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Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2020 11:46 pm
by dstates
Hello 170 fans.

I bought my 170A in July and am just starting my first annual inspection (owner assisted). So far all I’ve done is remove inspection panels, cowling and seats. But I’ve learned something new about my plane already. I’m not sure how I missed the two large holes in the skin on the bottom of the plane, but apparently my 170A had a Stewart Warner heater at one point. After I removed the rear seat I saw the floor had a big panel screwed down. I was a little worried at first since it is quite a large opening. Since then I double checked my hunch and the parts catalog shows a heater was optional below the rear seat.

I’m attaching pictures just to share with others. Does anyone have a picture of one of these heaters still installed? I’m guessing that it must have protruded above the floor below the rear seat. I’m curious.

I’ll probably have my A&P add a couple patches to the bottom skin to close up the holes. Any special tips for patching these two holes?

When I’m back at the hangar I’ll have to look and see where the Tee in the fuel line is and make sure it is good to go.

Doug
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Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2020 4:20 am
by c170b53
Thanks for the pics, I’ve never seen one myself anywhere!

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:13 pm
by eskflyer
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0829 ... MBLE8FUWBW

This is the heater we are using in alot of our UHHHHHHH rigs. self contained and works great. Have one set up for preheat and one in side by side , have them on my boat and in the other rig that levatates :D .
Puts out 17000 BTU's. thermostat controlled hooks up to 12 volt. 4 hoses to run where you want heat. or can get one with 1 nozzle about a 3" i believe.

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:47 am
by hilltop170
I have never seen one in a 170 but this is one installed in a C-195 which is probably about the same installation. They work very well and throw out lots of heat. I have never had a problem with mine but there is a two year inspection AD on some of them.

If you have any desire to install another one, Aircraft Heating and Electric in Redding, CA has all the required parts and can supply a rebuilt unit. Be sitting down when they quote the price. 8O

If the picture is oriented wrong, click on the picture and it should right itself.
Southwind heater in C-195
Southwind heater in C-195

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:35 pm
by IA DPE
hilltop170 wrote:If you have any desire to install another one, Aircraft Heating and Electric in Redding, CA has all the required parts and can supply a rebuilt unit. Be sitting down when they quote the price. 8O
I saw on a -195 site that they’re $13,000??

Glad I own a -170 with a good heater 8)

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:13 pm
by GAHorn
IA DPE wrote:
hilltop170 wrote:If you have any desire to install another one, Aircraft Heating and Electric in Redding, CA has all the required parts and can supply a rebuilt unit. Be sitting down when they quote the price. 8O
I saw on a -195 site that they’re $13,000??

Glad I own a -170 with a good heater 8)
It’d be cheaper to buy heated socks and long johns if you don’t have a later B-model.

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 2:00 pm
by 170C
A friend of mine replaced his gas fired heater in his Navion a couple of yrs ago. Think it was a Southwind, but can't remember for sure. $5,000.

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:25 pm
by mit
Sometimes when It is 20 or more below like now, I have thought; boy one of those would be nice. :?

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 4:16 am
by prairiechicken
I have a poor picture of the aux heater in my '51 170A. I will have to send it to Bruce though, as I am not sharp enough to get the file size correct.
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Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 1:49 pm
by dstates
Thanks, Ty!

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:18 pm
by bsdunek
I remember the South Wind heaters back in the 50's. The dealer in Pontiac, Ken Barbar, had one in his 195. Went with him one very cold winter day. The plane was warm inside before we got to the runway. Really worked great.

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 5:15 am
by ghostflyer
Just before the Cody convention , I had a massive clean out of the hangar and it looks like a couple of those Stewert Warner heaters were thrown out with another type called Janertrol heater. They are not used in this part of the world and the Janertrol came out of a shrike 500 . They only add weight . I think the overhaul price on the Janertrol made the owners eyes water too much and he wanted the savings on the weight saving.

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2020 5:17 am
by GAHorn
Janitrol. And some of the Janitrol heaters have AD notes on them with regard to leak-testing the burner can. (Using a vacuum cleaner and soap/foam and blow air to see where the bubbles appear.).

My ‘62 Baron had one of the early ones with a heavy cast burner can which was not subject to the AD, but the later sheet-metal burners had the AD, if I recall correctly.

Some DC3’s had Southwind heaters and pop-singer Ricky Nelson was killed in a fiery crash of his DC3 and neer-do-well people spread the rumor he’d started the cabin fire in-flight by free-basing cocaine.
It was a fake story. The Southwind heater was the cause of the fire which killed everyone.

Re: Stewart Warner Heater

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2020 3:12 pm
by 170C
The rudder of that ill fated DC-3 hangs in the large hangar at Air Salvage Dallas near Lancaster, TX (KLNC).