Hey guys, I'd love your opinions/input on this one;
I've just finished my second RV. My first was an RV-4 with an O-320, and for carb heat I installed the standard Van's "trap door" that only allows ambient cowl air into the intake. I was surprised to find no RPM drop when I selected the carb head "on". I thought the ambient air in the cowl would be warmer. I've done this even after a thorough warm up and in flight, never seeing the slightest hint of a drop. I've flown about 5 other RV's with the same setup, (3's, 8's, and 6's), and have never seen a drop in those either.
My question for you guys is, do you think that the trap door setup for carb heat is effective enough to actually melt any carb ice?
I've just finished my second RV. My first was an RV-4 with an O-320, and for carb heat I installed the standard Van's "trap door" that only allows ambient cowl air into the intake. I was surprised to find no RPM drop when I selected the carb head "on". I thought the ambient air in the cowl would be warmer. I've done this even after a thorough warm up and in flight, never seeing the slightest hint of a drop. I've flown about 5 other RV's with the same setup, (3's, 8's, and 6's), and have never seen a drop in those either.
My question for you guys is, do you think that the trap door setup for carb heat is effective enough to actually melt any carb ice?