Cockpit vents
Slater - 14/2/20 at 05:58 PM
Hello
As I use my kit all year round, I'd like some cheap heating in the footwell if possible, I notice the ali sheet on the transmission tunnel gets
nice and toasty and thought that an adjustable vent fitted on the tunnel down near my left calf might allow some hot air through to heat my legs up.
Thinking of the louver type ones in the pics below, but you can also get a clear plastic one from demon tweaks that can be rotated and closed off,
link below, I've seen this type used in helicopter windows.
Is this a good/bad idea?
Anyone else fitted a vent in the tunnel?
[img]
adjustable vent 1
[/img]
[img]
adjustable vent 2
[/img]
Link to Demon Tweaks Pop It Vent
russbost - 14/2/20 at 07:00 PM
Not a problem with an open cockpit, but not to be advised with a hood up even with the usual air leaks, you could get CO poisoning!
You could take it one step further & make a small heat exchanger around the exhaust - it's how we heat our plane cockpit & is
surprisingly efficient
40inches - 14/2/20 at 08:11 PM
quote:
Originally posted by russbost
Not a problem with an open cockpit, but not to be advised with a hood up even with the usual air leaks, you could get CO poisoning!
You could take it one step further & make a small heat exchanger around the exhaust - it's how we heat our plane cockpit & is
surprisingly efficient
Didn't the air cooled VW beetle use this system?
JAG - 14/2/20 at 09:24 PM
quote:
Didn't the air cooled VW beetle use this system?
It did, a great way to gas the occupants if you have the slightest crack or leak in the exhaust - Adolf's finest idea 
[Edited on 14/2/20 by JAG]
russbost - 15/2/20 at 09:51 AM
Yeah, the Beetle used all steel heat exchangers, poor thermal conductivity plus high corrosion back in the day when we didn't have such good
corrosive resistant coatings. They did frequently leak & in a closed environment could be lethal!
The one on our plane simply slips over the existing exhaust pipe & bolts in place, it's all ali so good thermal conductivity
Slater - 15/2/20 at 02:37 PM
Thanks for the comments, defo no lid on the car, so I'll maybe try out one of the adjustable louver type vents.
Angel Acevedo - 16/2/20 at 02:02 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Slater
Hello
As I use my kit all year round, I'd like some cheap heating in the footwell if possible, I notice the ali sheet on the transmission tunnel gets
nice and toasty and thought that an adjustable vent fitted on the tunnel down near my left calf might allow some hot air through to heat my legs up.
Thinking of the louver type ones in the pics below, but you can also get a clear plastic one from demon tweaks that can be rotated and closed off,
link below, I've seen this type used in helicopter windows.
Is this a good/bad idea?
Anyone else fitted a vent in the tunnel?
[img]
adjustable vent 1
[/img]
[img]
adjustable vent 2
[/img]
Link to Demon Tweaks Pop It Vent
Another downside is the risk of burns in the event of an engine fire.
Hot air will be even hotter flames right up your legs.
Mr Whippy - 17/2/20 at 07:28 AM
tbh I'd not use that method, seems a bit risky. However I'd recommend installing a good heater system as it makes all the difference
especially in the cold to the enjoyment of the car. I use to use cortina heaters which in a 2 seater could allow the hood to be down even in winter.
I've also used T7 Designs heater systems which although not cheap are good quality and powerful.
SJ - 17/2/20 at 11:55 AM
My old air cooled Citroen GS had an exhaust heater. It was super simple and worked brilliantly.
Mr Whippy - 17/2/20 at 12:20 PM
quote:
Originally posted by SJ
My old air cooled Citroen GS had an exhaust heater. It was super simple and worked brilliantly.
their great till they leak... then again it's kind of obvious when they do due to the smell but they do heat up very quickly compared to water
heating
SJ - 17/2/20 at 12:25 PM
Never heard of anyone having a problem with them leaking tbh. The GS had a specific section of the exhaust that the heat exchangers mounted to. I
assume this was thicker material than the standard tube and never rusted through.
GS exhausts are very complicated and very often leak elsewhere but the fumes never got into the heater.
As long as it was designed properly should be fine, but maybe not worth the effort.
[Edited on 17/2/20 by SJ]
JAG - 17/2/20 at 12:57 PM
I used to have a Cortina heater heat-exchanger mounted in a custom box and using the original Cortina fan.
It delivered hot air to the screen or to the footwells.
It was a good 5kgs and it wasn't all that effective or easy to use. I took it out after 6 years on the road.
I've decided I will replace it with a pair of these;
heated seat covers
Mr Whippy - 18/2/20 at 12:16 PM
quote:
Originally posted by JAG
I used to have a Cortina heater heat-exchanger mounted in a custom box and using the original Cortina fan.
It delivered hot air to the screen or to the footwells.
It was a good 5kgs and it wasn't all that effective or easy to use. I took it out after 6 years on the road.
I've decided I will replace it with a pair of these;
heated seat covers
I think you'll find the fan will be the issue more than anything unless the heater box is leaking air. I use to own a Mk5 Cortina (great car) and
even for a big car the standard heater was toasty warm. The matrix is more than capable of heating a 7 given enough airflow.
On my Landy there were several issues that may apply in your case. First was they had restricted the water flow by reducing the outlet on the cylinder
head, so a change over to a larger fitting more than doubled the hose bore I could fit. Then the heater box was leaking air so I sealed that up with
tiger seal as well as sealing the connection of the heater box to the bulkhead. I then replaced the old standard fan with a much bigger one from T7
design. The result was air coming out the vents so hot I could not keep my hand in it and the cabin very hot even though it was a drafty soft top.
