VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics

  #21  
Old 01-04-2010, 01:07 PM
#N72CR #N72CR is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: KDVT, AZ
Posts: 132
Default

Here are some instructions for installing heated seats.

http://www.heatedseatkits.com/installation.pdf

For about a hundered dollars, and some sweat equity, you too can have heated seats.
http://www.heatedseatkits.com/heatedseatkits/index.html



They also sell a messager element for passenger comfort
__________________
Chris
RV-7A
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 01-04-2010, 02:07 PM
Dmadd Dmadd is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Camas, WA
Posts: 481
Default

Heated clothes:
Widely used in the motorcycle world. Works great for a relatively small power draw. I've used it down to 23 degrees OAT, zipped along at 75 mph for over 12 hours at a time. The stuff works. Google gerbings heated clothes and read for a while. Lots of choices.

DM



Quote:
Originally Posted by dhall_polo View Post
Save the Tuku's. Now that's a bumper sticker.

The temps are only so bad for part of the year. Is it worth it to 'fix' the airplane for a temporary phenomenon? I haven't tried any of this stuff in the link, but it looks interesting. Maybe someone has a pirep on heated clothing?

http://www.flyboyaccessories.com/sto...9247819dac108b

Last edited by Dmadd : 01-04-2010 at 04:28 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 01-04-2010, 04:29 PM
Dmadd Dmadd is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Camas, WA
Posts: 481
Default

Looks exactly like my RV-4 system. (four pipe vettermans)
DM


Quote:
Originally Posted by hydroguy2 View Post
On my -7, I have a 4pipe system from Vettermans and have a muff similar to this pic. Except inlet and outlet are straight.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 01-04-2010, 05:18 PM
Turbowind's Avatar
Turbowind Turbowind is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Windsor Colorado
Posts: 33
Default Heat muffs

I have seen a Vetterman straight pipe setup up with dual Robbins heat muffs....Double the heat sources... Double the volume....And my wife would be asking to turn the heat down !
__________________
Les Preston
RV-7 flying
Rocky Mountain High !
300 hours of pure pleasure !
RV7 sold
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 04-04-2010, 10:14 AM
riffelj's Avatar
riffelj riffelj is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Propwash airport in Justin, Tx
Posts: 54
Default I solved my Heat Problem

Jeff,
Just saw your 1/2010 post on heat in your RV7.

I have a RV7A that was cold too. But I solved the problem.

I spent A LOT of time trying to address cold air leaks (pushrod boots, rear of canopy, up the sticks, along the vertical bulkheads next to my thigh, the baggage bulkhead, the flap pushrods,...), and wasn't getting anywhere. Every time I thought I plugged a hole, I'd get more air somewhere else. Even in Texas, it's cold in January and I was trying to fly in a heavy coat and gloves.

After discussing it w/ a friend, we decided the problem was Not air coming in - but air being sucked out around the sliding canopy/windshield fairing. I could slide a slip of paper between them when the canopy was closed. That leak created cockpit vacuum from fast air traveling over the windshield/canopy fairing. The vacuum caused cold air to come in where ever it could. So I put inexpensive foam weather seal on the windshield fairing so the canopy would seal against it when it closed. WaaaLaa, problem solved!

My standard heat box now provides PLENTY of heat and we fly in shirtsleves.

"Jerry"
RV7A
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 04-04-2010, 02:46 PM
slyfox slyfox is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: idaho
Posts: 91
Default

if you have vertical induction you can get vettermans mufflers. I have them and can wear a short sleeve in my 7 with 5degrees outside, nothing sealed up anywhere and no insulation at the firewall or the sides of the airplane. I do have the heat from the left side going into the panel vents in the winter time and I have seat heaters. I'm very happy with my 7 in the winter time. They also quiet down things real nice inside and out. I feel spoiled.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 04-05-2010, 07:23 PM
dedgemon's Avatar
dedgemon dedgemon is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 359
Default 2 muffs

plumbed in series. Works great!

Quote:
Originally Posted by jeff beckley View Post
Flying in -7 is really rough. I have the standard heat box and was hopping for some suggestions on how to get more heat.
__________________
---

David Edgemon
RV-9A N42DE
RV-8 N48DE
whats next ??
Track me!
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 04-13-2010, 08:39 AM
mikerkba mikerkba is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ely, Nevada
Posts: 223
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bsacks05 View Post
Wow. If I use my cabin heat at all (sometimes in the winter) it is cracked open the smallest amount which generates nice warmth combined with all my canopy leaks.
'Course I am in the southeast but it would have to get REALLY cold for me to even open it halfway. Anyway, gonna fly a dog tomorrow and temps should be around freezing when I depart. Might have to open it a crack and a half!
Bruce: Tell us about how your heat is installed and what you did for cockpit sealing. Any other novel ideas that might help?

Thanks, Mike
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 04-13-2010, 11:33 AM
Seabird Seabird is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lakeville, MA
Posts: 17
Wink heat solution

Hi,
We live in the northeast and installed a cigarette jack in the front and back seats of our new RV-8. I'm always freezing, but my heated motorcycle vest works like a charm. Seems like a simple and effective fix.
Regards,
Barbara
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 04-14-2010, 05:55 AM
mikerkba mikerkba is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ely, Nevada
Posts: 223
Default Heat improvement items

Solutions to cockpit heat issue are sort of elusive, and maybe the particulars from a few that hav solved or improved their situation will help ferret out good fixes. I have has limited success, reported below.

I flew this winter mostly in / around Virginia to Connecticut-- not the coldest December/January weather. My 7A is a tip up and has the one heat muff installation. When the ambient air at altitude was 25 degrees or colder, it was very uncomfortable. Particularly when there was no sunlight into the canopy due to nighttime or late day flight away from the sun.

I tried a flow restrictor at the front air inlet and noticed no change in volume (which was already low) or temperature. So, I removed that and added a stainless steel scrubber pad inside the heat muff, which brought about a barely perceptible improvement.

Later I experimented with opening the airflow into the tail cone by removing the top half of the baggage compartment and an inspection panel at the rudder. The result was, if anything, a slight reduction in cockpit heat, though I don't know if that was because more heat was escaping or more cold air coming in. I closed up those panels after a two flight trial.

I bought, but did not install, a second heat muff from Rick Robbins (recommended by Larry Vetterman), http://www.robbinswings.com/, who I found to be very knowledgeable on RV heat systems. Rick noted that air temp, not air flow, was the most common heat complaint. I held off on installing the second muff becuase 1/ I think I have a FLOW problem, not a heat problem, and 2/ there must be a more graceful solution given that I live in the South, for crying out loud. Maybe if I lived in Minnesota, just maybe....but not Virginia. As another post said, why should I carry the weight and complexity of another muff, more scat, more clamps, etc., for a season limited problem.

Lastly, I tried sealing the tip-up canopy with home-OWNER grade foam seal applied on the left and right mating surfaces on the canopy surface. This made the most noticeable change of all. Still not adequate, but it is warmer in the plane.

Anyway, spring is here finally and the problem has solved itself. But, before next winter rolls around, I will probably try 1/ a better cockpit seal, and 2/ reviewing the scat tube routing and the heater box sealing at the condition inspection. Once winter gets here, I am prone to try heated seats or better (electric?) clothing instead of the second heat muff.

Mike
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:07 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.