Cabin Heat - Again

[Rodney]

I've been wanting to add some more cabin heat to my airplane. Have the radiator in the cabin, but too much air leakage to keep the cabin warm.

Am pretty excited about this product I just saw in Kitplanes.

https://customweldingproducts.com/products/

This is definitely on my to-do list. I would like to plumb it into the cabin so the pilot and passenger each have their own controls.

Any ideas on how to get ram air into the heater and then on into the cabin would be appreciated.

Also, have been looking for pictures of how to seal the elevator slots, but haven't found any. I get a lot of cold air coming forward into the cabin from the tail.

Any other ideas on sealing the cabin are welcome.

Rodney

[Rodney]

Talked to Dave Johnson at Custom Welding. Their standard heat muff is too
big for our Rotax exhaust pipes. However, he is willing to work with me to
make one that will fit our airplanes.

So we are in the process of working out a design and he will be building a
test muff that I will be putting on my airplane

If you have any interest or input, please let me hear from you.

We are starting off with a length of 7 inches and 1.25" diameter exhaust pipe.

Rodney

[rainbird]

Have you considered the safety factor of not having a good heater? What happens if you go down and are not wearing warm clothes and can't move? I always make a habit of dressing for the climate that I in. That means warm clothes and boots.

However if it's just an annoying draft try pieces of foam and duct tape. A rag and tube airplane has no insulation study motorcycle gear. Rainbird

[efwd]

speaking of motorcycle gear. I used to ride a 2012 Triumph Tiger 1050. It had heated grips but I bought Gerbing heated jacket and gloves that plugged right into the bike. I rode the Crazy A.. 91 Freeway through Corona to Anaheim year round, rain or shine down to 27F and those gloves and jacket were so nice. I have considered having the jacket plugged in the aircraft so I can enjoy doors open flying at altitude. Doors open addiction may be left over from my years crewing helicopters I guess.

[fastfred]

Did anyone ever use a 12 volt heater?


Lalizas SeaPower Cabin Heater 1.80 m 12V

[av8rps]

Sealing up leaks in the cabin can make a huge difference in keeping the cabin warm. Oh, and make sure to seal off the area to the tail behind the seat, as that area typically sucks the hot air you do have out.

But I also think you can never go wrong with having more than enough cabin heat. So I like the idea of adding a heat muff or two. With the exhaust muffs and the existing radiator under the panel you will probably have a better heater than most airplanes out there.

But again, if you don't stop the cold air from leaking in and the heat from going out more heat might not be the entire solution.

Getting air into the heat muff is easy if you just duct a flex tube from the airstream. The biggest thing with a heat muff is to have something in the muff to slow the cold air coming in down so it heats up well before being sent off to the cabin. The website you linked to look like they have that part figured out, but if you build your own make sure to use either stainless scouring pads, spring coils, etc. Anything that slows down the air so it gets things nice and hot, but yet lets the air through.

[fastfred]

Thank you for the information. I have been plugging wholes for last month and I will check behind the seat. It has the cargo set up which covers most of it.