Using OTR heater blower and exchanger for normal heating.

[Lee Bradley]

As an engine pre-heat you want the engine heated in minutes.

This is Sure Marine's statement

The TSL-17-24 is the smallest water heater offered by Webasto and will heat up to a 38 foot sailboat or a 34 foot powerboat.

[eagle19952]

As an engine pre-heat you want the engine heated in minutes.

This is Sure Marine's statement

The TSL-17-24 is the smallest water heater offered by Webasto and will heat up to a 38 foot sailboat or a 34 foot powerboat.

"The TSL 17 is not designed for a live aboard application. If you wish to heat your boat for this purpose, please contact Great Lakes Marine Specialties (NavStore) for advice."

[Lee Bradley]

In as much as this isn't a boating board, probably I wasn't suggesting that it be used in a boat. Only pointing out that it has the btu output to heat that size boat and would probably be enough heat for a bus in a mild climate.

[richard5933]

But, back to the OP...

He's in Minnesota - not a mild climate by any means. Heating a bus in a mild climate is easy. Drop the temps to sub-zero for a few days and try to heat with one of those and you'll find that 17K btu don't go very far anymore.

[eagle19952]

But, back to the OP...

and you'll find that 17K btu don't go very far anymore.

Likewise, if 17K btu won't heat, it won't cool either

[richard5933]

Likewise, if 17K btu won't heat, it won't cool either

Except that in the summer we're talking about maybe 30-40 degrees that we're trying to cool the bus. If it's 110F outside and we want to drop the temp to 70F it's only a 40-degree shift.

If it's -10F outside and we want the bus to be 70F inside we're now trying to shift the temperature 80 degrees.

[Geoff]

Likewise, if 17K btu won't heat, it won't cool either

Humm?  Did I miss something here?  Could be.  I thought that Webasto Air Tops were forced air heating, not coolant heaters.  Certainly not air conditioners.

[dtcerrato]

neoneddy we run an LP Attwood Excalibur 23-34. It can be used as a 23,000 or 34,000 btu furnace or auto mode set by thermostat. If the thermo reads greater than 2 degree drop while running it steps up the btu & fan speed. We ducted two 4" rnd ducts into each main original heating & ventilation duct - driver side/pass side. In the photo the two 4" rnd ducts on the left are going into the bottom compartment transfer duct to get it to the pass side. the two 4 " rnd on the right (elbowed) penetrate the large original alum duct in the background for driver side. There is a transfer duct that brings heat to the other side of the bus. These two original ducts run the entire length and dump heat everywhere including radiant heat from the alum ducts under the cabinetry. There is another 11,000 btu radiant heater in the hallway leading into the master BR that can flow 1/2 of it's heat into the insulated holding tank compartment below. We carry six 30 LB cylinders all portable with four manifolded into two pairs each side the auto changeover regulator. The other two cylinders can be used for propane injection on the main engine or transported for filling to replace a depleted pair on the house LP regulator. If we sit for a spell we rent a huge tank that gets service by truck. We rely heavy on LP. Easy to boon dock. Besides the 6 gal LP water heater we have a 19 gal electric (110vac). In 38 years in the same bus with 1/2 that time full timing we have it pretty much down pat. Small bus, it's a turtle but we don't hurry - that's when we leave the rat race - when we get in the bus & go far north.

[TomC]

For bus heat going down the road, I used the heater element from the over the road A/C system I removed. I remounted the element going for and aft at floor level in the hallway under my hanging closet. I have 2-14" 12v radiator fans to push the hot air out. Also have a ball valve to cut off the coolant to the element in summer. Works very well to heat the bus. Good Luck, TomC

[Oonrahnjay]

For bus heat going down the road, I used the heater element from the over the road A/C system I removed. I remounted the element going for and aft at floor level in the hallway under my hanging closet. I have 2-14" 12v radiator fans to push the hot air out. Also have a ball valve to cut off the coolant to the element in summer. Works very well to heat the bus. Good Luck, TomC 

        Simple, compact, efficient, effective.  I like it. 

[Geoff]

I used school bus heater boxes that came with varible speed fans.  They are built in and work great.  I then used the OEM heater core as a second radiator for the engine with 3ea 12" automotive electric fans.

[Paso One]

On my Fishbowl with the 6V92 I have the DBW 2010 Webasto plumped into the engine cooling system. the water leaves the engine and goes to the Webasto, then goes thru a heat exchanger on the side of my 110  electric water heater. From there the water goes to a manifold, if I wanted to heat engine only I would open one valve on the side of the manifold. The water leaves the manifold and heads to the Onan 7.5 diesel then returns back to the engine. The manifold also has a loop to a heater in the bathroom that utilizes a old rad core from the front heater with a pancake fan to power the air flow. The original front defroster and heater and the under the floor heater are still in the place and used as intended.

The interesting result is when i am running the generator ( summer or Winter ) the generator will heat the 6V92 to approx 140 degrees when camped.
I have turned on the  under floor heater fans with the diversion vents to expell the hot air to under the bus to add extra cooling of the 6V92 in he summer heat. The diversion vents are closed in the winter.

I leave all valves open most of the time so all loops are hot and ready helps with cooling in the summer with the bigger cooling capacity.
Going down the road with everything flowing the water in the electric water heater is almost too hot and i have a tempering valve to install to prevent scalding water from the potable water side.

[richard5933]

That's similar to how Custom Coach set up the 4106 we used to own. The generator used the bus's radiator for cooling along with a supplemental electric fan. Running either the generator or the main engine caused the other to be brought up to temp once the thermostat opened. The Webasto was plumbed into the system through a side loop - turn on the secondary electric pump and the Webasto heat was circulated to both the generator and main engine. Turn off the secondary pump and the Webasto heated only the loop that heated the interior. Worked like a champ. The great thing was that running any one of the three helped to warm the others. Wake up in the morning after a cold night, flip a switch to turn on the pump, and 30 minutes later the engine was warm.

There were lots of extra plumbing parts brazed into place to make that system work, and I'm told that it was tricky to work it out so that things would function properly. I'm not sure I could ever duplicate it, but I might try one day if I ever upgrade our 4108 to a Webasto.

[opus]

I used school bus heater boxes that came with varible speed fans.  They are built in and work great.  I then used the OEM heater core as a second radiator for the engine with 3ea 12" automotive electric fans.

A few of my heaters.....

[dtcerrato]

Paul I've seen your fishbowl, you have enough redundancy built into it to heat several buses! Then of coarse you are 1/2 way to AK from us. So I guess its all relative. :-)