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Heater Craft


09vRide

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I'd like to put a heater in the boat for those chilly morning and late evening runs. Has anyone installed the Heater Craft units that you can get online? There doesn't seem to be much online in the way of DIY articles that I've found. Any pictures or advice you can offer would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

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Y, it was not a difficult task. Find a place to mount the box/heater core and then hold your breath when drilling the hole for the tubes. Seriously the hole drilling was the nerve racking part but not bad, I drilled 3 holes. Just start off in reverse to get thru the first layer then switched to forward. There are threads on other boat sites with detailed install pictures. Here is one http://www.moomba.com/msgboard/showthread.php?10840-Heater-Install-in-2006-LSV&daysprune=-1

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How many outlets do you want? How many of them do you want to be snorkels? Where do you want to mount the box? Box location will determine maximum size. Be sure and get the "low RPM" return "Y". Mount the heater core so that the hoses come out of the side (not out the top)... so that when you winterize you can blow the water out of the core.

When connecting the hoses to the engine, use some sort of quick connect on each line to make winterizing easier (i.e. put some Male/Female hose ends inline of each heater hose). Mine came from the factory directly hose clamped to the engine... which is stupid since you have to drain the core each season. Some people use the plastic "Tee" fittings inline. I plan on making my connections with the Male/Female hose connections and putting them inline in locations that will allow me to bypass the heater core by simply connecting the engine supply/return hoses together (in case my core springs a leak while I'm out on the water). May be overkill, but I'll have the option (and it'll only cost a few bucks to do so).

I don't have any pics, because I haven't done these mods to my factory system, yet. Waiting for it to warm up a bit more. However, there are a few threads on heaters on this forum, you may check them out.

Hope this helps.

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Yes, I have done it and I have been working on a DIY guide, but unfortunately it is not super high on my priority list so it keeps getting pushed back.

I do have pictures of my install on a 2006 LCR 320 (direct drive iRide), The installation should be similar, although the run of your hot water supply and return would be longer in your vRide.

If you want/need some pictures, let me know what you are looking for and I should be able to supply some with some brief instruction.

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Thanks for the responses.

I'm thinking I'd like to put in a three vent heater box. 1 fixed vent under the helm and two snorkel type.

I'd like to intall it to replicate the factory locations as close as possible. Where does Malibu put the heater box? Under the helm on the forward bulkhead? I had a look under there and it doesn't look like there is a lot of room behind the sub.

I'd like the snorkel vents to be in a stock location as well. Where would have Malibu installed those at the factory and is it even able to be done now without tearing the entire interior apart?

CedarLakeSkier, I'd like to see some of your pics. I sent you a message with my email address.

Thanks, Mike

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Malibu puts the heater in the driver's side dash, first snorkel in the walk thru & the vent down by the driver's feet. I never have liked this install, the first time your heater core pop because you didn't drain it when it got cold, your subwoofer will be soaked. Plus it sucks to get to.

I think if I were to do it myself (again), I'd do it behind the driver, and use as many snorkels as possible. Easy to get to, short water runs, snorkels for everyone, even the driver. :rockon:

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I installed a 3- snokel setup last year in a long afternoon solo I ran the heater hoses through the subframe up to the heater mounted on the forward bulkhead with the hose for the heater on the bottom, for drainage. One vent in the walk though, one in the upper left on the drivers kick panel, and routed one tube so it went under the trottle area and made a bracket to have the tube hidden under the side rail for the rear seat behind the driver. Was fairly straight forward, the hole in the walkway was tough as the helm is about 1 1/4" thick fiber glass, and the cutting in of the low flow Y was a treat down in the bilge.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I know this is a month old, but it covered most of my questions. I want to add a heater for the passengers in the back half of my xti. The boat came with a factory driver heater, but everyone sitting in the back is out of luck. I was thinking about adding a heater craft someplace in the center so the hose runs would be short. Can I simply add the lines where the existing circuit exists? (tap into the quick connects with a T piece) Is it possible to draw too much water to the heaters / make the runs too long?

I am thinking out loud here to make sure I can add the second heater without any issues. It will most likely be 2 snorkels that come out to the passengers.

Thanks for any responses.

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I know this is a month old, but it covered most of my questions. I want to add a heater for the passengers in the back half of my xti. The boat came with a factory driver heater, but everyone sitting in the back is out of luck. I was thinking about adding a heater craft someplace in the center so the hose runs would be short. Can I simply add the lines where the existing circuit exists? (tap into the quick connects with a T piece) Is it possible to draw too much water to the heaters / make the runs too long?

I am thinking out loud here to make sure I can add the second heater without any issues. It will most likely be 2 snorkels that come out to the passengers.

Thanks for any responses.

smoothwaterman (peter from smooth water sports) posted up a couple of pics of two-heater installs like that. He said it was no problem to tap in, but he suggested just daisy chaining them, so the "out" from one heater goes to the "in" on the other, and the the "out" from that one back to the block. Make sense?

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We've got a 3 outlet by the driver and a 2 outlet heater in the back seat. Te kids love them. They are connected in series as mentioned above.

Edited by Dexter
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Thanks, I will follow his post. I did not read enough. Kind of like college...skimmed the text book and missed the important details. :biggrin:

We've got a 3 outlet by the driver and a 2 outlet heater in the back seat. Te kids love them. They are connected in series as mentioned above.

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