[TR] Was Smiths Heater Core Rebuilding/Now Maradyne Heaters

Tue Sep 27 07:47:34 MDT 2016

Randall -

Here is mine after I reversed the box as Bill describes (Harbor Freight
step drills work great for this):

For trial fitting while waiting for delivery I worked with a cardboard
mock-up:

Here is the unit in place:

I did not connect a defroster as it seemed unnecessary with my climate and
driving style:

Geo

On Mon, Sep 26, 2016 at 9:43 PM, Bill Brewer <billbrewer59 at yahoo.com> wrote:

>      Just run the regular thermostat. I regularly drive the car with the
> temperature in the teens and am comfortable. It might be a different story
> when it is below zero.
>
>      Haven’t noticed a big change in the engine running temperature.
>
>      I bought smooth defroster hoses from McMaster Carr thinking that it
> would aid in airflow to the defroster vents. The Maradyne heater has
> closeable flaps that should force the air through the defroster vents.
> Alas, it is not so. Not sure why. I have considered rigging a 12 volt hair
> dryer to the defroster vent to defrost the windscreen.
>
>      And Randall, my bro-in-law lives in Wasseon, Ohio and I had to go to
> Whitehouse to eat steaks at the Whitehouse Inn last summer. We also went to
> Grand Rapids to look at the water (a fantasy come true for a Californian).
> Later we bought about $500 in fireworks and let all of our pyromaniac
> fantasies come true, another treat for a family whose state is always
> catching fire.
>
>
>
>      -Bill in Tehachapi
>
>
>
> *From:* Reihing, Randall S. [mailto:Randall.Reihing at utoledo.edu]
> *Sent:* Monday, September 26, 2016 1:42 PM
> *To:* William Brewer
> *Subject:* RE: [TR] Was Smiths Heater Core Rebuilding/Now Maradyne Heaters
>
>
>
> Hi Bill,
>
>
>
> Wow, I am very impressed how well the Maradyne has worked for you.  I have
> not driven the TR3 much at all once temps are below40F as it's not all that
> comfortable.  That Maradyne 25,000 BTU heater may change all that.
>
>
>
> Since it's cold enough to snow at your place, like here, that Maradyne's
> 25,000 Btu's is about 5 times more than the stock heater so I am wondering
> if you have noticed any change in engine operating temperature when the
> heater is at full output.
>
>
>
> Do you need to install a higher temp engine thermostat for winter use?
>
>
>
> Randall in Whitehouse, Ohio, 26 miles SW of Toledo.
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* William Brewer [billbrewer59 at yahoo.com]
> *Sent:* Monday, September 26, 2016 2:16 PM
> *To:* Reihing, Randall S.
> *Subject:* Re: [TR] Was Smiths Heater Core Rebuilding/Now Maradyne Heaters
>
> Hi Randall,
>
>      Yes, I mounted the larger heater (25,000 BTUs) and it fit fine. It is
> almost the same size as the smaller heater but has a more powerful fan and
> larger heater core. It puts out a lot of heat. It snows where I live and it
> keeps me comfortable regardless of the outside temperature.
>
>      If you need more information, just ask.
>
>      I rebuilt my TR3 engine and transmission 2 years ago and didn't
> re-install the heater until yesterday. My Honda died and I have been
> driving a 1952 Triumph Renown until I get the heater working in the TR3 and
> then the TR3 will be my work car until I get another "real" car. Once I had
> to use my TR3 as my work car for 2 years!
>
>
>
>      -Bill in Tehachapi, California
>
>
>
> On Monday, September 26, 2016 10:24 AM, "Reihing, Randall S." <
> Randall.Reihing at utoledo.edu> wrote:
>
>
>
> Hi Bill,
>
>
>
> Thank you for sharing your results with the Maradyne heater. I very much
> like the way you mounted your Maradyne. I have flushed out the stock TR3A
> greater and it is working about as well as expected. I believe the stock
> TR3A heater is rated at very close to a 5000 BTU output. Maybe it was
> intended to be a bit of a mental deception in that feeling the modest
> output of slightly warm air with your frozen finger tips would have you
> believe you were warmer than you really were.
>
>
>
> Triumph did offer a very rare option in heaters for far northern climates
> but I have never been able to find one.
>
>
>
> Anyway, I am curious which of the two Maradyne heaters you used. There are
> some dimensional differences between the two in the link you very kindly
> shared. The smaller one is rated at 12,000 BTU's with the slightly larger
> one rated at 25,000 BTU's, more than double the output for a
> modest increase in size.
>
>
>
> Hoping you might have time for a reply.
>
>
>
> Thank you.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Randall Reihing
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* Triumphs [triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net] on behalf of Bill
> Brewer [billbrewer59 at yahoo.com]
> *Sent:* Monday, September 26, 2016 12:09 AM
> *To:* 'David Friedlander'
> *Cc:* triumphs at autox.team.net
> *Subject:* [TR] Was Smiths Heater Core Rebuilding/Now Maradyne Heaters
>
>       Maradynes are aftermarket heaters designed for farm tractors or
> maybe a pickup truck. They almost slide straight in to where the original
> TR3 heater was.
>
>      To make the Maradyne fit the TR3 better you need to disassemble it
> and reverse the heater core so the intake/exhaust is on the front of the
> heater and not the back. This way you can mount it flush against the
> battery box. I also cut out a notch to better clear the TR3 choke cable.
> Make the notch a lot bigger than you think it should be to avoid the choke
> cable having to bend. I used copper plumbing fittings from Lowes to reduce
> the fittings down to 3/8” rigid copper pipe which has a 0.5” OD to fit the
> TR3 heater hoses.
>
>      I have seen Maradynes mounted to the trans tunnel, but I don’t like
> the look.
>
>      I mounted my Maradyne to the back of the battery box using #10 SS
> sheet metal screws. I held it in place using double-sided tape while I was
> drilling the holes. I lined the bottom of the Maradyne even with the bottom
> of the battery box. You can barely see it under the dash. You can paint or
> upholster the heater to match your interior.
>
>      The Maradyne seems to put out about 2 or 3 times as much heat as the
> original TR3 heater. Even with smooth defroster hoses I barely can get an
> ants fart to come out the defroster vents.
>
>
>
>             https://www.amazon.com/Maradyne-H-803012-Phoenix-
> Floor-Heater/dp/B00DZEZ0KS/ref=pd_lpo_263_tr_t_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=
> JT51F1QH1ANE406VY6DQ
>
>
>
>      They have two sizes of heaters. I would try to put in the bigger one
> (25,000 BTU) if possible.
>
>      Good luck!
>
>
>
>      -Bill Brewer
>
>
>
> *From:* David Friedlander [mailto:forzion7 at gmail.com <forzion7 at gmail.com>]
>
> *Sent:* Sunday, September 25, 2016 6:36 PM
> *To:* Bill Brewer
> *Subject:* Re: [TR] Smiths Heater Core Rebuilding
>
>
>
> Bill;
>
> Don't know the answer to your question but where does one get a Maradyne
> heater for their TR3? Do you know a part number? I've had my radiator
> cleaned and rebuilt but the heater core is in rough shape....
>
> Thanks!!
>
> Dave Friedlander
>
> '59 TR3A
>
>
>
> On Sun, Sep 25, 2016 at 5:06 PM, Bill Brewer <billbrewer59 at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>      The heater core in my Triumph Renown is leaking. Does anyone know of
> a rebuilder for TR3-type Smiths heaters? I would go with a Maradyne heater
> like I have in my TR3, but it is very visible in the Renown and wouldn’t
> look right.
>
>      TIA,
>
>
>
>      Bill Brewer
>
>
>
> ** triumphs at autox.team.net **
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/
> options/triumphs/forzion7 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ** triumphs at autox.team.net **
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/
> options/triumphs/ahwahneetr at gmail.com
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/triumphs/attachments/20160927/74e5afd8/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Heater3.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 52767 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/triumphs/attachments/20160927/74e5afd8/attachment.jpe>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Heater1.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 16559 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/triumphs/attachments/20160927/74e5afd8/attachment-0001.jpe>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Brrr.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 26822 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/triumphs/attachments/20160927/74e5afd8/attachment-0002.jpe>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Heater2.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 26746 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/triumphs/attachments/20160927/74e5afd8/attachment-0003.jpe>