# [EVDL] Universal hair dryer as heater



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

In my first conversion (VoltsRabbit), I used a space heater that I retrofitted with a 12V muffin fan (run off the cigarette lighter). Advantages: worked well. Disadvantage: Velcro-ing it to the dash, and it still falling off around a turn. 
So when I converted the Civic, I stuck a ceramic element inside the original heater core ductwork. Advantages: Slick appearance (or disappearance)! Disadvantage: Too much warm air getting lost in ductwork, or under the dash. 

As it stands now, I am debating yanking the dash and set in an Anderson connector to a universal input hair dryer. (Yes, I have arc suppression/relay setup).

Anyone out there used the hair dryer method, and if so, what is a brand that is a _guaranteed universal (AC or DC) model? Where did you purchase it?
Appreciatively, 

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)

I bought two different brands of regular hair dryer at a thrift store.
they both had DC motors on the fan when I opened them up to check.
Both run very well on DC. Of course the circuit protection devices
wont work right in the HV DC circuit though, nor will the switches.

-Jon Glauser
http://jonglauser.blogspot.com
http://www.evalbum.com/555

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I used one several years ago, a "curly top" hair dryer I'd gotten at a 
garage sale. I've seen similar ones offered in thrift stores and the like, 
though I think that particular type is now out of fashion.

I don't know of any sure way to determine whether any particular unit will 
really run on DC, at least not in the store or at the garage sale. But if 
you open it up and find a diode or bridge rectifier in the motor lead, 
that's a pretty good sign.

David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
EVDL Administrator

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Anyone out there used the hair dryer method, and if so, what is a brand that is a _guaranteed universal (AC or DC) model?
If you're checking a thrift store, a 12V battery should spin the fan.

Cory

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

JCWhitney has a 12 Volt hair dryer/defroster for $12.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/ROADPRO-12-VOLT-HAIR-DRYER-DEFROSTER-WITH-FOLDING-HANDLE/GP_2012712_N_111+10201+600002613_10101.jcw

Darrin Brunk Pensacola, FLA


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cory Cross" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" 
<[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 9:13 PM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Universal hair dryer as heater


>
>> Anyone out there used the hair dryer method, and if so, what is a brand 
>> that is a _guaranteed universal (AC or DC) model?
> If you're checking a thrift store, a 12V battery should spin the fan.
>
> Cory
>
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>
> 


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> On 19 Feb 2009 at 22:11, Darrin wrote:
> 
> > JCWhitney has a 12 Volt hair dryer/defroster for $12.
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

yes but "light bulbs" are designed to make light, heat is just the wasted
energy, heaters ...no light only heat and fan



> EVDL Administrator <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > On 19 Feb 2009 at 22:11, Darrin wrote:
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> On Friday 20 February 2009 07:23 pm, Randy Eckert wrote:
> > yes but "light bulbs" are designed to make light, heat is just the
> wasted
> > energy, heaters ...no light only heat and fan
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> On 20 Feb 2009 at 18:23, Randy Eckert wrote:
> 
> > yes but "light bulbs" are designed to make light, heat is just the wasted
> > energy, heaters ...no light only heat and fan
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I've already ordered one. I'll do some early morning field tests to see if 
defogs the windshield quickly. I suspect that it does a better job at that 
compared to a couple of 100 Watt light bulbs. 

Down here in Florida I'm not so concerned about heating the cabin. This 
time of year the cool morning temperatures and humidity causes the 
windshield to fog up and it would be nice to be able to clear that off 
quickly.

When I get the dryer I'll take it apart and post what is inside. Maybe 
three or four of these could be dismantled and formed the guts for a decent 
DC heater.

Darrin Brunk Pensacola, FLA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "EVDL Administrator" <[email protected]>
To: "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 5:21 PM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Universal hair dryer as heater




> > On 19 Feb 2009 at 22:11, Darrin wrote:
> >
> >> JCWhitney has a 12 Volt hair dryer/defroster for $12.
> >>
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Yeah, that is the limit of the cigarette lighter plug. 
I once got a 12V water cooker to make a hot cup of
coffee on the road.
Before going on a trip I decided to test it.
I only put a cup of water in, but it never got it
to the boiling point so I returned it the next day.
(Don't reward makers of bad products by paying for
their crap and not returning it - make them clear that
they will only have a business when they make good stuff)

BTW, I had the impression that the original suggestion
was to test the fan at 12V to see if it is a DC motor,
so it should run off a 120V-ish pack just fine after
disabling the switch and using a contactor and modifying 
the overheat protection to control a second contactor - 
both modification required by the use of DC.

Regards,

Cor van de Water
Director HW & Systems Architecture Group
Proxim Wireless Corporation http://www.proxim.com
Email: [email protected] Private: http://www.cvandewater.com
Skype: cor_van_de_water IM: [email protected]
Tel: +1 408 383 7626 VoIP: +31 20 3987567 FWD# 25925
Tel: +91 (040)23117400 x203 XoIP: +31877841130

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of EVDL Administrator
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 4:51 AM
To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Universal hair dryer as heater



> On 19 Feb 2009 at 22:11, Darrin wrote:
> 
> > JCWhitney has a 12 Volt hair dryer/defroster for $12.
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> On 21 Feb 2009 at 0:24, Darrin wrote:
> 
> > I'll do some early morning field tests to see [a 150-200 watt 12 volt
> > automotive hair dryer] defogs the windshield quickly. I suspect that
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

New guy here, first post.

How about one of the 120v heat guns ?

Ray

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I expect it would work but the fans in them are typically loud.

I think it was Roland who posted a while back about using a hot water heater 
element. I personally think this is a much more logical approach. You can 
keep the stock heating system, plumbing, core, controls etc. and simply 
replace the engine heat with a hot water heater and small pump. Keep in mind 
most heater controls need vacuum but if you are using power brakes you 
should already have a pump for that.

I also found a small shower head style hot water heater a while back and 
posted a link to it as well as a pump option. Other options could be a pool 
or spa heater, diessel truck coolent heater, fabricated stainless tank with 
a screw on bung and heating element out of a hot water tank.
Check out this:
http://www.baldor.com/support/product_specs/generators/Block_Heaters/01_KimHotstart.pdf

If you go the hot water route , use a preasure release valve (aka, T&P valve 
or TPR valve) for safety if it gets to hot.

Stub




> Ray Brooks wrote:
> > New guy here, first post.
> >
> > How about one of the 120v heat guns ?
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Chris Stephens wrote:
> ...
> 
> Keep in mind
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Victor Tikhonov wrote:
> > Don't want to beat dead horse, but this solution exists for a long
> > time: http://www.metricmind.com/heater_w.htm
> 
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

All,
E-Gads, if John (Plasma Boy) Wayland were dead, he would be rolling
around in his grave over this thread! It's too bad he had to leave the
list and can't be here to keep us moving forward, instead of backwards...

I can't believe any old timers would even think about, let alone suggest, using a noisy, unreliable, and potentially dangerous source for heat. I love turning the key on in the EV, then turning on the heat switch, and
having the stock squirrel cage fan pushing air through a ceramic heater
core for copious amounts of hot air for heat and/or defrost , just like a "normal" vehicle. If you are losing heat in the stock duct work, FIX IT! 
Suck Amps,
BB

>Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:54:29 -0800 (PST)
>From: Bob Bath
>
>In my first conversion (VoltsRabbit), I used a space heater that I retrofitted with a 12V muffin fan (run off the cigarette lighter). Advantages: worked well. Disadvantage: Velcro-ing it to the dash, and it still falling off around a turn. 
>So when I converted the Civic, I stuck a ceramic element inside the original heater core ductwork. Advantages: Slick appearance (or disappearance)! Disadvantage: Too much warm air getting lost in ductwork, or under the dash. 
>
>As it stands now, I am debating yanking the dash and set in an Anderson connector to a universal input hair dryer. (Yes, I have arc suppression/relay setup).
>
>Anyone out there used the hair dryer method, and if so, what is a brand that is a _guaranteed universal (AC or DC) model? Where did you purchase it?
>Appreciatively, 
>
>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"


>Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:38:09 -0500
>From: "David Roden"
>
>I used one several years ago, a "curly top" hair dryer I'd gotten at a 
>garage sale. I've seen similar ones offered in thrift stores and the like, 
>though I think that particular type is now out of fashion.
>
>I don't know of any sure way to determine whether any particular unit will 
>really run on DC, at least not in the store or at the garage sale. But if 
>you open it up and find a diode or bridge rectifier in the motor lead, 
>that's a pretty good sign.

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Usage guidelines: http://evdl.org/help/index.html#conv
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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

On Feb 21, 2009, at 9:24 PM, Dave (Battery Boy) Hawkins wrote:

> All,
> E-Gads, if John (Plasma Boy) Wayland were dead, he would be rolling
> around in his grave over this thread! It's too bad he had to leave the
> list and can't be here to keep us moving forward, instead of 
> backwards...

I was convinced by John's post and took apart my dash and replaced 
the stock heater core with an electric resistive heater. It is nice 
to be able to get basically instantaneous heat.

That said, it was a royal pain is the *ss. If I had to do it over 
again, I'm not sure if I would go with the electric resistive heater 
or a hot water heater leaving the stoke core in place.

Not that I'm suggesting a hair dryer, but the hot water heater has 
some advantages.

John

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

hi i was wandering if anyone has ever used/tried a heat gun plus a fan ? i
got idea at work burning off some paint on a door casing . harbor freight
had them for 14.00 .just a idea lonnie



> Bob Bath <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > In my first conversion (VoltsRabbit), I used a space heater that I
> > retrofitted with a 12V muffin fan (run off the cigarette lighter).
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

John's words. (Wow, its been ten years already)

Part 1.
http://www.repp.org/discussion/ev/199901/msg00595.html

Part2.
http://www.repp.org/discussion/ev/199901/msg00763.html

Part 3.
http://www.repp.org/discussion/ev/199901/msg00856.html

Part 4.
http://www.repp.org/discussion/ev/199901/msg00919.html





> John in Ma <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > On Feb 21, 2009, at 9:24 PM, Dave (Battery Boy) Hawkins wrote:
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Is John active somewhere? forums?




> Tim Humphrey <[email protected]> wrote:
> > John's words. (Wow, its been ten years already)
> >
> > Part 1.
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> On 22 Feb 2009 at 16:09, Eduardo Kaftanski wrote:
> 
> > Is John active somewhere? forums?
> 
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

On the NEDRA list (Yahoo).

Joseph H. Strubhar

Web: www.gremcoinc.com

E-mail: [email protected]


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eduardo Kaftanski" <[email protected]>
To: "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 11:09 AM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Universal hair dryer as heater


> Is John active somewhere? forums?
>
>
>


> Tim Humphrey <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> John's words. (Wow, its been ten years already)
> >>
> >> Part 1.
> ...


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