| Author |
Message |
Iver (Mciv)
Registered Member
Username: Mciv
Post Number: 10
Registered: 11-2006
Posted From: 70.69.180.76
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 3:15 am: | |
I would like to know what others have done to heat their coach IF they have removed the original coach heater core? I still have the driver's heat and defrosters but I would like to use the engine to heat the coach while driving.
How many heaters should I add into the coolant system to give sufficient heat? I was thinking of after market heaters with 12v fans.
I have a diesel furnace for when camped. |
Mark R. Obtinario (Cowlitzcoach)
Registered Member
Username: Cowlitzcoach
Post Number: 169
Registered: 4-2001
Posted From: 204.245.228.222
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 9:02 am: | |
In 35' school buses there will usually be two 2-fan underseat heaters besides the heater/defroster unit in the front of the bus.
Two 2-fan heaters are usually more than sufficient to heat an empty school bus.
After filling up the empty space with cabinets and other stuff I wouldn't think you would need more than one 1-fan heater unit in the middle and one 1-fan heater in the rear to heat everything sufficiently.
I would contact your local school bus body distributor for the heater units. Their prices are usually about the same as J.C. Whitney and other types of places but the BTU output is quite a bit higher in the school bus units.
Mark O.
Castle Rock, WA |
Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member
Username: Dreamscape
Post Number: 147
Registered: 5-2007
Posted From: 64.40.222.139
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 12:17 pm: | |
That is exactly what I put in ours, a heat exchanger from a school bus. Two blower fans for defrost and two for cabin heat. It is installed in the front where the old one was. Thinking of doing the same in the rear. It really puts out the heat. Bought it on the e place. |
JR Lynch (Njt5047)
Registered Member
Username: Njt5047
Post Number: 181
Registered: 7-2006
Posted From: 69.132.233.230
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 11:55 pm: | |
Iver, what ever you do, use heat resistant PEX (orange) with crimp rings for your inside the bus heater/hot water plumbing. No leaks, easy to install, May be able to install gates in your inlet lines in order to modulate the amount of water (heat) going into each heater. Set up some sort of manifold to supply however many heaters you install. Hot watet heaters could be placed under a bed, in the lower part of a closet, etc. Should be easy to work out. Marine product offer heaters also, tractors have boxed hot water, fan powered heaters. Even ATVs have optional small water heaters. I would think that all rooms will want some heat. You don't have "returns" so each area will be dependent on its own heat supply.
One in the bedroom, bath, and another in the salon. That should keep the bus quite warm. The OEM pax heater is overkill. The small units should work well. At least, it will as long as the driver's heat is functional.
Small Asian motorcycles have a nice fan and radiator unit. Great heat exchanger. So would an inexpensive aftermarket oil cooler, like used on transmissions, make a nice exchanger with a 12V automotive type blower installed behind it.
There's some ideas to muddy up your decision making process! Automotive cores are easy to install in boxes. They are square and not prone to leaking.
JR |
John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member
Username: John_mc9
Post Number: 528
Registered: 7-2006
Posted From: 66.217.107.198
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 12:12 am: | |
My Hot Air
Conventional home baseboard hot water radiators can work fine,
and they're available at most home surplus shops for el'cheapo!
One electric (solenoid operated) valve and a wall thermostat can
regulate the radiated heat. No real need for a fan, as long as
there's hot water flowing; hot air rises all by itself! |