2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission 12volt portable cab heater

[lchamberlain52]

Looking for portable heater that runs on 12volt while my leaking heater core ia bypassed. Any recommendations?

 

[petersonj]

I don't think you will have too much luck finding anything, but I could be wrong. For example:

A 1200 watt, 120 volt electric heater would draw 10 amps. If source voltage is reduced to 12 volts, then 100 amps would required.

You could put a 120 watt, 12 volt (10 amps) drop light with an incandescent bulb in the cab and power it through the 12 volt powerpoint. It would offer some heat, but not much.

Edited for error in my math.

- John

 

[Ozymandias]

You need at least 2-3Kw to heat that cab. Now do the math.
A portable diesel air heater (100$) could be a solution but needs a hole in the body to route it's exhaust pipe.

 

[BigPapa]

Looking for portable heater that runs on 12volt while my leaking heater core ia bypassed. Any recommendations?

Fix the heater core.

 

[Grumpy8811]

Looking for portable heater that runs on 12volt while my leaking heater core ia bypassed. Any recommendations?

get a electric vest or jacket and plug it in the cigarette lighter....

 

[CRodi]

get a electric vest or jacket and plug it in the cigarette lighter....

Now you just have to figure out the defroster.

 

[Grumpy8811]

Now you just have to figure out the defroster.

yeah... I know its alot better to have a working heater than not, just to remove fog off the windshield if nothing else.. but people gotta do what they gotta do and sometimes
fixing something isn't in the cards.

 

[CRodi]

All joking aside, unfortunately there's no easy way out. Big Papa hit the nail on the head. I know that the dash has to come apart, the evaparator has to be removed along with all the purging of the freon, vacuuming the system and then getting to put it back altogether again. Oh yea, almost forgot about the coolant mess. Truly a royal messy pia procedure. Oh yea don't forget to disconnect the battery in case the air bags go off or you short something out while you're under the dash.

I truly don't see any other alternative.

 

[fest3er]

It *can* be done, though maybe not pretty.

Redneck solution: strap a 3kW generator in the bed. Strap a 3kW 120VAC heater (with built-in high-ish velocity fan) in the cab where it'll do the most good (or anywhere it'll fit and run ducts to direct heat to windshield and floor). Run an armored 8'-10' 12/2 from the generator to the heater and a remote-start switch for the generator. When the heater wants to do its thang, the generator will jump to full RPM; when it's warm enough, the heater will shut off and the generator will return to idle.

If anyone is nosy enough to ask, tell 'em you've converted to diesel-electric.

 

[SAndreasen]

How bad is jt leaking ? A bottle of stop leak isn’t a bad option . Those little plug in heaters don’t give off much more heat than a bic lighter I tried one in a tractor cab once on high you could almost feel a little warm air if you put your hand over the went but it had about a 2 minute duty cycle

 

[Topzide]

Don't use any product that's sold in stores! You'll have a heck of a time getting it flushed back out of the engine! If not leaking bad, get some coarse black pepper, pour that in and see if it will seal the leak. Very easy to get it flushed back out. Was taught this trick back in the day fighting a leaky radiator in my HS ride. Carry a can in my boonies box. Works in a way like the platelets in our blood to stop the bleeding. Worth a shot.. If you do have to pull dash, replace the evaporator also. I had the opposite happen on my 1500, and replaced the heater core just because I didn't want to have to pull the dash again!

 

[CRodi]

Any chance you can run coolant hoses to the cab with out too much trouble? Perhaps you can temporarily rig something up like this, until you replace your heater core. There are plenty of others out there. I can't think of anything else that would work.

Good luck

Amazon product ASIN B0CFZXTCYY

 

[CRodi]

Couldn't get the attachment to work. I'll try again

Amazon product ASIN B0B4VHNZZ5

 

[CRodi]

Cant get attachments to work. The units are basically heater cores in a metal case. They of course require supply and return engine coolant hoses and 12Volt supply for the fan. Shouldn't be too hard to find on google. I believe they're popular for use in tractor cabs. Perhaps try tractor supply store.

 

[lchamberlain52]

Thanks for all the recommendations guys !!!

 

[SAndreasen]

Thanks for all the recommendations guys !!!

lf you use a bottle of bars leak probably fix you up until you get the heater core replaced . I had my heater core replaced a few years ago it was a 900$ bill including parts but I don’t do interior work it saves me 900$ with of stress

 

[NIsaacs]

Don't use any product that's sold in stores! You'll have a heck of a time getting it flushed back out of the engine! If not leaking bad, get some coarse black pepper, pour that in and see if it will seal the leak. Very easy to get it flushed back out. Was taught this trick back in the day fighting a leaky radiator in my HS ride. Carry a can in my boonies box. Works in a way like the platelets in our blood to stop the bleeding. Worth a shot.. If you do have to pull dash, replace the evaporator also. I had the opposite happen on my 1500, and replaced the heater core just because I didn't want to have to pull the dash again!

Pour in a bag of Bull Durham, that works. Oh wait, maybe you can't buy that anymore Crush up some cigarettes, that works too.

 

[SAndreasen]

Pour in a bag of Bull Durham, that works. Oh wait, maybe you can't buy that anymore Crush up some cigarettes, that works too.

an egg worked on macgyver once bars leak works and isn’t hard to flush out

 

[GAmes]

........ the evaparator has to be removed along with all the purging of the freon, vacuuming the system and then getting to put it back altogether again.

No, the evap does not have to come out and you don't have purge and vacuum the system. If the AC is working don't mess with it. I've pulled the dash off three times over the years. The first time just to clean the heater core, the second time to replace it and the third time to replace the dash top and repair the frame. The third time, when I had about a million and a half miles is when I replaced the evaporator. There wasn't anything wrong with the original but I had one so I installed it.

See TDR issue 46, p. 12 and Issue 59, p. 90. for heater core replacement.