Heater Advice Seeking

Okay, the heater hose finally arrived, so I can start installing this bus heater into my cargo box. The only problem is WHERE.

As you know, my box truck has walled dividers that rise up 5 feet which isolates each compartment. There is an open area of 2 feet in height above the dividers as well for the entire length of the box. The heater is the size of a shoe box and is rated to 30,000 btu of heat.

My choices seem to be the following:

1. mount it to the floor next to the TNT on the driver's side of the box. It would share the wall with my fresh water tank and LG Heater on the other side. That would heat the TNT compartment and the fresh water lines / tank, but it would be pretty cramped in there.

2. Mount it in the back of the cargo area in the last compartment on the floor. Then I would have to cut louvered ports in the walls to get any heat to move to the front of the box.....still don't know if that would actually allow enough heat to travel. It would keep my wands and chemicals toasty warm, but might not help up front.

3. Mount it above the dividers in the front of the box right above the TNT. The heat would blow towards the rear of the box, but at 5 feet off the floor. Again, don't know how much heat would actually reach the floor areas, even with 30,000 btu.

I guess some pictures might help....

I was hoping to mount it behind the reels on the floor. That would at least place it in a central location, but there isn't enough room on the floor.

I would say opt 1 as for wands tie the valves open the water should leak out. Remember heat rises so keep as much heat as you can where the  $$$$ is winterize the rest or drain.

As always Eddie, a very sensible decision. Thanks, I think protecting the money is the wise choice.

Hopefully, I will have it done tomorrow in time for the return of winter next week.

Man that truck is nice looking.

For some reason I thought the box was lower to the ground.

It just looks higher in the picture, the floor is 40 inches off the ground.

I actually thought about getting fancy with this heater install. There is a gap between the center walls of each compartment (sort of an A-frame design) so I was drawing up plans to mount the heater under the floor. I could put together some simple tin ducting and than open access ports into each compartment.

It would make for a really effective heating system for the entire box, but then again, winter is only another few months and it will all be capped off when Spring arrives.

Probably just keep this simple.

(Pictures coming tomorrow)

I was hoping for some nice weather to get this project done the last two days , but it has been raining steady since Saturday evening. Temps were still around 42, but once drenched, it didn't feel to wonderful.

I just finished installing the heater, switch, and wiring with the hoses going in tomorrow. It actually went together fairly well, but installing the hoses up to the cab might get interesting as all the hose and wires route oddly due to the tilt cab.

Anyway, I installed it sandwiched between the TNT tank and the compartment wall to the right of it. It isn't ideal, but like ACE suggested, it will protect the money side of the cargo box.

I really don't even need more than the fist setting on the fan since it is mounted with the vents facing straight up so that the hoses could be routed straight through the floor without 90 degree bends.

At 30k btu, it should be a sauna in that first compartment (TNT and pumps) and hopefully will flow into the compartments next to it after I cut some ports in the walls.....might have to lower the ceiling height with insulation panels as well, still in the testing phase.

Hopefully you'll be set for the winter Rob. You invested some coin in that rig and it shows

Invested? Hasn't made me any money yet, so it has been wasted to this point, but that will change soon enough hopefully.

Being able to clean with high heat in the winter sounds really exciting to me and that should make it all worth it.

I guess I missed it, but what is a bus heater?........and is it being used for?........to heat the water or just keep the truck from freezing?

As cold as it it here now, I'm Beginning to wondering if we so ca guys should be concerned?...........I know, I know cold here is nothing for most of you, but the low here tonight is calling for 37 deg.  Is that close enough to the freezing point we need to be worried?  Or is it actually 32 when stuff starts to go wrong?

I put heaters on the trucks when it dips below 40 degrees. Nothing is going to freeze at that temperature, but water will start to expand at 40. That and temperature gauges have a margin for error of 3-5 degrees....that can make things pretty close to freezing without realizing it.

A bus heater is just an auxiliary heater that ties into the vehicles cooling system to provide heat where you want it....back of a school bus or the cargo box of a truck.

They are small and pretty darn cheap actually....my twin fan 30,000 btu unit was only $225. They do make ones as small as 8750 btu which is still 1.5 times that of any electric space heater.

The key is that it only works when the vehicle is running, so it is really only needed to protect your equipment from the curb to the job. Unless you are starting your day early enough that the temps are still sub 40, I wouldn't install one.

I would put a space heater in the van at night however at sub-40 degrees.

wow truck looks great Rob,   now im jealous of yours.     love the shelves where u have the rc99.


I would keep the heater in a place that protects the little giant since its the most expensive component if it freezes.      If you can find a spot that focuses on the lg coil but still some heat to the machine side then that would be ideal.  


I think either way you have about 110-115 sq ft you need to heat,   and 30,000btu is plenty for raising temps about 40 degrees to keep from freezing

doesnt need to be comfy back there just around 40.

do you have an option to run garden hose out of the right side as well or just left?

Thanks AC, I do have the option of running the hose out the other side as the area above the shelves are about 2 feet high. I could also run my hoses out the other side if needed.

I do have access ports leading to the fresh water tank and LG heater already so some of the heat should reach it, but I still might try and improve that feature.

The project didn't go anywhere today due to the weather.  Windchill was at 19 degrees and drizzle.  Working with thick radiator hoses and insulated wiring at the temperature wasn't working well......supposed to be 46 on Saturday, so it might have to wait.

Anyway, this is where the heater is being placed.







Hopefully, the space will allow enough heat to move through those hand holds in picture number 3, but I might cut a port down low to help it along.

It isn't ideal, but it is what I had available and it will hopefully do the trick.

I wired the heater and fan switch today. It took me 5 hours for crying out loud due to the temperatures and wind. Have you ever tried soldering wires in 28 degree weather and a 15 mph wind? It took about 15 minutes to heat the wire up and I was using an 850 temperature set soldering iron.

I tried to get the hoses started, but I ended up slicing my knuckle on the aluminum (didn't know it until I went inside to warm up) and left a blood trail on everything that I touched. Once it started dripping down my leg I decided that it was enough for the day.

I guess I will try again this weekend when the temperature is supposed to be in the upper 40's.

I need to get it done, I have to bid on an auditorium job in the morning that they need done before Christmas and as always, I expect to get the job.

Sounds miserable. Good luck with the bid

Next you'll be running duct work and vents

Mo wrote:Next you'll be running duct work and vents

I am actually considering it.......

Well what do you know, give me an afternoon with temperatures in the low 40's and I can get something done.

The heater is 98% done. Everything is installed, but I couldn't find any of the right antifreeze in town so the system isn't charged up yet.

For those with trucks like these, I was wrong, installation at the cab was super easy with the tilt design. Not only could you route the hose and wiring inside the frame rails from above, but there was a rubber floor plug in the firewall just next to the gas pedal..,just drilled out the center and had the perfect access point with a factory grommet already installed.

This thing came out looking like a factory installed option. The only thing that went wrong was a few more sliced open knuckles....working with aluminum is like juggling knives.

Hopefully, I can find a resource for the coolant and be done this weekend....just in time for the low 50's forecasted this week.

Even the dash location worked out great....there was a blank at the bottom of the panel that was just the right size.

Nice, glad to hear you got it done.

There was a hidden benefit involved as well and one of the reasons I decided to place the heater where it is located.

Now that I have engine coolant routed into the box, it wouldn't take much to switch out this air heater for a heat exchanger to replace the LG heater if I decide that I don't like propane.

Just trying to think ahead and keep my options open.

I tested it out today with some mixed results.

It was 30 degrees outside and decided to take the truck into town to test out my new heater. By the time I reached town (20 minutes) and checked the interior of the box, it had warmed up pretty well.

In that first compartment (TNT unit), the temperature was at 68 degrees. The temps in the second compartment (LG Heater and Fresh Tank) were at 53. Not too bad considering this diesel really doesn't put out heat like a gas engine does.

I think that I will need to open up the walls a little to improve some air flow into that second compartment and maybe to the hose reels as well. If I can get enough heat to keep things up above freezing, this will be a slam dunk modification.

I said earlier that it had mixed results. A diesel engine like this doesn't put out squat for heat at idle and it only got hot at fast idle. It is drive-by-wire, so I can control the idle speed from inside the cab, but it will not be the most efficient design as a result.

I'll try and post more pictures of the finished product in the morning....if the Sun comes out at all.