Winter: Electric car & battery warmer install

[JSUB]

For those interested and where climate applies (some of you have never seen snow I know!) I installed an interior 120 volt electric car warmer (heater) combine with a battery warmer.

I choose this combo because there wasn't any block heater available for the FA20 and I don't like remote starters (not good for engine to idle for long time, not good for pollution and costly). Removable (use it obviously for winter only) car heater $70 at Canadian Tire and OEM Subaru battery warmer $45.

So whenever I need/want the interior of the car to be warmer AND that windows don't frost (talking freezing point and below here so minus Celsius degrees or below 30 Fahrenheit for US folks) I plug these two devices using a timer for 3-4 hours before I need to leave. The battery warmer is mostly useful when very cold outside (-15 C or +- 0 F and lower) providing ample cranking power (the battery can lose up to 75% of its power when frozen). The car warmer increase the car's temp by at least 20 degrees from my previous experience in a big van (New-West) and also prevents windows from frosting!

So, again for those interested (must be funny for guys in Cal or Florida to read this and say WTF is that for? ) here's pics of install process (if I can post those pics correctly...am a bit better installing stuff than posting in forums so bare with me pls):






















Joining together the 2 wires using a 3 way electrical connector (Home Depot) and tie-rapping it to lower right front grill.


Whole installation went well and took at least couple hours once I figured where to pass wire true firewall and that it would be very difficult without removing the car's battery.

When removing the car's battery to install the battery warmer or passing wire true the firewall (a must because not enough space to work with) you will lose you radio's settings. I (tried) used a Noco settings keeper (it uses a 9 volt battery) that plugs onto the car's 12 volt socket and it is suppose to provide power for short period of time to keep car's memory.



When I plugged it in (while car off but battery still hooked) it illuminated the car's clock so I thought I would work but it didn't ( i lost radio pre-sets and some other personal settings). Maybe we need to put ignition in Acc for 12 volt socket to work? I should of test it before hand but was in a hurry to do these mods...anyhow once done I was very happy and it does the job intended nicely.

Any questions just ask.
Cheers

[GT86drifter]

There is a block heater from Subaru...

[JSUB]

Originally Posted by GT86drifter

There is a block heater from Subaru...

Was not available when I got these but anyway...I never have to scrape my windows so makes it more handy for me in the Canadian winter season.