BX2200 Heater Installation

[Dataway]

I'm installing an auxiliary heater on a BX2200 and have a few questions. I'm using a 13,000 BTU unit from Mill Supply, typical setup. I'll be tapping into the system at the lower thermostat housing, and either at the upper or lower radiator hose. For reference I'm using installation instructions from the various cab manufacturers. Curtis cab shows tapping in at the lower radiator hose, Sims shows tapping the upper radiator hose.

It seems to me that tapping the upper radiator hose...although much easier to get to, would be bypassing the thermostat. During cold weather operation with the thermostat closed the coolant will bypass the thermostat, flow through the heater, back into the upper radiator hose, through the radiator (which will cool it even farther) then back to the engine.

Whereas, tapping the lower radiator hose the coolant will enter the heater from the lower thermostat housing, go through the heater, return via the lower radiator hose and not receive the extra cooling of flowing through the radiator also.

Both setups effectively bypass the thermostat, but one sends it through the radiator, the other does not. As much as I don't relish cutting the lower hose and fitting in an adapter in the confined space....it seems the better way to go to me. Seems like it would provide quicker warmup for the engine, and more heat available for the heater.
Any thoughts?

Also, I was looking for the drain cock for the radiator...didn't see one. Manual shows one on the right, lower side of the radiator.....is it hard to find, or is it just me?
Thanks,
JohnnyB

 

[carlcroom]

I can't help you with the heater, but the drain on my 2200 is a little philips headed screw-in plug at the lower right corner of the radiator.

 

[Dataway]

Thanks....no wonder I didn't see it, manual shows it as a small valve.
JohnnyB

 

[escavader]

I'm installing an auxiliary heater on a BX2200 and have a few questions. I'm using a 13,000 BTU unit from Mill Supply, typical setup. I'll be tapping into the system at the lower thermostat housing, and either at the upper or lower radiator hose. For reference I'm using installation instructions from the various cab manufacturers. Curtis cab shows tapping in at the lower radiator hose, Sims shows tapping the upper radiator hose.

It seems to me that tapping the upper radiator hose...although much easier to get to, would be bypassing the thermostat. During cold weather operation with the thermostat closed the coolant will bypass the thermostat, flow through the heater, back into the upper radiator hose, through the radiator (which will cool it even farther) then back to the engine.

Whereas, tapping the lower radiator hose the coolant will enter the heater from the lower thermostat housing, go through the heater, return via the lower radiator hose and not receive the extra cooling of flowing through the radiator also.

Both setups effectively bypass the thermostat, but one sends it through the radiator, the other does not. As much as I don't relish cutting the lower hose and fitting in an adapter in the confined space....it seems the better way to go to me. Seems like it would provide quicker warmup for the engine, and more heat available for the heater.
Any thoughts?

Also, I was looking for the drain cock for the radiator...didn't see one. Manual shows one on the right, lower side of the radiator.....is it hard to find, or is it just me?
Thanks,
JohnnyB

JOHNNY B,
Since i read this post,and havent been able to find an inexpensive heater ,for my cab,I went and searched for MILL DIRECT and found it.Iordered a heater and an installation kit!!! NOW WE ARE BOTH IN THE SAME BOAT..HOW TO INSTALL
I hope the two tees in the install kit are the right size for our radiator hoses.Dont they look small to you?
Please keep me informed on the install,mine is a bx-23
Ijust installes the glass in my cab and am about to put it on the tractor,heater will be next.
ALAN

 

[Dataway]

Alan,
So far I've got the heater mounted in the cab. I drilled a hole in the housing for the speed switch and mounted it inside the heater enclosure so the knob sticks out toward me. The switch uses some resistance coils to control fan speed and typically they need air flow so I mounted them inside the enclosure where they will get air flow from the fan.

Tomorrow I'll start in earnest on the plumbing. The "Y" fittings that come with the installation kit will be probably be useless to us. However the cutoff valve, the hoses, the clamps, should all be usable. I'm going to put some links at the bottom of this post to various instructions available from cab manufacturers.

Looks to me like the plumbing setup is going to have to be:
1. One hose from the heater to a fitting on the lower thermostat housing (this has to be drilled out and tapped....looks possible to do without taking it off the engine).
2. One hose from the heater to the upper or lower radiator hose. I'm going to go for the lower hose because it appears to me from the cooling system design that it will provide the most heat.

For the radiator hose hookup we will have to come up with our own adapter....basically a "T" fitting that splices into the radiator hose...probably a 1" OD sleeve, with a 3/8 NPT junction on it. I'll probably weld up my own...but I hear they are also available in various sizes from autoparts stores.

Here is a link to instructions for a SIM cab heater:

http://www.cabdepot.com/images/sales_docs/2000455_bx_2200_htr.pdf

At the bottom of this PDF file you'll find instructions for heater installation from Curtis:

http://72.32.85.78/documents/Kubota_BX_1850_2350_All_Steel_and_Soft_Sided_Cabs.pdf

Here you will find a TractorByNet thread on heaters:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/40785-cab-heaters.html


Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a simple "bolt on" solution for the plumbing, even from one of the "store bought" brand name heater kits. Most kits do recommend hooking up at the lower thermostat housing...so dilling into an engine part is probably going to be necessary. I'm pretty handy and have a very well equipped shop and I'm a bit aprehensive about that procedure....I've even thought of removing the part, putting in my milling machine and doing the work there. Or even buy a spare part and working on that so I don't ruin the part on the engine and take it out of commission till I can get a new one. I guess some of the later models like your 23 may have a screw out plug in that location, in which case you can just take it out and screw in a 3/8 NPT fitting with a 5/8 hose nipple.
Peruse that info and we'll try to get through this together
JohnnyB

 

[KennyV]

I am not sure about your engine, but on my ZTR with a cab and a 4 cylinder Kubota diesel engine, My heater is plumbed in the water pump bypass circuit.
Remove the short bypass loop. Connect your heater hoses to the bypass connectors, DONE.
Lots of heat... but do not cap these connections off when you disconnect hot water in the summer, Reconnect the short factory loop.
Works very, very good and is easy to do/undo. KennyV.

 

[Dataway]

Kenny,
I've been eyeballing that bypass with envy....but on the smaller engines it's just not high enough flow, only about a 3/8 ID hose on the 3 cyls. A person could even install a bypass on the heater hoses with some T's and stop valves in the circuit and they wouldn't have to reinstall the bypass hose each summer.
JohnnyB

 

[KennyV]

Kenny,
....but on the smaller engines it's just not high enough flow, only about a 3/8 ID hose on the 3 cyls. JohnnyB

Hook it up... you will not believe the amount of water flow you will get from there. My is also less than 1/2 ID, run is over 6ft each way, more than 12ft. total and it will heat the cab with a lot to spare. KennyV.

 

[Dataway]

Kenny,
Do you use some kind of reducer to go from the heater hose to the bypass fittings? The heater core has 5/8" hose fittings so I'd have to reduce it somewhere.
Come to think of it 1 "T" and a three outlet stopvalve and you'd never have to take the system off....just use the stopvalve to divert the flow back to bypass for the summer.

I'm definately going to take a look at the bypass...would be by far the easiest, probably most trouble free installation. Thanks for the tip.
JohnnyB

 

[KennyV]

Johnny,
Your hook up using a t and a three position valve will work great.
My reducer is actually ｽ inch heater hose. The water pump side clamps down to the smaller size and the heater side will stretch out enough to fit. Been running it like this for 9 years now, works good and never a leak or any problem. KennyV.