"Engine Preheat" vs. "Engine Heater"

[martingregg598]

Hi David, it could have been the unit that rolled through right after
mine At the price of diesel, I'm thinking it would be nice to have a
propane conversion for the A/H.
Marty Gregg
95 BMC 37
Kennewick, WA.

[Pete Masterson]

After some experimentation today, I found that the pre-heat switch
does _not_ start the AquaHot unless the "Hydronic Heat" switch on the
dash is also _on_. (Another person said it worked with the Hydronic
Heat switch either on or off...)

Now, I'll have to run a longer experiment and feel around the various
pipes and connections to find out what goes on or not. <sigh>

From past experience, I've learned that what BB did on one coach may
not have been done on any others -- or may be a "standard" for all.
I'm going to guess that the dash heater valve thing might be an error
on your coach only ... but I'm turning on the dash heater lever right
now just to be sure!

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road at



On Oct 22, 2007, at 3:38 PM, martingregg598 wrote:

> Hi Pete, on my 95 BMC 37' the Aqua Hot engine preheat loop runs
> through
> the dash heater core, so if I have the dash heater, hot-cold lever in
> the cool position the valve is closed and the hot engine coolant
> coming
> through the Aqua Hot to the dash heater can't pass through back to the
> engine, no loop. I discovered this one day when I had the A/H engine
> preheat on and I was playing around with something under the dash and
> felt the hot line on one side of the valve and cold on the other. I
> can't help but wonder if the installers at BB put all of the A/H
> plumbing in the same way? My instruction manual says not to have the
> A/H engine preheat on while the engine is running. Good Luck.
> Marty Gregg
> 95 BMC 37
> Kennewick, WA.

[Pete Masterson]

I doubt that a propane conversion would be easy or cheap. The oil
(diesel) burner is very different than how a gas appliance would be
designed, so it would probably take a fair amount of engineering to
get the job done.

By the time you got it converted, LP gas would probably go up
significantly in price anyway. Besides, I kind of like having a 300
gallon tank of heater fuel.... You'd have to carry a _lot_ of propane
to match that.

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road at Idaho Springs, CO



On Oct 22, 2007, at 4:29 PM, martingregg598 wrote:

> Hi David, it could have been the unit that rolled through right after
> mine At the price of diesel, I'm thinking it would be nice to have a
> propane conversion for the A/H.
> Marty Gregg
> 95 BMC 37
> Kennewick, WA.
>

[ajgibb2002]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Bob & Carol Howald`"
wrote:
>
> Pete, The Engine pre-heat switch on the overhead panel is a
> function of the primus system. If you still have the primus system
> you would turn the engine pre-heat switch on when along with the
#1
> boiler and this would close a valve in the engine compartment that
> allow's the hot water from the boiler to preheat the engine. (very
> effective),Also at least on the 93 they have a manual valve
located
> in the engine compartment that can be turned if the electric one
> failed. The older model's had only the manual valve, I believe the
> electric overhead pre-heat was first added in the 93 model. The
> switch in the galley area with the red light is the 115volt block
> heater that's installed in the engine. On my coach in 20 degree
> weather I usually get a good clean start with this switch on for
> about 2 or 3 hours. I can hear it immediately when turning it on
and
> after a couple of hours can feel the block getting warm. I can
also
> use the primus and elec. together which really speeds heating.
Hope
> this helps.....Bob Illinois pt40 it's 80 degrees here today!!!!
> >
Hey Guys,I'm still on the steep side of the learning curve with
my '91SP. I have the overhead "Engine Preheat" on my Bird so I
guess the function was added before the 93 model. I also have the
Primus heat system. I haven't tried either of them so far; just too
many other things to deal with. I'm hoping to get some help at RIV
and RATS.
Cheers
Austin
'91SP