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Dunner · 01-23-2013, 11:14 PM

Just recently I found out that I have/had a furnace duct outlet pointed at and inches from the base of the co-pilot's seat. I don't drive where it gets cold enough to run the furnace while driving, but when sitting at my dinette while camped, my feet get cold. Wool socks and fleece boots don't help that much. I have a very old, (the picture on the original box is Rita Hayworth era) 1944, 65 watt heating pad that works fine on my MSW inverter, but I thought this would be a better way to use the wasted heat and they point right at my dinette base.

I was going to paint the 2" soffit vents I got from Lowe's to match the other vents, but I was fresh out of brown rattle can paint. They don't look as ragged as they do in the pictures, but I did have to bend the fins outward as they were very thin slits. If they blow downward too much I can cut out the fins and replace them with coarse wire screen. The whitish strips are 1/4" plywood I put above and below the holes for strength.

There was plenty of excess furnace flex hose and I had everything but the PVC "T" and vents at home. I don't know where or when I got the 2" aluminum flex tubing, but it snuggly fit on the vents and in the black vacuum hose adapters on the "T" and I had just enough of it. The vents are held in with sheet metal screws and tiny retainers I made. The adapter to the furnace hose is a large tuna can with a carefully cut hole in it. It and the vacuum cleaner adapters are secured with latex caulk.

* Some assembly required
** Batteries not included.

SarahW · 01-23-2013, 11:44 PM

Tuna can?

Good job and I hope your feet are warm now.

Dunner · 01-23-2013, 11:52 PM

Maybe... Coulda been chicken. Whatever... it fit perfect and was clean.

Thx, but it was hard to tell if it works. It was ~80°s today. It did blow hot air when I tested it.

Forgot to add - To drill the 2 1/4" holes without damaging the fabric, I removed some staples, pulled it back and slid a piece of sheet metal between the foam padding and the fabric. I then cut some slits in it and the tubing and the vent fit perfectly.

Possum · 01-24-2013, 12:25 AM

I would suggest you try to shorten the flex tubing between the source and the Tee. The straighter the run the more air that will be moved.

Kinks and turns just ad to the restriction of the flow.

I love the ingenuity of what you used as it looks well thought out. The Tuna Can dofer was classic.

Dunner · 01-24-2013, 12:34 AM

Good idea and it won't loose as much heat. Most of everything I do is reversible. If it doesn't work out, I could put tweeter in the holes. One of the dash radio speakers is right above the couch and I have them tied into my TV for a poor man's surround sound. I'm hoarder, but I'm good at it. No telling how long I had some of those parts.

CampDaven · 01-24-2013, 05:39 AM

Space heater. 20 bucks.

Boom!

Lincolnboy2 · 01-24-2013, 09:14 AM

Great Job Dunner!

Dunner · 01-24-2013, 09:38 AM

Thx Kent.

Always dry camp with two T-105 house & small (400 & 600w) inverters for TV and laptop.

Dunner · 01-25-2013, 10:28 AM

As the Possum suggested, I cut ~3' off of the furnace feed hose, and bent the vent fins so they are now pointing directly at my feet. There is a difference of ~10° under the seat and a non-heated area.

Lincolnboy2 · 01-25-2013, 10:44 AM

Excellent! Great Pics Dunner!

Dunner · 01-25-2013, 10:57 AM

My rambling isn't all that clear, so I try to post pics to help explain what I'm trying to convey. I try not to get too close so you can see my boo-boo...

Dunner · 01-25-2013, 12:41 PM

Maybe in my next life I'll modify one of these to make my manifold.

ronspradley · 01-25-2013, 08:14 PM

I was thinking maybe using collectors off a set of headers.

ronspradley

2Labs · 01-26-2013, 12:17 AM

Nice mod ... been thinking about moving our forward facing duct, or maybe teeing it off and directing another duct into the living space in a similar fashion.

We've done some cold weather, winter camping the last 2 years and I'm not sure that the forward facing duct - pointed at the back of the passenger seat - does much for the front of the motorhome at all.

One of our 2 Labs does have his bed in between the drivers and passengers seat, and it can get chilly over there. So I run reflectix insulation across both undersides of the dash (in addition to having filled in all the medium and small size holes under the drivers side that let in nasty drafts) and I've also wrapped the metal seat bases in reflectix insulation. The seat bases really radiate the cold and with the insulation, it helps noticeably. To direct some heat towards Brody's bed, I have another piece of reflectix that is front of that forward facing vent that helps to redirect that warm air towards his bed between the seats. Maya sleeps on her bed that fits in the area next to the sink.

But, all that said, I would bet that we could make better use of the warm air by either redirecting it like you, or teeing into the run and sharing it with the forward facing duct.

Hey Dunner, It looks like you have carpet throughout your coach, except for the small U area in front of the stove? Our carpeting ends at the end of the couch, where the stepwell comes up (it's also in the bedroom).

I'd love to pull up our carpet and put down a solid surface with area rugs, but we have a nice tile looking laminate in the kitchen and bathroom that is in great shape, looks nice and is actually our style. And being 8 years old, I am sure it will be impossible to match - and I just think that it would look kind of goofy with either a different tile type pattern, or a wood look pattern in that area just in front of the couch.

Our carpet looked nice for a for a 6 year old rig when we got it, but 2 years of travel with not only the DW and I in and out, but the 2 labs, has really taken its toll on the carpeting.

It looks like you at least have some options if you want to change it out.