Homemade cabin heater core

[HighWing]

Has anyone reversed one of the fans and drilled holes in the glare shield for defrost?

Several years ago I helped a friend finish his series 5. His plan was Alaska flying and wanted defrost. I made a fiberglass - J shape that would capture a bit of the downward forced air and direct it up and through the glare shield. It was made by carving the desired shape in foam, covering it with fiberglass then carving out the foam. It was on whenever the heater was on. Actually there were two parts connected by a length of SCAT tubing. The top fitting was fabricated the same way and took the round from the SCAT tubing and reshaped the flow to a long oblong to direct the air across the windshield.

[Slyfox]

I know my handle is slyfox. but I also am a rebel in another way. My heater is lets say back yard. but it's light and no problems with water leaks. I use a funnel and 2inch scat hose. I put an oil funnel, mine is plastic, behind the radiator. I zip tie it to the heater. I put it on the right side. then I take a piece of card board and block the front of the radiator and take a rigid tie from a cooler kit and put that through the radiator with no lock in the back. I have two sizes of cardboard. one that blocks the radiator to the funnel the other about half. depending on the outside temp I choose which block I want.

what this does is I have NO need for a fan. I have no need to cut into the water pipes. I can get some real good heat off this. I run the scat tube off the funnel and run it into the cab in the floor. I use the area that the old bungee cord landing gear use to be. I have to flatten the hose a little to get it through there, and then at the end I take a 90degree pvc pipe fitting to direct it to my feet.

the most important thing I do for winter heat is to block off outside air to the inside. I do this with a big sheet of plastic. I take off the engine cowl and go from the firewall at the engine side and drape it over and tape it to the windscreen and then down the side and wrap around in front of the doors. kind of cheesy but it works very well. I use zip ties for that and duct tape. I fly down to 25 degrees outside. any colder, well lets say, I fly the other plane .

[Esser]

All great info thanks everybody. If I can't fly my plane down to -20C (-4F) I won't be able to use it much up here

I understand plugging the leaks is a big part of the battle too. I have some ideas for that but it will be all as I go stuff. I should have enough jam with my ext ally to run a heated vest if needed.

[Danzer1]

I should have enough jam with my ext ally to run a heated vest if needed.

Heated socks work wonders too!

[Slyfox]

All great info thanks everybody. If I can't fly my plane down to -20C (-4F) I won't be able to use it much up here

I understand plugging the leaks is a big part of the battle too. I have some ideas for that but it will be all as I go stuff. I should have enough jam with my ext ally to run a heated vest if needed.

yes, I forgot the heat vest. that's works very well also. I can understand you needing the inside water heater. using the plastic to cover things is a must. when I put the plastic back on I'll have to post a picture, right now I have none. but when you fly your airplane take note on all the air coming from under the panel. that's where the air needs to stop. it's mainly coming from the windscreen and dumping straight down into the cowl then into your feet. some will come over the firewall under the cowl also. I cover all that and there is no air when I'm done. again the weight from that is minimal. I love a light plane. I also did some work and did some covering above the door at the wing. that worked out real good. then you can put some duct tape between the door and where it meets up after you close the door. I do that also. I release it on one side and then open the door. another redneck way of doing things I guess.