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Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 08 Jan 2015, 18:26
by BOXY
Maybe we need to take a poll on how long everybodys ducting is?

Image

Mine's that long :wink:

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 08 Jan 2015, 18:54
by Oldiebut goodie
Are you lot that mount outside :oops: using double/insulated ducting to keep your expensive heat? If not, why not? Just that when you need it the most that is when you will get the greatest loss. Wind chill coupled with low temps soon carries the pennies and pounds away. :lol:

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 08 Jan 2015, 19:49
by CovKid
My concern about an externally mounted one is the corrosion you get. Mine has only been used inside but even so it had severe corrosion to the exhaust port and I had to weld a new plate and similarly sized heavy-guage tube to the base. I wouldn't have thought the cases would last too long outside. By the look of the layout, I think the X1 model is the only one that could be mounted underneath.

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 09 Jan 2015, 01:47
by Timwhy
Had every intention to go out side and film a video of the different duct lengths and record any variance of amperage but -16 F didn't seem ideal! Maybe tomorrow when it warms to Zero?

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 09 Jan 2015, 12:07
by CovKid
:rofl

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 09 Jan 2015, 14:10
by Oldiebut goodie
Wimp. :lol:

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 09 Jan 2015, 16:55
by CovKid
No wonder you need the Propex Tim. :shock:

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 09 Jan 2015, 18:54
by BOXY
My concern about an externally mounted one is the corrosion you get.

Corrosion? I don't know what you mean?


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Autohomes originally fitted my Propex underneath over twenty years before I got the van. The bottom was so badly rotted I had to make a new section for the case out of some metal sheet from an old video recorder.
Luckily for me a couple of years ago I noticed a bit of bright orange peeking out from a scrap pile outside the garage that works on my van. When I pulled it out it turned out to be another X1 heater with an intact case. The garage owner said it was seized and I could have it if I wanted it. Out of the two I made a working, water-tight one and got a box of spares as well.

I decided if the first one survived +20 years underneath, the "new" one could go in the same place with a coat of zinc oxide paint.

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 09 Jan 2015, 19:53
by CovKid
When I stripped mine down, I did wonder if a new case made of ally wouldn't be a bad thing.

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 10 Jan 2015, 12:38
by Oldiebut goodie
Stainless would be better - think of the salt spray and electric current that is now flowing by the use of that grounding stud, it wouldn't be long before you start seeing those white furry growths around mounting points. Stainless wouldn't be much more expensive than ally.I am not a great fan of ally with salt and electric currents. I had to replace a 200 litre ally fuel tank on my boat because there was a brass fitting put on it and that caused the metal to turn into a honeycomb of ally.It just turns into a sacrificial anode. Admittedly a boat has more extreme salt and water but the same will happen here eventually. We all know what it is like trying to dismantle components on the engine that have corroded and they are more sheltered from spray and dirt that holds the moisture.

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 10 Jan 2015, 13:04
by Timwhy
Richard appears to be correct. Not a big enough difference in amperages to matter, but the longer ducting did lower the draw.

http://youtu.be/V3JuGUHOyC4

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 10 Jan 2015, 13:35
by CovKid
Excellent! Scientific enough for me, Oldie and Ghost. Great thread this as we seem to be exploring the Propex in far greater detail than anywhere else. May have some video to post up later - Propex related ofcourse:)

Send Richard a link to thread and video. Quite interesting all this. :ok

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 10 Jan 2015, 13:57
by Timwhy
CovKid wrote:Excellent! Scientific enough for me, Oldie and Ghost. Great thread this as we seem to be exploring the Propex in far greater detail than anywhere else. May have some video to post up later - Propex related ofcourse:)

Send Richard a link to thread and video. Quite interesting all this. :ok


Handled!

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 10 Jan 2015, 14:08
by CovKid
No questioning the drop Tim. On fan only then - 1.8amps without ducting and 1.4amps with ducting - a not insignificant drop. Richard was absolutely right. Can we actually assume that the Propex is a tadge more economical then (at least on leisure battery) if ducting is added to inlet? I guess so.

It defies cursory logic as you'd think that the ducting would add load to the fan and increase amps draw but clearly there are other factors at work here. :shock:

Richard in his dark cave would I'm sure find all this amusing.... :rofl

Re: Propex burn out

Posted: 10 Jan 2015, 15:56
by CovKid
Right, got the new Propex remote control working. Even works sat here at my desk indoors. :D

Instructions moved to WIKI: https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ca ... led_Propex" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also spent time updating the entire page with facts and info gleaned from numerous Propex threads.