A quick Heath-Robinson FBH remote using modules available from eBay. The analogue to W-bus control was about £40, the rest a few £££ each. No programming. No real hassle. No neatness!



Controlled via the 433 Mhz RF remote switch, it will only start the FBH below 10 °C. The timer module switches it off after 15 mins (or via the remote).




Wiring is utter bodge and the control box lives in the driver's side 'battery box' (still needs tidying). Protected by 1A fuse wired into under-bonnet fuse box.



Only a few mA required, so shouldn't affect the battery. A £7 wifi switch is on its way to me - control via app on phone which includes timers. If I had thought about it, the indicator LED should have been mounted in the lid of the 'battery box'.

cool.

Links to the controls would be good. I little project over xmas

I know about the WBus convertor. Already in my watched list

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Analog-to-W-bus...2749.l2649


Box (if not using temperature sensor)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Plastic-Enclosu...SwwkFanmaY

Last edited by Andy K on Sat Jan 05 2019 10:21pm. Edited 2 times in total

Hi Andy,

These are the ones I used (for no particular reasons) but there are lots of different ones out there on eBay:

The thermostat.

The timer.

The remote.

(and the FBH wire was from the Disco 3 shop)

Fuseholder, LED, etc, from local car spares shop.

The thermostat is probably OTT. My original plan was to fix the thermocouple to a water hose / engine block but I couldn't get it to reach anywhere suitable.

HTH. Don't blame me if it catches fire!

Early cars e.g 2004/2005 will have a red wire coming out of the FBH connector already. So you don't need to purchase the pin, just cut the wire, allowing enough length to join to the wire going into the FBH.
Connect it to the green wire from the blue module.


Thanks. Very much.

Last edited by Andy K on Sun Jan 06 2019 12:07pm. Edited 1 time in total

So I can skip the temperature sensor.

When the battery is disconnected, do you have to make it re learn the remote control ?

No, it carries on regardless.

It only needs to be in 'momentary mode' to trigger the timer and a second click switches off the timer.

Hi.

So I tested the remote Rx on its own. All good.
I tested the timer on its own. Works. Instructions aren’t great! Latched/Once the wrong way round. Relay contacts NO NC wrong way round! Buts that’s ok.

I put it all together today as the box arrived,
Did you make the link on the blue PCB?

+3°C today

When I connect + to the orange wire, the FBH makes a small noise (no heat).
When I remove + from the orange, the FBH makes a larger noise. (cool down cycle?)

The FBH seams to work ok when the engine is started.

Is yours working ok in Hi power or Lo power mode?
Does it start instantly?

Thank you


For others, the box I went for was off ebay. search Case90x70x28mm
Which is just about large enough, if you don't have the temperature module.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Plastic-Enclosu...SwwkFanmaY

Last edited by Andy K on Sat Jan 05 2019 10:21pm. Edited 1 time in total

I got it working

I made the PCB link. I was also not waiting long enough for the heater to start fully.


Note Jumpers J4 and J5 are fitted in the top position.

Click image to enlarge

Hi Andy,

[Disclaimer - I broke mine yesterday!]

I didn't bridge the pcb. After double-checking with the seller, I left it as it was.

The heater starts when the orange wire is connected to +12 V . Though it isn't silent, it is a while before the full 'jet engine' effect kicks in; it stops when 12V is removed.

I'm sure you'll have done it properly anyway, but the red wire needs to be wired to a permanent live so that it is 'awake' when it gets the orange signal.

Yeah got it working thank you

Which bit of yours have you broke

Tip

So those with early cars which have a Red in the fbh terminal and if you wish to fit the remote module inside the car, you can find the other end on a
Rectangular grey connector which is tucked behind the cjb bracket (behind glovebox fusesbox).
There are 2 red wires. So pick the correct one. I cut the wire.

There is also a +12v on the next pin if I need it.

Click image to enlarge

(I cut through a wire whilst neatening it up into a 3d-printed box attached to the FBH bracket )

As as an experiment, I replaced the RF remote with a wi-fi switch and linked that to Google Home. Saying"OK Google, run the heater" switches it on.

For those who aren't into DIY.

for pre facelift cars:

www.lr-fbh.co.uk

£125

I see someone has done a GSM SIM version (simple DIY) for £70. TXT your car to start the heater
Useful if your car is parked a distance away or out of range.


https://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/gsm-switch-...78879.html

uses GSM module
https://www.gsm-uk.net/product-page/copy-o...r-pcb-only

Got some good use out of mine in March.


Looks like your design has been copied (pre assembled but without timer)

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=ht...4117320536

Make yourself :

The blue Wbus controller has also been modified

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Analog-to-W-bus...Sws~Bd8TaC


Remote

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC12V-Relay-1CH...Swgbpff-Gc


Timer


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-12-24V-DC-Inf...%3A2334524