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4 port heater...


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So i noticed that Heatercraft now has a 4 port heater... from what i can tell the 4 port heater uses the same heater core and blower fan as the 300H 3 port heater.... so i ordered the 4 port heater chassis for $50 from Heatercraft... hoping its a simple swap of the blower motor and the heating core and then i will have 4 ports. While i was at it i ordered 3 of the new "hot tubes"... they are a lot nicer than the old ones (you can shut them off and they snap into place.) I also ordered a Y adapter so i can have 5 outlets. It tends to be cold and damp up here in Seattle and i need to get us much heat in the boat as possible to keep the wife happy. I am going to go with:

port 1) dedicated euro vent under the dash

port 2) split (using the "Y" connector) one line... goes to the other drivers euro vent and the hot tube up front by the bow. If no one is using the bow heat tube i can close it off and send the heat to the driver and vise versa

port 3) heat tube installed just behind the cooler

port 4) another heat tube installed just behind the cooler.

This should provide enough heat for everyone in the boat (esp with some hot wrap blankets.) The other option was adding an additional 2 or 3 port heater core, but i'd prefer to avoid that if possible. I'll let you know if the 4 port heater chassis is an easy swap.

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Man your plugging away at projects on that boat! Awesome!

Let me know how the 4 vent box works out, i guess the only thing i would be concerned about is that your not adding any extra BTU (same size heater core) but your adding more ventilation so it might cut back on heat, especially if all the vents are open and being used? Just a theory, who knows.

We do a lot of "rear" heater systems for Malibu v-drives as well. Basically we install a secondary 2 vent heater system in the back with two pull out hot tubes for the rear passengers.

How did the LED docking lights turn out?

-Paul

Edited by Bakes Board & Ski
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i had my dealer install one of the outlets on top of the dash as a defogger.

i added a "Y" on this tube and dumped the other end of the "Y" on the drivers feet.

when the defogger is closed/not needed the driver gets all of the heat.

gotta be nice to the driver.

edit to add: i wouldn't trade my 4 port heater for a new horse.

Edited by tvano
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Right on, Greg. Your gonna love it.

So there are two different Y adapters. One is used for splitting the air ducts. I made a 300H heater into 5 ducts on my MC, worked awesome. I had two vents a the windshield working as defoggers (Seattle fog), one vent under the driver's dash, and 2 hot tubes..... one of which was 6' long & would reach anywhere in the boat!

And then there is the Y adapter used for the water source. This adapter positions your water return down at the raw water pump, rather than off the engine's water pump. The raw water pump pumps way more volume. The end result is you get heat at idle speeds, which is not always the case when installing the old way.

Good luck on your install. The tech support guys at Heatercraft were a great source for me.

Hey, since Copes is no longer in business, I've lost track of Rick, the guy who made the Hot Wrap blankets. So I'm not sure if anyone is carrying them these days.

But SkySki makes their own version of the Hot Wrap.... a bit bigger, red & with the SS logo. Might be a good alternative.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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And then there is the Y adapter used for the water source. This adapter positions your water return down at the raw water pump, rather than off the engine's water pump. The raw water pump pumps way more volume. The end result is you get heat at idle speeds, which is not always the case when installing the old way.

2006+ Malibu boats should have this "low rpm fitting" installed all ready. I honestly don't think it makes' much of a difference at idle but some people have had good results.

-Paul

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And then there is the Y adapter used for the water source. This adapter positions your water return down at the raw water pump, rather than off the engine's water pump. The raw water pump pumps way more volume. The end result is you get heat at idle speeds, which is not always the case when installing the old way.

2006+ Malibu boats should have this "low rpm fitting" installed all ready. I honestly don't think it makes' much of a difference at idle but some people have had good results.

-Paul

Thanks Paul. I was orignally going install a 2 port core and just tap it in to the current line but i wasn't sure where to mount it. I was out looking around and couldn't find a good spot that wouldn't get in the way plus i wasn't sure where the water lines run and how to add a new core without adding lots of additional length to the water lines. Where do you recommend mounting the second core? I might still go this direction.. i agree that more BTU's seems like a better idea... just figured the conversion to 4 port might be easier and might deliver the heat i need.

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And then there is the Y adapter used for the water source. This adapter positions your water return down at the raw water pump, rather than off the engine's water pump. The raw water pump pumps way more volume. The end result is you get heat at idle speeds, which is not always the case when installing the old way.

2006+ Malibu boats should have this "low rpm fitting" installed all ready. I honestly don't think it makes' much of a difference at idle but some people have had good results.

-Paul

And the Docking Light install went great... looks perfect! Thanks for all your help!

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And then there is the Y adapter used for the water source. This adapter positions your water return down at the raw water pump, rather than off the engine's water pump. The raw water pump pumps way more volume. The end result is you get heat at idle speeds, which is not always the case when installing the old way.

2006+ Malibu boats should have this "low rpm fitting" installed all ready. I honestly don't think it makes' much of a difference at idle but some people have had good results.

-Paul

I tend to agree. I find the best way to get more heat at idle is to place the heater core back by the firewall and minimize the length of the water lines (I think the shorter the lines the higher the chances are you get some water flowing in the line at idle... but who knows maybe it was the fact that the lines didn't have any elevation change.) On my last boat my heater core was mounted in a compartment on the "safe" side of the firewall, the water lines were only 2' long and we had lots of heat at idle (way more than any of my previous boats.) My heater vent duct lines were a bit longer than normal since they had to run from the back of the boat but it didn't seem to be a problem. (Paul.. that's the heater install i did on the Crownline sitting on your lot.... lots of heat at idle on the boat.)

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So I'm curious, on a v-drive, if your trying to keep your heater water lines as short as possible, you probably want to install your heater in the back someplace. Right?

How do you get heat up front? Seems like running air ducts up there would be a battle.

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It will probably be easier to show you, but we've been mounting them behind the cooler up against the seat base wall. You loose as much storage space as the heater box. Some installs customers had us build a little box to hide the heater core. I should have taken pictures!

And then there is the Y adapter used for the water source. This adapter positions your water return down at the raw water pump, rather than off the engine's water pump. The raw water pump pumps way more volume. The end result is you get heat at idle speeds, which is not always the case when installing the old way.

2006+ Malibu boats should have this "low rpm fitting" installed all ready. I honestly don't think it makes' much of a difference at idle but some people have had good results.

-Paul

Thanks Paul. I was orignally going install a 2 port core and just tap it in to the current line but i wasn't sure where to mount it. I was out looking around and couldn't find a good spot that wouldn't get in the way plus i wasn't sure where the water lines run and how to add a new core without adding lots of additional length to the water lines. Where do you recommend mounting the second core? I might still go this direction.. i agree that more BTU's seems like a better idea... just figured the conversion to 4 port might be easier and might deliver the heat i need.

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your right, you don't want to be stuck running the vent hose all the way up front, basically on a v-drive you can run dual heater systems, one up front just like the factory and one separate system in the back.

So I'm curious, on a v-drive, if your trying to keep your heater water lines as short as possible, you probably want to install your heater in the back someplace. Right?

How do you get heat up front? Seems like running air ducts up there would be a battle.

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your right, you don't want to be stuck running the vent hose all the way up front, basically on a v-drive you can run dual heater systems, one up front just like the factory and one separate system in the back.
So I'm curious, on a v-drive, if your trying to keep your heater water lines as short as possible, you probably want to install your heater in the back someplace. Right?

How do you get heat up front? Seems like running air ducts up there would be a battle.

So does the heater up front blow cold air when just idling around?

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It will probably be easier to show you, but we've been mounting them behind the cooler up against the seat base wall. You loose as much storage space as the heater box. Some installs customers had us build a little box to hide the heater core. I should have taken pictures!
And then there is the Y adapter used for the water source. This adapter positions your water return down at the raw water pump, rather than off the engine's water pump. The raw water pump pumps way more volume. The end result is you get heat at idle speeds, which is not always the case when installing the old way.

2006+ Malibu boats should have this "low rpm fitting" installed all ready. I honestly don't think it makes' much of a difference at idle but some people have had good results.

-Paul

Thanks Paul. I was orignally going install a 2 port core and just tap it in to the current line but i wasn't sure where to mount it. I was out looking around and couldn't find a good spot that wouldn't get in the way plus i wasn't sure where the water lines run and how to add a new core without adding lots of additional length to the water lines. Where do you recommend mounting the second core? I might still go this direction.. i agree that more BTU's seems like a better idea... just figured the conversion to 4 port might be easier and might deliver the heat i need.

Sounds like i just come up with justification to come down and pay you a visit:).

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And then there is the Y adapter used for the water source. This adapter positions your water return down at the raw water pump, rather than off the engine's water pump. The raw water pump pumps way more volume. The end result is you get heat at idle speeds, which is not always the case when installing the old way.

2006+ Malibu boats should have this "low rpm fitting" installed all ready. I honestly don't think it makes' much of a difference at idle but some people have had good results.

-Paul

It doesn't make much difference, if any at all, if the Y fitting is installed AFTER the impeller, which is where the factory puts it. If the Y fitting is moved to BEFORE the impeller, there is a definite, noticeable difference in heat provided at idle.

My ski partner and I have the exact same boat. His Y is factory and mine was repositioned as soon as I got the boat. At idle he gets cold air, but I get warm. My boat also has two cores running inline--which, if anything, would have less circulation and provide less heat at idle.

As to heater core placement: Put the core as close to where you want the heat as possible. Heat loss from longer air duct tubes will far outweigh that from running longer water circulation lines.

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Man your plugging away at projects on that boat! Awesome!

Let me know how the 4 vent box works out, i guess the only thing i would be concerned about is that your not adding any extra BTU (same size heater core) but your adding more ventilation so it might cut back on heat, especially if all the vents are open and being used? Just a theory, who knows.

We do a lot of "rear" heater systems for Malibu v-drives as well. Basically we install a secondary 2 vent heater system in the back with two pull out hot tubes for the rear passengers.

How did the LED docking lights turn out?

-Paul

I think I might be interested in that set up as well. The secondary rear system in the back of the boat.

Can we chat about that when I see you guys next?

Will you please either PM or email me with a guessimate of costs please?

Cheers,

Josh

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