Moving night heater hot air inlet.

[Skyliner33]

Recently I had a diesel heater fitted to my van.
To cut a long story short I was talked out of having it fitted under the drivers seat and so it was fitted coming up through the floor behind the drivers seat.
It's further back than I imagined and will get in the way of the furniture units.

So what I would like to know is if I got the hot air duct re-routed to under the drivers seat would it be possible to repair / block up the hole that the hot air tube is currently entering the van. If so what is the best way? I am really looking for suggestions about the metal work. Once that is done I would be able to repair the hole in ply floor.

Pic to show where it is now:

 

[Chrishall888]

The floor will be steel. Anyone that is comfortable folding some fresh sheet steel to fit the contours in the floor, should be able to weld a plate back in.
Prime it, seam seal it and paint it, would be the best approach.

 

[david173]

agree with @Chrishall888 above welding would be best. if you went for steel you would want to prime and seal from below too.

if you dont have access to welding you could always bend some aluminium (doesnt corrode, well as much as steel) sheet and sikaflex it down and or use rivets too?

 

[drinfinity]

I’d Sikaflex a duct end cap into the hole.

 

[Paynewright]

Problem with welding is the heat generated and need to remove adjacent items. I would ensure any bare metal edges are painted and sikaflex / pop rivet a painted piece of steel over it (from underneath).

 

[roadtripper]

Your issue with using a different metal is that if there is metal to metal contact and water gets into the area you are likely to get galvanic corrosion. Essentially it forms a tiny wet cell battery and one of the metals will be slowly dissolved.

So if it's not structural I'd suggest something along the lines of @drinfinity idea too.

(And yes this is fun stuff you find out owning boats and makes EHU even more fun if you don't want to slowly dissolve your steel hull)

 

[Skyliner33]

Thanks for all the replies.

My first thought was welding, then worried about the heat damaging the floor, so pretty much ruled that out. Good point about galvanic corrosion (don't they put zinc blocks on metal hulls to stop corrosion?)
Had not thought of riveting, but a possibility worth considering.
Sikaflex a duct end cap is looking the easiest solution. Just need to find one that will do the job.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Thanks for all the replies.

My first thought was welding, then worried about the heat damaging the floor, so pretty much ruled that out. Good point about galvanic corrosion (don't they put zinc blocks on metal hulls to stop corrosion?)
Had not thought of riveting, but a possibility worth considering.
Sikaflex a duct end cap is looking the easiest solution. Just need to find one that will do the job.

The zinc anodes on ships hulls are sacrificial. They don't stop corrosion, they are a more reactive metal than the steel hull, so they corrode before the hull does. They need replacing regularly.

 

[Bigsidavies]

Is it possible to incorporate the ducting inside the unit and have the warm air vent out of the front or side of the unit?

 

[Skyliner33]

The zinc anodes on ships hulls are sacrificial. They don't stop corrosion, they are a more reactive metal than the steel hull, so they corrode before the hull does. They need replacing regularly.

Yes, I meant they stop the hull corroding. This was on the GCSE specification as an example of reactivity series.

 

[Skyliner33]

Is it possible to incorporate the ducting inside the unit and have the warm air vent out of the front or side of the unit?

That did cross my mind, but the fridge will be in the way.

 

[Bigsidavies]

Most layouts have a sizeable space above the fridge that is either a drawer or a small cupboard. You could dispense with that and place the fridge on a plinth with the pipe vented out through a trim piece underneath and a similar trim piece above so that the fridge sits centrally in the gap.

 

[Skyliner33]

Most layouts have a sizeable space above the fridge that is either a drawer or a small cupboard. You could dispense with that and place the fridge on a plinth with the pipe vented out through a trim piece underneath and a similar trim piece above so that the fridge sits centrally in the gap.

Interesting idea. Thanks

 

[oldiebut goodie]

The zinc anodes on ships hulls are sacrificial. They don't stop corrosion, they are a more reactive metal than the steel hull, so they corrode before the hull does. They need replacing regularly.