Idea re heater pipes and very cold weather.

[ghost123uk]

I am sure this must have been mentioned before, but...

Our vans heater pipes have a long run from the engine to the heater at the front, and are under the van.

I reckon in VERY cold weather like now, when it can be minus 9 or worse, the blast of cold air on the pipes when driving must cool the hot water down a lot before it gets to the heater matrix.

So, might it be worth lagging them ?

[pocolow]

Good idea ...but fiddly.

[Titus A Duxass]

I was running around in temps of -23c last year without problems, just make sure your antifreeze is up to it.

[16vmini]

could you not T off them and fit a central heating radiator inside the car

Matt

[Cruz]

I doubt they cool down that much

[ghost123uk]

could you not T off them and fit a central heating radiator inside the car

Matt

Actually my heater is not too bad once it gets up to temp, this was more a pondering over it type of thought

I doubt they cool down that much

Umm, you may be right, though I reckon they might, what do others think ?

[Cruz]

My heater is nice and toasty. The rubber heater pipes get rather hot and are slightly protected from passing air by the chassis. I see negligible benefits from lagging but give it a go and let us know

[silverbullet]

My heater is defo a poorer performer since going gas. Guzzi has has heater flow problems since fitting a water heater - see syncro section - I was going to lag my pipes to try and keep the heat where it's needed, along with experimenting with restrictors or a throttle valve in the line to the vapourizer.
I understand that certain "high-end" German T3 tuning outfits lag the long heater hoses, so it mush be worth the effort surely?
Off to the plumber's merchant lunchtime

[gaz f]

I suppose it would depend on the flowrate through the pipes. As long as the flowrate was high enough I doubt there would be much of a temperature drop over the distance, also would need to factor in the fact the pipes themselves warm up due to the hot fluid inside them which would again reduce the effect of the outside temperature on the fluid itself.

Probably would make a little difference to the time taken to get up to full temp as the starting point wouldn't be quite so low, but I doubt it would be that noticeable.

Interesting though and would like to hear if the difference is noticeable!

[Fin]

Mine seems to take forever to warm up - thinking it might be the thermostat stuck wide open....

[ghost123uk]

Mine seems to take forever to warm up - thinking it might be the thermostat stuck wide open....

Ya need to check that then as it's not just you that suffers if the engine is constantly running too cold !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interesting point Silverbullet makes re the vaporiser on our LPG equipped vehicles.
So the "coldness" generated by the vaporiser is taking heat away from the heater circuit, yes ?

I wonder if the vaporiser is in the feed line to the heater, or the return line ?

I wonder if it is not in the return line, it might be better if it was ?

[Ralf85]

It is a problem with air cooled engines, but Ialso have never had a problem with by water cooled set up. The heater blasts out hot air and when travelling along above 30 mph I do not even use the fan.
Patrick

[silverbullet]

Vapouriser needs to be hot all the time so it's in parallel to the heater circuit, plumbed in the same as an auxiliary heater. I doubt mine's got a restrictor as per an aux.h. so it's on the jobs to do list.

[dugcati]

naahhh - no prob on an aircold engine (well not mine!) with LPG in this weather

I think your underestimating the amout of heat generated by the engine and also the speed at which water goes around the engine/cooling system (even when on idle)...

The heater matrix is fed by two thick walled rubber hoses - the heat loss out of them is less than even the coldest weather is able to overcome- don't forget when designed all vehicles go through a hot/cold/wet/dry condition tests to ensure they work pretty much in every county in the world (or the ones they sell to) ...whilst under the van and in the element's saying the water pipes are getting chilled/cold it a bit like saying the exhaust system might get too cold - if your heating system is no good then I would be thinking blocked matrix/airlocks or stuck open thermostats

[Cruz]

Have no problem with heater when running on LPG ?!