Plumbing in a Rear Meater Matrix ?

Looking around the forum a few people have plumbed an additional heater matrix into the back of their Defenders. I'm interested in doing this to mine - but I've got a couple of questions...

Where did you site it in the back ? Did you fit an additional blower fan? And where did you route the water pipes ?

Any advice gratefully received

MarkC123 said:

Looking around the forum a few people have plumbed an additional heater matrix into the back of their Defenders. I'm interested in doing this to mine - but I've got a couple of questions...

Where did you site it in the back ? Did you fit an additional blower fan? And where did you route the water pipes ?

Any advice gratefully received

Click to expand...

If you sit it with the fins allowing vertical air movement you don't really need a fan, the convection currant will heat the space.

You need to use bulkhead pipe fittings, bring the pipes through the floor at the back of the tub and then use a piece of flexi to connect to the radiator/matrix (an old mini radiator would be good), then run either radiator hose all the way back to the engine bay, or use a combination. Make sure you provide isolation in the engine bay so if you have any leaks you can isolate the system.

It depends exactly on what engine you have but you would probably want to take the feed from a T at the feed to the current matrix.

underfloor heating?

You could always plumb it in by breaking into the the existing heater pipes, and running the water through plastic water pipes, which are OK for central heating.

At the new heater matrix all you need to do is use a couple of reducers!

Keep it as simple as possible, and don't forget to fit isolation valves!

Thanks for the advice

You might also consider fitting an isolated bypass, so that in summer you can divert all the heat through the standard heater.

VWKD - VW Camper and Beetle Conversion from aircooled to watercooled

mk3 polio

I was considering doing this too, not only putting one in the back but replacing the standard heater. Ive had this site in my favourites for a while and reckon i might buy one or two from here. Perhaps the small 2.2kw one at the top would be perfect for in the back...

Heaters : T7Design.co.uk, Lightweight Kit Car Heaters

I have got in my container a complete T4 rear heater matrix designed to heat VW Transporters when they are a minibus

fit a radiator to the current pipework...