Easy Climate Control Fan-Only Solution - 5 cents, 5 mins

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I did the method 3 version with some parts I had on hand. Works like a charm! No more playing with the temperature setting to prevent unnecessary heater use. Also, a side bonus I didn't realize before doing the fix: When you are using the heat, and are a couple miles from home, you can shut it down early so it doesn't kick back in and leave it hot just to cool off again.

Thanks for posting the fix!
 
These mods are essential for us driving in the colder climates as well. I have installed a small diesel water heater (and please spare me the envirement discussion).

However, when using "method 2" (a 330 ohm resistor in parallel with heater fluid sensor, the water pump shuts down. This is a problem since the water will not circulate, and the diesel heater overheats and shuts down.

I have tried this on a 2011 US-Leaf, and a 2012 Euro-leaf, both with the same result.

Why do the waterpump shut down? The resistor must be tricking more than just the heater fluid sensor?
 
I am more interested in which diesel heater you are using and where I can get one. (enviro stuff can be solved by using bio-diesel as it is carbon neutral)

The coolant should circulate anytime the fan is on and the set temperature is above 18.0 C, but you can also try this:

When your climate control is running, make sure your AC button is pressed and the LED is ON, this should enable coolant circulation regardless of the perceived temperature. AC doesn't mean air-con for cold air, it means conditioning the air for warm or cold.
 
jclemens said:
The coolant should circulate anytime the fan is on and the set temperature is above 18.0 C, but you can also try this:

When your climate control is running, make sure your AC button is pressed and the LED is ON, this should enable coolant circulation regardless of the perceived temperature. AC doesn't mean air-con for cold air, it means conditioning the air for warm or cold.

This is what I belived as well. But the pump does not start. I know that there might be different software, and controllers, but this "extra" resistance (or more correct: less resistance) should in theory trick the controller to sense approx 150 degrees F if the coolant temp is at 32F. My added 330 ohm resistor should make a totalt of 2,5k + 330 ohm. That makes around 290 ohm in parallel right?
And that should be well within any safety features built in to the car.

jclemens said:
I am more interested in which diesel heater you are using and where I can get one. (enviro stuff can be solved by using bio-diesel as it is carbon neutral)

Since I am not very good at electronics I bought an "old tech" heater. No can bus, no external sensors etc. It has overheating protection, and several other safety features but it is basicly only two wires to keep track of (exept from your +/- cables that are always connected). The yellow should not be to difficult to guess, and the other to a simple switch that gives 12v+.

In Europe the brand name is Eberspächer, but I belive it is sold in the US as Espar. The model I bought is the old D3WZ. They are sold as brand new units as replacement units for older cars. I paid about 250 euros for it. That is about half the price other models in Europe.
 
A short update:

I have tried different resistance on "method 2", up to 390 ohm. All with the same result: the pump does not run.

I have insulated parts of the hoses, and this has limited the use from the battery a bit, but at temperatures below freezing it will still use about 500 watts. This means that the car "wants" about 3500 watts to heat the cabin. I can not get the facts to fit my understanding of heating of such a small space. It must be a LOT of heat loss in the engine bay.

I am considering adding a circulation pump, but this is a bit pricy. And it would add just another "thing" that could malfunction, and yet more wiring, and yet more connections that cost money and could leak. (and more work to get back to "original state" in case of a warranty issue (this does not apply in my case due to the CRAPPY and poor warranty policy from Nissan USA)).

In the Norwegian forum it is talk about a 5 kw heater. These come at a different cost (x3) and is more complex. All new items uses CAN-bus, so a modification to the added controller is needed. The modification is quite simple (just solder a opto-coupler to the input button from any "on" cable or the fan-controller to be able to control the unit via carwings (this is also possible with the D3WZ in the same manner).

Since it does not seems like it is a lot of activity in this thread (or maybe I am posting in the wrong tread?): is it any interest in making a "manual" to install a diesel heater? My "broken English" is probably not much use to most people, but if there is anyone I could team up with... we could make something....?
 
hornstudio said:
i completely insulated all my LEAFs tubes last winter. took me 1,5h (i knew what to do from my i-Miev) for the job. you have to remove the battery carrier then you have access to all tubes.

the temperatur sensor is insulated automatically and therefore the power consumtion drops significantly about 0,8kW-1kW. i can drive preheated now for 8 miles until the heater comes on with very low kW/h. in carwings i jumped from 1000 to 200 in range.

here are my pictures: http://imageshack.us/g/1/10092398/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Would you please post your pics again? Your imageshack pics are gone. The link is nonfunctional. I suggest a wikihow type of page where your pics will remain. Thanks.
 
i dont know how to post pictures. send me a private message with your email adress and i will send you some pics.
 
I see a lot of talk about allowing fan only without heat but what about AC only without heat?

I've noticed with Leafspy that the AC in the summer time uses the heater blended in if the set point is between ambient and the temperature the AC can put out at minimum power.

for example one day I was driving and the ambient was 79F and my set point was 72F, heater came on a few minutes into my trip so I played with the setpoint and found these power levels (I think in hundreds of watts).

setpoint at 70F would have AC draw of 6 and Heat draw of 2
setpoint at 68F would have AC draw of 6 and Heat draw of 1
setpoint at 65F would have AC draw of 7 and Heat draw of 0
setpoint at 60F was same as at 65F.

I'd like a method that is easy to do that disables heat during the 7 to 9 months of the year I don't need it and can then be re-enabled for the 3-5 months I might use it.

Presumably when that is the case the AC would still cycle on and off at a usage of 6 or 0 but the variance in temp of the air from the vent would be higher.

I suppose method 1 or 2 would work but method 3 is out because it allows the heat to be on when AC is on.

I'd rather not have to dig around under the hood twice a year for method 1 so I guess method 2 is the best fit.

Of course the other method for this situation would be to choose a super low set point of 62F or 60F and then manually turn on and off the AC using the dash button as I drive but that is cumbersome as well. I'd rather not have to focus Leafspy's power draw meter for the heat or be constantly reaching for the AC on/off button on the dash while driving.
 
oh and a clarification on use of method #2?

It mentions having to flip the switch for preheating. That won't interfere with precooling correct? I could leave the switch flipped for months at a time in the summer?
 
dhanson865 said:
...
It mentions having to flip the switch for preheating. That won't interfere with precooling correct? I could leave the switch flipped for months at a time in the summer?
If the information given by BetterLeaf is correct, Method #2 is making the LEAF sense a much hotter heater coolant temperature so it will not run the heater.
So it should not impact pre-cooling on a 2011 / 2012 LEAF.

I have come to the same conclusion you did that I do not understand why everyone didn't go along a path of just simply stopping heater operation.
That is what Nissan did in 2013, added a heater off switch.

Even BetterLeaf's method #2 is a indirect approach of faking high heater coolant temperature.
And I was always a bit leary of BetterLeaf's recommendation.
Only has posted 25 times, this thread which several said worked, one or two that said it did not.
But the other thread was a really bad idea dangerous cheap EVSE.

The LEAF heater has to be supplied by a relay.
Why was it considered impractical or too difficult to just add a switch controlling the relay like Nissan did in 2013.
Instead of what Ingineer did with the fix he was selling that didn't solve the whole problem or the BetterLeaf fake the heater coolant temperature Method # 2 :?:
 
After seeing the heater running in the middle of summer I too am considering adding a switch switch so the heater never turns on in the summer.
 
I used a resistor inserted into the connector at the heater fluid temperature sensor under the hood (unplugged connector from sensor, inserted resistor simulating high fluid temperature into connector, and wrapped with self-fusing insulating tape) on my 2011. This worked very well and there were no error codes set or any other problems caused by this modification. I was planning to permanently wire a suitable resistor and switch so I could enable the heater for preheat, but an errant driver forced me to replace the 2011 before I had a chance to complete the project.

The fact that the heater would still run with the A/C on is the sole reason that I did not purchase Ingineer's modification when it became available.

Gerry
 
No, the Leaf uses the battery temperature for this, not the ambient temperature...

EVerlasting said:
Is it possible to insert a resister in the outside temperature sensor to similarly prevent the LEAF from reducing regen in winter? I would love to do this if its possible. If anyone can figure this out, please let me know. Thanks!
 
dhanson865 said:
I see a lot of talk about allowing fan only without heat but what about AC only without heat?

I'd like a method that is easy to do that disables heat during the 7 to 9 months of the year I don't need it and can then be re-enabled for the 3-5 months I might use it.

I suppose method 1 or 2 would work but method 3 is out because it allows the heat to be on when AC is on.


Method 2 is the easy way to disable heat during periods of the year that you do not need to have the car heated, but a bit of cooling. The AC works, but the heater is OFF. If it is a bit nippy, you can just adjust the temperature up so the AC will not turn on. In my LEAF in additon to a aux. heater i made a small "cable kit" installed as mehtod 2. In spring i just jerk open the consol panel and find switch i have hanging loose there and turn the switch ON so that the 330 ohm resistor is in paralell. In autum I turn it off again.

I have no visable switches for this, it is all hidden under the panel. IF you want to be able to adjust the draw of the heater you can install a potmeter.
 
Nice YouTube video by Leafman Leaf for Method # 2:
https://youtu.be/YP2o9yoi15c

If I do it, I'll probably leave the switch accessible rather than require console removal to switch it.
 
For those who do not want to "DIY" you can buy a cable kit from http://betterev.tabetalt.no/

Please note that US residents(and all other non-Norwegian residents) must add the "world wide shipping" option.

This is a less than "non-profit" project.

BEWARE: This cable kit is NOT approved by Nissan. This is MAY void warranty,

Please be aware that I am the seller of this item.


Tech info:

Mode 1: 270 ohms in parallel makes the LEAF water heater system to assume to have a very high tempt. El.hetater turns OFF.
Mode 2: 2,2k ohms in parallel makes the LEAF water heater system to adjust to approx 30 C. higher than actual temp. Less heat loss.
Mode OFF: No input. The LEAF will heat as normal,

Length of kit: 10 cm

Length of switch-kit: 51 cm.

The switch can be installed up to 50 cm (cable length) from the center console

Be aware that shipping will be primo nov to mid nov. 2015.

1 USD is about 9 NOK. Price per kit iis about 11 USD, shipping about 7 USD

I will provide a simple "youtube" video on how to install the cable kit shortly after I have received it.

At the moment I am just "covering my cost", to make sure that this cable kit is available. I am not making any money on this, but need to get my money back.

IF this project is successful I want to launch a cable kit to solve the low voltage on "high beam".

Best regards from Norway!


Torj.
 
Thanks so much for making such a kit available! I've not gotten around to making this as I wanted something like this. I've ordered and will let ya'll know how it works after I get it it.
 
Hey everyone, am I wrong to believe this thread is about running the fan only in defrost mode while the car is running? If that is the case then I can say that my 2015 S model will do that with no modifications. Simply have the climate control off, then adjust fan speed with the dial. This puts the fan on without AC or heater. Then press the mode button a few times until the defrost indicator is lit. It is lit at the same time as the vent for the feet. Forgive me if I am misunderstanding what this thread is about. Good night!
 
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