05-26-2016, 03:44 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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Solar+Solar coolant heating hood?
Something I've been thinking about for the last few years...
If one was to take some thing (say, 1/4") aluminum tubing, attach it to the hood of the car, snaking up and down the entire hood (under the hood for aerodynamic sakes), paint top of hood black, tie in a few hoses and a small pump (connected to a solar panel) to the coolant system...
It seems like an easy enough task to accomplish. I've got my old Neon that's up for some experimentation! Summers here are plenty of sun and 90+ degree F heat. Cloudy days and winter could be less effective (or not at all).
Thoughts?
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05-26-2016, 04:53 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Administrator
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Sounds like a fun idea. Not sure how much preheat you could get with it, but it would definitely be something.
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05-26-2016, 05:23 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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I'm pretty curious about that myself. A black hood can hit 140-180*F (ballpark from what I could find online). In my instance, I don't have a way to plug in the block heater at work and hate jumping in a car that's 100* inside, but the engine is at 75*, lol
If I can find some materials laying around to make a proof of concept, I'd like to see what kind of in and out temps happen within X square foot.
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05-26-2016, 06:39 PM
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#4 (permalink)
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Cyborg ECU
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoD~
I'm pretty curious about that myself. A black hood can hit 140-180*F (ballpark from what I could find online). In my instance, I don't have a way to plug in the block heater at work and hate jumping in a car that's 100* inside, but the engine is at 75*, lol
If I can find some materials laying around to make a proof of concept, I'd like to see what kind of in and out temps happen within X square foot.
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At speed, though, the wind will cool that hood. So it will be far below running temps. You preheating system will then be a massive cooling device. If it brings your temps low enough, even by just 15 degrees, you would begin to see fuel economy losses in engine operation, I think.
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05-26-2016, 06:41 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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Ah, I forgot to mention, having a way to deactivate the system is a must.  Turn off the pump and close a valve. Maybe on a timer after ignition turns off? Not sure on that one yet... |
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05-26-2016, 06:45 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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home of the odd vehicles
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoD~
Ah, I forgot to mention, having a way to deactivate the system is a must. Turn off the pump and close a valve. Maybe on a timer after ignition turns off? Not sure on that one yet... |
Why? Just remove your radiator, box in your entire engine bay and use your hood as a radiator. |
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05-26-2016, 07:49 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmay635703
Why? Just remove your radiator, box in your entire engine bay and use your hood as a radiator.
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You might be on to something - using a car's skin as its cooling surface.  |
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05-26-2016, 10:20 PM
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#8 (permalink)
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home of the odd vehicles
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ecky
You might be on to something - using a car's skin as its cooling surface. |
Even though the surface area of the hood is a fraction of that of a radiator it still has plenty of airflow.
I have often wondered when "body cooling" would come into use, but sadly I think it would only happen on the bottom of the car due to safety concerns, but we are ecomodders, we don't have to worry about such things. |
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05-27-2016, 04:50 AM
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#9 (permalink)
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How about a transparent hood, covering the sides of the engine bay in tinfoil, and painting the engine pot black?
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05-27-2016, 05:31 AM
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#10 (permalink)
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I doubt it would cool too much. The 'stat could still be the system regulator anyway.
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