Thanx for posting the details of your installation. I was concerned
that defrost may not be effective when you really need it, like a dewy
morning before full engine warm-up.
How do you scoop the air from the duct? Do the hoses just point into
the cooling air stream?
I was considering making a manifold to fit on top of the aft part of
the duct (externally), almost full width. Flush with the duct is a
panel-controlled flapper valve which opens down into the hot air
stream. Then, if you also add some arrangement to the defrost/heat
outlets in the cabin (like a sliding door), you can balance them like
you can in your car. Plus, with full heat setting on the flapper, but
restriction on the cabin outlets, you get a cowl flap effect you say
is desirable for real cold days. How's this sound?
Also, with the trigear, I can easily route cabin heat to exit either
side of the tunnel, near the floor below the knees. Is this the best
place? I know from previous posts that the footwells are not good,
and surmise panel-level hot air can be undesirable as there's
greenhouse heating from all the 'perspex' on sunny but cold day.
Regards,
Fred F., A063
Bob Jacobsen wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> There is another method for cabin heat that I used. Since I do live in the
> far North (not Florida) cabin and carb heat are important - trust me!!
>
> Cliff & I pulled the heat source off the back of the radiators. Basically
> installed a couple of hoses, one for carb heat and one for cabin heat into
> the aluminum tunnel behind the radiators. These run into RV style heat
> boxes from aircraft spruce. Its simple, lightweight, cheap, and avoids CO
> problems. I also ducted the heat up to the windshield for defrost.
> Basically its perfect except for one thing (its always just one thing isn't
> it!!!). The defrost works really well and so does the carb heat - but the
> cabin still gets a bit cold. I think it will work just fine for most
> locations and is probably way to much heat for Florida but what the heck.
>
> I swiped the idea from Ken Whittington in Calgary Canada (another chilly
> place) and his works good - I may be able to get some more heat out of mine
> with a cowl flap which I will install this winter to help the engine run
> hotter when its cold out. This should make my cabin heat quite a bit
> warmer.
>
> Later
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