More Cabin Heat

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gordsh
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by gordsh »

Karl wrote:
gordsh wrote:While going through a box of items I received with the DA40 I found the 2 items below. One is definitely another winter baffle but I can not locate exactly where it goes. Does anyone know where this yellow baffle goes?

Also the other item I found is a black weight belt/strap with Velcro ends and 2 rectangular shaped weights embedded in the material. I am just going to assume its for the DA40...Can some one tell me what this is for?
I don't actually know what the strap is for but I have seen something similar.
A weighted strap wrapped around the fuselage just forwards of the fin allows one person to to easily lift the nose.
I saw it being used to hand push the aircraft backwards by balancing the aircraft on its main wheels.
It allows one person to push and steer a DA 40 backwards without the need of a steering arm.
Thanks Karl, I am still on my search to find out what is it because its damn heavy and I had been flying around with it in the aircraft for a while before I decided to take that box out and dig through it. Your answer seems to come close if not correct.
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nathanda40
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by nathanda40 »

Question for you all - does activating the cabin heat and "defrost" setting send any warm air to the vents on the instrument panel? Or only the windscreen defrost vents?
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astaib
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by astaib »

I would say only to the defrost vents
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nathanda40
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by nathanda40 »

astaib wrote: Mon Dec 13, 2021 9:41 pm I would say only to the defrost vents
Yeah this is what I think to be the case, just having a difficult time confirming. The illustrated parts catalogue doesn't seem to have the vents or routing for the two on the instrument panel anywhere so I cannot directly confirm. I suppose it would make sense to ensure you have a source of fresh air which has nothing to do with the exhaust or heat exchanger.
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p3dave
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by p3dave »

Down here in Florida it doesn't get that cold!
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CFIDave
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by CFIDave »

Eyeball vents are fresh air only.

Defrost lever controls heat to base of windscreen (canopy); cabin heat lever controls floor heat.
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Rich
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by Rich »

As I posted earlier on this thread, if one were to block off the rear seat vents more heat is available to defrost and the front seat area. I haven't yet found this to be necessary, but then I haven't had occasion to fly my DA40 below about -10 C, and it was sunny on that occasion. Having the Powerflow does improve the cabin heat supply over the earlier stock exhaust system.

The coldest I have ever flow a Lightplane was my PA28 into Jackson, WY in January 1978. OAT read -39 C. at JAC. Temp at Idaho Falls was -31 C and aloft about -28 C. I actually preheated not just the engine, but the cabin before departure. Frost formed on the inside of the side windows during the flight.

Still on my plate is to deal with the cold air coming up through the slots in the power quadrant. I'm thinking a glove with fingertips exposed. :D
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by Charles »

As I mentioned in another thread, I am in Canada and I have flown my DA40 down to -30C and it remains comfortable, but it took a few tweaks:

- Replaced the gaskets of the front vents to ensure they are completely airtight when shut (I have the older plastic vents made by Skoda in the front). Also replaced the aluminium tape that held the air tubing to the air vent because air was coming out of there into the instrument panel.

- Installed the baffle under the wing. I think that's the most important item because a lot of cold air comes in through there without it.

- Added 2 rows of weather stripping on the canopy, especially around the handle, and one on the sides of the fuselage where the canopy mates.

- Installed Oregon Aero sheepskin covers on the seats

And I always fly at peak EGT.

Image

Image


And I agree with Rich, winter flying is the best. The airplane performs incredibly well, the air is very stable and there's no icing when it's cold enough. And we get to fly off of ice runways on frozen lakes (Credit: Jean-Pierre Bonin)

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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by dmloftus »

smoss wrote: Sat Jan 06, 2018 5:19 pm there is a winter baffle also for the air inlet under the pilot side wing root. It helps tremendously! It blocks airflow to the back and top vents (which is all an open connected system) which stops all the cold air from leaking out from the throttle quadrant and under the seats. If you have the oil cooler one, you should also have the wing one.
Anyone have a picture of this vent baffle installed in the left wing root inlet?
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Re: More Cabin Heat

Post by Toddf »

Charles,
What kind of weather stripping did you use? I get a bad draft on the pilot side. Passenger side seems fine.
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