An idea for heating the R-21EC cockpit area

[baz]

Subject: An idea for heating the R-21EC cockpit area

Today (slightly chilly) after cruising about and getting back into my dock I raised the engine box and was greeted with lots of warm air and radiant heat from the engine. This prompted and energized some gray cells.... 😱

The idea came to mind that on somewhat chilly days when it would be nice to have some extra heating in the enclosed cockpit area that heat from the engine box might help with this.

Let's say a small fan at the rear end of the box that draws air from the engine box and blows toward the transom seating area will give passengers seated there some extra heat. The batteries are in that area so it would be easy to power a 12v fan with an inline switch mounted in the rear facing box end to control it. The engine box already has 3 fresh air vents so there's no need to add an additional vent.

What do you think of this idea ? Are there any drawbacks you can think of ?

The only negatives I can think of is that having a fan opening at that location my mean additional engine noise for the passengers and possible engine fumes ?

 

[captnmunro]

I use a 110 volt cabin heater I found on the West Marine website.

 

[baz]

When cruising unless you have an inverter the 110v heater cannot be used.

 

[LAKERtoo]

... wouldn't it be possible for any fresh water cooled engine to supply heat to a 12 volt fan/radiator set -up ? .. I think most of the 21 Classics had that set-up from the factory .. I know mine does .. just a hot water inlet and return hose, same as a car .. Rob

 

[baz]

... wouldn't it be possible for any fresh water cooled engine to supply heat to a 12 volt fan/radiator set -up ? .. I think most of the 21 Classics had that set-up from the factory .. I know mine does .. just a hot water inlet and return hose, same as a car .. Rob

That's very true. What you're saying is that one could replicate the Pilot House heater unit in the engine box and have the fan blow across its radiator into the rear portion of the cockpit. This of course would require cutting into the hose going to the Pilot House's heater and making a connection to/from the engine box's fan/radiator setup, right ?

 

[LAKERtoo]

.. I just reread your original note .. its the cockpit area that you want to heat .. why not just open the pilot house door and maybe hook up some ducting to the heater outlet in the pilot house to blow into the cockpit area ??

 

[Pearl]

Check out John Hearnden upgrades he installed a fan to help cool the batteries.
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