Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 18/02) - Empty cars idling on the street with plumes of exhaust wafting into the air is a familiar Northern picture.

Often, vehicles are left running or automatically fire up on their own to keep engines and interiors warm.

A warm engine is a necessity during Northern winters when temperatures plummet below - 40 C for long periods of time. Without some source of heating, it is likely your vehicle would be as useful as a block of ice.

As well, there are not always sources of electricity readily available to be able to plug in block heaters. This means many people have no choice but to periodically run their vehicle.

There is another option, however, which will ensure engines and vehicle interiors stay warm without vehicle wear or exhaust emissions.

Auxiliary heating systems operate on the fuel source of the vehicle providing heat to the engine and cab interior.

Espar Heating Systems is one manufacturer of a variety of auxiliary heating systems. The units connect to the engines cooling system. The heater is ignited with a glow pin with a low draw of power from the battery and fuel. A water pump circulates water over the heat exchanger and heats the coolant. The heated coolant then flows through the engine and vehicle's heat exchanger.

Fuel efficient

"You're not running your vehicle so the amount of fuel you are burning is insignificant," said Garry Doering, service manager at Kingland Ford.

Specifications indicate that for one hour of operation the heater will use one cup of fuel.

The systems can be operated manually or via a timer. Auxiliary heating systems are equipped with safety features that prevent the systems from depleting fuel or car batteries.

The heaters are compact and can be easily installed under the vehicle's hood.

Depending on the system purchased, they can be used in a variety of motorized vehicles, from boats and off-road vehicles to cars, trucks and busses.

Doering said he knows of only one system being installed in a Yellowknife vehicle because they tend to be quite costly.

"They are fairly expensive little units, about $3,000 to $3,500," he said.