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Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 7:55 pm
by EricStarmer
As I mentioned elsewhere recently, I'm a wimp as far as driving when it's cold out (it's currently about 2 Celsius here), so I'm wondering if anyone has come up with a heater for their Triking. An electrical one seems out of the question, due to power requirements, and nuclear seems dangerous, so I'm thinking it would have to be something similar to a "regular" car.
I messed around yesterday with some 1/4 O.D. copper pipe yesterday, and it fits between the fins of my 1998 Bassa engine (it is too wide to actually go "into" the fins, but makes good contact when it "almost" in). There are five fin gaps which are unobstructed by the exhaust manifold, plugs, etc., so I'm wondering why I couldn't coil tubing around those five gaps on both cylinder heads, run water (with antifreeze) through, using a small pump, and then through an aluminum finned heat exchanger ($20 on Ebay) with a small fan to help with heat transfer. I'd put the heat exchanger and fan (maybe two) on either side of the steering column, and a small header tank would be required somewhere in the system. Less than $100 and not too difficult - would it work ? would I get enough heat? any potential drawbacks apart from possible 3rd deg. burns on the legs? Would possible differential cooling of the cylinder heads be a problem ?

Any comments, including derogatory ones, are invited.

Re: Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:24 pm
by Weg
Prevention better than cure----

Stop all draught getting into the footwell with a firewall.
Get a travel rug.

Re: Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:50 pm
by Crozier3
Hi,
Get a pair of "Ski Pants", the padded type with Bib and Brace top, close the draughts at the ankles and you'r good to go. Your top should be a good Motorcycle jacket, in the UK 'Aldi and Lidl' sell jackets that I have been using over the past 10 years and they are adequate in the Scottish weather, cold with a fair amount of rain/sleet/snow thrown in...lol
You'll need to go UP a size from your normal as it is all about "Layers"
Keep your extremes warm, fingers and toes, and you'll be ok.
Bill

Re: Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:34 pm
by EricStarmer
I guess that since I like designing things I tend to look for the technical solution , rather than the more obvious, practical solutions. So, rather than "bundling up", I may try and cut down on outside air entering, but still pursue the heater, although now I'm thinking the copper tube should go around the exhaust headers and/or expansion boxes instead of the cylinder heads - might look pretty cool too !

Stay tuned !

Re: Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:59 pm
by Richard and Pat
What about a heated waistcoat and an up-rated alternator? Or layers of wool and regular sheepskin. I have a sheepskin pilots hat which is excellent used with a motorcycle neck warmer and a good windproof jacket with some thermal underwear and socks. Add some goggles and a face mask.
https://www.british-sheepskin.co.uk/pro ... n-biggles/
https://www.fastbikebits.com/product/21 ... -windproof
If you want to put some heat into the car what about an oil cooler just for winter use. I don't know what effect this might have on the engine oil pressure however.

Re: Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:12 pm
by EricStarmer
This is what my wife and I have been wearing, but we're getting tired of the snide remarks from the neighbours and are looking for a different solution....

Re: Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:16 pm
by EricStarmer
Thanks for the great suggestions, Richard, but putting all that on seems like so much work ( I guess I'm realizing I'm not a true "Trikingista")

Re: Heater

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:00 am
by Richard and Pat
I prefer your wife's Flat cap and oilskin outfit Eric.

Re: Heater

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 3:15 pm
by steveO
Eric,
What about a gasoline burning heater from an air cooled VW if you can find one. They were fitted to the VW "Thing" and maybe other models. Size might be an issue. I have been thinking along these lines to extend the driving season up here in Calgary.
Steve

Re: Heater

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 5:21 pm
by EricStarmer
SteveO - I checked out the VW heaters on YouTube - they look a little big for our purposes, plus kinda scary, especially in a fiberglass vehicle....

Maybe a couple of SS coils inside the expansion boxes ? Anyone know how easy it would be to take one end off the expansion boxes, put stainless coils inside, and then weld everything back together - that would be a nice , visually acceptable possible solution - not sure if that would supply enough heat, but I can have a go at calculating it, if anyone has a rough guess of temp. at the expansion boxes - enough to fry an egg, I think :-)