Defender heater into County - sourcing & installing

[Judo]

My County doesn't have any heater and I've realised I need one for registration.

1. Where can I get a Defender heater from? (box, core & blower). I can get one second hand from a wreckers in S.A. for $300. Is that reasonable? I don't really know where else to try? Suggestions? (I have a wanted ad up on AULRO).

2. I also don't have any cabin controls. I'm thinking I can jimmy my own stuff together. Has anyone done this? Any information you can share would be great.

I need fan on/off & speed control. Are they a generic item made up of on/off and resistor based speed setting? I.E. Could I use a electronics "pot" and on/off switch?

I'm thinking I don't need a hot/cold blend control at all.
Maybe something that moves ducting between windscreen and dash front.

[Phil B]

Justin,

You only need warm air for the demisters for rego in NSW and I am sure you would require the same.
I have an S3 which has a very simple heater matrix box and pipe work.
It does not need to blow cold, only warm and as such could be permanently "live" or "hot". The flow is controlled by a 2 position switch which operated the 2 speed fan in the matric box.
I am sure there will be 2nd hand S2, S2a or S3 ones around, maybe that is an option.

[BilboBoggles]

I wonder if you would get away with a couple of these screwed to the dash...

(http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-Car-Heater-Heating-Cooling-Fan-Defroster-Windowscreen-Demister-Hot-Cold-BLK-/371043187047?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5663e5b967)



12V Car Heater Heating Cooling Fan Defroster Windowscreen Demister Hot Cold BLK (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-Car-Heater-Heating-Cooling-Fan-Defroster-Windowscreen-Demister-Hot-Cold-BLK-/371043187047?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5663e5b967)


Perhaps a bit more upmarket

Underdash Heater unit 12 Volt (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Underdash-Heater-unit-12-Volt-/261305337171?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cd7030553)

[Judo]

Justin,

You only need warm air for the demisters for rego in NSW and I am sure you would require the same.
I have an S3 which has a very simple heater matrix box and pipe work.
It does not need to blow cold, only warm and as such could be permanently "live" or "hot". The flow is controlled by a 2 position switch which operated the 2 speed fan in the matric box.
I am sure there will be 2nd hand S2, S2a or S3 ones around, maybe that is an option.
What size are the S2, S2a or S3 heaters? The County heater is much bigger than Defender heater. I have a turbo in that area, so want the smaller Defender type...

[Judo]

I wonder if you would get away with a couple of these screwed to the dash...

(http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-Car-Heater-Heating-Cooling-Fan-Defroster-Windowscreen-Demister-Hot-Cold-BLK-/371043187047?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5663e5b967)



12V Car Heater Heating Cooling Fan Defroster Windowscreen Demister Hot Cold BLK (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-Car-Heater-Heating-Cooling-Fan-Defroster-Windowscreen-Demister-Hot-Cold-BLK-/371043187047?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5663e5b967)


Perhaps a bit more upmarket

Underdash Heater unit 12 Volt (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Underdash-Heater-unit-12-Volt-/261305337171?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cd7030553)
Not sure I can bring myself to go with the first one!!!

The second one is closer to the mark, but at $250 I'd rather buy a Defender one that will be a perfect fit in my engine bay. Perhaps I am kidding myself with an old County, but I'd like to minimise custom work if I can easily do so. I.E. Defender heater over generic aftermarket one...

[Phil B]

What size are the S2, S2a or S3 heaters? The County heater is much bigger than Defender heater. I have a turbo in that area, so want the smaller Defender type...


Have a look at the attached photo.
the fan is in the foreground and the heater matrix is the box behind it.

Phil.

[steveG]

What size are the S2, S2a or S3 heaters? The County heater is much bigger than Defender heater. I have a turbo in that area, so want the smaller Defender type...

Mine has a S3 heater fitted. It needs a separate blower, whereas I think the defender one is built into the box??

Couple of piccy's here:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/05/1288.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/05/1289.jpg

Steve

[Judo]

Maybe you could measure that for me Steve?

Some good pics of the Defender one here:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/111970-changing-defender-heater-matrix.html

Such as:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/05/1281.jpg

Maybe hard to compare with and without the wing attached.

[steveG]

Will try and get it measured over the weekend.

Steve

[manic]

Defender box should be a simple fit to the bulkhead. It would help to have the under wing vent also. The control levers screw in on each side of the instrument panel. It's a very basic arrangement with cable pulls, I would surprised if you could'nt tack the levers onto yours with only minor alterations.

Uk ebay for levers -> HEATER CONTROLS, LAND ROVER DEFENDER | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEATER-CONTROLS-LAND-ROVER-DEFENDER-/251509555111?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a8f233fa7)

[Bigbjorn]

Not sure I can bring myself to go with the first one!!!

The second one is closer to the mark, but at $250 I'd rather buy a Defender one that will be a perfect fit in my engine bay. Perhaps I am kidding myself with an old County, but I'd like to minimise custom work if I can easily do so. I.E. Defender heater over generic aftermarket one...

If you only want registration and don't care about heating, you can get 12V hair dryers. These will blow hot air up the demister passages and satisfy the law.

[mox]

I reckon you can do better than a Defender heater for a county that does not have one. Worth noting that in forums there are lots of complaints about them not working very well, ie not putting out much heat. Have plastic heater tank and aluminium core, on which the fins and pipes seem too thin. Is in a big bulky box which takes up a lot of space. Removed mine with idea of doing some repairs and mods to it but instead made one using copper./ brass element from XA Falcon which is small by comparison but works at least as well. Aim was partly to leave room to make top of footwell level so air conditioner evaporator can be raised to give more passenger footroom before I put on new condenser - which goes in front of radiator only (NOT intercooler)


Am not familiar with plumbing arrangement on Isuzu motors for heaters. Seems to me that on 300Tdi this should be considered an integral part of the cooling system. There is no tap to turn water off and appears one would be undesirable. Heater circuit takes water from rear of motor and it goes back to water pump. Seems that reported head damage from overheating is usually around No 4. Probably this is less likely while water continues to circulate past it and through the heater. Inside the bulky heater housing, there are passages and baffles to allow air to pass through without going through heater element. Also I reckon the Defender heater air intake - through wing vent on top of left guard is an abomination. Takes up a lot of space and readily fills up with rainwater.


Probably for financial outlay and ease of installation a Series heater should be best for a County.

[DeeJay]

My Isuzu County had a Series heater in it & I am in the process of fitting a series heater into my Perentie. Just jury rigging it ATM & is seems a perfect fit. I paid $56.00 at Pick a Part Clayton just this week.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/05/1252.jpg
David

[BilboBoggles]

They have land rovers at pick a part?

[DeeJay]

They have land rovers at pick a part?
Not often, there was a LWB at Clayton & an ex army SWB at Kilsyth that I took the air vents off last year. Just the lwb body left now, amazing the heater was still on it.