Heater core for cab

   / Heater core for cab #1  

brunswick000

Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
36
Tractor
L245DT
Does anyone know of any particular automotive heater cores that are small enough to utilize for cab heaters? I was hoping to find a couple of small ones so that I could maybe put two of them in the cab, ceiling mounted, and pointing down at the front and rear windshields.

I have been searching this site high and low for about an hour now for a thread that had pics of a home-made job that had put together. It had two small electric fans that had been attached to it. I cannot find it anywhere??

Currently I have one heater that is rather large, and very inconveniently positioned on the right side of the cab. I keep bumping my arm off it and makes my right shoulder so hot its ridiculous. Plus it blocks half the right side window.

JC Whitney has a wide selection of heater cores available, but you have to select a vehicle make, model, and year to see it. It would take forever to find one small enough. Just hoping for a point in the right direction. Or the junkyard for that matter.

Thanks
 
   / Heater core for cab
  • Thread Starter
#2  
Does anyone think that a couple of small oil coolers would work? Would like these to be as compact as possible. :confused2:
 
   / Heater core for cab
  • Thread Starter
#4  
[/QUOTE]The add-on (Hayden) transmission oil coolers that you mentioned will also work, but they might be down in efficiency a bit since their fins are usually just slid on the cooler lines. Most of them will also have smaller fittings (3/8").[/QUOTE]

Couldnt you just plumb it right from the rad with 3/8? Was thinking of using solid copper lines, except right where the lines enter the cab to compensate for cab movement.
 
   / Heater core for cab #5  
Try Aqua hot I ll have to go to work to get their web address but the Busses that they build at the plant use them as base board heaters. I got one they chunked that had a bad fan on it. THey use the little DC fans like a computer uses. I rounded up a fan at an electronics section of my scrap yard. I do have a few new 3/8ths dash heater cores that came off some truck conversions I was working on. If you think you can use it your welcomed to it.
http://www.aquahot.com/eSource/ecom/eSource/default/Accessories.aspx THe whisper heat excanger is what I found at work.
 
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   / Heater core for cab #6  
I believe a company called CARTER has a variety of stand alone heaters.
Mine came from under a school bus rear seat and measures 6 X 6 ins, and core is approx 2" thick.
Believe it was rated at 30,ooo BTU's and perfect for my CUT.
Mu UAP store had a catalogue on them.
 
   / Heater core for cab
  • Thread Starter
#7  
@ K7LN, I should have been more specific. I meant to say id like to use solid lines in the cab. I am super paranoid about a line bursting for whatever reason and ruining my dashing good looks. Regular flexible coolant lines everywhere else.

@ PILOON, I did a bit of a search for "Carter" heaters and cant find them. Guess ill keep searching for now. Im sure ill come across something suitable.

Are any others here using any strictly electrical heaters? Seems like a bad idea to me given that a tractor from the early 80's really wasn't meant to handle a lot of electrical extras. Already have 4 aux lights and windsheild wipers. Just dont want create any new problems to solve.
 
   / Heater core for cab
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Summit has got some good choices. This one seems to be the smallest:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PLI-398010/

They have flexible, braided SS heater hoses as well. A lot easier than solid lines in the cab. As far as fans are concerned, how have others mounted them to the core? Some of you have used the small computer type electric fans? Anyone able to post a pic of theirs mounted to the heater core to show how you got them on there?
 
   / Heater core for cab #11  
76 Ford F350 with A/C is a very good universal heater core.

X2, Check out the the Ford Ranger/Explorer Transmission Coolers or the A/C setup in the front of the vehicle between the grille and the engine radiator.

I have two smaller ones that came out of the Ford Rangers and I am not sure what to do with them.
Now I know, get one or two of the smaller 12V box fans and made a Cab heater.

Thks
 
   / Heater core for cab #12  
I got my heater from eBay. Search for 'cab heater' and you'll get lots of hits. Mine is similar to the Maradyne cube heater. It puts out great heat as long as the engine warms up enough. Cardboard in the radiator helps, too.
 
   / Heater core for cab #13  
Years ago I bought a supplementary heater for my Suburban from Chevy dealer. Core, housing, fan, switches in a kit. MikeD74T
 
   / Heater core for cab #14  
I have a brand new small one for a Nissan Z car to use for my cab. Older Jeep CJ's had a pretty much self contained unit and I remember changing Ford Fairmont and Dodge Caravan heaters that were quite small. It also got me thinking that you might even get away with a section of a home baseboard heater, mounted under/behind the seat.
 
   / Heater core for cab #15  
Was looking on Ebay and found Maradyne Cab Heater 4000-12V. Has the deflectors, 2 speed fan and mounts for less than I paid for mine from Curtis.
 
   / Heater core for cab
  • Thread Starter
#16  
yooper jim said:
Was looking on Ebay and found Maradyne Cab Heater 4000-12V. Has the deflectors, 2 speed fan and mounts for less than I paid for mine from Curtis.

Says its floor mount. Is this where you put yours? I was hoping to headliner, or, ceiling mount mine to direct the airflow at the windows.
 
   / Heater core for cab #17  
you could pick up some cheap "computer ""case"" fans". and mount them behind the core, so the wind blows through the core. computer case fans are cheap little plastic fans, that have 4 holes one per corner. some of the fans come with 2 wires coming out of the fan while others 3 wires. to make life easier just get a 2 wire one. gennerally they have a computer plugs on the fans. you can cut them off, and install a toggle switch. double checking Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more! ((do search for ""case fan"")) if details state it has a 4 pin connector, most likely it only has 2 wires coming out of it. if it says 3 pin connector, then most likely fan has 3 wires coming out of it.

also take a look at "pci slot fans" you can get 2 fans side by side. but be carefull you may not be able to drill any spots to get a bolt or some sort of wire through to mount them.

red wire on fan to red wire on tractor (positive side of battery) put i don't know 5 amp fuse between black cable (negative side of battery) then toggle switch, then black wire on fan.

if ya want a couple fans then just run red wires together, and black wires together. from both fans. at a certain point you may need a bigger fuse. maybe 10amp or 15 amp fuse. depends on fan.

or perhaps hitting the auto section of various local stores come summer time. to find them 12v fans that plug into cigerate lighter. during summer time you can find various fans that clip to about anything, cut off the ends, and attach a fuse (depends on fan/s) then toggle switch. and just like the fans above.

=====================================

perhaps getting a old gas water heater tank. and taking out the coiled fins in it.

junk yard, walk around, till ya find something.

you might take a look at floor heaters that run off of a boiler, (ya generally see in old houses) you might find one with a bunch of small fins, that fits fairly nice across the entire wind shield.

===============
you could prolly run a couple cores in series, outlet from one core to inlet of other core, if the water pump can handle it. but you might find it better. to run 2 cores in parallel. to control how much coolant goes to each core. ((other words hotter for front, cooler in back, or vice vs or same amount of heat or be able to turn off each one if ya ran them in parallel)) running in parallel will most likely give you a little more heat as well.

================

because the cores are being mounted in the ceiling i would ""take very special care"" and make sure that you can place a tee in the highest area of all the lines including the piping going through the cores. and then drill a hole and go right out through top of the cab. then put a valve on top of the cab sticking straight up. ((to each his own, use a little spray foam, if it was me, ""great stuff"" in a red can)) or perhaps a little silicon. between roof and pipe running up and out of the roof.

then placing a valve on each inlet/outlet lines coming from engine and place valve either at the floor or under the floor ((other words some place low))

the 2 low valves, you will need to close, then you would need to climb on top of the cab, and pour antifreeze/water mix. down the top valve. this will allow you to burb any air out of the lines and cores.

((hint get a couple fittings to goto a 4" plastic pvc pipe)) to create a DIY funnel that fits on the valve above the cab. it may seem silly, putting hole through roof of cab, just for a valve. but it can save ya time and problems removing air. from the lines.

side note pending on how you run your coolant lines up to the cores. you may need a another tee and valve pointing up and going through roof of cab.
=============
brass gas valves at most local hardware stores could be used as valves. i would assume.
 
   / Heater core for cab
  • Thread Starter
#18  
boggen said:
you could pick up some cheap "computer ""case"" fans". and mount them behind the core, so the wind blows through the core. computer case fans are cheap little plastic fans, that have 4 holes one per corner. some of the fans come with 2 wires coming out of the fan while others 3 wires. to make life easier just get a 2 wire one. gennerally they have a computer plugs on the fans. you can cut them off, and install a toggle switch. double checking Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more! ((do search for ""case fan"")) if details state it has a 4 pin connector, most likely it only has 2 wires coming out of it. if it says 3 pin connector, then most likely fan has 3 wires coming out of it.

also take a look at "pci slot fans" you can get 2 fans side by side. but be carefull you may not be able to drill any spots to get a bolt or some sort of wire through to mount them.

red wire on fan to red wire on tractor (positive side of battery) put i don't know 5 amp fuse between black cable (negative side of battery) then toggle switch, then black wire on fan.

if ya want a couple fans then just run red wires together, and black wires together. from both fans. at a certain point you may need a bigger fuse. maybe 10amp or 15 amp fuse. depends on fan.

or perhaps hitting the auto section of various local stores come summer time. to find them 12v fans that plug into cigerate lighter. during summer time you can find various fans that clip to about anything, cut off the ends, and attach a fuse (depends on fan/s) then toggle switch. and just like the fans above.

=====================================

perhaps getting a old gas water heater tank. and taking out the coiled fins in it.

junk yard, walk around, till ya find something.

you might take a look at floor heaters that run off of a boiler, (ya generally see in old houses) you might find one with a bunch of small fins, that fits fairly nice across the entire wind shield.

===============
you could prolly run a couple cores in series, outlet from one core to inlet of other core, if the water pump can handle it. but you might find it better. to run 2 cores in parallel. to control how much coolant goes to each core. ((other words hotter for front, cooler in back, or vice vs or same amount of heat or be able to turn off each one if ya ran them in parallel)) running in parallel will most likely give you a little more heat as well.

================

because the cores are being mounted in the ceiling i would ""take very special care"" and make sure that you can place a tee in the highest area of all the lines including the piping going through the cores. and then drill a hole and go right out through top of the cab. then put a valve on top of the cab sticking straight up. ((to each his own, use a little spray foam, if it was me, ""great stuff"" in a red can)) or perhaps a little silicon. between roof and pipe running up and out of the roof.

then placing a valve on each inlet/outlet lines coming from engine and place valve either at the floor or under the floor ((other words some place low))

the 2 low valves, you will need to close, then you would need to climb on top of the cab, and pour antifreeze/water mix. down the top valve. this will allow you to burb any air out of the lines and cores.

((hint get a couple fittings to goto a 4" plastic pvc pipe)) to create a DIY funnel that fits on the valve above the cab. it may seem silly, putting hole through roof of cab, just for a valve. but it can save ya time and problems removing air. from the lines.

side note pending on how you run your coolant lines up to the cores. you may need a another tee and valve pointing up and going through roof of cab.
=============
brass gas valves at most local hardware stores could be used as valves. i would assume.

Thats some good info there. Im not sure what you mean about running the cores in parallel. My initial goal was to be able to direct heat at both windows based on what others here have said about fogging issues. Also, in regards to the "vents" in the coolant lines that ur talking about. Im a visual guy so im doin my best to put that together in my head but im not quite there yet.
 
   / Heater core for cab #19  
Computer fans draw very little amperage, in fact those that I have used are all less than 1 amp and great for CUT applications as CUT's don't have that big an alternator to start off with.
Much better performance than automotive clunky units that draw almost 25 amps or so and also more compact making for neater installs.
I have even mounted one on a camera type tripod swivel head for cab summer cooling and it blows enough to keep the skitters out of my cab.
 
   / Heater core for cab #20  
Home heating fin tube is made for steady heating with no fan forcing. I'd think the wide fin spacing would not transmit enough heat to the air blowing across. Heater core fins are much finer and closer together.
Jim
 

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