converteddzlr

Don't have a link, and just picked up the truck yesterday so I'm still all giddy like christmas time playing with things. I'll do some checking and get back to ya.

As a sidebar I never believed in having an autostart in a diesel, but they've come a long way!

bkrukow

I am definatly going to be looking into one of those heaters. I dont like cold starting my truck in -10 or colder temps during the winter, and then driving 8 miles and shutting it off. I put the block heater on a timer in the garage but at work I am not gauranteed a spot to plug it in. It would be nice to not have to sit there for 5 minutes letting the truck warm up before I drive home. Not to mention getting into a pre warmed cab with no frost or ice to scrape and waching everyone else scrape.

SHINDEN

ESPAR will not remove any frost from your windshield since fan is not running, what it does - it only flow hot coolant through your cab heat exchanger.

Regards Jack.

Berak

The Espar heater unit can and does turn on your defroster fan, if wired properly.

SHINDEN

Mine was installed by authorised local distributor, obviously the mist that part of the deal.
Wouldn't that drain your battery exesivly? It's pretty large motor.

Regards Jack.

dieselnewbie

That's what the Espar guy told me.

He said it has a thermastat you can use to turn on the fans when the coolant reaches the temp you want.

The fans will also turn off if the temp gpes below that number.

Berak

The battery drain is a real concern if you have it running too long and your batteries are marginal. I think what I might do if I can find a good mounting spot is mount a deep cycle somewhere on an isolated charging circuit that is dedicated to feeding the espar unit.

AKram

Battery drain is a real concern. At -20F your battery is at something like 60%. If it is colder than that (gets to -50F here) figure what just a little battery drain will do to you. I would say most folks here in Fairbanks use a command start such as the one convertteddzler spoke about. One of the best units is made in Canada the brand name is Astrostart and has all the latest features. Keeping your engine warm at extreme temperatures is one thing but keeping the cab warm is another. Cold leather seats on the tush at -20F is no fun. At extreme temps there is only one thing that will keep the cab and engine warm and not leave you stranded and that is to run the truck. Good Luck:

bkrukow

Last time I read the details of the Espar unit on there site, it said that it would only run the unit for a maximume of 2 hours and then shut off. If the fan does not turn on till the coolant is up to temp and you have it wired to run the low speed, battery drain will not be a real consern unles you live up with AKram in the balmy -50 stuff. I have a 1 month old pair of deep cycle Optima bateries in my garage just waighting to get put in. So I am not to woried abought battery drain to much.

bigblock2stroke

They should just monitor batter volt and shut it off when it gets low, like one of those Battery Savers you can buy that disconnects the battery if it is being drained with the engine off.

kayjh

I don't get the problem. If the Espar unit will warm the coolant at least 1/2 way to normal, when you start the truck you will have instant heat from the heater and the truck will be comfortable within a matter of minutes.

Personally, I think Espar is missing one piece of the puzzle. They need to make a unit that in addition to warming the coolant can produce a modest amount of electricty - enough to run the fan on low. That would be the equivalent of "having you cake and eating it too".

As I've posted previously, I don't understand all of the talk about remote starters in extreme cold weather. I've idled mine for an extended period of time when it was -35C. The temp guage didn't budge.

Berak

Adding a diesel fired generator would greatly increase the complexity, size, cost, and weight of the espar system. I don't think it would be practical at all.

If your really concerned about it, put in a "battery buddy" thing or what I hope to do is add a dedicated batter just for the espar system.

Alaskaskiff

I have an ESPAR and I am pretty sure it turns off when a low voltage situation is detected.

bkrukow

I went on there site and found the closest dealer is abought an hour from me in Sioux Falls SD. I called up there and they said they where around $990 for the heater and anouther $240 for the universal mounting kit. If you want the 7 day timer that was anouther $150. Thats $1380 then you have to install it yourself, and make the plumming work. He said that espar has not been able to make a kit for the 3rd gen. trucks yet because Dodge wont relese the enginering prints.

Berak

I bought the complete Hydronic 5 system with 7 day timer online for just under $1000. I think it was Lube Specialties or something? Do a search at the TDR website to find it, I can't seem to find the link at the moment.