Heating

Heating/Ventilation System

With the water cooled engine, it made sense to use water for cabin heat. I selected a brass core from a Toyota Corona for reliability. I built a plenum box from .028 aluminum to hold the core and duct air through it. The box will be mounted between the middle and right upper fuselage stringers behind the firewall.

Air will be ducted from twin side mounted NACA ducts through 2 inch SCAT hose to the plenum box. All heating and ventilating air must flow through the core. A heater control valve regulates water flow through the core and air temperature. With the heater valve shut off, ambient air is available through all 5 vents. One 2 inch Whisperflow vent is mounted to defrost the windscreen, 2 are used to supply air to the foot/leg area and 2 smaller airline type eyeball vents are mounted on the lower, outboard panel edges for the body/face area connected to the plenum with 1.5 inch SCAT hose. All are individually adjustable.

11/12/00

The box was riveted uses stainless pop rivets. A V shaped air diffuser is fitted between the two air inlets to turn and distribute the air more evenly over the heater core. The core lays on L shaped tabs and is sealed with foam inside the box. Two #8 screws and anchor nuts hold the box to the bottom of the fuselage stringers and one -3 bolt holds the front to a vertical angle piece of the firewall bracing. The assembly is easily removed from below in a few minutes.

11/13/00

I built mounts for two Wisperflow vents for the feet/leg area. These can be adjusted directly with the hands for direction and amount.

Two aluminum, airline style eyeball vents are panel mounted for the face. I had to fab hose adapters to connect these to the 1.5 inch SCAT hose. The plates are threaded for 8-32 screws. These vents are fairly expensive but beautifully designed and made. The Wisperflow vents are big and ugly and I just didn't want them within sight.

11/15/00

After careful consideration on placement of the two NACA ducts for ventilation air, I took the plunge and drilled some big holes in the side of the fuselage skin. The holes were trimmed out close to the line with snips, filed and sanded to shape.

11/20/00

I ordered a heater control valve from a 1984 Toyota Camry (OE PN 87240-32020) as these have proven to be extremely reliable. It will be mounted on the right side, between the firewall and second former.

11/23/00

I do not remember where I downloaded this system from but the credit goes to another not affiliated with this site. ~ cdngoose

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