Operating a car in winter in most regions of our country is another challenge for car enthusiasts. Many people come up with various solutions, in addition to preheating the engine, when they had to freeze for a long time. They tried to keep warm in different ways, some covered the engine with felt, cotton or wool blankets, even cardboard. Of course, the safety of these materials was inversely proportional to their effectiveness.
Car blanket - winter engine care
Manufacturers took care of this, and quite high-tech solutions began to appear on the market: remote engine start, electric heaters or autonomous systems, engine pre-heaters, and so on. In addition, simpler ways of preserving heat have been developed; scientists and engineers are developing the latest effective materials that are perfect for use as under-hood insulation. This solution has a simple name - car blanket.
What is it and why
A car blanket is a special insulation that covers the engine compartment, including the battery, radiator and other components of the engine compartment. A car blanket is used to prevent rapid cooling of the engine when idle in winter cold. The internal combustion engine is one of the most sensitive mechanisms in a car in terms of temperature changes and other conditions that immediately affect stability and operating mode. In addition, most other components and assemblies depend on the normal operation of the engine, so it is desirable to create optimal conditions for it. This extends the life of the engine itself and other structural elements of the car.
We insulate the car engine
BLANKET FOR CAR ENGINE
ABOUT
This activity for a car engine is becoming increasingly popular among car enthusiasts these days. In winter, not only you suffer from frost, but also the engine of your car. And if you do not pay due attention to this point, at one point the car will not want to warm you up, since the engine will not start. Even if the car has not been standing in the cold for a long time since the last start, it may take a huge amount of time and effort for the engine to start again. In order to avoid such an unpleasant moment, there is a kind of heater for your car engine - a blanket for the car engine.
The process of engine freezing at sub-zero air temperatures occurs due to the movement of free warm air, since by nature the hood cover, as well as the plastic engine casings, are excellent heat conductors, and the presence of cracks does not interfere with the movement of air. Using a special blanket for the car engine, which is used in the engine compartment and has the same dimensions, will help the car engine not freeze even if the thermometer shows -35 degrees outside. With all this, car owners will not feel any problems with installing a blanket for the car engine
.
What is the blanket made of?
Due to the fact that manufacturers of such a product as a fire-resistant blanket for an engine use the highest quality materials, as well as the latest technologies for production. The engine blanket itself is safe for both passengers and the environment. A blanket is made using several layers. It is fiberglass on top, then there is filler inside, and these two layers are stitched with high-quality glass threads. In other words, the material is completely non-flammable. Even the Ministry of Emergency Situations uses such materials in fireproof shields. And in the gas and oil industry, this material is used to insulate pipelines for industrial purposes.
However, it is worth noting that some car owners use homemade blankets made from felt for engines. Such accessories are not particularly safe, since they do not have the necessary fire safety indicators.
Popular manufacturers and prices.
Today, a large number of products such as car engine blankets are manufactured by foreign manufacturers. The cost of such accessories is quite high. As an alternative, you can use a blanket - engine insulation, which is produced by domestic manufacturers. For example, LLC "Steklovolokno". A company that produces car heat - a blanket for the engine, using new technology and offering similar products to car owners at a very low price. At the same time, we can immediately say that domestic auto heat does not differ in quality from the same accessories produced abroad.
Benefits and method of application.
Despite different opinions about such a product as a blanket for a car engine
, it has a number of undeniable advantages. Helps reduce the rate of decrease in internal combustion engine temperature. Car heat for your car makes it quick and easy to start the engine in the morning in winter. This occurs by preserving the heat that is residual from the moment the engine stops. Autoheat helps save fuel due to the fact that the time it takes to warm up the internal combustion engine to the required operating temperature is significantly reduced. Autoheat - a blanket under the hood of the engine helps protect the engine from operating at low temperatures. Made from non-flammable materials, which can ensure safety.
Do you need it?
Oddly enough, many car owners believe that engine blankets are complete nonsense. The biggest problem is that cars simply burn out. Oddly enough, but cars can actually burn out precisely from using a blanket. But there is a point worth noting here. Cars only burn if the insulation accessory used is of poor quality or, worst of all, self-produced. Remember, the engine blanket does not include felt materials. A unique case was identified at one service station. The car, which completely burned out, and this happened in just five minutes, left a high-quality blanket for the car's engine on its burnt engine. Moreover, the uniqueness lies in the fact that the completed blanket did not even burn inside, only soot and soot on top. That is why, to the question: “do you need it?”, you can safely answer: “yes!”, but only with the use of high-quality materials.
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What types of car blankets are there?
The basis of such products are special materials with low thermal conductivity. At the moment, the most common types of melon are:
- Felt blankets that retain heat well, but have fire safety issues;
- Fiberglass blankets are an inexpensive and safe material that does a good job of retaining heat;
- Mullite-silica refractory materials containing aluminum and silicon fibers. This material is highly resistant to high temperatures and chemicals.
Pros of car blankets
It is clear that the blankets themselves do not warm anything, but they allow you to save the engine’s own heat. What benefits does this provide? There are myths that when using car blankets it is easier to start a car after parking overnight, the car warms up faster and its fuel consumption is reduced. Actually this is not true. During the night, the engine cools down to the same temperature with or without a blanket, so starting is the same. Experiments on warm-up time also did not reveal a significant difference; usually with a blanket the car warms up a little faster, but the difference is so small that it can be ignored. And since warming up doesn’t happen faster, there’s no way to save fuel.
So in what situation would a car blanket be useful? It significantly increases the cooling time of a warm engine. It is estimated that in winter, at minus 15-20 degrees, a fully warmed-up engine will cool down in 2.5-3 hours, whereas with a blanket it can retain heat for up to 6 hours. This is especially useful on short trips. For example, we arrived at the store, returned an hour and a half later, and the engine was still warm. It does not need to be heated additionally, and you can immediately turn on the stove.
Another benefit from the blanket may be for owners of cars with “cold” engines. This includes diesel engines and small petrol turbo engines. Their fuel consumption is so low that at idle they cannot generate enough heat to warm themselves up and heat the cabin. The use of blankets on such cars can sometimes increase the operating temperature during a trip and improve the heating of the interior.
An additional advantage of using a blanket is the reduction in engine noise - after all, an additional layer is created that dampens sounds and vibrations. In terms of efficiency, the blanket does not reach normal hood sound insulation, but it still provides a small gain.
What manufacturers say
Companies producing and selling car blankets often provide simply amazing numbers. For example, it is often said that the internal combustion engine will cool 3 times slower. It is unlikely that such indicators will be achieved thanks to a blanket, but it is quite possible to reduce heat loss by 1.5-2 times. Therefore, if your engine cooled down in 2-2.5 hours, then you can increase this figure to 4-5 hours. This is sufficient in most cases.
As for the effect of low temperatures on the engine, we will look at this a little lower. Much more interested is the question of the effect of high temperatures on a car blanket. During operation of the internal combustion engine, a large amount of heat is generated, which is why many do not purchase car blankets and do not use them due to a possible fire. But this is more of a prejudice. If you cover the engine compartment with a regular blanket, then yes, in this case the risk of fire increases significantly.
Features of the blanket (car blanket) for the Avtoteplo No. 3 engine:
- prevents the car from freezing even when left in the cold for a long time;
- significantly reduces the time required to warm up the engine;
- does not allow ice to form on the hood lid;
- creates an additional soundproofing layer;
- does not emit harmful impurities, does not ignite;
- thanks to its dimensions of 150x93 cm, it covers the entire engine compartment.
External view of the insulation for the Avtoteplo No. 3 engine (click on the photo to enlarge)
What's the result?
- Selecting the right car blanket allows you to achieve excellent thermal insulation. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of cold engine starts throughout the day. In this way, it is possible to significantly reduce fuel consumption and save money (there is no need to warm up the car every time after a short stay). It also makes it easier to start the engine after a long stay, reduces the intensity, significantly increases comfort during operation (the interior warms up faster) and increases the overall service life of the internal combustion engine.
Note that when choosing insulation, it is better to refrain from trying to make a car blanket with your own hands or use a regular cotton blanket. First of all, insulation must be safe. The finished factory product ensures ease of use and reliability, and is easy to install and remove. Taking into account this information, it is also recommended to check the insulation before purchasing for a possible counterfeit item or the fact that it was manufactured in small handicraft workshops.
- Finally, we would like to add that given the large selection, you should not buy the most budget options based solely on price. At the same time, you should carefully study the properties and parameters of a particular product before purchasing.
RESULT
There are a lot of such car blankets now produced by Smar, SKYWAY, STP, etc.) They are made mainly from non-flammable materials, that is, fiberglass and so on - fire is excluded.
Application possible! BUT only in severe frosts, and if you have no contraindications from the manufacturer. At low temperatures (up to - 15) it is actually not necessary, and may even cause harm. This is my review, read our AUTOBLOG and subscribe to updates.
Hello, dear friends! The cold has already arrived in many regions and cities. That’s why people have to carefully insulate themselves so as not to freeze and get sick.
Not everyone knows that sometimes the car itself needs to be insulated during severe frosts. For these purposes, there is a special auto gadget called an auto blanket. Essentially, this is a piece of material that covers the engine compartment of the car.
Having it helps a lot, as does the autostart system. But in order to set the record straight regarding the need to use a blanket for the engine, I propose to study this issue from all sides. Then you can decide for yourself whether you should buy a similar accessory for the engine, or whether the price will not meet expectations in your particular case.
Is it possible to do it yourself
You can make a blanket for the engine with your own hands, some motorists do just that. Sometimes this is the only right decision, especially since there is nothing complicated about it. First you need to decide on the dimensions, then on the material. Measuring the engine compartment is very simple and all you need is a tape measure. You can also choose high-quality material without much effort. It should not burn or melt, and have an average density, since it will need to be stitched. Well, one more important condition is maintaining heat under the hood of the car.
As a basis, you can take fiberglass, the characteristics of which have already been discussed. As for fillers, it is better to choose mineral wool. It pricks quite a lot, so it is better to carry out work with rubber gloves. Then everything is simple, we take basalt wool and cover it with fiberglass. It is advisable to do everything carefully and conscientiously. It is important to sew a high-quality fiberglass “duvet cover”. Basalt is placed in it. At this point, production can be considered complete.
"Avtoteplo No. 3" is an inexpensive and very effective means for engine insulation!
Winter is a special time in the life of a motorist. This is the time when you can’t just get into the car, start it and hit the road. The thing is that, being on the street, the vehicle freezes very much (which is not surprising, since there is metal all around) and starting its engine is not so easy. And even if you manage to do this quickly, you still can’t move away right away - the engine may stall at the most inopportune moment. So what to do? Don't go? Wasting extra gasoline and precious time on warming up? No! It is enough to get a special car blanket, for example, such as “Avtoteplo No. 3”. This inexpensive device will protect your car from freezing even in severe frost, and will also help keep the engine warm for several hours.
If necessary, the insulation easily folds into a compact roll (click on the photo to enlarge)
