Bus heater core removed how to bypass

Scott & Heather · May 12, 2016, 01:48:28 PM

My bus heater core (main one) is removed but drivers heat is still hooked up. Can I just run a radiator hose from one heater core pipe to the other in the condenser bay? Or should I block each one off with a copper cap soldered on? What's best practice?

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gumpy · May 12, 2016, 04:14:49 PM

I would cap them. The driver's heat comes from the same lines. If you have too little restriction (i.e. tied together) you might no get enough flow through the driver system.

Scott & Heather · May 12, 2016, 04:23:11 PM

I did notice in my research is that the lines were teed off from the main heater core lines so before I actually open the gate valves to allow the drivers seat to work I wanted to make sure I don't with the heater core lines open so I will cap Them thank you so much

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jav9956 · May 12, 2016, 04:24:06 PM

I capped them. What I figured was the best way to keep flow going just as intended.

Geoff · May 12, 2016, 05:33:45 PM

What is the difference between shutting off the heater lines off and capping them? Nothing. Since I have the finest bus made, a GMC RTS, I took the heater and air conditioning air handler out, saved the heater core, and use the heating system radiator (heater core) and made it into an auxiliary cooling radiator for the engine. I kept the driver's heat and plumbed it into a Webasto heater to 1) pre-heat the engine, and 2) use as an interior heater (very nice).

--Geoff

eagle19952 · May 12, 2016, 06:00:53 PM

do Webasto's come with noise canceling headphones...

jav9956 · May 12, 2016, 06:04:11 PM

Quote from: Geoff on May 12, 2016, 05:33:45 PM
What is the difference between shutting off the heater lines off and capping them? Nothing.

If you simply shut them off you cannot use the drivers heat, which I believe was the main goal that Scott is trying to achieve.

Scott & Heather · May 12, 2016, 06:16:23 PM

^bingo

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buswarrior · May 13, 2016, 02:02:24 AM

Capping is correct.

A bypass loop would introduce an opportunity to overheat the engine, as there will be no way to cool that hot coolant before it returned to the engine.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Scott & Heather · May 13, 2016, 07:08:51 AM

Ok. Thanks. So now after three plumbing stops, I haven't found caps the right size to do this? What's your secret Bjorn?

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jav9956 · May 13, 2016, 07:58:11 AM

This was about 6 months ago already (scary to realize). You may already know this so forgive me if I am not telling you anything new. When measuring a pipe the measure is from the inside diameter... so a 1 1/4" pipe is the inside diameter and the outside is likely 1.625" or something thereabouts. The easiest thing to do, I think, is to make sure to measure the inside and outside diameter, then extrapolate the wall thickness and make a note of that. I like numbers so I take all the numbers and my measuring tape to the hardware store and measure out what I need and that generally works well. Sometimes I just look for a pipe with the exact measurements of mine so I have a "replica" in my hand at the store. From there I just see what fits on it

.

I think is was a 1 3/4" copper cap that I ended up using but I just don't remember, it did fit snug.

Anyhow, I think a lot of people get confused between measuring tube (size measured from OD) and measuring pipe (size measured from ID) because we huMANs like to make things confusing!

I hope that helps.

gumpy · May 13, 2016, 09:08:45 AM

Should be 1 1/2".

Maybe you've seen this, but here's a page I did on repairing one of the valves on mine. Maybe there's something in there to help you...

http://www.gumpydog.com/Bus/MC9_WIP/HVAC/Coach_HVAC/Coach_Heating/Repairing_Coach_Heat_Gate_Valve/repairing_coach_heat_gate_valve.htm

eagle19952 · May 13, 2016, 10:13:37 AM

Find a company that does commercial installation of piped air compressor piping. When placed in concrete the tubing is proprietary, similar to commercial refrigeration copper.

One or the other should have what you need. you have "hard" copper.

Scott & Heather · May 13, 2016, 11:59:32 AM

Thank you bunches. Today I reconnected the drivers heat so all I need to do is cap the lines in the bay, add coolant and I should have heat

Bjorn, you were super helpful, thanks again....ill check
Out Craig's link....

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jav9956 · May 13, 2016, 03:22:12 PM

If your evaporator is good a guy was contacting me trying to buy one, also needs a compressor.

Don't know what you plan on doing with your evaporator but if you are interested in selling you might be able to make a couple bucks to put into the conversion

. Let me know and I can give you his contact info.