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Cool air Vents on an RV-4?

Vents

My fresh air vents are different but mounted on the canopy under the bubble as you suggest and they work pretty well there.

Jim
 
Vent sucking?

Would you have any pictures showing your placement? It seems that there are some low pressure areas and if a guy is unlucky enough to put the vents there, there won?t be any air blowing and some guys have even reported the vent sucking or on vacuum.
 
riobison said:
On my RV4 I’m looking at putting these CA LV-3 VENTILATOR on.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin...rowse=heatvent&product=ventilation-components

One each for both the front and rear seat. Maybe on the canopy below the bubble or on the fuselage?

Where does everyone install these and how well do they work? Are there other simple and effective solutions that are an easy install?

Thanks

Tim
Click to expand...

Hi Tim. I'm using a NACA duct for the pilot on the right side, along with a Steinair vent. I'm planning to use the Van's (Vetterman) vent for the passenger on the left hand side.

Since my aircraft will only be mounted from the left wing, I'd like to be able to see if the passenger has left the vent open so I can close it and get an extra milliknot in speed. Both are mounted on the fuselage, not the canopy.
 
I have a pair those in my -4

I mounted a pair in the canopy skirt port side. One is forward of the canopy latch handle. The other is slightly aft of the roll bar. Years ago, when I installed them, Larry Vetterman advised me to install them only on the port side as they do not draw well on the starboard side. When flying, they let in plenty of air. During taxi or idle on a hot day, they are not sufficient. I would like to be able to crack the canopy an inch, but have not yet devised a good mechanism. In the winter, I tape the forward one closed as it tends to open slightly in flight.
 
We have a pair of naca vents installed on right side below canopy. Front naca vent sucks air out of cockpit instead of blowing in. Rear naca vent lets just a little air in.
 
i am pinging chris @ bonehead composites on coming up with something that will solve our problems and attach to the canopy (easy to do)
 
I've read of a few Rockets that put the NACA inlet for a rear seat vent on the bottom of the wing in the first wide bay outboard of the wing walk ribs, and several inches behind the main spar. Check about a third of the way down Vince Frazier's wing page for some pics. I suspect this would be a huge job on a finished airplane though...
 
Vent Installation

Tim,

We have this vent installed in the footwell area (just below the fiberglass cowl cheek that extends aft of the firewall). The vent is actuated by a simple push/pull cable. This area provides a great high pressure source for ventilating the cockpit.

Cheers,

Vac
 
i've got the rear seat vent mounted on the bottom wing skin with a scat tube running to and eyeball mounted in the corner of the rear stick well. gets plenty of air. I am using a good aluminum ball so it seals good when turned off.

bob burns

rv-4 N82RB
 
Another option

I put a NACA scoop under the cowl cheek on each side. This leads to two Stein Air vents mounted in my center console.

In hot conditions, with someone in the backseat, I usually direct the airflow from both towards the back. I always ask the backseater how the airflow is, and they always say "good" or "fine". Admittedly, I'm sometimes a little warm until I climb, but this doesn't last long.

cheers,

Rick
 
Air vents

I installed NACA under both cowl cheeks with aluminum eyeball directly on inside of vent. Makes for plenty of air in front..I have NACA under right wing just O/B of wingwalk ribs,with SCAT to the rear stick/console and another aluminum eyeball. Backseaters get very good fresh air. I will be installing cnopy latch for taxi to allow 1-2" open. there are several good designs out there.
 
Latch for taxing?

The canopy latch to allow the canopy to be open when taxing is a good idea. Where do I find one of those?

Thks

Tim
 
As requested

Here you go Tim.

jcslats


I am pretty surprised at these reports of air being sucked out of the cockpit. I will monitor them more closely tomorrow, let me know if you need more detailed photos or measurements.

Jim
 
A breath of....

Age old question? You bet. Way back in 80s most of us RV4 guys were using canopy skirt NACA ducts which everyone now knows, work poorly. The upper fuselage sides and skirt are low pressure areas. The Vans NACA kit works well with the ducts forward of and slightly above the leading edge. The best back seat source is to locate the NACA duct under the right wing, identical to the RV8 and route the scat into the rear cockpit accordingly. The Vetterman vents work well below the canoy rail aft of the throttle quadrant and above knee level in the back seat. There are many threads back through the years on this subject, try a search. This thread answers many questions:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=37381&highlight=RV4+ventilation

Seeya!
Smokey
www.fly-4-life.com
 
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We can do it!

Will an eyeball vent mounted to a NACA scoop work well enough? Once again there seems to be mixed opinions.
 
Cfrisella said:
Will an eyeball vent mounted to a NACA scoop work well enough? Once again there seems to be mixed opinions.
Click to expand...

On my Sonex I had two Van's NACA scoops, one on each fuselage side. I had two Van's eyeball vents mounted at the bottom of the panel. After a couple of years of knee-banging I removed the vents from the panel and mounted them directly on the scoops. They worked perfectly that way.
 
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Vents

I have the vent installed in the footwell area of my 4 as well, with a scat tube to an eyeball vent in the panel. Blasts air out. They don't work if they are installed on the canopy sides.

Joe
 
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