Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:02:33 -0800
Reply-To: davidson <davidson@SIERRA.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: davidson <davidson@SIERRA.NET>
Subject: Re: Catalytic heaters
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Regarding the water cooled Vanagons: (I don't know how air cooled Vanagon
heaters work.)
The stock heater under the rear bench seat uses the engine heat via the
coolant tubing. It works like a radiator (It is a radiator). The coolant
sucks heat out of the engine (to keep the engine cool). The coolant is then
circulated from the engine via hoses to three radiators: the main radiator
behind the grill at the front of the van and the two heater radiators
(front and under the rear seat). Hot coolant enters the radiator which is a
set of metal fins. The increased surface area of the fins allow the air to
efficiently absorb the heat from the coolant. The large radiator at the
front of the van is on all the time, it keeps the coolant from getting too
hot, which in turn keeps the engine from getting too hot. The two smaller
heater radiators are only on when you turn on the switch on at the dash.
This turns on a fan which blows air over the radiator thus moving the air
warmed by the fins into the cabin area of the van to keep you warm. The
gray lever/switch at the side of the heater under the rear bench seat turns
the coolant flow on and off to the rear heater.
So the heaters really only works when the engine is warm. If you are
camping you can't use these stock heaters to keep you warm unless you keep
the engine running. That burns gasoline and can put exhaust fumes in your
breathing space if you have the windows open. It's also noisy to have the
engine running. That's why all this talk about heaters that burn propane
gas. They can be used without running the engine and generally burn cleaner
than the gasoline engine.
Bill
90 Westy Syncro
Lake Tahoe
----------
> From: Susan Cote <scote@PTBO.IGS.NET>
> To: vanagon@VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Catalytic heaters
> Date: Tuesday, November 03, 1998 7:20 AM
>
> With all this talk about heaters, can anyone tell my what is wrong with
> the auxillary gas heater that is supposed to be in the vans.
>
> Mine, by the way, does not work. I haven't figured out why not yet. I'm
> not even sure where it is although I have been told it is the one under
> the bench seat. This heater, the one with the grey switch, does work on
> the dash controls but has a bad odor, which I assume means the core is
> damaged.
>
> When I do turn the auxillary switch on the dash for the mystery heater,
> I get no response from anything. My books says the auxillary heater runs
> on gasoline.
>
> Does the heater under the bench have dual energy sources?
>
> Can anyone shed some light on this for me?
>
> Thanks Susan.
| 
