[asafayan]

I have a 2017 Bolt Black Premier edition and love it. I bought it Jan 3, 2018 and have about 28k miles on it as my commute is 190 miles round trip 4 days per week. I worked from home for 6 years so I’m happy to get up at 4:00AM and beat the crowds!

My question is - with heat and defrosters working during winter months - I’m concerned about my range and was wondering if anyone has used a marine battery and a portable car heater in lieu of draining down the car battery?

Thanks

 

[redpoint5]

Can't speak to experience, but you might be looking at adding 1 kWh of usable capacity to your 60 kWh capacity car. If that's all it takes for you to make your commute, it might be worth it, but then if you're cutting it that close it seems risky.

Did you read through the thread about adding a diesel heater?

Some people suggested preheating the cabin at maximum temperature just before departure to heat soak the interior, then run the fan speed and heat as low as possible to keep the windshield clear.

How close were you cutting it back in January? Doesn't that give you an idea for the cold weather performance?

 

[asafayan]

I'll check out the thread you mentioned. I got lucky because we had a particularly mild winter along the front range in Colorado last year. I drive ~ 200 miles R/T door to door. I drive in "D" at about 70 mph and try to really watch my foot. So that puts me just a little too close for comfort on particularly cold days in which I have to run both front / rear defrosters, cabin heat and headlights.
There were numerous days when I would be arriving home with the flashing low mileage warning and the reduced propulsion.

My question is whether or not others have purchased 12 volt heaters and run them off of marine batteries to keep their interior warm - in lieu of using the Bolt heat and impacting range?

 

[GJETSON]

I think you would be nuts to try a 190 mile round trip commute, in a Bolt in the winter, without charging during working hours. Even if you wear a snowmobile suit, and don't use any heat, that is cutting it way too close.

 

[Terry Hancock]

I'll check out the thread you mentioned. I got lucky because we had a particularly mild winter along the front range in Colorado last year. I drive ~ 200 miles R/T door to door. I drive in "D" at about 70 mph and try to really watch my foot. So that puts me just a little too close for comfort on particularly cold days in which I have to run both front / rear defrosters, cabin heat and headlights.
There were numerous days when I would be arriving home with the flashing low mileage warning and the reduced propulsion.

My question is whether or not others have purchased 12 volt heaters and run them off of marine batteries to keep their interior warm - in lieu of using the Bolt heat and impacting range?

The marine deep charge and a 12v heater sounds MUCH safer than the diesel, and allows for zero modification of the Bolt and its warranty. Note that there are surplus lithium modules that can add up to any voltage...with 12v common. They cost about the same as a lead acid deep charge, but have the wonderful characteristics of commercial lithiums.

L is the choice of almost everyone on this site. I find that it charges even at highway speeds. Watch your regen readout in L. Every downhill, you can see it kick in. As well, any slowing down for an intersection or construction becomes regen, if you are in L. I never ever use D, whether around town or on I25 heading north to Albuquerque.

 

[Sean Nelson]

...I’m concerned about my range and was wondering if anyone has used a marine battery and a portable car heater in lieu of draining down the car battery?

I have an electric cabin heater I bought from Canadian Tire to use with my Prius C that I occasionally use with the Bolt. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to use a separate electric heater, but it takes up a lot less power than the Bolt's heater does and it avoids draining the Bolt's battery because I charge using the stock EVSE at 240V which doesn't supply enough power to run the onboard heater at full blast.

 

[GlenandhisBolt1!]

This is copied from the other string, where this guy is intent on putting a diesel powered heater in his Bolt. Please do not attempt to put a diesel powered heater in your Bolt - or any other vehicle. The risks are too great.

Use a 12VDC lead-acid battery to power a resistance heater. It's cheap, easy and it's clean energy. If you route the wiring without punching holes in the Bolt, it won't void the warranty.

https://www.gamut.com/c/electrical/1...kaAnzmEALw_wcB

It's advisable to use a deep discharge battery (not a standard car battery). These are NOT cheap, and they weigh a lot (this one is 66 lbs). If you have a Bolt LT, it can probably be stowed in the well under the rear false floor.

You need a real battery charger too: a trickle charger won't cut it. But these are available and some are not too pricey.

Of course, this solution won't save you buckets of drive battery energy. This system would deliver a maximum of just 1.2 kWh of energy (the capacity of the deep discharge battery). But this may be enough to get you home in a thawed condition with some electrons left in your drive battery.

 

[GregBrew]

This is copied from the other string, where this guy is intent on putting a diesel powered heater in his Bolt. Please do not attempt to put a diesel powered heater in your Bolt - or any other vehicle. The risks are too great.

Use a 12VDC lead-acid battery to power a resistance heater. It's cheap, easy and it's clean energy. If you route the wiring without punching holes in the Bolt, it won't void the warranty.

https://www.gamut.com/c/electrical/1...kaAnzmEALw_wcB

It's advisable to use a deep discharge battery (not a standard car battery). These are NOT cheap, and they weigh a lot (this one is 66 lbs). If you have a Bolt LT, it can probably be stowed in the well under the rear false floor.

https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Batte...ations/dp/B075RFXHYK?tag=fpaceforumconvert-20

You need a real battery charger too: a trickle charger won't cut it. But these are available and some are not too pricey.

https://www.amazon.com/s/s/ref=sr_n...3540&rnid=3599823011&tag=fpaceforumconvert-20


Of course, this solution won't save you buckets of drive battery energy. This system would deliver a maximum of just 1.2 kWh of energy (the capacity of the deep discharge battery). But this may be enough to get you home in a thawed condition with some electrons left in your drive battery.

I prefer the VMax Tanks PbAs. I've been using them for my solar battery bank, and they work great, with a ten-year float life.


More expensive, but 25% higher capacity, and *free shipping*. Shipping lead around can get real expensive, real fast.


[ame]https://www.amazon.com/Vmaxtanks-Vmaxslr125-rechargeable-Solar-Inverters/dp/B00ACNO2AO/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1537995206&sr=1-5&keywords=vmax[/ame]

 

[psyflyjohn]

I've seen some Lithium deep discharge batteries that can replace the heavy 6 volt Rv batteries. That may be a good bet. Personally, I'd buy a small catalytic propane heater made for camping and using disposable propane cartridges. Just crack a window...

 

[SparkE]

1) preheat the car while it is plugged in
2) Drive at 60 mph instead of 70
3) try and convince employer to let you use 120V socket at work (that's enough to add 30-50 miles)
4) make sure to have several blankets in the trunk ...

 

[redpoint5]

I cringe a little when people contemplate adding complexity to a system to get it to barely get the job done. It suggests the wrong tool for the job was chosen. A main feature of an EV is that you don't have to muck about with the extra care ICE vehicles require, like stopping at petrol stations, maintaining the engine, etc. Add another battery, and then you have to concern yourself with charging it separate from the vehicle battery, and periodically replacing it since it will wear out faster. A 60 lb Pb battery might get you an extra 1 kWh of heat energy. Lithium-ion would take up less weight and space, but at a higher cost and increased complexity of charging.

Dropping your speed to 65 MPH seems a better strategy. You lose a few minutes in the commute every day, but gain it back in avoiding the hassle and cost in an addon heater.

 

[rgmichel]

A charger within the Bolt's driving range.

1) preheat the car while it is plugged in
2) Drive at 60 mph instead of 70
3) try and convince employer to let you use 120V socket at work (that's enough to add 30-50 miles)
4) make sure to have several blankets in the trunk ...

I would generalize point 3) to looking out for any type of charging en route. I would us a DC fast charger, or a 240 volt charger, or an RV campground socket, if I could find any of these. Certainly, here in the NE its not generally a problem within the driving range of a Bolt EV.

 

[Sean Nelson]

4) make sure to have several blankets in the trunk ...

It's pretty impressive how snug you can be with just seat and steering wheal heat if you use a toque and a flannel lap blanket . Even if you have to use the HVAC heater you can keep the temperature a lot lower and save a fair bit of power.

 

[GlenandhisBolt1!]

The carbon monoxide from a hydrocarbon fuel source may kill you. It may catch something on fire, which may kill you. Cracking a window to draw in a little fresh air will very effectively draw heat out of the vehicle, utterly defeating the whole idea of heating the air inside your vehicle. Just forget the whole idea of consuming hydrocarbons inside your vehicle: it may kill you.

 

[redpoint5]

The problem with battery heating is that they hold 1% of the energy of gasoline by weight. Batteries are a terrible way to heat things. You know how long 60 lbs of propane would heat the interior cabin?

There are indoor safe propane heaters.

 

[Sean Nelson]

There are indoor safe propane heaters.

How does THAT work? Where do the combustion products end up?

 

[NY-Rob]

^ in the cabin of course!


All current UL approved combustion heaters like the one shown above have and oxygen depletion sensor that cuts off the heater once the O2 levels surrounding the device drop below a "safe" level. Of course they're intended to be used in an area much larger then the cab of a car- so unless vented the cabin will probably hit the "unsafe" O2 level pretty quickly.

Now, that's just for oxygen, we haven't discussed CO which is a byproduct of combustion and could build up very quickly on the small confines of a automobile.


Essentially, those indoor heaters are more or less "safe" for use in non-constricted indoor areas with proper square footage and adequate ventilation.
You are not supposed to have one running in a bedroom with the door closed- contact the manufacturer of any propane heater you find on amazon and tell them you intend to use it in a car and see what they say about that


I don't think redpoint was suggesting anyone use that heater in a car cabin.

 

[demart]

I think you would be nuts to try a 190 mile round trip commute, in a Bolt in the winter, without charging during working hours. Even if you wear a snowmobile suit, and don't use any heat, that is cutting it way too close.

Yeah, even here in Florida, with 70-80 degree weather, at 70mph, 190 miles is probably not achievable all the time. Maybe if he drops the speed to 55mph.

 

[redpoint5]

How does THAT work? Where do the combustion products end up?

It works beautifully. The water, CO2, and heat that are the only byproducts of propane combustion go into the cabin.

BTW- The main byproduct of burning gasoline in a regular car is water. That's the steam you see on cold mornings, or the water you see spilling out of the tailpipe when the car accelerates.

 

[GlenandhisBolt1!]

Yes, water and carbon dioxide are most of what comes out of the tailpipe on an ICE vehicle. But there is some other stuff that is the result of incomplete combustion, particularly carbon monoxide. It doesn't take much carbon monoxide to kill you. The human bloodstream has a habit of absorbing this clear tasteless gas quickly and easily, and then it doesn't want to let go of it. The result: you will have a Bad Day. Best case: you get violently ill. Worst case: you are pushing up daisies.

The Nazis killed a lot of people with carbon monoxide vans, which pumped the exhaust from the vehicle into the rear compartment where the victims were held.

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/wo...ic-nazi-gas-vans-the-mobile-gas-chambers.html