One of the most effective means for combating difficult starting of a car’s power plant is pre-heaters, operating from a 220 V network and ensuring warming of the coolant before starting the engine. The car accessories market offers such devices from a variety of manufacturers, including Chinese ones.
Long Fei devices have gained wide popularity among car owners.
These pre-start devices, despite the fact that the manufacturer is Chinese, cope with the task quite well, and the installation of the Longfey heater does not require changes to the design of the power unit.
Heaters "Lunfey". Design Features
The manufacturer offers a choice of several device models with different performance indicators. This allows you to choose a heater for almost any car - from a city runabout to an SUV or truck. Despite the fact that there are several types of devices, the heaters are built according to the same principle - they are all tank type with forced circulation of coolant, although they look different in appearance.
The device of the Longfey heater implies the presence of:
- Heating element (operating from a 220 V network);
- Electric pump;
- Composite body;
- Thermostat;
The heater is electric, but it works with liquid. To prevent contact of electrical appliances with antifreeze, this type of housing is used. It consists of two halves separated by a partition. The cavity through which the antifreeze passes is completely isolated from the one in which the electrical elements are placed. But at the same time, the heating element and the pump impeller go into it. The liquid enters the heating tank through the terminals (supply and discharge) located on the housing cover.
Longfei engine heater: features
Experienced car enthusiasts know that engine parts wear out the most during a cold start, and fuel is consumed in fairly large quantities during warm-up (the catalyst and lambda probe do not work effectively on a cold engine).
At the same time, the engine still needs to be warmed up before driving, since, on the one hand, driving on a cold internal combustion engine allows for faster warm-up and reduces emissions of harmful substances, and on the other hand, wear increases and the service life of the power plant is reduced.
Also, before starting a trip in the cold season, it is advisable to warm up the interior, as the operating comfort of the vehicle significantly increases and the health risks for the driver and passengers are reduced. In simple words, starting a trip with a warm car is more pleasant and safer than waiting for the car to warm up partially at idle and then warm up while driving.
It turns out that the best option in terms of price/quality ratio, comfort and increased engine life is an electric heater. If we talk about heaters, Russian and Chinese solutions are available for sale.
At the same time, the “Chinese” is much cheaper and more functional. Many users note that this is an inexpensive device, but is highly effective. Moreover, such a heater can be installed with your own hands, which minimizes costs.
Let us add that this manufacturer offers different models of automobile pre-start electric heaters. Moreover, all heaters have a built-in pump in their design (unlike Russian ones), which simplifies their installation and reduces the requirements for installation quality.
Since the Longfey heater has a built-in pump, none of the problems described above should arise. Further, the models most often on sale are Longfei Little Q and Dragon, Bros, King, Decepticon, Explorer. These heaters have a built-in pump with an insulated impeller and an electric thermostat.
The pump impeller rotates from an EMF motor, which the manufacturer has reliably isolated from the coolant. This solution allows you to extend the service life of the device itself, and also eliminates the possibility of leakage from under the impeller axis. Please note that if the impeller has direct contact, then the likelihood of a leak is much higher.
This design allows you to leave the heater on without having to turn it off strictly after a certain time, while the engine temperature will be maintained. This means that the driver can turn on the heating and begin preparing the vehicle for the trip. However, leaving the heater on for a long period of time unattended (for example, for several hours or overnight) is strictly prohibited!
Models and their characteristics
Longfey electric heaters are divided into series. The models included in each of them differ in performance characteristics.
The manufacturer offers customers a choice of series:
"Little Q"
Heaters of this series have a square shape with parallel pins. In terms of power they come in 1.5 kW, 1.8 kW and 2.0 kW. The pump capacity for all models is 8 l/min. Designed for insertion into a small circle of the cooling system. Installed in a small circle of the cooling system;
"Little Dragon"
Models in this series are rectangular, the terminals are located perpendicularly. It includes three models, identical in power and performance to the previous series;
"Decepticon"
A series of powerful rectangular heaters (2.0 kW, 2.5 kW and 3.0 kW) and perpendicular pin arrangement. At the same time, their pump performance is still the same 8 l/min;
"King"
Includes only one model - 3 kW. This heater has a rectangular shape with terminals installed perpendicularly. Electric pump capacity – 8 l/min. It is placed in a small circle of the system;
"Brothers"
The series also consists of one 3-kilowatt barrel-shaped model. Its leads are installed perpendicularly, the pump pumps 8 l/min;
In general, all models differ from each other only in the power of the heating element and the shape of the body.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of Longfey preheaters include:
- Small overall dimensions, which makes it easy to find a place for its installation;
- The presence of a pump ensures uniform heating of the antifreeze in the system due to forced circulation;
- Availability of overheating protection systems (when a certain temperature is reached, the device turns off);
- A wide selection of models allows you to choose a device for any car;
- Connecting the Longfey heater will not cause any difficulties and does not require modifications to the motor;
But they also have certain disadvantages that relate not only to the devices of this particular manufacturer, but to the design and operation features of all devices of this type:
- To connect, you need a 220 V socket, so such devices cannot be used if the car is located far from housing;
- Requires compliance with safety precautions when using;
- The breakdown is detected only during the process of starting the car (the device was turned on, hoping that it would work, but then it turns out that the engine is not warmed up);
But all the negative aspects do not become a reason to use this device in a car. But at the same time, for everything to work normally, the Longfey preheater needs to be installed correctly.
When installing the Longfei heater, follow the recommendations
We connect it to the stove using hoses.
I’ll say right away that I am against loans and taking a car, especially not a new one, on credit is unreasonable. High-quality sealing of all joints is ensured by a set of gaskets and clamps.
The main chamber of the device is made of stainless steel, so it keeps the temperature high.
When installing the Longfei heater, follow the recommendations. Do not leave the Longfei turned on overnight. But you won’t have to warm it up at idle for a long time.
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Do not turn on the engine heater if there is no coolant in the cooling system. It is precisely the preheating of the engine that is the task of the heater.
As a result of using cheap heating elements, high temperatures “kill” antifreeze, or rather its anti-corrosion, anti-foaming additives, etc. The bracket is attached to the heater boiler. Before you begin installation, consult with experienced people who have positive experience or look into the service of experts.
Known types of devices
A preheater operating from a V network consumes quite a lot of electricity, since the heating element installed inside the device has a fairly high power. It is located immediately above the tubular electric heater. In this way, the driver has the opportunity to take care of the environment. Installing a preheater with your own hands Installing a preheater with your own hands will not require a lot of time and any special knowledge.
They can be installed in any free space under the hood of the car. Most car owners have their cars idle overnight in the open air or in a regular garage, at best. You need to connect a longer piece to the input, and a shorter piece to the output. Parallel connection diagram for electric heaters Video with an example of self-installation of the Longfei pre-heater on a car Published on the official channel of user Nikolay Beketov. Installation of a 2.2 kW "longfey" preheater with a pump on a Toyota Corolla
Connection methods
Since the instructions included with the devices are poorly translated, and the diagrams depicted in them are not very clear, many simply cannot figure out how to properly install the device with their own hands.
There are several ways to install the device on your car. The first connection diagram is serial, and it is shown below:
Sequential installation diagram of the Longfey heater
It is more suitable for models with a parallel arrangement of terminals, since the device is inserted into only one pipeline of the system - supplying antifreeze to the interior heater radiator.
This scheme is quite simple, and to install it you need:
- Find the required pipe (on a warm engine, find the pipelines leading to the stove and check the degree of their heating with your hand. The connection is made into the warmer pipe);
- Drain the coolant;
- Choose a place to mount the heater on the engine or body (away from highly heated elements). If necessary, you can make a mounting bracket;
- Cut the pipeline and install the device into this cut (it is important not to confuse the heater leads: we connect the section leading from the engine to the water inlet, and the section leading to the heater radiator to the drainage outlet);
- Secure all connection points with clamps;
- Secure the device;
- Fill with coolant and check connections for leaks;
- Lay the heater cable along the body and remove the plug to a convenient place for connection. The wire must be secured;
With this connection diagram, for normal operation of the device, you should always keep the coolant supply valve to the heater radiator open.
The second connection method is parallel. It is more suitable for models with perpendicular leads. A diagram of such an insert is presented below:
Parallel installation diagram of Longfei heater
This scheme is somewhat more complicated in terms of implementation. You will also additionally need to have:
- Pipelines of appropriate length and diameter;
- Fitting for connecting the pipeline to the cylinder block (installed instead of the drain plug);
- Tee (for inserting into the pipeline);
- Clamps.
To install the heater in parallel, do this:
- Drain the coolant;
- We unscrew the drain plug on the cylinder block and screw in the fitting instead;
- We cut the pipe leading from the radiator to the engine (upper) and install a tee in this cut;
- Choosing a place to install the heater;
- Using prepared pipelines, we connect all the elements into one system (we connect the water inlet to the fitting, and the water outlet to the tee);
- We tighten all connections with clamps;
- We attach the heater;
- Fill with coolant;
Now, as for connecting the Longfey heater to an outlet. It is better to do this through an adapter with a timer, which will allow you to set the time to turn the device on and off.
If an extension cord is used to power the device, the wiring in it must be designed for the load created.
Finally, we note that even though Longfei heaters are manufactured in China, they are quite reliable products that can work for a very long time. The only malfunctions they have are usually associated with burnout of the wires inside the device. Fixing such breakdowns is not difficult.
