W210 cdi aux heater timer - how ?

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datripsta

Active Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
127
Location
UK & Hungary
Car
E320 CDI ( S210 & S211 )
I'd like to have a timer like on the older Wabasto fuel fired heaters. Does the same time unit found in the ashtray area unit work on the electric aux heaters on the face lift W210.

Id like to set a time to something like 15 mins before I head off to work each day so the car is already warm'ish and hopefully windows cleared :) not to mention some warm water for the engine on start up.

Here in Hungary its gets bloody cold in the winter so this would be a really big thing for me to have something like this working.
 
I'd imagine if one were to run the electric aux heater without the engine running the battery would go flat very quickly?
 
I'd imagine if one were to run the electric aux heater without the engine running the battery would go flat very quickly?

Mine has the aux heater but there was also another option I believe which had a timer unit in the ash tray (in place on the manual switch) so i would think it is possible but I wouldn't i agree I wouldn't run it too long :thumb:

I thought these are prone to being unreliable anyway?
 
I highly doubt the electric heater would have been possible to preset, if there is mini-clock device in ashtray, car has a fuel heater (or its removed). On/off button is ashtray may be controlling electrical heater too (I've button), but there is no timing feature.

OP could buy an universal webasto or eber unit, with clock feature. Or if 220V AC is always available, DEFA has many different options from block heater/cabin heater/battery trickle charger units which can be connected in single plug of AC power source.
 
Is this run on fuel then? It does say it can be pre-programmed

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Is this run on fuel then? It does say it can be pre-programmed

Yes. Its located in front of the passenger side wheel (LHD car), and exhaust pipe come through bottom covers at the same corner.

Edit: pre-facelift diesels fuel heater was standard, was changed somewhere around facelift time to electric heater. Electric one has power of several hundred watts so it draws current easily up to several tenth of Amps --> battery is drained fast if car is not running (short circuit is very common fault both W210 and W203 cars)
 
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What does the Aux Heater on the facelift cars heat????? ( Button down by the ashtray ) should it go on before start? or stay on until engine is at operating temp??? ( as mine takes nearly 7 miles and a good 10-15mins in winter temps ) the button is on for all of my 9 mile commute
No RTFM's please as i havent got one
 
Thanks all - good info and a huge help.

Looks like I'll need to retro fit a Webatso then. I've looked on flebay and all listings seem to be incomplete ( heater unit or control panel ), I'll have to figure out how to plum/wire it in. I'm guessing it will need 12v +/- , fuel feeds and something to say its cold enough to switch on ( I can fake this with X voltage/resistance or daisy chain from the temp sensor in bumpber) to ignite and link it up to the timer panel.

No clue where its meant to be mounted other than near the wheel arch, where the exhaust goes and the plumping for fuel and water.

Question - I'd prefer to keep the elec heater installed and plum the Webasto in. Then I'm covered every way. Set Webasto to come on before I head off and kill it once engine is started then car should switch on elec if cold enough - I'll then have the elec heater if I need it when driving during the day and no time to pre heat. That is if its possible but if its gonna be a PITA then Ill swap out for the Webasto.

Took a quick look at online EPC and couldn't find a Webesto on the face-lift estate. Would be good to plum is as close to OEM as possible.

@tjamesbo - I think red light off at the switch in ashtray means its set to come on when temp under 6 degrees. If I remember I set mine to max on temp with STAR which was 13 degrees ( I might be memory might be wrong ) - you need a working tempo sensor so if that duff ( crazy reads on instrument panel ) your not going to get anything regardless of the heater being in operable condition. It gives heat to your heater core - I don't think it helps engine temp that much but more to give you comfort in the cabin/defrost windscreen. Its not exactly toasty but does give welcome your tattys are shrinking.....`If you have shunted your EG your temps will take longer to go up, the same of your thermostat is shot but our 3.2l oil burners do take a while to heat up. back in the day, my little 900cc 1990 Micra mini shed ( yes shame on me ) was as warm as a gas fire within 1/2 a mile, but then it did only have a can of coke size engine water reservoir.

Thanks all once more. We have unfortunately missed the India summer you guys have back home. Down to ~7 degrees during the day now, however, summer is way better here so cant have it all. This is going to be much needed within the next month.
 
What does the Aux Heater on the facelift cars heat????? ( Button down by the ashtray ) should it go on before start? or stay on until engine is at operating temp??? ( as mine takes nearly 7 miles and a good 10-15mins in winter temps ) the button is on for all of my 9 mile commute
No RTFM's please as i havent got one

Single button with red led? It engages electric heater which is warming coolant flowing to ac heat exchanger. It's automatic, always on when engine running and coolant temp below certain value (cannot remember limit). You might notice difference when car is cold and running idle, press button on and off, revs may change slightly due to current draw.
 
Thanks all - good info and a huge help.

Looks like I'll need to retro fit a Webatso then. I've looked on flebay and all listings seem to be incomplete ( heater unit or control panel ), I'll have to figure out how to plum/wire it in. I'm guessing it will need 12v +/- , fuel feeds and something to say its cold enough to switch on ( I can fake this with X voltage/resistance or daisy chain from the temp sensor in bumpber) to ignite and link it up to the timer panel.

No clue where its meant to be mounted other than near the wheel arch, where the exhaust goes and the plumping for fuel and water.

Question - I'd prefer to keep the elec heater installed and plum the Webasto in. Then I'm covered every way. Set Webasto to come on before I head off and kill it once engine is started then car should switch on elec if cold enough - I'll then have the elec heater if I need it when driving during the day and no time to pre heat. That is if its possible but if its gonna be a PITA then Ill swap out for the Webasto.

Took a quick look at online EPC and couldn't find a Webesto on the face-lift estate. Would be good to plum is as close to OEM as possible.

@tjamesbo - I think red light off at the switch in ashtray means its set to come on when temp under 6 degrees. If I remember I set mine to max on temp with STAR which was 13 degrees ( I might be memory might be wrong ) - you need a working tempo sensor so if that duff ( crazy reads on instrument panel ) your not going to get anything regardless of the heater being in operable condition. It gives heat to your heater core - I don't think it helps engine temp that much but more to give you comfort in the cabin/defrost windscreen. Its not exactly toasty but does give welcome your tattys are shrinking.....`If you have shunted your EG your temps will take longer to go up, the same of your thermostat is shot but our 3.2l oil burners do take a while to heat up. back in the day, my little 900cc 1990 Micra mini shed ( yes shame on me ) was as warm as a gas fire within 1/2 a mile, but then it did only have a can of coke size engine water reservoir.

Thanks all once more. We have unfortunately missed the India summer you guys have back home. Down to ~7 degrees during the day now, however, summer is way better here so cant have it all. This is going to be much needed within the next month.

Go to the webasto web page, I think there are mounting instructions.

It also depends on what type of device you are installing, some have internal fuel pump, others use external. Retrofitted non-CAN-bus devices are not communicating with car but are standalone (You'll need wire to the blower motor). Heater monitors coolant temp and are dropping heating when temp rise.

My retrofit Eberspächer is located in corner of the engine bay under the electric block heater and expansion tank. Quite tight place. I can check if I have some pics I took when I changed control unit of my eber.

I would unplug electric heater because they are very prone to fail. There is no harm to use webasto during the car is running. And it much more faster than electric one. However it's recommended to use heater at least 10-15 min constantly, shorter periods may cause system clogging. And every minute you keep heater on before car is started, you should drive same amount of time (15min pre-heat --> 15 driving) in order to get your battery recharged. In very cold conditions (<-20C) driving time needed is even longer because cold accumulator cannot receive charge very fast. If you have lot of short trips, I would put 4A or 10A DEFA trickle charger to car.

Edit: remember that you'll need timing clock kit for preset timing, they are usually sold separately, and is quite expensive... but then there is also option for remote control (+ more money) :). Again, see Webasto (or Eberspächer) home page for more info...
 
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Eberspacher and webasto are very similar. Espar.com has technicalminfo on how to retrofit these things to most cars vans and lorries. I have used them on my sprinter camper and on my current lorry based camper.

They are incredibly simple. The wiring is (on ebers)- fat red and black to battery. Yellow to "go" switch. Two blues to fuel pump. Connect yellow to +ve to make it go. T pipes into engine water pipes with a one way valve and it pre heats the engine. I suspect webastos are very similar. The timer is just that, a mere timer which you could rig up with any old clock.

They use very little diesel, but do give the battery a hard time on startup (glow plug type affair)
 
so if I got aftermarket its probably easier than one fro ma donor car as factory fitted is can-bus ?

I've located 2 units out of same car E320 CDI same year both seem to have internal fuel pumps and the Webasto end of the wire loom. I need to find a reasonably priced control unit to go in the ashtray.

RE: the trickle charger. Where does the 4A or 10A DEFA trickle charger get its source power from. Is this something to plug in overnight/when stopped. Another dumb question - Whats a cold accumulator and where is it on my car :)
 
RE: the trickle charger. Where does the 4A or 10A DEFA trickle charger get its source power from. Is this something to plug in overnight/when stopped. Another dumb question - Whats a cold accumulator and where is it on my car :)[/QUOTE]

I can answer the last bit. It will be a mains charger, and the accumulator is actually your battery. They do not work so well when freezing cold.

Neil
 
Right, your main battery can take only some amount of current from alternator. When temperature goes down, this amount of current drops drastically.


Defa charger uses 220VAC, and can be left charged overnight. And like I said earlier you can put a engine block heater (and why not cabin heater) parallel to charger.

Defa 4A multicharger
DEFA / MultiCharger 1204

10A DEFA / Battery chargers


Cabin heaters
DEFA / Interior heaters

Block heaters
DEFA / Engine heaters

Control units
http://www.defa.com/en/automotive/warmup/products/control_units/


There are other 220V AC heater manufacturers too...
 
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ok got it - I should have used my brain and understood you meant the correct name for a battery :)

Issue is I live in an apartment and not way to link car up to a AC source on the street. I do have 2 E320 CDI batteries so I could use the both with the second easily removable from the boot and take o

ut to charge every few days. Believe me the hassle is going to be well worth it.

My drive is around 40 mins stop start driving - does that help ? care has 190 amp alternator. I guess the other option is to up power of the alternator.
 
40 min drive is perfect for 20-30min preheating. While driving alternator can produce webasto current draw. You won't need to change/charge battery if it's in good condition otherwise.

I couldn't find any pictures from my Eber location, sorry...
 
does it matter if its stop start with quite a few runs of a mile or so of around 45-50 mph.

I might have to put this on hold - some **** stole both my wing mirrors last night so I need to fund a new pair. Defo pro job, at least they left the cables with connectors in place and didn't damage the car. Should the alarm have gone off ? Mirrors were folded in.
 

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