poor in cab heating

[oorgiz]

Last christmas having bought a new (to us) motorhome we decided to go away for a few days on boxing day. Now having run a light haulage business I have driven a panel van every day in every weather condition for 15 years, that first drive (in winter) in our M/H was torture, we could not keep the thing warm while driving. Tootleing around town was ok but any kind of speed seemed to just sook the hot (ha ) air out. The van was an Autostratuss 6 berth EB model of 97 vintage, yes it was a highline alright, at 5ft 10 I could just touch the front roof vent to close it. we closed the middle partition door covered the front floor vent (only while driving) and put a large tartan type rug over the fridge/cooker/sink area, it helped a bit but driving down the M6 at 60mph with the heater on full and a jacket on with the side curtain tucked into the seat under your leg, we invented a game of spot the M/H owner and wave then guess by thier clothes if they were suffering like us.

You may be thinking why didn't we just fit a curtain behind the cab ?

Well we didn't realise the difference in winter camping/driving affecting the heat available while driving and our youngest son was sitting in the dinette seat (eventually in a sleeping bag to try keeping feet warm).

Has anyone this experience, or is it just that this van with its very high roof hight can't keep the pasengers warm.

p.s. it was a boxer,

p.p.s. I traded it at York for a much smaller A class with low roof and hopefully less heat loss (so far so good).

If don't use your M/H during the winter but think you may want to this winter, take it for a 20 mile spin down the M/Way to see how you get on

heat wise.

[Guest peter]

Our Rapido 710 is fine. But it does have rear fan assisted heating off the engine coolant as well as the cab.

[david lloyd]

I have certainly experienced this before with a 1999 version of the Compass Drifter. Not only was it cold when driving but there was a ferocious gale blowing between the worktop and fridge beneath.

 

It was not long before I realised that the fridge had not been fitted correctly (baffle plate not fitted behind it) and that the 'old' sevel cabs (Boxer, Ducato etc) had the notorious flexing of the front cab doors that oipened slightly away from the rubber seals at speed - causing a draft and letting any cab heat out.

 

The 'new' models are supposed to have addressed the cab door problem. If the fridge is letting in cold air from around its' sides/top this can often be cured by re-trofitting the baffle plate.

 

As a result of those experiences our new Knaus has a rear heat exchanger and is based on the Renault Master which doesn't have the door flexing problem.

 

oorgiz

 

You may find that a company like TB Turbo could fit a rear heat exchanger in the motorhome for you to keep the saloon warm from the engine when driving. They can be contacted on 01524 67157 www.turboboost.co.uk or e-mail them on info@turboboost.co.uk

 

Best regards, David

[Keith T]

Hi...like Peter, we also have the Rapdio 710F with extra heater from the engine in the rear, and this is a real boon. It's good that this is controlled from the cab whilst on the move, but when stopping for coffee, the 'living' part of the motorhome is really cosy!

Part of the problem are the Fiat 'air' intakes in the cab door plus the flesing of the door and not being that tighly fitted. Additionally, of course the cab is of steel construction, and not insulated in teh same way as the rest of the vehicle. Although the actual cab heating is better than our earlier Peugeot-based Compass in 1993, it is only marginal.

The main diff erence with the A-class, I would imagine, is the whole of it is 'coachbuilt' construction, and the door presumably fits better - and probably there is only one anyway?

On site heating is excellent, either through the convection/blown air gas system, of more generally with a small thermo-controlled fan, using the already paid-for electrics!

[livewire]

Sounds like a knackered cooling thermostat. We had the same problem in a boxer 2.5TD. Changed the thermostat, cab is now toasty. Engine should run at 82-84 degrees

[RonB]

This is an old problem with motorhomes and is down to the poor old cab heater trying to heat five times the area it was designed for, due to the conversion no longer having a cab partition behind the driver/passenger.

 

Anyone with this problem should try replacing the partition by drapping a blanket (picnic type is ideal) from the ceiling, or luton, or bed, down behind the seats. It doesn't have to be a perfect fit or reach the whole way but it will work wonders. We used to drive in ski suits until finding the cure.

 

The only remaining problem is that the caravan section, now having its heat restricted,. is going to feel even colder until you warm it up.

 

Have fun

 

 

Ron

[robin]

We had awful problems heating up our two previous Fiat Ducatos. The Fiat cab is well documented as drafty and heater is awful - UK converters don't help as they fit more ventilation than the Europeans, - we fitted an eberspacher to the Biurstner which sorted the problem (at a price), but never resolved the issue with the Bessacarr - although sealant around the 'fridge helped. I had been considering blocking up some of the four permanent roof ventilators.

Our Renault Master is much, much better than the Ducato in this respect and Weinsberg have done an effective job on insulating the conversion. So we don't need any other heating than the cab heater on the move.

[Brian Kirby]

Graham

Have a look at the fridge installation and check if it is properly sealed.  It should not be possible for air to enter the 'van via the external fridge vents.  If it can, consult Dometic's installation instructions and correct the installation if necessary.  If needed, you can download the correct instructions as a .pdf from their website.

I agree, check (or get checked) the thermostat to ensure the engine coolant is at the correct temperature, and the cab heater is giving of its best.

If all else fails, it seems you can now buy the Truma Drivesafe system for after market fit.  How much use this might be, will depend on the type of heater in your 'van.  If you have a Truma Combi blown warm air system capable of running on butane/propane at 30mbar i.e. with a fixed 30mbar regulator (yes, the ones causing all the trouble!) I believe you can install Drivesafe in its place.  You'd need to install the Drivesafe regulator in lieu of your present regulator, plus if necessary a matched two bottle auto-changeover unit, and the Drivesafe high pressure hoses.  You can then drive with the gas heating on as well as the cab heating.  The system ensures the gas is cut off if either the flexibles or the rigid pipework are severed in an accident, or if anything just comes asunder.  The bits appear to cost in the region of £100, fitting extra.  However, bearing in mind the cost of alternative ways of augmenting the heating, and assuming the fridge vents and stat are working properly, this is probably as cheap a fix as you'll get.  Since the number of hours most folk actually spent driving is relatively few, it shouldn't cane your gas consumption too much either.  Details of Drivesafe from the Truma website.  If unsure whether your heater is suitable to use this way, ring their technical dept.  You'll probably need to quote type, model and serial number to get certainty.

Hope this helps.

[oorgiz]

Thanks to all who made comment, I forgot to mention that I had fitted the extra vent covers after having checked in the vents for proper fitting behind fridge, all was well fittings wise, I think the height of the van even with the luton curtains drawn and the excess of vents roof/ floor etc along with poor cab heating performance all conspired to make a cold day a cold drive, just one of the many things you can't easily check when you want to change vans.

[alanmac]

Hi all

We have a Fiat Ducato year 2000 on a Pilote A Class conversion and suffer from lack of heating in the cab area on the passenger side. We are rhd so this is nearside in uk. I,as driver am completely comfortable in fact some times too hot,to my good lady's chagrin. The only way to get heat to the passenger side is to open the " eyeball " vent which provides heat to my wife's left knee,not good enough ! Up until now most of our driving in UK in winter has been short trips, but hopefully this will change. Has anyone overcome this problem,other than fitting piping to eyeball vent directing it to floor ( as outlined in MMM some time ago).

All help gratefully received

[Vernon B]

I can confirm the experience of others who have a rear heater supplied from the engine cooling system - they make a big big difference and also have the added advantage of offering some cool air when sited. I think the problem with the basic cab heater is that it is simply not designed to heat such a large volume.

 

I think you'll find that C.A.K Tanks Ltd (www.caktanks.co.uk) offer these heaters as a retrofit option and its worth seeing if that a practical option for your van or hang on in there til "global warming" cures the problem!

 

Vernon

[Clive]

Sevel cab heaters are good for cab heating but known to be not that powerfull to keep a MH snug in winter. However the Sprinter heater will blast out a hurricane of air hot enough to singe the hairs on your legs.

 

If you have a Sevel based coach built which is frequently used as a taxi then a engine water based rear mounted fan blown heat exchanger sounds like a good idea. Many coaches have them,

 

 

[RonB]

Oorqis

 

I still say try the blanket cure - you will be suprised.