I have a fascination with older cars...and I know that in 1890 Thomas Ahearn invented the first electic car heater...but what about before these were commonly used? I was told recently that there was a "box" in older cars where you would build a small fire. It sounds insane! I can't find anything via google...Is there any truth to this? If not, is there some other way that cars were heated before the electric car heater?
2007-02-02 17:33:26 · 4 answers · asked by just me 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Oops...I didn't clarify...It was supposedly a small fire box in the dash...and thanks for clearing up how that heater works...now I understand why the heat takes a few minutes to start working in the morning! LOL!
Of course, the idea of a fire box in a vehicle sounds insane to me...fire? smoke? in a car? but this owner of a car dealership swore it was true. Of course, I must consider the source I suppose. LOL!
(P.S. My husband is a car salesman, too. Haha!)
2007-02-02 17:45:30 · update #1
There are also aftermarket electric heaters for a car. I have one and it works but not as well as the one that uses the coolant from the motor. They do consume a great ammount of power though so you can't use them without the motor running or it will run the battery down. I used a battery isolator and an auxiliary battery for mine to warm my car in cold weather.
2007-02-02 20:37:28 · answer #1 · answered by wzzrd 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cars are not heated with electricity. The heat that is generated by the operation of the engine is absorbed by a liquid coolant, which is then used to heat the air that passes through a small radiator behind your dashboard. A little electricity is used to push air through the radiator, and out the vents.
I've never heard of a car with a firebox, I think it would be very dangerous due to the carbon monoxide gas that a fire generates.
There are still some cars with air-cooled engines, but even these use engine heat to heat the passenger compartment by blowing air through channels in the engine compartment.
2007-02-02 17:40:34 · answer #2 · answered by Mister SuperDuperSmartyPants 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the electric heater were used on tram cars - trains. people used to heat bricks and keep their feet on them
2007-02-02 17:41:44 · answer #3 · answered by wind cries mary 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there was no heaters,you just wrapped up better
2007-02-02 17:39:59 · answer #4 · answered by dumplingmuffin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋