Hack Heaters

What kind of bike/sidecar? It makes a big difference.

Jim

It's a '96 Suzuki 1400 Intruder with an older California sidecar.

Well, no matter what size alternator you have you'll develop enough current to power any sort of electrical heater. The power requirements for an effective heater are simply too great for a motorcycle sized alternator to handle.

During WWII the Germans used to shunt exhaust gases through a heater pipe within the sidecar. After heating the car the gasses would pass out of the car and exit through their own small muffler. Exhaust flow, and heat, were controlled with valves. That system worked on the Russian front so something similar would probably work for you.

If your bike is water cooled you could also tap into the cooling system and shunt some flow into a small heater unit in the sidecar, just like on your family sedan. That should be relatively simple and require the least amount of (or no)fancy welding or fabricating.

Lastly, and not necessarily recommended, would be to use a small catylitic propane or gas heater. You'd probalby have to enclose the heater head to prevent your passenger catching their shoes or pants legs on fire.

Well, those are my harebrained ideas. Good luck.

although i agree with jim most of the time, putting a propane burn in a hack is as smart as putting a fireplace, also with routeing the exhaust, you have the problem with leaks, and breathing that stuff will kill ya. have you ever just tried an electric blanket, just my thought

fender

Thanks guys for the ideas. Luke has severe autism and he likes to look at his hands and fingers. This is why he won't leave gloves on. I put a blanket over his lap and knees and he leaves it there, but his hands are out and I worry about frost bite and don't ride when it's too cold. Compounding the problem is the fact that riding in his sidecar is essentially the ONLY thing in life that always gives him pleasure.

Maybe I'll have a top made for the hack. I put a new seat in it (Jeep replacement seat from Whitney's which is great) a couple of years ago in order to (1) raise him off the floor a little morre than the stock seat - making it slightly easiers for me to help him out and (2) to be more comfortable. BUT, it raised him enough that his head hits the stock top - that's why I'd need to have a new one made with a higher bar.

Thanks again -- all ideas welcomed.

Ron_n_Luke

You might consider some of the 12v electric products from Widder or some other mfg. of heated wear, gloves, vests, etc.

Dave: I hadn't thought about putting in a fireplace. Those new fangled compressed logs are really easy to start and don't spit and pop like real wood. Hmmmmmmmmmm.....

An inexpensive but thick sleeping bag could be really warm, and combined with an electric vest or jacket, very comfortable.

Jim

Thanks, again, guys for the suggestions -- but gotta repeat -- the real problem is that Luke won't keep gloves on! He really needs/wants to have his hands free. He will keep a blanket on his lap and legs and I can keep his torso warm, but gloves typically stay on for just a few minutes. I really need to warm up the inside of the hack.
I probably will need to have a new top (and maybe side curtains) made for the hack. (My existing, old, top won't work because I installed a neew seat that raises Luke up a couple of inches and puts him too high for the top). I suppose the real answer is a new top, side curtains and a small heater. Sigh --- now if I just had some better wrenching skills.
Ron

So I guess the fireplace is out?

Jim

ha ha ha funny jim,
ok here's the final cure just more to new mexico,
like you were orignally going to do.

fender

Ya know, Fender, that's what I'd like to do -- but -- Luke would wind up being on a waiting list for services of 4-5 years. I'd have to be out riding with him every day to keep him happy ---- hey --- that sounds pretty good!!!

Is the 1400 water cooled? I know you don't ride without the sidecar, so how about tapping into the cooling system if it is or making a loop or two of copper tubing around the exhaust and then to an automotive style add on heater as Kurt suggested? Convection should be enough to circulate the coolant. In particular, the older Toyota Land Cruiser's used to have an Aux heater that was about 12 inches in diameter and maybe 6 inches high. The unit mounted on the floor between the seats and was strong enough to step on. The core was around the outer perimeter and a fan was mounted inside it (Far from probing fingers. If I remember correctly, it pulled air in from the top and bottom and blew it out through the core. I'll post a picture of one in the SidecarMike Album.

Sadly, the 1400 is air cooled. I'll go look at your pic. What I was thinking about were the small auxiliary heaters that I guess some use primarily to defog windows (they plug into cigarette lighter outlets and there are a couple available from Whitney). I'm sure they don't put out much heat, but the hack has an unused radio in its dash and I though maybe I could remove that and fit the heater there since it would be a "hand height."
Ron

Have you tried an old fashioned hand muff for Luke, like ladies and girls used to have? It may not be so much that he needs to look as his hands as it might be the way the garment feels to him. If he can rub his hands together inside the muff it may eliminate his exposing them to the weather.

My nephew is autistic as well and would take his t-shirts off all the time. The issue wasn't the fabric of the shirts but the little tag sewn into the back of the neck. After we started cutting the tags off the t-shirts stayed on.

Other options you may consider aside from exhaust gas heaters, fire places and propane catalytic heaters are chemical warmer packets. These come in several styles, disposable, re-usable, microwavable, water activated. many outdoor specialty shops carry them as well as some department stores. If they sell tip-ups for ice fishing they probably have the heater packets.

Find one that you can hold comfortably either with a fabric cover or without and that is difficult for you to poke your finger through to the interior chemicals. Luke may find it easy to hold and keep his fingers warm that way, Also you'll get a side benefit of letting him work with his fingers and help develop hand strenght.

There is a decidedly different option as well. But it would require a bit of tinkering. If you rig has a large enough boot/trunk consider installing a deep cycle RV battery there along with a pass through connection for recharging it. JC Whitney and other cataolg parts suppliers sell small 12v portable auxillary heaters that use a fan to move the air.
Go with the largest gauge wire (lower number = bigger diameter wire) you can to support the unit and fuse it for safety. These can be bolt in operations although a few may be available with velcro type fasteners. I'd recommend permanent mounting. These will usually have a three position switch, Off, Low and High. As long as Luke can not work his fingers into the grills, hot air outlet and air intakes; It should prove reasonably safe for you and him.

After I read through the initial post and some responses it was after I read you're criteria for luke, That I suggest these option. When running the electric cable in the side car use grommets and cable loom as well as wire clamps to secure it. anything which can be explored with finger can pose a hazard, but nothing can ever be made perfectly safe.

I hope these ideas may be practical and useful to you.
Retro-rig