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RV-8 Heater setup

WingnutWick

Well Known Member
Hello all,

My 8 wasn't built with a heater installed, just a door that opens to the engine bay which is not only less effective carries with it potential CO issues. I would like to install a heater system and also route heat to the back. What's the setup most people use for this? Is it pulled from the right side of the baffle behind #3? Will this effect cooling of the cylinders? (I already run on the hot side).

Suggestions?

Thanks!
 
Hello all,

My 8 wasn't built with a heater installed, just a door that opens to the engine bay which is not only less effective carries with it potential CO issues. I would like to install a heater system and also route heat to the back. What's the setup most people use for this? Is it pulled from the right side of the baffle behind #3? Will this effect cooling of the cylinders? (I already run on the hot side).

Suggestions?

Thanks!
The usual solution is to add a heat muff to your exhaust...on mine I pulled the air from behind #3 as you suggest. Van’s sells the heat muffs on their website. Heat to the back seat is more complicated since any scat tube would have to run through the wing spar. Some folks add heated seats or add a plug for a heated motorcycle vest.
 
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If you really need heat
- 2 mufflers (or muffs, less effective)
- 2 airboxes
- left thru firewall to front seat diffuser
- right to 2" scat thru lower baggage to 2" flange fitting, blows to back seat
- I started our with plastic (picture) which melted, ended up with straight aluminum flange, eyeball unnecessary

No need to go through spar, airflow goes beside pilot, hardly noticed from front...

Also need to fix cold air leaks, I did a cover over the rear of canopy with weatherstrip, and fuzzy velcro under the skirt, aileron pushrod boots etc...

I got my wife a heated motorcycle vest, she's worn it but never plugged it in. I get asked to "please turn down the heat"...
 

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Interesting

Thank you. I'm not quite sure where the routing to the rear goes after it comes out of the baggage comp in your setup. I wonder if I could somehow "mix" the air with the already piped cold air flow with a valve to allow for a true temperature control....hmm. That's an interesting read cover you have there. My back seat is also plagues with drafts.
 
Getting a comfortable cabin..

You can get a warm comfortable cabin... Look at others build photos and towards the bottom on my build log... I have dual heat.. and a simple summer time re-plumb of left air for the ability to "Mix" cold/warm air.. The 2" felt works really nice to seal up canopy .. and looks nice too...
 
No need to plumb the rear heat beyond the back of the baggage compartment, it nicely blows to the back seat past the pilot. The heat is variable by way of the heat box on the firewall. If the GIB wants a mix, there is the cold air duct near the rear stick...
 
Thank you. I'm not quite sure where the routing to the rear goes after it comes out of the baggage comp in your setup. I wonder if I could somehow "mix" the air with the already piped cold air flow with a valve to allow for a true temperature control....hmm. That's an interesting read cover you have there. My back seat is also plagues with drafts.

I haven’t finished the install yet, but I did exactly that. I fabbed up a butterfly valve I can open/close with a bowden cable. It blends cold air with the air from the heater, which is controlled with another bowden cable, so all of my hot/cold air will come through the two gasper vents in the panel. My hope is that this will allow me to throw warm air into the back for my wife. If my feet get cold, I’ll just punch some holes in the hose that runs underneath the panel to diffuse some heat to my feet. Fingers crossed..
 

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Similar air mixer

I made a similar air mixer. This is rev2, rev1 was a flawed design on my part. The Y that mixed the heat and cool air was mounted on the NACA duct, the heat after the first winters flying was enough to deform the NACA. I had to replace the NACA duct(used one from Bonehead composites) and move the Y down stream a bit.
 

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Hello all,

My 8 wasn't built with a heater installed, just a door that opens to the engine bay which is not only less effective carries with it potential CO issues. I would like to install a heater system and also route heat to the back. Quck 100 dollar loans you will find here https://directloantransfer.com/1000-dollar-loan/ and this could help you in the future What's the setup most people use for this? Is it pulled from the right side of the baffle behind #3? Will this effect cooling of the cylinders? (I already run on the hot side).

Suggestions?

Thanks!

I also found this old thread

https://vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=105845
 
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