Cab Heating Options

[massey184ferguson]

What do you think is the best heating option for a cab? I have a homemade cab, but it is uninsulated. If I had to insulate it, what is the best way? I don't know how much power I have to run a heater, so whatever is most energy efficient would be best. Whats your opinion? :confused3:

 

[art]

The battery power to run an electric is short on most tractors and the amount of heat is far less then desireable. Go with the cooling system and you will be fine.

 

[chim]

I bought a heater that runs on the engine coolant. An electric heater sized to match the advertised output of 20,000 BTU's would take approximately 488 amps at 12 volts if I did all the conversions correctly.

Cost was only around $150 and it was a snap to get into the lines at the t-stat bypass. There is a small rubber hose 90 degree bypass fitting with a 5/8" connection on one end and something smaller on the other. It worked well to leave the 90 connected to the block and spin it around and use a double ended 5/8" coupling for the one hose to the heater. The other 5/8" heater hose is connected to where the 90 was disconnected. Since flow needs to be maintained through the bypass, I installed a bypass line with valve in the cab below the heater. If it gets too warm I can close the heater valves and open the bypass valve. Google "AH454 heater" if you want to see who sells them in your area.

I'm still anxious for a blizzard to give it a real test drive. The best test so far was one night when the temp went down to 17*F. After a little running around the cab was comfy with the two-speed blower on low. The picture shows the heater sitting roughly in its final resting place during the cab build.






For insulation I used an Armaflex material fastened with contact cement. The cab has a lot of glass and isn't completely airtight so the little bit of insulation is more for aesthetics than function. It's better looking than the back side of the sheet metal panels.

 

[mjncad]

Go with a cooling system heater as others have said. How many cars use electric resistance heat? None that I know of.

Any insulation will be better than no insulation, and it will help with noise control too.

 

[massey184ferguson]

Do you have any problems with your windows fogging up?

 

[chim]

Do you have any problems with your windows fogging up?

(If that was for me) Since building the cab I don't have enough hours in it to say for sure. I haven't had any fogging so far, but I haven't been using it under the conditions that would most likely produce fog. I expect some fogging when I track snow into the cab to melt and run the humidity way up. I've read where others with cabs have installed an additional fan to blow on the windshield to keep it cleared.

 

[jb62901]

Had this core many years and put a 4" 12v behind it, keeps the cab 40dg warmer than outside temp.

http://oi39.tinypic.com/2ebbcbt.jpg

 

[vtsnowedin]

I haven't found that I need a heater in my soft cab as just being out of the wind when dressed for winter weather is enough. Plus heat comes off the center casting of the tractor once it is warm so it is often thirty degrees warmer inside the cab then it is outside. The place that sold me the soft cab does have several 12 volt heaters that plug into a cigarette lighter socket. some with fans built in that can be used to cool in summer. You might have to add a socket if your tractor doesn't have one but there is usually at least one spare fuse socket in the fuse block you can tap into.
Tractor Cab Electric Heater with 12VDC direct battery hook-up comes with all attaching hardware for your cab enclosure, UTV, RTV or ATV
Just an option to consider, The cooling system units will certainly crank out more heat if needed.

 

[kevin37b]

As far as insulation , look at FEHR cab , They refit older cabs and it is a nice product . You can get a roll of it and cut your own panels . They will send adhesive with it . Very nice product . I did a cozy cab on my snow plowing tractor with this material , worked great .

 

[Jaylegger]

Another option could be something like the Coleman Golfcat 3000 btu heater found here:

Amazon.com: Coleman GolfCat Perfectemp Catalytic Propane Heater: Sports & Outdoors

You'd likely have to fashion an appropriately size cupholder (pvc pipe would work) and affix it to the cab frame but by all accounts they work quite well.