Pre-conditioning, Parking Climate, Remote Start - Confused!

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

The aircon isn't used as that would require the engine to be running. All this is true for D5 and T6 XC90s. A T8 may behave differently to this? (And XC60s, etc, different again?)

Yes the T8 does behave differently, if plugged in, on a hot day, you get air con when using pre-conditioning. See my little summary in post #18.

[MaDProFF]

@ Phillip I will check for sure tomorrow, just I am pretty certain I get the message will not start, not plugged in or something to that effect. (when using parking climate).
Same as remote start will not start if plugged in. but I will check both tomorrow.

I am pretty sure that my heater is aux fuel heater, I started it while next to car.
I am impressed even running the heater a few minutes how much it heated car up.
Now this might answer some other points,

When I started for VOC APP it stated failed to start, did not say why, but dash shows the aux heater icon, then a message could not start because of low fuel, (or words to that effect) but car was on level ground, and a half full petrol tank.
I tried it again from the VOC app and it worked and started. (while car was plugged in).

So others who said they had issues might want to try it next to the car, maybe an issue with false fuel tank readings.

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

Plugged in:

Temp below 10c. Car warms using (we think) aux fuel burning heater.
Temp above 22c ish. Car cools using air conditioning.

Not-plugged in:

Temp below 10c. Car warms definitely using aux fuel burning heater.
Temp above 22c ish. Car cools using ambient air drawn in from outside.

I've always assumed that only those territories that don't get aux fuel heaters (perhaps for legal reasons) would get an electric engine+cabin pre-heater. While there's some advantage in being able to pre-heat electrically*, eg when the car is in an enclosed space such as a garage, I can't see Volvo going to the complication and expense of fitting both pre-heat systems.

*The heat output from the fuel heater is a substantial 5kW which is why it heats up the car quite quickly. To get the equivalent heat from an electrical supply would require a 20 amp supply at least.

[MaDProFF]

I also wonder from a T8 point of view in this country, is most people do not bother charging the battery?? So the electric heater will not work.

Also it is possible that our electric costs are so high compared to many other countries that is it not a viable option

[Lexman8]

Pre-heating using the drive battery would significantly reduce the driving range given how much power it would require. It might be that cars with electric pre-heating will only pre-heat when plugged in or perhaps only pre-heat for a short period of time?

As an aside, now that cold mornings and evenings are with us I'm so glad I specified the aux heater. It's definitely one of the best features I've had on any car.

[Goodshot]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

Pre-heating using the drive battery would significantly reduce the driving range given how much power it would require. It might be that cars with electric pre-heating will only pre-heat when plugged in or perhaps only pre-heat for a short period of time?

As an aside, now that cold mornings and evenings are with us I'm so glad I specified the aux heater. It's definitely one of the best features I've had on any car.

If you have a t8 you don’t reduce electric range on preconditioning because electric is taken from your house supply not the battery.

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by Goodshot

If you have a t8 you don’t reduce electric range on preconditioning because electric is taken from your house supply not the battery.

Yes, but as to Philip Fisher's point in post #18, is it using an electric pre-heater or the aux fuel heater when plugged in? I seem to remember reading that it can pre-heat the drive battery electrically but does it also pre-heat the engine and cabin as the fuel heater would?

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

Yes, but as to Philip Fisher's point in post #18, is it using an electric pre-heater or the aux fuel heater when plugged in? I seem to remember reading that it can pre-heat the drive battery electrically but does it also pre-heat the engine and cabin as the fuel heater would?

To answer this, someone with a T8 needs to plug the car in on a cold morning, trigger preconditioning and then see if the fuel burning heater seems to be running (smell around the front wheel for fumes?). Unfortunately i only charge at work (and work days) so it will be a few months before I can do this test.

As an aside I lose about 3 to 4 mpg when it gets cold. It took me a long time to realise, but the fuel burning heater is also used to heat the cabin when driving (ie it is not just for prefonditioning). So when I pop out of a lunchtime into town and back with a full battery and I diligently run in pure then I use no fuel in the summer but in winter fuel is being burned to keep me warm. I have wondered about turning the temp right down in such circumstances to get to zero emmissions but I am not that committed to the cause......

[MaDProFF]

It does, My T8 does not have an electric heater.

I can confirm now that using parking climate works with car plugged in and not plugged in, which starts the aux fuel heater.

One question, if you have an auxiliary fuel heater that is fired up using parking climate, what is the point of remote start?

The manual is so vague really not even using the same terminology in some cases.

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by MaDProFF

One question, if you have an auxiliary fuel heater that is fired up using parking climate, what is the point of remote start?

Remote start allows cars that don't have an aux heater to warm up and turn on heated seats, etc, and also to allow cooling via the aircon on non-T8 cars.

The aux fuel heater is much quicker and more efficient at heating the car than remote start is, especially for diesel cars. By pre-heating the engine block, oil, etc, it also reduces overall emissions and cuts down on diesel 'clatter'.

Note that Parking Climate and Pre-conditioning are not the same thing.