DIY diesel fuel heater 12 volts

Do you know about the fuel heater for diesel engines? Have you heard how difficult it is to start a car with a diesel engine in cold weather?

This problem discourages residents of cold regions from buying diesel cars, and certainly has a completely scientific basis, namely the physics of the processes occurring with diesel fuel at low temperatures.

Summer diesel in the cold

But, fortunately for you and me, technology does not stand still, and, thanks to various devices, we can experience all the advantages of diesel engines even if we are residents of the far north. We'll talk about these devices today.

Frost and sun are not the most wonderful day for a diesel engine

To understand a problem, you need to get to the bottom of it. And it is hidden not in the engine and its components, but in the fuel on which it runs.

Let's figure out what happens to diesel fuel at sub-zero temperatures. As you probably know, diesel fuel is essentially a waste product from the production of gasoline and other lighter petroleum fractions. This fact imposes some features on the chemical composition of diesel and its physical properties.

The fact is that even with a slight frost, paraffin crystals begin to form in this type of fuel, and with a further drop in temperature to deep minuses, it becomes generally viscous and thick, even if you cut it with a knife. But now we are talking about a relatively small “minus”.

For example, summer varieties of diesel fuel begin to behave poorly already at -5 C, winter varieties - at -20 C, but Arctic varieties at -35 C.

And of course, when the fuel thickens, there can be no talk of any engine operation; it won’t even start. There is only one way out - to warm it up.

Diesel engine fuel heater

Let's say right away that many modern cars with diesel units have heating systems already installed from the factory, and their happy owners are unlikely to have to worry about their four-wheeled friend not starting in the cold or stalling on the road.

However, manufacturers may underestimate the severity of our winters, or the car may not be equipped with anything like that at all, since it was imported from countries with a warm climate.

In this case, you need to think about installing special heaters. And here a logical question arises: on which of the fuel system components is it best to mount these devices?

Everything is like in the well-known proverb - where it is thin, it breaks. The most vulnerable from the point of view of freezing and the influence of paraffin crystals are: fine filter, separator filter, fuel line and tank.

Today we will briefly look at the diesel fuel heater and several types of such heaters, namely:

flow-through;
bandage;
tape;
heated nozzle.

Let's start in order.

Flow-through fuel heater for diesel engines

The flow-through type is used to heat fuel lines and is usually installed in a section of the fuel line in front of the fine filter.

It is worth noting that this type is an auxiliary heater, since it is most useful only while the car is moving.

In-line diesel fuel heater

Flow-through heaters can be either electric or use hot liquid from the engine cooling system.

Bandage fuel heater for diesel engines

To eradicate the problem of fuel freezing in the bud, it is necessary to use several types of heaters. One of the most vulnerable elements of diesel engines is the fine filter.

It is he who has a hard time when paraffin crystals begin to form in the frozen diesel fuel. To solve this issue, it is recommended to insulate it first, and for this there are so-called bandage heaters.

Diesel heaters

The principle of operation of a diesel engine preheater is the same as that of a gasoline engine; its task is to heat the fuel system, one or several components at once. The only difference between them is their power; a diesel engine needs heating more in winter, so the power of a diesel heater will be greater. There is also a difference in the voltage consumed.

There are battery-powered devices that can be installed on the engine directly from the factory, but this applies exclusively to trucks. This heater is not suitable for a passenger car, because it is designed for a 24V diesel engine, and a passenger car battery is 12V.

There are also starting heaters that require 220 volts to operate. However, such a device will be of no use on the road. It makes sense to buy it if the car’s route begins and ends in the garage or near the house. Then the 220V diesel heater has somewhere to power it and where to store it. In the garage itself, the car can be warmed up with a good heat gun and even a hair dryer, warming up the filters, fuel lines, pumps, high and low pressure.

If you have a passenger car with a diesel unit installed, you should also think about it. In latitudes with a mild climate, where frosts are rare and do not fall below -5, you can live without a heater.

However, with stronger ones, to get rid of problems with starting in winter, it is better to purchase a heater for a 12V diesel engine.

Reasons for installing a winter diesel fuel heater yourself: why and why?

Paraffin 10-40%.
Naphthenic 20-60%.
Aromatic 15-30%.

Anyone who has decided to make a diesel fuel instantaneous heater with their own hands knows that summer grades of heavy fuel begin to lose their quality already at a temperature of about -5°C, and winter grades - at 25°C. Experienced motorists are well aware of the insurmountable difficulties in determining the differences between them without laboratory tests.

Winter metamorphoses

What processes occur with diesel fuel in winter conditions? As temperature values decrease, the viscosity of diesel fuel increases. Experts identify three thresholds for the transformation of emulsion fluidity:

Turbidity is the beginning of crystallization of paraffins present in diesel fuel. For summer varieties the cloud point is -5°C, and for winter varieties - about -25°C.
Extreme filterability - in this state, small paraffin crystals can clog the pores of filter meshes and elements, as well as settle in the fuel line channels and paralyze the operation of the internal combustion engine. If you do not install a diesel fuel heater yourself , then summer fuel enters this stage at -7°C, and winter fuel at -35°C.
Solidification is the absolute loss of fluidity. At this stage, summer diesel fuel turns into jelly at -10°C, and winter diesel fuel turns into jelly at -40°C.

The main difference between diesel fuel brands is the percentage of paraffins that affect the fluidity of the emulsion, which means its use depending on weather conditions and temperature conditions. The most unpleasant period for owners of cars with a diesel engine is the autumn-winter off-season. At this time, the atmospheric temperature fluctuates between +3°C and -5°C and diesel fuel can thicken at any moment. And when there is also water in the diesel fuel, then energy collapse for the car is guaranteed.

Methods for ensuring the start and operation of a diesel engine at low temperatures

There are not so many ways to start the engine in cold weather and not all of them can be used effectively. Let's say starting a diesel engine using a tug is a rather risky undertaking. The timing drive of passenger cars is belt-type and, due to jerks during towing, it can easily jump over several teeth or even break completely. There is another modern method - the use of special additives in fuel, so-called depressants. However, you should take into account such points as the increasing cost of refilling and the dubious quality of some products in this series. But, according to the reasoning of practitioners, a do-it-yourself flow-through heater of standard diesel fuel has the right to use due to low material costs and efficiency. Electrical and combined systems in the fight against crystallization of paraffin compounds have proven their productivity in all weather conditions. Such heaters are installed on critical components of the fuel system and quickly ensure the working condition of diesel fuel.

Homemade engine heater with pump

When making a homemade internal combustion engine heater with a pump, you need to take into account the following nuances:

The heater and pump can be installed anywhere in the cooling system. The pump creates the necessary pressure, allowing the consumable to circulate forcibly.
To ensure good heating of the soldering area, it is better to use gas or spot welding.

What will be needed for production?

To create such a heater, you will need:

a piece of thick-walled pipe 80 mm long;
pump (in the example a pump from Gazelle is used);
two 20 mm hoses;
metal plate;
nichrome thread.

Manufacturing stages

Step-by-step assembly instructions:

First, the thick-walled tube is processed. It is necessary to ensure that its appearance and diameter correspond to the required dimensions.
Two disks are cut from a metal plate. The dimensions of these components must correspond to the diameters of the pipes.
One additional plate is welded or soldered to each disk. This will ensure better heat transfer and efficient heating.
To create a heat exchanger, you can process the seams of the device with a soldering iron or welding equipment. At this stage, it is important to make sure there is a good seal and no gaps to prevent liquid leakage in the future. High-quality electrical insulation can be achieved by using asbestos sheets.
The nichrome spiral is attached to a sheet of paronite; the fixation is carried out in special holes. To ensure better performance, the resistance of the spiral should be in the range of 2.5-4 Ohms.
Heating elements must be laid in spirals downwards. To ensure maximum insulation, the device must be wrapped in thermal insulation material, for example, foam film.

Installing a homemade heater

Installation of the heating system is performed as follows:

The lower hose for supplying antifreeze to the stove is cut.
A heat exchanger equipped with a water pump is inserted into the gap formed. The pump is necessary to circulate the refrigerant through a small circle of the cooling system.
The heating system is connected to the wiring using a separate toggle switch with an executive relay. If the device turns off over time, the circuit must be equipped with an additional relay.
All contact components are connected.
The heater installed in the car, all hoses and pipes are visually checked for lack of sealing. If any area is suspected, it is recommended to immediately replace the clamps. The initial start-up of the heater is carried out and the operation of the system is checked.

Video: DIY installation of a heater with a pump

The Do-It-Yourself Auto Service channel published a video showing the process of installing an engine heater with a pump yourself.

How to make heating of diesel fuel in a car tank with your own hands?

The mechanism that ensures the reliable supply of flammable liquid from the vehicle’s standard tank must be heated. You need to understand that in severe frosts, diesel fuel begins to lose fluidity already at the inlet of the fuel intake. Therefore, before starting the engine, it is necessary to preheat the fuel composition and ensure its working condition in cruising mode.

Vintage light bulb dipping method

In past times, when one could only dream of the current abundance of automotive accessories, diesel owners created a positive temperature field in the fuel tank using an ordinary 12 V light bulb with a power of 50-55 W. For this, in addition to the light source, we used:

Electrical wires with a cross section of 2.5mm².
Switch.
Fuse.

The lamp is immersed through the neck of the tank directly into the fuel. Be sure to place it next to the fuel intake device. Only in this way will it be possible to effectively dissolve crystallized paraffin and ensure the stability of the flow of fuel into the pipeline. To prevent homemade heating of diesel fuel into the tank with your own hands from causing harm, a fuse must be included in the control circuit. Today this method looks archaic, but who knows what situation we might unexpectedly find ourselves in on a long journey? Perhaps this is how you can get out of an emergency situation when there is nothing suitable at hand.

Wire heating

The option is more reliable and effective than the one described above. Based on its operating principle, it can be compared to the functioning of a heater that is built in to heat seats . The implementation scheme is simple and accessible to any car enthusiast:

Make holes in the body of the intake mesh, up to 8-10 pieces on one side; they must be located opposite each other with a certain pitch offset.
Prepare a special wire made from a material with high resistivity, for example, nichrome.
Create a heating structure by threading the wire through the holes.
Drill two holes in the intake cover to install the terminals and connect the wire to them.
Connect the heating element to the vehicle's on-board network.

It is necessary to include a fuse in the electrical circuit, as well as a relay to automate the heating process.

Not as an advertisement: store alternative from Nomakon

The Nomakon group of companies offers motorists special nozzles for fuel intakes of the NTP-100 . The device is capable of functioning in both pre-launch and mid-flight modes. Kit includes:

Coarse filter.
Vibration-resistant and fireproof heater.
Device for fastening at the end of the fuel intake pipe.
Electrical installation kit.

This type of diesel fuel tank heater can be installed by yourself without the help of specialists. The electrical connection depends on the type of device control.

When manual, directly to the vehicle’s on-board network through a switch.
If automatic, go to block SPA-101.

The slot filter and the fuel in the intake tube heat up in 3-4 minutes before starting. This is enough for dewaxing to occur and the fluidity of diesel fuel to return to normal.

How is diesel fuel heated today?

Please note that on some models, heating devices are installed at the factory initially. According to the method of application, they can be divided into two groups:

Autonomous heaters heat diesel fuel by burning liquid fuel or using a battery.
External heaters produce heating from a 220V electrical network.

Pros and cons of external and autonomous heaters

External heaters are easily installed on the car’s fuel system and are absolutely safe to use.

Heating occurs within half an hour, circulation is carried out due to the temperature difference. A significant disadvantage of external heaters is that access to a 220V network is required. Not only are many gas stations and parking lots in Russia not equipped with such, but also in our country there are quite a lot of long hauls without any populated areas.

Autonomous diesel fuel heaters using battery electricity have several varieties:

Flow-through – they cut into the car’s fuel system up to the fine filter.
Tape - laid along pipelines and filters, or wrapped around them in a spiral.
Bandage – installed on a fine filter.
Rod type – installed in separator type filters.
Fuel intake heaters are used to heat diesel fuel at the outlet of the tank; they can be used either instead of standard ones or in conjunction with them.
Heating nozzles - used to heat the fuel at the fuel intake.

Installing or inserting autonomous electric heaters is a difficult job, so it is recommended to entrust it to experienced specialists.
Photo: static-eu.insales.ru First of all, there is a reason to install a bandage heater, since the diesel fuel in the fine filter freezes first. Don’t forget that fuel also freezes quite often at the exit from the tank. You can, of course, install all the heaters in a complex, but in this case the load on the battery will greatly increase, which will lead to its failure. Experienced specialists will help you decide which heaters are best installed on which car models.

Liquid heaters , powered by fuel combustion, are a heat exchanger with a burner mounted inside. This device crashes into the pipeline of the engine cooling system. The combustion of diesel fuel heats up the coolant, which warms up both the engine and the fuel system. At the same time, the car interior also heats up, so the engine cooling system and the heating system are directly connected to each other. At the same time, the oil in the lubrication system is heated and the working parts of the engine are heated, which increases the service life of the parts, since the effect of thermal shock is eliminated when starting the engine.

In what cases you can file a complaint against a traffic police officer and how to do it - see our website.

You can learn about the features of replacing a knock sensor from this material.

The disadvantage of liquid heaters is their high market cost.

How to make your own heating of a standard coarse diesel fuel filter?

A proven method for adjusting the temperature regime is to modernize the fuel pre-treatment unit. Among all the options, two need to be highlighted:

Installation of the glow plug in the regular place of the drain valve.
Installing a heating device into the fuel supply fitting housing.

Important! The first tuning method requires thoughtful actions. The unit to be dismantled is designed to remove water sediment from diesel fuel. Conclusion - such a modernization is suitable for owners who fill their cars with high-quality ingredients.

Separator drain valve upgrade

It is immediately worth noting the need to have a lathe or the services of a qualified turner. Preparation and installation of the glow plug in place of the drain valve occurs according to the following scheme:

a sleeve is machined from metal, which matches the configuration of the plastic drain cap;
a thread is cut on the new bushing with the appropriate pitch;
a hole is drilled on the cylindrical generatrix and an internal thread is cut to fix the stud using a tap;
an internal thread is cut into the cavity of the part;
the glow plug is screwed in;
install the assembly unit into the separator body and connect the wires: “+” to the heating element, and “-” to the stud.

Improvement of fine filter elements

Quite often, at the final stage of fuel purification, the filter element becomes clogged with crystallized paraffin. As a result, the supply of diesel fuel to the working cavity of the high-pressure pump stops and the likelihood of its breakdown increases. To prevent this from happening, we will consider two options for organizing the heating of a fine filter, which can be implemented independently.

Option 1

To work you will need the following parts and equipment:

about 6-10 meters of nichrome or copper wire with a cross-section of 0.5-1 mm;
control button;
fiberglass and heat-resistant sealant;
fuse 10-15 A and relay;
two plumbing clamps;
tin, rosin and soldering iron.

The procedure for organizing this type of instantaneous diesel fuel heater with your own hands includes the following points:

apply sealant to the fiberglass fabric and glue it to the element body (dry for about 24 hours);
wind the wire in small increments onto the body of the part and secure the ends with clamps;
apply fiberglass with sealant over the turns of wire and let dry;
Solder the contacts for connecting the wiring onto the clamps and assemble the electrical circuit.

Useful recommendation! It is better to use a toggle switch and a relay through the positive line, and connect the negative line to the battery. In order not to forget the device is turned on, the “plus” should be taken from the ignition switch.

Option 2

The method relates to bandage-type heating. Suitable for its implementation:

electric heated mirrors;
heating film (similar to underfloor heating);
flexible heater.

The workflow is simple and consists of the following points:

wrap the heating element around the filter and secure it with insulation;
connect the wires;
lay foil thermal insulation 0.5 cm thick on top of the heater;
Lay thick paper or fiberglass on top of the finished structure and secure with clamps.

Experts recommend additionally including a temperature sensor in the electrical circuit so that it adjusts the operation of the system.

All about fuel filter heaters

Owners of diesel cars in the cold season often face the problem of difficult engine starting. This is due to the structural features of the internal combustion engine and low temperatures. A fuel filter heater will be a good help in solving this problem. What kind of device this is, what types there are and how to make such a device with your own hands, we will tell you below.

When and why is fuel filter heating needed?

An effective way to make starting easier

What to choose: depressant additives or electric heaters?

Do-it-yourself fuel filter heating

Heating of the coarse filter

Refinement of the fine filter

Fuel line heating

Video “How to make a pre-heater with your own hands”

Comments and Reviews

We heat the fuel from the engine cooling system

A composition heated in a tank or separator can easily lose fluidity when passing along the entire highway, and even at high vehicle speeds. In this case, the car enthusiast can choose and make with his own hands any layout of the diesel fuel heater using simple technologies:

basic insulation of the fuel line with building materials;
installation of an electric flexible heater by winding or applying it to the surface of the unit;
installation of a heat exchanger in front of the fine filter element.

The last method is to make a part that has two independent contours. The simplest example of such a device consists of two tubes of different diameters. The thinner tube is welded and centered inside the larger one. The outer circuit consists of pipes for passing diesel fuel. The small circle of the cooling system is connected to the indoor unit. Variations of this design are possible, where the circuits intended for diesel fuel and hot antifreeze can be swapped. More complex specimens contain an internal block made of a spiral type. High reliability of diesel starting in winter conditions can be ensured only with comprehensive modernization. Its essence lies in the use of several of the methods described above, which heat the components of the fuel system.

How to make a 220V antifreeze heater?

A 220-volt heater for a car must be equipped with a pump to ensure fluid circulation through the cooling system. In the absence of a pump, you can independently install and connect autonomous electric heating at a low point of the cooling unit. The heating of the liquid should be at least 50 degrees, but for the operation of liquid systems in winter, high voltage will be required (12 volts is not enough).

What will be needed for production?

To make a 220V heater yourself, you will need:

a boiler or barrel (any container of a similar shape can be used) made of steel or other metal;
switchgear (control unit);
textolite plate (thickness 6 mm);
heating mechanism (you can install a heating element from an electric kettle);
fittings and pipes for connection (use of plumbing hoses is allowed).