Area Representative IanW Posted October 30, 2013 Area Representative Share Posted October 30, 2013 As I'm nearing my 4th winter of Caterham ownership, I thought I'd do something about keeping my feet warm during the cold weather blats. I started at looking for ways to direct the hot air from the heater into the foot-well. To this end, I removed the air vents from inside the car. Now this is where I find that I've been driving the car with it upside down . This is what the vents look like http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3445687/IMG_0290.JPG and http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3445687/IMG_0291.JPG. Notice the two 'ears'. Well they should be pointing down to direct the hot air into the foot well. As shown http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3445687/IMG_0292.JPG. I've only had a chance to make a stationary test, but the signs are promising as hot air was blown into the foot-well when I turned the heater and fan on . Whilst looking at this problem I also decided to do something about the heater control. Due to my long legs, I have the seat pushed back as far as it will go. This means that when I'm strapped in I can't reach the heater control under the dash. I even tried extending the knob but it was still unsatisfactory. So,I ordered one of these and mounted it on the dash. Here's what it looks like http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3445687/IMG_0305.JPG. I'm happy with the result . Now I can turn the heating on / off without unbuckling my seat belt and I should have warm feet . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 The cheaper way to be able to reach the heater control knob is to buy a hexagonal spacer pillar 80mm long with M5 male thread one end and M5 female thread the other. Unscrew the knob from the cable and fit the spacer between cable and knob. Simples ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative IanW Posted October 30, 2013 Author Area Representative Share Posted October 30, 2013 As I mentioned, this approach does not work for me - I had already tried it. The spacer would have to be about twice that length. This would mean that it would (almost) protrude from the dash and I'd be afraid of catching it when getting in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Looks like a neat mod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBD762 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I see what Ian W is saying about the 'ears' however (and I've yet to look at mine) my vents swivel very easy and therefore It's directional. So they can be pointed towards the floor.. Or am I missing a point here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianC Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 The "back" of the ears has a cut out in it so warm air is directed into the footwell Nice mod Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative IanW Posted October 30, 2013 Author Area Representative Share Posted October 30, 2013 SBD762 - The swivel vents only direct the heat onto your thighs - at least that's how mine operate. See the bottom right of the third picture to see how the hot air is directed into the foot-well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBD762 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thanks Ian W I'll take a close look at mine but have got your drift now. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Quoting SM25T: The cheaper way to be able to reach the heater control knob is to buy a hexagonal spacer pillar 80mm long with M5 male thread one end and M5 female thread the other. Unscrew the knob from the cable and fit the spacer between cable and knob. Simples ! There is an advantage to being tall & owning an S3, every control is to hand. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregs79 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Looks good. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 What doe the CC assembly manual say about the correct way to orient the heater vent panel in the cockpit? (Can't find my manual at the moment). I've checked my heater vent panel, and it is installed with the "ears" pointing up, and not down at the footwells. My '07 S3 was assembled in 2007-10 mostly by me, but with the critical engine installation, under-dash work, and fettling by a former CC engineer. Can't believe he would not have caught my upside-down heater panel, if the "ears" were really intended to direct some heat to the footwells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richy Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I seem to remember similar puzzling over which way up the vent panel was fitted during my build. Not much info in the manual at the time (2009). Definitely with the ears downwards! Richy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeljclark Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Ears pointing down on my 2007 SV Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Quoting Alaskossie: What doe the CC assembly manual say about the correct way to orient the heater vent panel in the cockpit? It doesn't! No destructions, no photos... nuffink! Which is why Caterham charged me to refit it at my PBC....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ. Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I know we don't often defend Caterham, but the fact that the space between the footwell vents was the same as the width of the transmission tunnel meant that it naturally seemed to fit the correct way up. My footwell was certainly very warm this morning, I just need to figure out how to transfer the heat to the back of my seat Duncan Edited by - DJ. on 3 Nov 2013 20:06:26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative IanW Posted November 4, 2013 Author Area Representative Share Posted November 4, 2013 Another point of reference for correctly aligning the vent panel is the small semi-circular cut-out on the long edge, as seen in the first picture above. If this is at the top, the cut-out cunningly aligns with the cable for the heater motor where it passes through the bulkhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team Garry7 Posted November 4, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted November 4, 2013 Im in the same boat as Big Col. Got charged to refit as part of the PBC, I seem to remember it fitted either way up and I chose the wrong way - nothing in the good old build manual 😔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 I don't recall querying the orientation at the time and the way I fitted it made sense (to me!)... though, as pointed out in comments above, in retrospect it was obviously wrong! 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john milner Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Mine is also ears up. One thought I have had is that many heater valves are slightly open as standard and only get adjusted to fully closed when the footwell is found to be too hot in the summer. I did think the incorrectly set valve was an oversight but am now wondering if it could be by design. if the valve is set to open for a reason and the ears are down the footwell will get very hot with no way of reducing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 I too fitted it the wrong way up due to a complete lack of instructions in the manual. 30 mins for Caterham to change it too apparently! I'll let you draw your own conclusions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ. Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 They'll always get you for something.... They charged me to replace all the nylon bolts I had fixed the rear wings with steel ones, because they were "needed for IVA" yet they are allowed to bond the front ones on with glue. Then when I asked for the plastic bolts back when I picked up the car, they had disappeared and I had to ask twice to get more sent through Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregs79 Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Can I ask which is the right way up before I fit mine? The link to the pictures do not work? Thanks in advance. Gregs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Link works fine here. The two ears hang downwards so they face under the shelf and blow towards your feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug7 Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Greg's, it goes with the 2 lugs downwards...if you look at the panel it's rectangular with a couple of lugs at the corners on one edge they go down to blow the air round your feet. If it makes sense? Once you bolt it in the panel should have a slight overlay do wards either side of the tunnel ie there's an open vent on the back maybe inch wide half inch high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregs79 Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Quoting SM25T: Link works fine here. The two ears hang downwards so they face under the shelf and blow towards your feet. I have re-opened in another browser and it worked fine. Thanks. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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