as other small accessories.