Bongo Fury

Finally got around to fitting the rest of my silicon hoses from Flippa, the T-piece that appeared to be corroded, was just surface crud where the hose was dribbling. So once it was cleaned up, all appears to be ok, so the rear heater removal experiment is on hold for the mo, but I do like the idea of fitting an eberspacher in the rear heater well at some point - utilising the existing rear vent system, have to stick it on the round tuit list for now, on with the holts 2 part radflush tomorrow.

The time is nearing for the rear heater gubbins to come out, so I was looking at the AC system to see where to blank that off & lo & behold in the top right hand corner of the diagram is a little optional box showing where the rear ac & heater is blanked off on the standard non rear heater bongos - http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... 1of02.html _ So the coolant heater pipes don't need to be "looped" they can be blanked off just after the T sections on the metal pipework
Don't know how I missed that before , although I wouldn't really think to look at the AC circuit to see details of the coolant circuit. Just hoping the AC connections are reasonably standard, I did ask David at Wellhouse but he just pays someone to come in & do it.
I was going to have a look this afternoon, but the heavens opened as soon as I set foot outside the door

That's very useful Kirsty. Given the hassle of removing the rear heater matrix to fix any problems with leaks (and it does appear to be a weak link in the system) I think it would make sense for anybody having their van converted or doing a home conversion, which was over the rear heater matrix and aircon, to blank it off at the point suggested. The thought of hiding it behind the conversion doesn't bear thinking about if you have any future problems, but I guess some less well respected converters must just blast on and pretend it's not there.

More to the point, there's a shed load of space to be used in there if you don't need it

missfixit70 wrote:More to the point, there's a shed load of space to be used in there if you don't need it

If you were minded to you could get about 18 bottles of Crabbies in the rear matrix and aircon housing.... for example

missfixit70 wrote:More to the point, there's a shed load of space to be used in there if you don't need it

Actually, being serious, is this where that experiment with a diesel hot water heater might be placed. Out of interest, on a Bongo at rest, engine cold and thermostat closed, if you were to try and pump coolant around using the two pipes that connect to the rear heater, whereabouts would the coolant circulate to? And could it be persuaded to circulate solely by convection and gravity, or would an auxiliary pump be needed?

dunslair wrote:

missfixit70 wrote:More to the point, there's a shed load of space to be used in there if you don't need it

If you were minded to you could get about 18 bottles of Crabbies in the rear matrix and aircon housing.... for example

more than that

mikeonb4c wrote:

missfixit70 wrote:More to the point, there's a shed load of space to be used in there if you don't need it

Actually, being serious, is this where that experiment with a diesel hot water heater might be placed. Out of interest, on a Bongo at rest, engine cold and thermostat closed, if you were to try and pump coolant around using the two pipes that connect to the rear heater, whereabouts would the coolant circulate to? And could it be persuaded to circulate solely by convection and gravity, or would an auxiliary pump be needed?

I'd think an auxilliary pump'd be needed, the coolant would flow the same as it does before the stat opens I guess, around the front heater, the returns go through the side of the stat housing (above the closed stat) into the head & circulate around, some going out the heater hose at the rear of the block above the starter then splitting off & either going to the front heater or the rear heater spur, some going out the top hose to the top of the rad to the header to the heater return, some going through the engine recirc which comes out the head & into the top of the stat.
Not going to be the most efficient way of heating especially if it is cold & windy outside as all those external elements will be extracting the heat, be better off having a separate internal rad if you want a diesel powered water heating system, or leave the rear heater in situ but isolated from the rest of the system & have the diesel water heater operating the heater matrix on the rear heater alone?
Or just take a hot water bottle & run the engine if it gets really cold

Or just take a hot water bottle & run the engine if it gets really cold

Now thats my kind of problem solving! Keep it simple

dunslair wrote:Or just take a hot water bottle & run the engine if it gets really cold

Now thats my kind of problem solving! Keep it simple

True. And Kirsty is right too. I would say its not that daft an idea on the basis that you'd arrive with a warm engine and use the diesel heater to keep the lump hot and it then would provide the gentle heat that I personall would want when sleeping. I would also (as Kirsty has spotted) fit some kind of auxiliary rad and/or use the existing car heater rad and fan to blow hot air into the car (assuming the circulation was feeding it). Then there's the possibility of making hot potable water etc.

The main problem with heating the engine lump is you will lose so much heat to the outside esp. in windy conditions. Unless of course there was a way of quickly shielding it from windchill once parked up.

I see ths one like the Great Egg Race. Its just interesting to debate to see if a working solution could be arrived at.

One thing I do know is that I don't get on with hot air heating nearly as well as with radiant heat (some Eberspahcer owners have said too how it is impossible to turn it down enough in the night, resulting in being too hot).

Its all good fun - nothing like a pointless debate eh?

Ought to start a thread for it though rather than go of thread on here

Food for thought - an additional pump is an option too

http://www.eberspacher.com/downloads/te ... hnical.pdf

Garage A/C engineers have to be licenced to deal with disconnecting systems now and its also illegal to vent the gas to atmosphere - I guess its up to ones conscience.............

dandywarhol wrote:Food for thought - an additional pump is an option too

http://www.eberspacher.com/downloads/te ... hnical.pdf

Garage A/C engineers have to be licenced to deal with disconnecting systems now and its also illegal to vent the gas to atmosphere - I guess its up to ones conscience.............

Wow. Looks like this is already a tried and tested idea then, waiting to be adapted for a Bongo. If only I had the cash, time and skills to pilot it on a Bongo.

Does the unit have an integrated pump to force flow round the system or does it rely on convection/gravity (in which case I guess it would need a pump, and what would be the current draw for that I wonder)

PS - how much more complicated might bleeding the coolant system become I wonder

You sound just as surprised as the last time this was discussed Mike http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... y&start=15

missfixit70 wrote:You sound just as surprised as the last time this was discussed Mike http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... y&start=15

Dementia Kirsty.....................

Picture showing the water tank as fitted by Wellhouse in the space where the rear heater came from. May be of interest to those thinking of using this area for something.

missfixit70 wrote:You sound just as surprised as the last time this was discussed Mike http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... y&start=15

Subtle difference. Dandy had mentioned a v. long time ago about the webastos fitted to Galaxys etc as engine prewarmers, as a theoretical cheap altertative to expensive hot air car heater ones on eaby. In the thread you refer to he brought them up again as a possible option for implementing this ambition wot I had had for a hot water based heating system. Because I already recalled him mentioning them before, I never read the product literature. Last night I did, and that is when I learned they are actually specified by the manufacturer s a device that can be used to provide an in-vehicle heating system and not just an engine prewarmer. Very intersting to read all the plumbing options.

But it is nonetheless true that I show signs of dementia

Now, will it need an extra pump?