You guys with the oil burners might find the info on this Rover/MG page interesting as they have the same fuel burning heater fitted to their diesels...
http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=218202&page=2

Interestingly you can connect to the FBH on the K-Bus (possibly also the ibus, but definitely with the resler interface) This means that you can run the webasto diagnostics software which as they say is better than the T4 software with more options inc output charts.

Importantly there also seems to be the possibility to change the modes, so if you may be able to enable aux heating/timed heating by changing a setting as per here (page 18 )

I found what I was looking for on page 24 - the ability to change the runtime of the heating cycle. Currently set to 30 minutes. I'd like to be able to change it to 45 minutes it depths of winter and 10 minutes in summer. I believe the system can be set to do this automatically as there is reference to different runtimes at different temperatures.

The software itself is a free download from webasto here (the guy on MG forums uses 2.08 )

You can set two timers. I have one 30 minutes before I set off, and one 30 mins before I leave work. It's also possible to activate it manually shoukd you choose to:


FBH by d86cfv, on Flickr 

Last edited by dan_uk_1984 on 8th Nov 2010 11:07pm. Edited 2 times in total

Cheers for that, just printed the document off

Thanks Dan - nice find! I found the Webasto SW a while ago, but no instructions. And I've not found the time to play with it yet. May have to now, tho, as it's getting colder and I def want the pre-heat to work this year. I actually thought that the activation of the pre-heater would be within the HEVAC (so I've been trying to get INPA to work), but on second thought this makes more sense. The HEVAC just needs to know to turn on the blower when the appropriate signal comes from the FBH. Fingers crossed.

Resler' interface works on K-bus directly too. Same protocol. He also mentions it on his site - with a warning not to f@ck around unless you absolutely know what you are doing . The instructions on the MG-Rover site are a bit messed up, tho. The poster calls a WRY wire K - this is def I-bus. K is RW. I'll try running the SW on the I-Bus. The instrument cluster acts as a gateway between the various buses - perhaps it has nothing against accessing the FBH from the I-bus due to the fact that the menu/timer function will transmit to the FBH from the I-bus too (not that it makes any great difference whether you connect to I or K as long as it works - but it is interesting).

From everything I've been told by 2 dealers familiar with all LR diagnostic SW, there is no means of activating the pre heat function. This would be vfc. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

I'll try running the SW on the ibus this eve - failing that, do you know which wire the Kbus is and where it can be found?

I've never found a dealer who knows what the pre-heater does. I've been told by everyone I've ever spoken to that it was not available on the petrol. Hence why none seem to have it fitted, if the dealer didnt know about it when speccing te cars. I cant imagine anyone would say no I dont want a warm interior in the morning!?

Odd that there isn't much known about them on RR's where as the MG guys and disco guys seem to be very advanced.

FFRR needs a WiKi to doccument this stuff, rathert han keeping it in the forums.

D 

K is RW (red w/ white stripe) found on all sorts of ECUs - unfortunately none that spring to mind w/o opening a panel or removing something: the BCU under the RH Seat, the EAS ECU (next to glovebox), Wiper control module, LCM, etc.

I can't imagine that the dealers didn't have the FBH in the options list! Here (Germany) people go out of their way to order a FBH or have it installed after purchasing the vehicle (maybe because Webasto is a German co. - so it's better known?). Def a very nice option to have - beats the crap out of simply having a heated wheel, IMO (not that that isn't nice too, but...).

I don't think I'll have time to play today. Do report back on what happens. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

A wiki is planned - watch this space

Couldn't seem to communicate with the FBH this eve over the ibus/kbus. Will give it another go tomorrow ever, but it started raining and was freeeezing. I'll be glad for the fbh tomorrow morn! 

Anyone else got the resler interface AND a pre-heater? (diesel?)

I cant get the webasto SW to talk to the unit, perhaps someone else could give it a go?? 

Yep - both. But I won't be able to try before the weekend.

I did look at the SW more closely (while at work... ). I don't think it will activate the pre-heat function even if I can get it to communicate. The 'start pre-heat' is in the menu 'control'. It will probably allow me to start the FBH in pre-heater mode through the SW, but that's it. At least that's the way I understood the 'help' section to that topic...

EDIT: BTW, did the SW actually show COM5 (or do you have the RS232 version of the resler interface)? 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

hi dan, i did speak to the chap who does the webasto parts and he told me there is and upgrade that allows the unit to monitor the outside temp and will adjust its run time to suite, ie, if its realy cold and snow all around it will start itself earlier to get your required temp on the time you set to go off and get into the car.
i am now looking for a thermo top c unit... V8 facelift Range Rover Autobiography 22" wheels.
1976 Harley Davidson Iron Head Sportster

Allrite Dave, sorry I couldnt get the model number/type off mine for you...

Interesting info on the temperature variable setting, there is stuff in the webasto manual about it I think:

Telestart T100HTM
Heating Time Management (HTM) in the Telestart receiver calculates
the heating duration depending on the prevailing temperature and the
comfort level (C1 to C5) selected using the hand-held transmitter.

Comfort level
We recommend comfort level 2/3 as the basic setting. However, the user
can adapt the comfort level according to his or her individual requirements
using the HTM transmitter. The specialist workshop can select a
higher system level in advance to adapt the system in accordance with
specific requirements.

System level
The system level setting is used for the default setting depending on the
corresponding vehicle type. This setting can only be made by the
Webasto specialist workshop or an installation partner using the
diagnostic software. 

dan, i will text you his number, have a word with him, the firm ware upgrade may be possible to earlier units
also have a bog at hack the ibus, art has come across a vga screen and rgb converter that will double the res of the standard monitor. V8 facelift Range Rover Autobiography 22" wheels.
1976 Harley Davidson Iron Head Sportster

Hey Dave - are you talking about Art Tevs? Has he done a second monitor (couldn't find one on his site). His first monitor was just a generic 7" touch screen monitor (on which he broke the digitizer during re-assy - so no touch screen now). The signal from the oem nav to the monitor uses a RGsB (sync on green) to VGA convertor - they are relatively easy to find.

I still haven't installed my carPC, but IMO resolution is not the big issue (then again, watching movies on the nav screen is not my main priority). I have a second OEM monitor and have played with it on the bench at home. Any decent carPC front end will display everything more than large enough to work well with the standard resolution. My big issue is the rotary knob as main input device - you're limited to apps running on one of the BMW emulation progs (such as car-amp). I thought that adding a touch screen overlay to the OEM monitor would be easier - it's not working out quite as easily as I'd hoped though. The 2.5mm are causing more than a bit of a headache...

Sorry about the thread hi-jack, Dan. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Nice bit of pre-heating in the morning:


16112010190 by d86cfv, on Flickr

All windows defrosted, and no nasty cold start for the engine. 

Just read the whole of above and still don't understand what i need to achieve what Dan's done above.

Can anybody shed some simple term light my way please. I have a TD6 2002.

Thanks