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

Tue Sep 27 08:04:49 MDT 2016

Geo,

The spirit of true adventure lives within you! That photo of you decked out for a winter cruise with nothing but a tiny windscreen exemplifies the heart and soul of the true adventurer. I have done exactly the same thing on a 20 degree day and laughed my butt off the entire way to wherever I was going. It was so cold I can't remember now where I was going. But, I do remember it was crazy fun, a winter rebellion, and in our small town my Saturday afternoon passage turned a lot of heads. Whatever they thought, I did see more than a few smiles and waves.

Thank you for the photos of your Maradyne installation. I looks great, like a factory installation and now I do believe I will be going the same route. At least my feet will be warm.

Randall S.
________________________________
From: Geo Hahn [ahwahneetr at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2016 9:47 AM
To: Reihing, Randall S.
Cc: Triumphs; Bill Brewer
Subject: Re: [TR] Was Smiths Heater Core Rebuilding/Now Maradyne Heaters

Randall -

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

[cid:ii_itlj81fk0_1576be17954ec531]

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

[cid:ii_itlj9nnm1_1576be29d1619cf5]

Here is the unit in place:

[cid:ii_itljb3212_1576be3a012cb16b]

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

[cid:ii_itljdiwb3_1576be55cf6d1bd0]

Geo

On Mon, Sep 26, 2016 at 9:43 PM, Bill Brewer <billbrewer59 at yahoo.com<mailto: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<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<mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto:triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net>] on behalf of Bill Brewer [billbrewer59 at yahoo.com<mailto:billbrewer59 at yahoo.com>]
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2016 12:09 AM
To: 'David Friedlander'
Cc: triumphs at autox.team.net<mailto: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]
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<mailto: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

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