Anticept Posted January 3, 2014 Report Posted January 3, 2014 I am looking into increasing the cabin heat air flow. I just got back from KIDI to KOSU in -3F, dressed in a coat, two long sleeves, two layers of pants, and double socks. It's going to take me all night to coax tweedle dee and tweedle dum to drop back out from my abdomen... There is hot air flowing through the vents, but it's such a slow trickle. I checked the manifold intake and fixed the alignment, but it had changed very little. Suggestions for where to get started so i can prep an LOA request?
FredG Posted January 3, 2014 Report Posted January 3, 2014 Is the flap valve controlled by the cabin heat knob on the panel opening fully? When I took delivery of my plane, it was not opening fully. I was cold!
Anticept Posted January 3, 2014 Author Report Posted January 3, 2014 Both CTs are terrible with the cabin heat. I thought about checking the box, but because of where the box is located, I would ask about it first.
Ed Cesnalis Posted January 3, 2014 Report Posted January 3, 2014 Mine was anemic when new then we adjusted the box which resulted in abundant heat.
sandpiper Posted January 3, 2014 Report Posted January 3, 2014 Have you sealed off all the overhead holes including spar bolts? Put additional seal strips around the doors? Blocked off the pass thru to baggage?
Anticept Posted January 3, 2014 Author Report Posted January 3, 2014 Have you sealed off all the overhead holes including spar bolts? Put additional seal strips around the doors? Blocked off the pass thru to baggage? Yes. The airflow from the cabin heat is abysmal, and I thought it was normal because both CTs have this problem. Will investigate and correct!
Anticept Posted January 4, 2014 Author Report Posted January 4, 2014 Confirmed. Butterfly valve is not opening much. Tension on the cable is too low. Will fix!
mocfly Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 1)Tape off the opening in the baggage compartment under the BRS. It allows a ton of cold air thru the tunnel. 2)Reducing the amount of air going to the defroster will create more heat than you could possibly need. 3)Make sure that the muffler surround has a divider. Ours did not. These and having the heater valve opening all the way will allow you to fly in 0deg weather with a t-shirt. Let us know how you make out
Anticept Posted January 4, 2014 Author Report Posted January 4, 2014 1)Tape off the opening in the baggage compartment under the BRS. It allows a ton of cold air thru the tunnel. 2)Reducing the amount of air going to the defroster will create more heat than you could possibly need. 3)Make sure that the muffler surround has a divider. Ours did not. These and having the heater valve opening all the way will allow you to fly in 0deg weather with a t-shirt. Let us know how you make out The baggage compartment and the tail cone both have tarps that do a pretty good job of sealing off air. Shunting from the defroster probably won't be necessary. The butterfly valve is BARELY opening. What is a muffler divider?
Tip Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 Be sure to tape around the headliner with clear packing tape. The flap rod holes let in a lot of cold air. Next time your at KIDI, let me know.
Mick Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 Best idea yet, come down to Florida for the winter.
mocfly Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 The baggage compartment and the tail cone both have tarps that do a pretty good job of sealing off air. Shunting from the defroster probably won't be necessary. The butterfly valve is BARELY opening. What is a muffler divider? The divider should be attached to the interior of muffler surround. In simplest terms it is a baffle.
FlyingMonkey Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 The divider should be attached to the interior of muffler surround. In simplest terms it is a baffle. Is it visible without disassembly?
Anticept Posted January 4, 2014 Author Report Posted January 4, 2014 The divider should be attached to the interior of muffler surround. In simplest terms it is a baffle. That's what I figured. It's too cold to go looking at these things right now. Be sure to tape around the headliner with clear packing tape. The flap rod holes let in a lot of cold air. Next time your at KIDI, let me know. Already do this. I had very little airflow going through the plane, but the heater flow is so abysmal that I might as well not even have had it on.
mocfly Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 It is not visible without dis-assembly. I can tell you that if your heat is working correctly and you don't have diffusers the heat output will burn your ankles.
WmInce Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 . . . "I can tell you that if your heat is working correctly and you don't have diffusers the heat output will burn your ankles." . . . How are the diffusers attached?
Anticept Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Posted January 5, 2014 I could see the butterfly valve lever BARELY moving when pulling the knob. There's a bunch of extra loose cable. Going to tighten that up. I need to get some of those crimp on thingymabobs (what the heck are those things called? they look like crimp on fishing weights) and the tool first though.
Anticept Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Posted January 5, 2014 I had not considered that I might be able to adjust it from the knob side! That would make it a hell of a lot easier!
Tip Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I needed cable stops for the carb heat control cable and bought them at a lawn mower repair shop.
Anticept Posted January 7, 2014 Author Report Posted January 7, 2014 Gee! I wonder why it didn't work? The left cable is cabin heat. EDIT: posted from an iPad. The left side is supposed to be the up side.
Anticept Posted January 7, 2014 Author Report Posted January 7, 2014 After adjustment photo. I am going to go test fly to see how it works!
Anticept Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Posted January 8, 2014 Did not fix the problem. I can feel warm air coming through, but there is so little of it that it barely keeps the toes from freezing. I'm going to look for other problems in the path of the air, but i really would like to see the inside of the airbox...
Anticept Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Posted January 8, 2014 I need to see the butterfly valve. I really do not believe the intake or the muffler shroud is the problem, because the carb heat works fine (100-200 RPM drop when turned on in these ridiculously cold temperatures, the drop is much smaller on warmer days). I do not see a hose issue either forward of the firewall.
Jacques Posted January 8, 2014 Report Posted January 8, 2014 on my SW, the problem was the buttefly valve not fully opening because is was blocked by some material (plastic?) riveted tp the valve
mocfly Posted January 8, 2014 Report Posted January 8, 2014 I need to see the butterfly valve. I really do not believe the intake or the muffler shroud is the problem, because the carb heat works fine (100-200 RPM drop when turned on in these ridiculously cold temperatures, the drop is much smaller on warmer days). I do not see a hose issue either forward of the firewall. Anticept, I believe you will need to reduce the flow to the window defroster and put in or check that there is a baffle in the muffler shroud. You are describing exactly the same symptoms we had for 2 consecutive winters until I got into it.
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