Dump that Eberspacher BN4 heat into the dash vents!

[scrivyscriv]

My BN4 is putting out great heat. It's fantastic heat. It's the best heat you can buy. I'm talking 220° at the duct. But it's all being wasted coming out under the back seat!

I want to duct that hot air, a la BA-6, to the dash vents, without hacking things up beyond repair. So before I start, would anyone care to share ideas or photos of your current gas heater solution? My heater is already bolted in and ducted into the cabin.. the heat just needs to go up front.

I've thought about cutting open the little macaroni noodle areas on the floor in the back - where some buses have rear vents - and ducting my heat into them with the heater box tubes blocked off.

Jake Raby mentioned something like that in passing once but he never went in to detail.
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[alman72]

do you have the arm rest ducts on the door?
if yes, could you duct behind the panels, up to the turn of the vents on the rear of the seating bulkheads. That is if you have bulkheads. what year bus you taking.

[busdaddy]

I put a lot of thought into Y'ing the BN-4 into the main heat duct. I would have gone through the floor just ahead of the existing Y where both engine tubes come together using a made up box similar to the ones for the BA-6, I kept losing interest when it came to figuring out the anti return flaps or gates required, spring loaded?, gravity actuated?, how much is too much or not enough?

I ended up sealing up my heat exchangers and heat tube system super tight and adding a squirrel cage blower in line part way along the center tube under the cargo floor, now I can put all my engine heat on the windshield and heat the cabin with the Eberspacher.
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[scrivyscriv]

The non-return idea has kept me thinking as well. I'd say the most challenging part of putting stuff together here has been trying to keep things looking stock.. or just, not looking goofy and hacked up. It's really hard to hide generic FLAPS junk or homemade contraptions.

My bus didn't come with flow through arm rests, but I have been considering adding them when I buy new door panels.
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[pioneer1]

for winter travel what do you think of just running some aluminum duct flex tube from the outlet under the seat to the cab area. Temporary but easy
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[pittwagen]

You should be getting sufficient hot air to the front if your system is working properly. Having said that, adding a second blower up front to pull the air forward will make a big difference, particularly at slower speeds when the engine is not pushing max air. I have a stock late steel fan and housing with a 3 speed switch connected in line under the front floor. Front air flow is much better, defrosting especially, even with the stock rear fan on my 79.

Secondly, I have a late BN4 with the return air function and with the outlet in the center of the rear seat area so the hot air blows right up between the front seats.

I thought about running a T off the hot air pipe and dumping it down under the floor and coming up under the drivers seat into a front facing vent somewhere in front of the seat belt mount. Air would be controlled by a bowden cable so the one could have all hot to the front, rear or a combo. I would have used stock and current Espar parts for a professional looking and trouble free installation.

After using my current system for a year and now into a second very cold winter for us here on the south coast, I have not needed to go the extra ducting route. I have a switch controlling the BN4 at the front and a thermostat at the rear for overnight sleeping comfort.

[otiswesty]