Alternative heat for defrost

[PhatRedHead]

Been looking into a small electric heater that I can incorporate into the front plenum to be able turn on just to use as a defroster of the front screen. Heater tubes from the rear are gone, want something low power consumption and small in size.

Anyone done anything like this?

Thanks,

Joe

[HawgRyder]

With any electrical heating coil...the current/voltage determines the BTU's of the unit.
So...if you wanted a 750 Watt heater (approx 1 HP) witha 12V system you would need to feed it with 62.5 amps
This is a huge amount of current for the alt and system to supply....and probably why Detroit and the rest of the auto industry do not use electrical heaters in this application.
Perhaps an alternative is to bleed off some heat from the oil cooling system...if you have a front cooler...maybe a hose or channel from the output of the cooler to the defrosters might work.
Good Luck
Bob

[HorstP]

quite a few folks have put a gas heater (Webasto) into the smuggler box. The other solution available is a heated wind shield, I have seen more than one sources already.

[esonefour]

A friend of mine has fitted a 12v hair dryer to a 911 race car, Will be looking to do the same this winter.
Not to sure on amps and current draw etc .

[porsche4me]

Ceramic Heater, 12V, 200W - $24.79

used one in a 914 that had headers ---- loved it --- in south fla in the hard winter... lol

[Jdub]

I typically use a rag with an MG moniker on it (deadpan...).

[porschetub]

A very sucessful Targa Tasmania Porsche driver Rex Broadbent uses a 12v hairdryer in his 911,works a treat from what he said in an article on the car.
I will be going this way with my 914/6 conversion.