Connecting a Calorifier to a Ford Dorset

[Jassira]

I have a 4cyl Ford Dorset engine and I want to connect it to the heating coil in calorifier. I assume the aim is to have the engine cooling water flowing through the calorifier before it reaches the bowman heat exchanger.

There is, what looks like, a 3/8" bsp plug next to the thermostat housing, but if I take a feed from here I will effectively bypass the thermostat and the engine would take ages, to reach it's working temperature, if at all.

If I put 2 tee pieces between the engine and the heat exchanger will the water actually flow round that loop, the flow and return would be very close together.

If I put a tee in the flow before the heat exchanger and the return after it, would I risk significantly bypassing the heat exchanger.

Any ideas, suggestions? I guess the set up is fundamentally the same on any engine.

Thanks
Nigel

 

[tinkicker0]

I have a 4cyl Ford Dorset engine and I want to connect it to the heating coil in calorifier. I assume the aim is to have the engine cooling water flowing through the calorifier before it reaches the bowman heat exchanger.

There is, what looks like, a 3/8" bsp plug next to the thermostat housing, but if I take a feed from here I will effectively bypass the thermostat and the engine would take ages, to reach it's working temperature, if at all.

If I put 2 tee pieces between the engine and the heat exchanger will the water actually flow round that loop, the flow and return would be very close together.

If I put a tee in the flow before the heat exchanger and the return after it, would I risk significantly bypassing the heat exchanger.

Any ideas, suggestions? I guess the set up is fundamentally the same on any engine.

Thanks
Nigel

What about plugging into the water cooled exhaust manifolds?

 

[vyv_cox]

Have a look at my website, under Engine>calorifiers. Should help with the principle. Sorry I can't advise about your engine specifically.

 

[Gumpy]

I have a 4cyl Ford Dorset engine and I want to connect it to the heating coil in calorifier. I assume the aim is to have the engine cooling water flowing through the calorifier before it reaches the bowman heat exchanger.

There is, what looks like, a 3/8" bsp plug next to the thermostat housing, but if I take a feed from here I will effectively bypass the thermostat and the engine would take ages, to reach it's working temperature, if at all.

Thats where mine is fed from on my 6cyl and returns to the header tank/heat exchanger yes it does bypass the thermostat and if left fully open will over cool the engine if the engine is not working hard.
Mine is on a valve so can be shut off or only opened a small amount. I always warm the engine before opening the valve. When on rivers and the engine is working hard its open when on canals and its not working hard its left closed or only open a fraction.

 

[Jassira]

Have a look at my website, under Engine>calorifiers. Should help with the principle. Sorry I can't advise about your engine specifically.

Great website, certainly given me a better understanding of what I'm trying to achieve, thanks

 

[Jassira]

Thats where mine is fed from on my 6cyl and returns to the header tank/heat exchanger yes it does bypass the thermostat and if left fully open will over cool the engine if the engine is not working hard.
Mine is on a valve so can be shut off or only opened a small amount. I always warm the engine before opening the valve. When on rivers and the engine is working hard its open when on canals and its not working hard its left closed or only open a fraction.

Thanks, that sounds a bit too much like taking manual control of my engine temperature, and in the 10 years I've owned the boat the engine has run faultlessly, I'd rather wash in cold water than change that.

So I guess I'm left with two options:

A) Tee the flow and return into the flow between the engine and exchanger

B) Tee the flow into the flow to the exchanger and the return into the return from the exchanger.

Option B sounds more logical but would mean that some of my cooling water would be bypassing the heat exchanger and could risk overheating

Option A would mean the flow and return would be pretty much next to each other and might need the added complication of a circulation pump, but it's begining to look like the best way to go.

 

[Bobobolinsky]

Will the calorifier overcool the engine? No not unless you continually use hot water. The calorifier will get to engine temperature and remain there,at which point heat is dumped into the heat exchanger, by the thermostat opening until you let hot water out and cold water in, at that point the thermostat will close, and the calorifier will heat to engine temperature. It takes about 10 minutes to heat a full calorifier. I would be more concerned about not getting hot water, when you want it.

 

[vyv_cox]

Will the calorifier overcool the engine? No not unless you continually use hot water. The calorifier will get to engine temperature and remain there,at which point heat is dumped into the heat exchanger, by the thermostat opening until you let hot water out and cold water in, at that point the thermostat will close, and the calorifier will heat to engine temperature. It takes about 10 minutes to heat a full calorifier. I would be more concerned about not getting hot water, when you want it.

Agreed. Small single-cylinder engines may be overcooled by adding a calorifier but there is sufficient waste heat in any multi-cylinder engine.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Mine runs as described, on a 55ltr calorifier without any problems... Heats the water in no time at all, and then the thermostat operates as normal

 

[LittleShip]

This may help.

Tom

 

[pappaecho]

I have two Dorset engines, one with a calorifier. I will compare and contrast the two engines, and let you know in few days where the flow and return come from. I also have the original installation instructions, which I have never read as the system was in and running when I bought the boat

 

[Jassira]

This may help.

Tom

That looks very much like my engine, albeit Lehman rather than Bowman and probably the 6cyl version. My drain off is directly behind the alternator so would need a bit of re-plumbing in order to physically fit the pipework in.
From the above it looks like the flow goes from the drain off port, through the calorifier and back into the engine just before the main water pump, bypassing the main heat exchanger, not sure I'd be comfortable with that. I could return it into the tapping on the engine side of the thermostat, but would water actually flow through that hose without a circulation pump ?

 

[Bobobolinsky]

Just checked out the Dorset in the dumper in the yard.
The outlet for the heater is a tapping on the thermostat housing, the return is to the radiator return to the water pump