Cabin Heat for an AeroVee - looking more promising

[mike.smith]

After having tried unsuccessfully for years to get workable cabin heat out of my AeroVee I have been THE biggest doubting Thomas. This product was recently suggested so I thought I'd bite the bullet and give it a try:
https://customweldingproducts.com/products/

I have made two flights with different intake settings and the second flight was promising. If you're interested I'm posting everything on my Kitlog site, including the installation and my results:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 8516&row=1

[pappas]

Mike,
As you know, I am using this exact set-up with really great results. I fly my Waiex B at 8500+ with outside temps at 29 deg f and can keep my cabin comfortable enough to wear only a t-shirt. According to the manufacturer, increasing the rate of flow through the muff,(large openings in the baffle and restrictor), gives us a more powerful stream of air in the cabin, however, if the flow rate is too high, the air does not stay in the muff long enough to heat sufficiently.

So, there is a balance between large openings in the rear baffle and smaller holes in the muff restrictor. I did not alter the muff restrictor at all. I did create a pivot on the rear baffle almost identical to yours. Here in AZ I only have that pivot open about 3/4 of an inch which seems to give me good heat and good volume in the cabin. Stay toasty!

Try this link to my heater installation on google pics.

https://photos.google.com/u/1/share/AF1 ... xCWWFpeE1B

[XenosN42]

Just ordered these parts to install my cabin heat. The heat muff will be cut and shipped today. That's fast service!

[OneTallShort]

Does anyone have a picture of the internal guts of the hear muff?
On the turbo install, did you consider using the turbo pipe discharge side? With all 4 pipes into one, that's all of the flow, but it may be cooler than closer to the jugs...

[XenosN42]

Does anyone have a picture of the internal guts of the heat muff?

Picture and description here: https://customweldingproducts.com/products/

[mike.smith]

Today's post about today's test (much colder weather).
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 9185&row=1
I don't usually go flying when it's 22F on the ground and in the teens in the air, but I wanted to do another test today. Heated hoodie and gloves kept me warm. The heater did not. More testing to do!

[pappas]

Mike,
You post that the OAT at 3000 ft was 18 degrees and the cabin temp was 60 deg. You don't consider a positive 42 degree change significant? I hear that on those rare 60 degree Wisconsin winter days, you Wisconsin snowmobile riding guys get out in the driveway in a t-shirt and wash your trucks! ;-) At least that's what I hear!

I am actually surprised that you got that much of a temperature rise with the engine baffle pivot wide open. In my plane, opening the engine baffle pivot more than about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch, causes the air to rush through the muff so fast that it does not absorb enough heat for my liking. It gives me a lot of flow in the cabin, much more actually than I like, but less heat. Closing it down to 1/2 to 3/4 inch max gives me good heat and sufficient flow in the cabin. Even with that setup I rarely have the firewall valve open all the way. Usually, the control cable is only out about 1 inch to heat my cabin.

Do you have the cabin side panels, floor, and firewall insulated with carpet or anything? I do. I'm pretty sure that makes a difference as well. At 60 degrees in the cabin, I might have on a sweatshirt but usually, I find a t-shirt is more comfortable.

Experiment on!

[builderflyer]

Mike,
I hear that on those rare 60 degree Wisconsin winter days, you Wisconsin snowmobile riding guys get out in the driveway in a t-shirt and wash your trucks! ;-) At least that's what I hear!

Experiment on!

Hey Lou, being a Wisconsin native, although I haven't lived there for many years, what I do recall is that after a cold winter and the temperature in springtime rose into the 40s, many of the convertible tops came down, including mine.................

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

[pappas]

That's funny. Living in AZ for 20 years. The top on my car goes UP as soon as the temp drops to 70!! At 95 degrees the motorcycle goes away for the summer, at 65 deg, the motorcycle goes away for the winter! I have become such a pansy!!

[mike.smith]

Mike,
You post that the OAT at 3000 ft was 18 degrees and the cabin temp was 60 deg. You don't consider a positive 42 degree change significant? I hear that on those rare 60 degree Wisconsin winter days, you Wisconsin snowmobile riding guys get out in the driveway in a t-shirt and wash your trucks! ;-) At least that's what I hear!

Do you have the cabin side panels, floor, and firewall insulated with carpet or anything? I do. I'm pretty sure that makes a difference as well. At 60 degrees in the cabin, I might have on a sweatshirt but usually, I find a t-shirt is more comfortable.

Experiment on!

The measured heat at the flapper valve was 60 deg. That was NOT the temperature in the cabin! The cabin remained in the low 20's. The only way to quantify the results has been to use a digital (laser) thermometer and measure at the outlet (the flapper valve) on the firewall. Anything else is subjective (due to solar radiation through the canopy, heated hoodie, etc). So I make one adjustment at a time and measure the heat at the flapper valve. But that is NOT the heat getting to the cabin. If I put my bare hand near the outlet it feels tepid at best. Certainly not enough to warm the cabin.

I have no insulation, and I won't add any. Every ounce of weight is the enemy of a Sonex with a VW engine (I'm at 655 lbs right now). I'd rather wear a heated hoodie. But I am going to add a removable closure piece (weighs a couple of ounces) under the turtle deck, made of corrugated plastic sign material at the baggage compartment to cut down on potential drafts.

My goal isn't to warm up the cabin so I can fly in a t-shirt :-) I would just like to have enough heat to take the chill out of the air. On a 32F day it might be nice to raise the cabin temperature by 10 degrees or 12 degrees. This might be possible; we'll see. On a 25F day it might be nice to get the cabin above freezing :-) It's looking like that may not be possible with a VW. But again, we'll see.