Engine Preheater

Good Evening,
This is a fantastic forum for asking experienced motorhomers, mechanics and fix-its:
Has anyone stuck in a thermotop C, an Electric Engine Preheater or the like - so to take the engine up to working temperature before starting it?
As such a big space it takes ages to heat while driving - so in this weather its jacket, scarf, hat and gloves - near as bad as a rag top to drive to work, so I was thinking of an engine preheater and set the timer so she is heated up when I get into drive off - no ice on windows and nice warm cabin?
Are they any use?
Which would you recommend?

I used to have one in my jap import LWB mitsubishi Pajero. Fitted by the previous owner. It was spot on during the winter and it was great in helping the diesel lump to fire up on cold mornings. It was connected to the engine coolant lines. I think it was around 2kw so not cheap to run, but very handy when temps really got cold...

Know it is not what you are asking but have you considered fitting a curtain track behind the cab seats and a fairly heavy curtain which goes down to the floor. This then works as the heater in fact only has to heat the cab which it was intended to do when it was designed for the VAN.
Can be done real cheap if you either run up your own curtain or get one from a charity shop.
It also works in reverse i.e. if away in cold weather the most heat loss tend to be thro the cab area with all its glass vents etc
Just a thought and lots cheaper than a preheater
David

That's a great unit and I have done a belt and braces - I hope
I got one of these electric units from USofA - a 1000w KAT heater for £24 about and my mate took it back the other week, just a 110/240 1500w travel transformer to stick on and "Plug her in"
Preheated engine in no time - that is if there is electric ...................

AND IF NOT.............

I have collected over the past 5 months a Webasto Thermotop C which I hope to plumb into a smaller tank of Central Heating Oil to be cradled to the undercarriage.

So - heat hope fully either way - in the wild or driveway at wintertime.

A bypass of the heating pipes is required,

Does the hot water pipe go into the top or bottom of the heater matrix :reel:

Help needed here please??? :bash: