Remote add on start/stop kit to use engine heat to warm interior of van
I've been playing with this idea for awhile now. Thought I'd run it by the nomads & campers here to see what they think of.
My Van/rig is pictured in my avatar. It is all manually operated. No advanced electronics. 90 Ford E 350 351 V8 high top extended.
I'd like to install an add on engine starting kit that will also stop the engine once warmed up. Then reset itself to cycle on and off thru the night. The point is to use the engine and it's coolant to circulate heated coolant thru radiators in the living area. A 12 vdc brushless circulation pump would be used for this. A mechanical thermostat would signal the pump to operate using the house battery. In practice it would operate much like a house boiler with baseboard hydronic radiator with a single zone.
I would also have a cover over the Van's grill to hold in any heat, much like large Trucks use during the winter. (called winter fronts) This would conserve engine heat. The engine would be set to start at 70 degrees and stop when it reaches 190 degrees. The cycling of the circulation pump motor would be independent, using the mechanical thermostat set to switch on at 60 degrees and off at 68 degrees.
In the day time when the temperatures warm up, the thermostat & remote starter would be turned off. I'm guessing that if temps were in the 40's during the day the system could be used in a constant mode.
I won't be traveling where it is hot and need air conditioning. But heat would be necessary in the higher elevations where I will likely be.
My rig is set up with a constant duty solenoid so both the starter battery and house battery charges while the engine is running.
There is also a Carbon Monoxide alarm onboard too.
Anyone else here ever thought of doing something like this ?
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