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Cabin Ventilation (or lack thereof)

EchoCharlie1

EchoCharlie1

Active Member
After purchasing a built RV-6, a very well-built RV-6, I discovered that while in flight, the vents will fill the cabin with air, but the out-flow is almost non-existent to the point where it feels as if there is no flow or circulation. Even removing the eyeball vents to the point where there is constant and un-obstructed flow, the circulation is minimal.

My first thought is that since the out-flow must be so insufficient to support any circulation of air and the fact that the cabin remains really DANG hot and uncomfortable in the FL sunshine...I must create a better out-flow path.

I was contemplating some sort of design in the aft bulkhead, that would incorporate the ability to close it off during the cold FL winters (second Tuesday in January) and if I venture across the vastness of this great nation.

Any thoughts or suggestions, experiences, etc? Thanks in advance.

Best regards...
 
Thats a good problem to have!

I am convinced that the airflow over the canopy causes a reverse flow through the back skirts of the 6 basically pressurizing the cabin. I can feel the pressure change in my ANR headsets when I pull my cabin heat.
I have heard some have had success with opening up venting to the tail cone through the aft baggage panels.
I could imagine a relatively simple system of a hole there with screen that could be covered up in the winter with a plate.
I have not experimented with this as most of the flying here in the NW makes this a non issue for me.
 
Run that one by me again :)

Current Weather Conditions:
BENNINGTON MORSE STATE AIRPORT , VT, United States
(KDDH) 42-53N 73-15W 244M

Conditions at Dec 17, 2009 - 03:54 PM ESTDec 17, 2009 - 02:54 PM CSTDec 17, 2009 - 01:54 PM MSTDec 17, 2009 - 12:54 PM PSTDec 17, 2009 - 11:54 AM ASTDec 17, 2009 - 10:54 AM HST
2009.12.17 2054 UTC
Wind from the WNW (300 degrees) at 6 MPH (5 KT)
Visibility 10 mile(s)
Sky conditions clear
Temperature 12.0 F (-11.1 C)
Windchill 3 F (-16 C)
Dew Point -7.1 F (-21.7 C)
Relative Humidity 41%
Pressure (altimeter) 30.22 in. Hg (1023 hPa)
Pressure tendency 0.00 inches (0.1 hPa) higher than three hours ago
ob KDDH 172054Z AUTO 30005KT 10SM CLR M11/M22 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP251 T11111217 53001


And it's only December!

Seriously though. Is the rear bulkhead upholstered? On my tip-up RV-6 there is good flow past the gaps in the Vs in the rear bulkhead - painted only - and out through the tail cone. Also I have heard that the positioning of the NACA ducts can affect flow.

Jim Sharkey
RV-6 Phase 1
 
jsharkey said:
Is the rear bulkhead upholstered? On my tip-up RV-6 there is good flow past the gaps in the Vs in the rear bulkhead - painted only - and out through the tail cone. Also I have heard that the positioning of the NACA ducts can affect flow.
Click to expand...

Jim is right.

If you add up all of the area area of the gaps caused by the corrugations in the baggage bulkhead....I think it adds up to something on the order of 8 square inches. If you bulkhead is covered with something, that probably at least some of the problem.
 
Last edited:
JonJay said:
I am convinced that the airflow over the canopy causes a reverse flow through the back skirts of the 6 basically pressurizing the cabin. I can feel the pressure change in my ANR headsets when I pull my cabin heat.
I have heard some have had success with opening up venting to the tail cone through the aft baggage panels.
I could imagine a relatively simple system of a hole there with screen that could be covered up in the winter with a plate.
I have not experimented with this as most of the flying here in the NW makes this a non issue for me.
Click to expand...

I think there is some of this going on, we get the same thing...
 
jsharkey said:
Seriously though. Is the rear bulkhead upholstered? On my tip-up RV-6 there is good flow past the gaps in the Vs in the rear bulkhead - painted only - and out through the tail cone. Also I have heard that the positioning of the NACA ducts can affect flow.
Click to expand...

I have the bulkhead corragations open, and the air flow is good. Still hot when it hit's around 100F though. A friend just filled his 9A's in to keep warmer in the winter, and said it created some other probem. I just don't remember the exact nature of the problem. Other than 100F temps when returning to the airport, my 6A is rather comfortable in the summer at higher altitudes, and not too bad in the winter. I could use some sidewall insulation, though.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
Rear Bulkhead Ventilation

Okay, thanks for all the comments.

Airplane is not padded at the rear bulkhead and does have those tiny "Vs" in that panel. The plane is black with flames all over the leading edges of the cowling, wings, vert/horiz stabs. I'm going to look at installing larger eyeball vents and maybe strapping a window air conditioner to the top of the canopy.

Oh, in case anyone is curious, yes...I do have the shades on the inside of the canopy. :D

Another thing to consider, the forward bulkhead does get a bit toasty from the engine and lack of interior insulation and there is carpeting on the floor and professionally designed side-panels with armrests.
 
EchoCharlie1 said:
I'm going to look at installing larger eyeball vents .
Click to expand...

Some builders deviate from the the standard vent system and use the small sized (wemac ?) vents.
Their is a huge difference in the amount of airflow from these small vents compared to the standard sized RV vents.
 
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