In-hose heaters - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Zacharias · #1 11-24-2010, 03:49 PM

Is anyone using the simple in-hose heaters--the type that you splice into the lower radiator hose--which are supposed to radiate enough heat to make a difference in the block?

Are they worthwhile?

Also, does anyone have experience with the more complex ones, which also splice in some kind of tank and circulate the antifreeze through?

I know the latter type are expensive, and I'm not sure how I could plumb that into the old-type CC system setup with the servo.

Thx

kerry · #2 11-24-2010, 04:34 PM

Lots of happy users here. Do a search on lower radiator hose heater.

latitude500 · #3 11-24-2010, 04:44 PM

I love my lower rad hose heater. Make sure you replace the lower rad hose with a new one while your installing it. But I plug mine in about 2-3 hrs before I have to leave, and it makes the car a lot happier to start up, and I think it cuts down on wear.

Jeremy5848 · #4 11-24-2010, 05:44 PM

I had one on my '85 300D (W123, OM617) that worked great although I didn't need it very often. It was a superior alternative to the factory block heater, because the trap catalyst made the installation point almost impossible to reach.

Most radiator hose heaters draw more power than the Mercedes in-block heater, 600 Watts vs. 400.

Remember to take lattitude's advice and replace the entire radiator hose. Put the old one away in the spare tire well as an emergency spare. Route the electric cable carefully so it won't foul the fan.

Local2ED · #5 11-24-2010, 06:06 PM

I know many say they work great but I had one on a 1979 300cd and all it did was heat the radiator. Looking at the thermostat the the heated water should come from the engine side to open the thermostat to allow water to flow through the engine, is that correct? The one I had did nothing but heat the radiator even plugged in all night. Too many people say they work for me to dispute that but I would like to know why mine didn't.

fred98050 · #6 11-24-2010, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zacharias

Is anyone using the simple in-hose heaters--the type that you splice into the lower radiator hose--which are supposed to radiate enough heat to make a difference in the block?

Are they worthwhile?

Also, does anyone have experience with the more complex ones, which also splice in some kind of tank and circulate the antifreeze through?

I know the latter type are expensive, and I'm not sure how I could plumb that into the old-type CC system setup with the servo.

Thx

I got this type few months ago on amazon. This morning 6F at 7 am.... Works well. Maybe not as well as the engine block heater but helps a lot.

http://web.me.com/flangenard/Cold_Sart/Film.html

pawoSD · #7 11-24-2010, 10:21 PM

I have one. They don't work quite as well as a block heater, but they do the job. To do the job right they are best left plugged in all night. I used to use it when I lived in an apartment and the poor beast had to sleep outside in the snow. Now I have a heated garage.

So no plugging in necessary. The whole car is at 60F no matter what it is outside....which currently has been 25-35F

Its supposed to snow in a day or so.....garages are awesome.

showme · #8 11-24-2010, 11:32 PM

I put one in our 81 300D winter before last after debating on whether to install a block heater. (I have a factory block heater on my 90 Suburban, and it works great, as did my daughters on her 82 240D). But after reading all the posts on the horror stories of really tough installs and the possibility of cracking the block and it being hard to get to anyway, I chose to get a hose heater. (And I even had the block heater already!) I bought a Temro Zerostart, and it's a piece of cake to put in, and it does the job. No, it's not a block heater, but it works well enough for Missouri winters, which get down in the 0*-10* range for weeks, sometimes.

One thing I will say is that I had problems with mine starting last winter, and I was really disappointed, until I took the plug off of the aluminum housing and realized that when I had plugged it in, one of the male "spade" connectors had veered and missed the female part and ended up between it and the rubber mounting piece, so there was no contact. The whole last part of winter 08-09 it wasn't starting on the mornings that were below 17*, so I thought the hose heater was worthless. But after I refastened it correctly and realized that it HADN'T EVEN BEEN COMING ON BEFORE THAT!

, I found that it actually works really well. Never had a time after that point that it wouldn't start. Also, I bought a timer that I set to come on about 2 in the morning if it was going to get too bad so I didn't have it pulling 500 watts continuosly. (My truck's is 1200, I think) The hose heater doesn't have a thermostat, so if it's not down around 0* or a high wind chill, I don't want it sucking AC$$ all night long. Another thing you might want to check is to make sure you have an insulation pad inside your hood. I don't, but I'm getting one. When you come out in the morning and can see a melted spot where the heat is being lost, you know it's not efficient. And I'm a greedy guy when it comes to wasting electricity bucks. And, like lattitude500 said, get a new hose to put it in, unless yours is fairly new. It's an easy, cheap job. Why mess it up with an old hose. Besides, you'll always have an spare for a back up. There's a decent DIY somewhere on here that I used with good advice on exactly where to place it. (Halfway up the passenger side of the radiator). Yes, block heaters are probably better if you want to go to the extra trouble. But my hose heater works just fine, and only took me about 20 minutes to install, not including the flush and fill I did at the same time. And you will have to drain it, so you might as well flush it while you're there. Good luck.