Has any one installed pump-type heater on the coolant system

The problem is that your Prius pumps its coolant into a thermos when you turn it off. Just get the Toyota Block heater that fits into a hole in the engine block.

JeffD

 

Just check to be sure you have a loop that will circulate. It would be nice if it ran a little heat into the cabin.

 

I'm planning the same thing, calibramaanen have you figured it out?
I have a plug in converted 2008 and figure I should be able to use a plain heater on the inlet to the Heater core to get heat into the cabin, not interested in heating the ICE.
Any one know if this sounds like a good idea or not?
If the coolant needs to be circulated, it should be possible to do with the OEM electric water pump and a relay on it's power lines... thoughts...?

 

Cool thread. I'm sure there is a way to make it work. It would be nice to run the blower fan too. Get in and the cabin is nice and warm.

 

The idea is to use a hose heater as the heat source for the cabin heat, instead of the ICE, while driving and also to heat up the cabin on cold mornings. This heater should do it.

calibramaanen where in Sweden do you live?

 

It should be pointed out that the gen2 European Prius (Sweden) does not have the thermos tank and all that that implies. No thermos pump and no valve and far less coolant. This greatly simplifies matters with this sort of heater.
It would be possible with say a 6 volt transformer and bridge rectifier to run the cabin fan at a low speed to pre warm the cabin. This would depend on the wattage of the pump heater.

John (Britprius)

 

Thanks John, I guess this is more like what the EU gen2 looks like.



I plan to put the heater where the red square is and use the pump to circulate the water when the cas is stationary.
The question is if that water pump will run while driving in EV mode if the ICE is cool?

Calibramaanen, any progress? btw, I'm in Halmstad.

 

Two things to check with that pump/heater. I cannot see any electrical wattage rating for that unit in the add, but would expect for the climate in Sweden "having worked over there in the winter" for it to have an absolute minimum of 500 watts. Second the unit will not add any heat while driving.

John (Britprius)

 

It is a 1500W heater and it will run off 230VAC when the car is plugged in and off my 10KW 240VDC battery pack while driving, so I hope it will add heat while driving, that's the general idea
I'm on electric up to 90km/h, and the ICE is not running, so I have no heat from the ICE.

My problem is that I can't find any info on what it is that controls the pump for the OEM heater; is it temperature controlled, if so by what and where is that temperature sensor located or is it always running to circulate water though the OEM heater, or is it only on when the cabin needs heat?
I've attached the wiring of the A/C system and I suppose the pump is the one in the upper right of image 1
One solution could be to bypass the A/C WP relay to control the pump.

Another question is what the PTC heaters in the lower part of image 2 are for, what are they heating?

 

In the distant past I have used a Kenlowe HotStart engine preheater which locates into the engine coolest circuit, just as you show, to good effect. If I remember correctly it used a two kilowatt heater but importantly for you it had a thermostat and integrated pump which runs when the heater is powered. It ran off the mains and nicely heated the engine and cabin over an hour and a half in minus ten Celsius outside.

They are still made and available from Kenlowe or occasionally on eBay.

 

Yes, I've seen those, but the pump runs on AC, can't use that since I need it to run while driving.

 

The OEM heater electric pump runs when the engine is warm but not running and the internal heater fan on.It is there to circulate hot water from the engine as obviously if the engine is not running the coolant pump is stationary. All controlled by the HVAC ECU. I believe on the Prius C this pump has been removed along with the belt driven engine coolant pump, this being replaced with an electric pump.
The PTC heaters are in the cabin heater, but again I know these are not fitted in the UK version of the Prius and this probably applies to all European Prius. If you check in the relay box below the windscreen and look to see if the relays for the PTC heaters are fitted. No relays no PTC. I think these are fitted in the US version to help clear the windscreen before the engine has warmed up.
The pump you intend fitting again in the add does not state it will run on dc or is it your intention to use the OEM pump for this. The heater part if run from the 240 DC battery supply will need a DC relay capable of handling 10 amps at that voltage "possibly a Prius HV battery relay" an ordinary relay will burnout it's contacts.

John (Britprius

 

Have you considered putting a small radiator at the cabin air intake using the hot coolant from the inverter transmission loop. This has a heat energy input of over 2kw and possibly more in your situation.Taking heat from the inverter the two MG's and transmission losses. This already has a continuously running electric pump and the coolant could be diverted to the additional radiator before going back into the OEM radiator. This would give extra cooling to the inverter and MG's when running in electric only mode.

John (Britprius)

 

So in my case it will not run since the ICE is cool?

I will use a 250VDC 40A SSR to switch DC to the heater.
The heater is only a heater, no pump, I plant to use the OEM pump.

 

Brilliant idea John Do you know where i might find more info on that loop, diagram, images? I wonder why Toyota didn't do this in the first place..?