# [EVDL] Ceramic heaters and toxic smells... dangit!



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I carefully installed my ceramic heater element in the original heater element box 3 years ago. It' given great service-- until now.
Now when I turn it on, there is a burning plastic smell. No clue if it's insulation on the wires, or something in the heater box, but I either scrape together 10 hours to rip apart the dash, or I shelve the car for the winter months and thus avoid using the heater.

Anyone ever had this happen to them?

Sheeesh, I wish we could get a decent heat pump from the OEMs!


Thinking about converting a gen. 5 ('92-95) Honda Civic? My $23 "CivicWithACord" DVD (57 mins.) shows ins and outs you'll encounter converting the sedan; the del Sol, or the hatchback. Each runs 144V/18 batteries. Primary focus on component/instrumentation/ battery placement and other considerations. For more info, http://home.budget.net/~bbath/CivicWithACord.html
____ 
__/__|__\__ 
=D-------/ - - \ 
'O'-----'O'-'
Would you still drive your car if the tailpipe came out of the steering wheel?
OR Lic. "LCTRNS"







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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello Bob,

There are two things that may cause this burning smell. I have found that 
the wire connection to the element increase in resistance by a loose 
connection and heats up this part of the wire.

The wire it self should be a high temperature type, such as a glass cover 
insulation or Teflon.

Another cause, may be the high temperature limit switch that is enclose in a 
plastic housing, that may be arcing which causes this smell. Use a ceramic 
or porcelain housing high temperature limit switch which you can get from a 
motor shop plus the correct high temperature wire terminal and wire.

I do not use this type of heater modification. I use a standard 120 vac 
under dash heaters, that you can get from some auto parts store. I use a 
640 watt on the driver side, and 840 watt one on the pass side.

They are way back mounted about 2 inches from the firewall, so I can not 
even see them. I use a heavy duty 30 amp 120 volt 3 position rocker switch 
to turn on the AC power that comes from a on board 20 amp circuit breaker 
that is feed from the AC main plug in.

All last winter and so far this year, all I had to do is preheat the EV for 
15 to 30 minutes before I leave which I can take the cab heat over 90 
degrees if I want. I have enough pre-heat where I run 5 miles and let the 
EV set for a hour and still make it back with out using the on-board 
inverter system to fire the heaters up at temperatures down to 0 degrees.

The on board inverter is a 5 kw unit that runs off a 7 kw HD alternator. On 
the run, I only had to have this unit fire up the under dash heaters for 
about 5 minutes, other wise it will roast me out.

Roland




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Bath" <[email protected]>
To: "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 6:23 AM
Subject: [EVDL] Ceramic heaters and toxic smells... dangit!


>
> I carefully installed my ceramic heater element in the original heater 
> element box 3 years ago. It' given great service-- until now.
> Now when I turn it on, there is a burning plastic smell. No clue if it's 
> insulation on the wires, or something in the heater box, but I either 
> scrape together 10 hours to rip apart the dash, or I shelve the car for 
> the winter months and thus avoid using the heater.
>
> Anyone ever had this happen to them?
>
> Sheeesh, I wish we could get a decent heat pump from the OEMs!
>
>
> Thinking about converting a gen. 5 ('92-95) Honda Civic? My $23 
> "CivicWithACord" DVD (57 mins.) shows ins and outs you'll encounter 
> converting the sedan; the del Sol, or the hatchback. Each runs 144V/18 
> batteries. Primary focus on component/instrumentation/ battery placement 
> and other considerations. For more info, 
> http://home.budget.net/~bbath/CivicWithACord.html
> ____
> __/__|__\__
> =D-------/ - - \
> 'O'-----'O'-'
> Would you still drive your car if the tailpipe came out of the steering 
> wheel?
> OR Lic. "LCTRNS"
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> General EVDL support: http://evdl.org/help/
> Usage guidelines: http://evdl.org/help/index.html#conv
> Archives: http://evdl.org/archive/
> Subscription options: http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
>
> 

_______________________________________________
General EVDL support: http://evdl.org/help/
Usage guidelines: http://evdl.org/help/index.html#conv
Archives: http://evdl.org/archive/
Subscription options: http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


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