12V Bus Heaters

[DoubleNickle]

Anyone use one of these to help defrost windshield, warm up cabin etc? If so, what's the best one? What's your experience? Thanks! 55

[sped372]

There's just no way you're going to get a useful amount of heat from a 12v system. Sorry, but the math doesn't work out.

Most of the wiring in the vehicle is sized to handle 8 amps. 12 volts x 8 amps = 96 watts of heating power. Even a typical handheld hairdryer is over 1,000 watts.

Don't waste your money.

[Randy in Maine]

You would be better served to have a good look at the factory heating system and do the "tighten up", on all of the connections and joints. Make sure the cables slide well also.

Having good sealing windows, doors, and the seals on the fresh air panel in the front would also help.

[DoubleNickle]

Yeah, I know I need to make sure the onboard system works as well as it can. I also am quite aware of their inherent limitations. I drove air cooled vw's in South Dakota as dailey drivers thru the 70's and early 80's... we used ice scrapers as defrosters... I was sorta hoping maybe technology had leapt forward and there was some new fangled way to defrost windshields.... As moist as the air is here in the PNW I was hoping for a miracle perhaps - I guess just keep a towel handy. Thanks for the input.

[BumbleBus]

I was sorta hoping maybe technology had leapt forward and there was some new fangled way to defrost windshields

I'm going to be putting in an electric heating system in my bus eventually when the dollar signs align. My HEs are totally shot as is all the ducting from the back etc etc. I plan on using high C-rate LiFePO4 lithium batteries (such as A123) or maybe LiMnO2 (like Sony/Konion cells harvested from dead Makita 18v packs = cheap source) and am shooting for a target of around 4.5kW output using a resistance coil(s) tied into the existing front ducting with a booster fan(s). Should be plenty of heat. I'm hoping to have about 2kWh of capacity to start with. About 40lbs worth of batts. Will charge with a standard DC wall wart charger @ ~87.6v (24s for LiFe or 21s LiMn) since I already have one of those. Doubt it'll happen in time for this winter, but it'll happen eventually.

There are ways these days for sure...

[Randy in Maine]

If you have 20 extra amps, this might be an option....

http://www.heatedseatkits.com/heatedsea ... index.html

[airkooledchris]

Yeah, I know I need to make sure the onboard system works as well as it can. I also am quite aware of their inherent limitations. I drove air cooled vw's in South Dakota as dailey drivers thru the 70's and early 80's... we used ice scrapers as defrosters... I was sorta hoping maybe technology had leapt forward and there was some new fangled way to defrost windshields.... As moist as the air is here in the PNW I was hoping for a miracle perhaps - I guess just keep a towel handy. Thanks for the input.

if your up for a project - I have a complete BA6 Gasoline heater from an aircooled Vanagon sitting in my garage. Im sure up in your neck of the woods you could track down the same thing. That sucker absolutely PUMPS out the heat. Just be sure to carefully remove all of the wiring and switches/etc so you don't have to go track down missing parts later as that's where these projects get pricey.

Right now my only dilemma is how to hang/mount it to the underside of the bus because those factory tabs aren't there, and how to get fresh air from the cabin to feed it. It doesn't get THAT cold here where ive put a ton of effort into the project, but as I type this and look out the window - I know it won't be long before im pouring over the potential project again.

[DoubleNickle]

Bumblebus... that's a fascinating project... in some respects technology is almost there. The bus is for my son... he's young and tough - I'd just like to make sure the windshield stays clear strictly from a parental, safety standpoint. If I were going to be driving it, then yes, heated seats and some form of supplemental heat would be needed for my aching bones. I'll keep looking at options - my old school bus has fans mounted on the dash to circulate air - perhaps something like that. We'll just have to see how good it works - after the Colin visit next weekend we should be able to start road testing her. Also, if had known how this subject was beat to death on that other site, I wouldn't have even bothered to ask.

[SlowLane]

I owned a '69 back in the '80s that I had converted to Corvair power. No heater boxes on the Corvair, but I had the factory gas heater (most Canadian vans did).

The gas heater from those years weren't of much use to the driver, however, as they dumped the heat out into the back of the cabin just under the rear seat. They did put out gobs of heat, though. So I figured out how to get the heat to the front of the car.

First I got a large 12V squirrrel-cage fan out of some old American pickup truck and mounted it under the back seat with the outlet of the gas heater aimed at the inlet to the fan. Then I cut a 3" hole in the floor just above the central heat duct under the back seat (the duct had rusted into nothingness by that point, so I replaced it with some ABS pipe). A bit of tin-bashing and duct tape got the outlet of the squirrel-cage connected to the car's ductwork.

Wired in a relay to turn on the fan when the gas heater was running, and I was in business. Never had to defrost the windshield from the inside again.

I also hacked in some ductwork to provide cabin air to the gas heater intake to get the warm air recirculating. The later gas heaters ( '72 onwards, I think) had such a system as stock. I made do with tin ducting, duct tape and a large gallon ketchup tin.

Those were the days. Can't get away with that kind of hillbilly creativity in this neighborhood.

[Sylvester]

I also hacked in some ductwork to provide cabin air to the gas heater intake to get the warm air recirculating. The later gas heaters ( '72 onwards, I think) had such a system as stock. I made do with tin ducting, duct tape and a large gallon ketchup tin.

Those were the days. Can't get away with that kind of hillbilly creativity in this neighborhood.

I wish you had a picture of that hillbilly technology.

[Hippie]

I second Randy in Maine. Heated seats are your 12 volt solution.
No substitute foir warming your body directly. I wouldn't be without them.

[SlowLane]

... tin ducting, duct tape and a large gallon ketchup tin.
Can't get away with that kind of hillbilly creativity in this neighborhood.

I wish you had a picture of that hillbilly technology.

Well, it was the early '80s. No interwebs, no digital cameras. Taking pictures cost money for film and development. Never occurred to me to waste film taking pictures of my rust-bucket work truck.

On the topic of heated seats, wrecked Volvos and Saabs would be a good place to get either the whole seat (comfy!), or just the heating pads to slip into the bus seats.

[Hippie]

Right now my only dilemma is how to hang/mount it to the underside of the bus because those factory tabs aren't there, and how to get fresh air from the cabin to feed it. It doesn't get THAT cold here where ive put a ton of effort into the project, but as I type this and look out the window - I know it won't be long before im pouring over the potential project again.

I think you should finish this. =D>

What are the factory tabs? Can you have them welded on?

[airkooledchris]

the factory mounting brackets/tabs were these kinda L shaped brackets that hung from the bottom of the belly of the busses/vanagons that had little rubber bushings bolted to them - the heater has the same tabs welded to it so it can dangle from the bottom and not be rattled to death.

Ideally I would have somehow cut them off of the Vanagon I pulled the rest of the heater off. Not totally impossible to recreate, but I lack the welding and metal fabricating skillz to say 'no problem'

[Hippie]

I'm sure a welding shop can do it...no problem. heehee.
Heat would be so good up in the mountains. I would do it for free for ya. I love those little metal projects--if you lived way closer.