Improving heater output and flow
Discussion
Some do have a fresh air feed, in fact the original Tasmin bonnet had intake vents up by the windscreen that fed air into the cabin.
The 'solid' bonnet of the later cars of course doesn't, but some cars have a mesh grille on top of the heater box... in the engine bay
The design of the heater box itself is not brilliant and most of the air does get past the internal foam seals on demist, rather than hitting the screen. Some people have chopped the box open and renewed the seals but that's about all that I know of in the way of heater improvements. You may be able to fit a modern high-speed blower but even that would be compromised by the box design.
The 'solid' bonnet of the later cars of course doesn't, but some cars have a mesh grille on top of the heater box... in the engine bay
The design of the heater box itself is not brilliant and most of the air does get past the internal foam seals on demist, rather than hitting the screen. Some people have chopped the box open and renewed the seals but that's about all that I know of in the way of heater improvements. You may be able to fit a modern high-speed blower but even that would be compromised by the box design.
Based on what has been said above could one not combine a more modern and powerful heater/blower system, say from a Golf or whatever as well as feeding it a direct air-feed from the front of the car?
Someone must of tackled this.
BTW, should anyone be interested Pilkington do in fact offer a front screen for the wedge with built-in heater element. That would at least assist in demisting however I would dearly like modern heater output levels into the cabin and for all this work to be carried out while my car is in being restored.
Phil
420 SEAC
Someone must of tackled this.
BTW, should anyone be interested Pilkington do in fact offer a front screen for the wedge with built-in heater element. That would at least assist in demisting however I would dearly like modern heater output levels into the cabin and for all this work to be carried out while my car is in being restored.
Phil
420 SEAC
In the winter, close the window and in the summer open the window.....
Of course, the heater is not much use with the lid off anyway
Seriously though, interested in any suggestions without major surgery. Best thing I have found is Rain X anti mist for use on the inside. Even on a low speed the heater kicks out enough for your feet.
Of course, the heater is not much use with the lid off anyway
Seriously though, interested in any suggestions without major surgery. Best thing I have found is Rain X anti mist for use on the inside. Even on a low speed the heater kicks out enough for your feet.
Yes there's lots of hot air available in the tunnel! Not sure you'd want the fumes too though.
Mine is pretty good with the top down too, keeps my tootsies warm. Make sure the water system is full - that always helps.
One trick is to plug the passenger side footwell vent with a cloth, this forces all the air to the driver's side.
Mine is pretty good with the top down too, keeps my tootsies warm. Make sure the water system is full - that always helps.
One trick is to plug the passenger side footwell vent with a cloth, this forces all the air to the driver's side.
Mine is the two blower system which even with a fresh air inlet was also ineffectual. I replaced the matrix, threw away one of the fans and made the remaining one on or off. The biggest improvement must have been masticing every gap even on the blower. The remaining problem was the internal gaps round the flap. It would be best to remove it and apply control after it comes out of the heater box. So I’ve jammed dusters in the cabin heating output to maintain demisting as mine is a FHC. It’s free.
I expect that if anybody dismantles theirs they will find similar faults. Aftermarket ones are available from a couple of sites. http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/prod_other.html
And http://www.nfauto.co.uk/
Classic Mini heaters used to be the kit car owner’s favourite being the smallest.
I expect that if anybody dismantles theirs they will find similar faults. Aftermarket ones are available from a couple of sites. http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/prod_other.html
And http://www.nfauto.co.uk/
Classic Mini heaters used to be the kit car owner’s favourite being the smallest.
Thanks for the info and links.
Most look compact enough to be suited to the wedge but I need to find out which units allow connection of an external fresh-air feed via a hose a the front of the car.
This gives me all the info I think I'll need.
Thanks again.
I'll let you all know how my guys get on.
Phil
420 SEAC
Most look compact enough to be suited to the wedge but I need to find out which units allow connection of an external fresh-air feed via a hose a the front of the car.
This gives me all the info I think I'll need.
Thanks again.
I'll let you all know how my guys get on.
Phil
420 SEAC
Just got back from the Dutch Spring Run 2010 and really suffered with misting problems. I think Albert (Dinkel) must have thought he was in a comedy car at one point as we literally couldn't see the end of the bonnet, nevermind the road! Not what you want when you're trying to lead a small convoy in the pouring rain on back roads... Even with one of the side windows open, the windscreen didn't clear.
Soooo, I'm now about to rip most of the interior out of the car and sort the heater/demister once and for all. I'm going to start with seeing what the problems are and maybe modify the current heater system. I'm hoping to run a couple of pipes to the front air dam for fresh air instead of relying on the air which gets taken from the grill on the back edge of the bonnet. I would imagine this air is poluted with fumes and has no "ram effect".
I'm going to remove the air box and maybe change the heater matrix for a new one. Maybe after 25 years, the existing one has become clogged and inefficient.
I'm also going to experiment with some PC case fans - I'm sure there must be a way to get about 4 of these sucking the warm air from the heater box and pushing it up onto the windscreen. I'm also going to try and fit a couple of "extractor" fans behind the seats to suck out stale air from the car so that fresh air can be drawn in through the heater. I've already moved the stereo speakers to the vertical panel behind the seats, so I can use the vinyl panels which the seatbelts go through to house a couple of PC case fans, with tubes leading out of the car somehow, maybe through the boot and out below the bumper.
I will take some pictures as I go!
First job is to remove the heater box and look inside, so thats what I'm going to do now.
Dan.
Soooo, I'm now about to rip most of the interior out of the car and sort the heater/demister once and for all. I'm going to start with seeing what the problems are and maybe modify the current heater system. I'm hoping to run a couple of pipes to the front air dam for fresh air instead of relying on the air which gets taken from the grill on the back edge of the bonnet. I would imagine this air is poluted with fumes and has no "ram effect".
I'm going to remove the air box and maybe change the heater matrix for a new one. Maybe after 25 years, the existing one has become clogged and inefficient.
I'm also going to experiment with some PC case fans - I'm sure there must be a way to get about 4 of these sucking the warm air from the heater box and pushing it up onto the windscreen. I'm also going to try and fit a couple of "extractor" fans behind the seats to suck out stale air from the car so that fresh air can be drawn in through the heater. I've already moved the stereo speakers to the vertical panel behind the seats, so I can use the vinyl panels which the seatbelts go through to house a couple of PC case fans, with tubes leading out of the car somehow, maybe through the boot and out below the bumper.
I will take some pictures as I go!
First job is to remove the heater box and look inside, so thats what I'm going to do now.
Dan.
PC case fans might be a bit weedy, you could try these instead https://www.modelshopleeds.co.uk/catalog/product_i... electric ducted fan for radio controlled planes, they shift a s
t load of air and are pretty cheap.
t load of air and are pretty cheap.Ok, so have been working on the heater today. First job was just to remove the heater box to see what's what. My car is a S2 350i, but its probably a similar arrangement for most Wedges.
With the centre console and gauges removed, you can see how much space gets taken up. Note the cut out that the stereo slots into.
With the dashboard removed, you can see the fan motor. (this is actually a 3 speed motor and mine was originally wired up with speeds 1 and 2, however I adapted the wiring and put in an extra switch to get the third speed)
This shows the hollow tubing that feeds the windscreen vents. There is a rectangular spigot on top of the heater box which supplies hot air into the tubing.
The round hole in the bulkhead leads into the chamber that can be seen in the engine bay. This has a grill on top which then connects to the grill in the back edge of the bonnet. The heater fan sucks all its air in from here. I'm thinking about blanking this vent off and running a tube to the front of the car to get fresher air.
I removed the front of the heater box and this is the heater matrix. I'm thinking about changing this for a new one or at least flushing it out.
The back of the heater box. I've already taken the box apart in the past, hence the brackets and mastic.
With the back removed, you can see where the fan blows its air. To get hot air to the windscreen, the fan has to blow it through the narrow gap under the heater matrix, through the matrix itself and then up the rectangular channel in the middle of the box. This then gets blown into the channel beneath the windscreen where the demister vents are. By the time the air has got there, its hardly moving hence the demisting is really poor.
My plan is to remove the channel from beneath the windscreem and replace the vents with something similar to that shown here:- (just the vents and tubing, not the box)
http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/prod/finland-heater.html
I'm then thinking about running the tubing back into the original heater box, maybe with a couple of inline fans to boost the output.
Will keep you updated. If anyone wants pictures or measurements of anything whilst my dashboard is out, just say.
Dan.
With the centre console and gauges removed, you can see how much space gets taken up. Note the cut out that the stereo slots into.
With the dashboard removed, you can see the fan motor. (this is actually a 3 speed motor and mine was originally wired up with speeds 1 and 2, however I adapted the wiring and put in an extra switch to get the third speed)
This shows the hollow tubing that feeds the windscreen vents. There is a rectangular spigot on top of the heater box which supplies hot air into the tubing.
The round hole in the bulkhead leads into the chamber that can be seen in the engine bay. This has a grill on top which then connects to the grill in the back edge of the bonnet. The heater fan sucks all its air in from here. I'm thinking about blanking this vent off and running a tube to the front of the car to get fresher air.
I removed the front of the heater box and this is the heater matrix. I'm thinking about changing this for a new one or at least flushing it out.
The back of the heater box. I've already taken the box apart in the past, hence the brackets and mastic.
With the back removed, you can see where the fan blows its air. To get hot air to the windscreen, the fan has to blow it through the narrow gap under the heater matrix, through the matrix itself and then up the rectangular channel in the middle of the box. This then gets blown into the channel beneath the windscreen where the demister vents are. By the time the air has got there, its hardly moving hence the demisting is really poor.
My plan is to remove the channel from beneath the windscreem and replace the vents with something similar to that shown here:- (just the vents and tubing, not the box)
http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/prod/finland-heater.html
I'm then thinking about running the tubing back into the original heater box, maybe with a couple of inline fans to boost the output.
Will keep you updated. If anyone wants pictures or measurements of anything whilst my dashboard is out, just say.
Dan.
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My first thought was: keep away from my wedge!
Then I became more intrigued. Fitting it all back together will be fun!
Once you chop away all the old HVAC plumbing and bits, how big a space remains? Or since I'm sure there is no spare room. How big is the fan and evap/blower box?
My long range plan is to replace mine with an aftermarket A/C but they come in various sizes and shapes.
Grady
[
[/quote]
My first thought was: keep away from my wedge!
Then I became more intrigued. Fitting it all back together will be fun!Once you chop away all the old HVAC plumbing and bits, how big a space remains? Or since I'm sure there is no spare room. How big is the fan and evap/blower box?
My long range plan is to replace mine with an aftermarket A/C but they come in various sizes and shapes.
Grady
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