Hot water heater installed-questions

[josh1331]

Installed heater per instructions..installed 160 thermo also. Did this for my sweetheart. Tested on road with wife ..temp outside 26 degrees .at the time. Warmed up car...had heat with switch on high . all ok until we went about 8-miles heat temp went down to luke warm. Traveling 40 to 45 miles per hr at the time.
. Shut off heater ..later turned on , had heat again. Left on low setting as I believe on high seting it helped cool the engine along with outside temp air being pushed through radiator.
Any thoughs? I realize it is a gravity system regarding water flowing through hoses but maybe someone has a better idea?

The input of water comes from the top of radiator hose. The elbow has a short pc of copper tube bent such that when you assemble elbow to the hose fitting it should face toward engine to catch the water as it returns to radiator.
Would like more heat for the misses but I am stuck.
Thanks /Josh

[d.j. moordigian]

Josh.
I think 160 is too cold of a thermostat, especially at 26 deg's outside. You now
have 2 radiators. The engine will run better at 180-190 deg's. Try a hotter
thermostat.

[dfish2931nc]

You could do like the truckers. Cover part of the radiator with something like cardboard. Experiment with how much you need to cover to get the 160's to hold steady.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Josh, the problem is more about flow than anything. The hot water is not being pushed enough through the core of the heater since it is probably more of a restriction than just dumping it into the upper radiator tank. You will initially gain more flow if you install a higher temperature thermostat only because the stat unit will stay closed longer until it reaches the 180 or 190 degrees and then you will be back to the same problem because as soon as it reaches the opening temperature, the forced backpressure will go away and the water will find the least resistant path.

You did not mention if the vehicle was 6 volt or 12, but do a search for a pump like a Shureflo or Dedenbear electric pump that can actually push the water with a better impeller into the heater core.

Also, at 40 mph, you are moving quite a bit of air past the body which will draw the heat away from the vehicle. While a 'non-living thing' cannot feel "wind chill", think of it in the same manner. The faster the passing wind, the colder it feels. Look for ways to insulate the interior of the body to preserve what heat you do have inside. Heaters back in the day were not as efficent as what we might feel like they should be by today's standards!!

.

[steve s]

Josh,
If I understand your setup, there is a simple solution. You need to have the hot water outlet to the heater between the motor and the thermostat. THen, you have a steady flow of warm water driven by the water pump. I have had a hot water heater in my A since 1960, using several different takeoff arrangements--all of them worked fine. A 160 stat is good enough and will deliver steady warmth IF hooked up right; a 180 stat will be even toastier, but is not essential, at least for Michigan winters. I started out with cardboard and it worked, but what a nuisance.

In this photo the stat is clamped in the hose.




This photo shows a more modern/expensive gizmo that houses the stat and has takeoff outlets for both heater and temp gauge.



Steve

[Jim/GA]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

My Town Sedan was fitted with a hot water heater by the previous owner in the Chicago area, a veteran Model A guy of many years, and he used a small electric water pump, as Brent recommends. I agree with Brent, as soon as your thermostat opens, the hot water goes more readily into the radiator instead of to the heater.

[V4F]

i have the same set-up with a 160* thermostat . no problems with it cooling off at 28* out side . i have my temp gauge & heater out let before the thermostat . .. steve

[Al Bass]

this is my setup with 160 thermostat in lower part of upper hose, gives constant flow of water through heater

[columbiA]

Josh-you mention that elbow with curved copper tube should face engine tocatch water as it RETURNSto engine.That elbow is made to catch more water from WP & force it to the heater.Maybe you have the hoses hooked up back wards ?

[FL&WVMIKE]

Just make sure that your incoming HOT water is entering the LOWER inlet, in the heater core. If your HOT water enters the Upper pipe, it will just fall straight through and you will have air pockets in your heater core.
The HOT water, entering the BOTTOM, will assure that the core is FILLED with the hottest water, at all times.
MIKE

[dfish2931nc]

I have the "heater connection" that Bratton's sells. I moved the thermostat to the top of the hose near the radiator. That way the water goes to the heater before the thermostat. Good point about the hoses being backwards. Yep, I had them backwards. Thanks FL&WVMIKE.

[josh1331]

dfish: no as it returns to radiator not engine...the elbow is assem to upper radiator goose neck. josh

[josh1331]

Wow, I have the water entering the top heater conned ction not the bottom? I'm confused now ..I asked Snyder's and they said top??? which is right now?? josh

[josh1331]

I wll reverse hoses and change the inlet to heater for the lower pipe first. Then I will change set up so the hose is connected before the thermostat. thanks very much I appreciate all the feedback. will let you know how it turns out. I will expect a big smile from my wife. thanks again/josh

[Tom Wesenberg]

I would have the water flow into the heater core at the bottom and return out the top of the core to the water inlet on the left side of the engine.

Yes, the water from the engine must leave between the head and thermostat.

[josh1331]

Mike: are you assuming that I have a pressure system...this is in my model a tudor gravity feed. I thought that the lower heater connection wouldn't allow the water to travel very well through the core and exit through the top so I contacted vendor he said th e opposite . the feed to the top and return to bottom . I will relocated as you suggested upon your answer to make sure. josh

[RcT]

Mike, the Model A Restorers Club sells reprints of the past "Technically Speaking" columns, and I recently just received Volume 9. On page 43 are complete instructions for installing a heater, a good article. By the way, they call for a 180 degree thermostat.

[Tom Wesenberg]

A pressure system or not makes no difference. To eliminate an air pocket I'd fill the heater core from the bottom.

[steve s]

Originally Posted by josh1331

Mike: are you assuming that I have a pressure system...this is in my model a tudor gravity feed. I thought that the lower heater connection wouldn't allow the water to travel very well through the core and exit through the top so I contacted vendor he said th e opposite . the feed to the top and return to bottom . I will relocated as you suggested upon your answer to make sure. josh

Two principles are in conflict: Flushing out trapped air dictates hot water input at bottom of heater; gravity driven flow of coolant dictates hot input at top--just like the big radiator. My guess is that it doesn't much matter for the flow; I think the flow is primarly driven by water pump, and the heater core inlet and outlet are close together--in mine, they are at the same level. Since it might matter a bit with the bubbles, I would go with hot intake at bottom.

Steve

[josh1331]

can you give me some of the tech infor .i don't have vol 9.. what does it say about hook up for feed and core outlets etc etc and feed from engine ?